good reads (in fiction and philosophy)

Fiction

The Poisonwood Bible should change your life.  It should change the way you think about yourself, your behavior, and the worlds we--as cultures and nations--create.  It's brilliantly written, with characters so real that at times you might cry for them.  This is definitely the kind of book you WANT to affect you.  It's a must.   

Hilarious yet sobering.  Political.  You'll fall in love with Oskar, the nine-year-old protagonist.  Foer's writing style is unique, so be prepared for something deliciously different! 

The movie is coming out in January, so I definitely recommend reading the book before you see the show!  I'm sure the movie will be good, but you just can't capture Foer's writing in a movie(!!!!!)

Philosophy

I've been studying women and agency, and these two books are the most important (and interesting!) I've read thus far.  They are technical, so don't pick these up when you're looking for a quick page-turner or light read.  

Relational Autonomy. a collection of essays written by different feminists, outlines various theories on autonomy and argues that we need to change our definition of autonomy in order to make it relevant for women.  If you want to get a good introduction to issues regarding autonomy, this book is the place to begin. 

  Gender in the Mirror, written by Diana Meyers, consists of well-articulated, relevant arguments regarding women and agency.  I like that Meyers begins by explaining that we cannot remove gender from identity, and that she argues that in order for women to have autonomy, they need skills that allow them to maneuver in society.  Women can exercise agency in a patriarchal systems; however, patriarchal systems can oppress women by inhibiting their agentic skills.  


Meyers' work has excellent sections on maternal agency and on "women in the mirrors"--imagery of women circulating society and how it affects agency.

I don't agree with all of the ideas in these books, but that doesn't mean they aren't important to read. :)