April's Picks

Sorry sorry sorry for posting this two weeks into April! With moving, midterms and work I just haven't had the time to do it any sooner. So without further ado, here are WDBC's picks for the month of April (or what's left of it!).

Fiction:

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
(Available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble)

In anticipation of the release of Go Set a Watchmen (available for preorder), which will be coming out later this year, we have selected this classic for our fiction category. If you haven't read it since high school, now is a great time to pick it up again and give it another read.

Fantasy/Sci-Fi:

Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman
(Available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble)

Another brilliant collection of short stories from a favorite author. Some stories are just a few pages long, well suited to a morning commute on the train or a lunch break at work, and others are a bit longer for those of us accustomed to the bulk of Gaiman's other novels.

Graphic Novels/Manga:

Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman, Volume 1 by Gail Simone, illustrated by Ethan Van Sciver
(Available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble)

Wonder Woman's first digital-first anthology! Who else is excited?

History/Biography:

Becoming Steve Jobs by Brent Schlender
(Available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble)

This biography has been getting quite good reviews for the humanizing portrayal it gives of the tech genius and co-founder of Apple. Even if you've already read Walter Isaacson's version, you might consider giving this one a try.

Humanities/Non-Fiction:

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo
(Available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble)

This book originally piqued my interest by its title and its curiously small size. It was later raved about to me by people who had either heard about it or were already putting its principles into practice. I myself have gotten halfway through it and have started decluttering my own home. I can say that I am less distracted and more motivated to do the things that matter to me, have more time and get more done as a result. I would definitely suggest checking this book out. It also makes a great gift for Mother's Day!

Business/Finance:

Thrive by Arianna Huffington
(Available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble)

Finally, a business book that doesn't read like a business book. While the ideas presented are not necessarily new or revolutionary, Arianna does a very nice job of telling them in a way which serves as a gentle reminder to take care of yourself and to thrive in a male-dominated, overworked, under-slept culture.

Science/Technology:

Headstrong: 52 Women Who Changed Science- and the World by Rachel Swaby
(Available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble)

Written by journalist Rachel Swaby, this book covers a full year of weekly biographical profiles of women who have had an impact on science, and consequently the world, throughout history. Profiles range from computer scientist Ada Lovelace to astronaut Sally Ride.

Young Adult/Children's:

Paper Towns by John Green
(Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble)

Now that The Fault In Our Stars has its own movie, it's time for Paper Towns to see its time in the limelight. If you haven't read it but are planning to see the film, now's the time to pick up a copy.

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As always, don't forget to send us your book reviews to womensdiversitybookclub@gmail.com to be featured on the blog. Happy reading!

~Mia at WDBC

February's Picks of the Month

It's time for February's picks of the month! Sorry they came in a bit late. Additionally, as some of you may have seen in our tweet, we'll be starting off with four choices instead of eight as a way to warm things up. Remember, you can always read one, two, or all of the books on our list, if you want to!

Fiction:

The Girl On the Train by Paula Hawkins
(Available from Barnes & Noble or Amazon)

This thriller was recently released and has been getting a lot of buzz (naturally). Let's see for ourselves what all the hype is about!

Fantasy/Sci-Fi:

The Mammoth Book of SF Stories by Women edited by Alex Dally MacFarlane
(Available from Barnes & Noble  or Amazon)

What better choice for this category than an anthology of short science-fiction stories, written entirely by women?

History/Biography:

So, Anyway... by John Cleese
(Available from Barnes & Noble or Amazon)

Does this book even require an introduction? I rest my case.

Children's/Young Adult:

Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell
(Available from Barnes & Noble or Amazon)

If ever there was a book to remind you of why you loved reading as a child, it's this one.



As I'm sure you noticed, we didn't go real heavy on the science or non-fiction this month. If that's your thing, don't worry. We've got plenty of that coming up next month. For this month, pick your book, grab a copy from your local library or bookstore, start reading and when you're done, join the discussion by writing a review (or better yet, making a video!) and sending it to us at womensdiversitybookclub@gmail.com so we can feature it on the blog and get other like-minded women readers to comment and share. Happy reading!

~WDBC

Welcome to WDBC

Thanks for visiting our blog. We are the Women's Diversity Book Club, and as the name implies, we are women promoting diversity in reading.

Our aim is to celebrate the extensive library of knowledge at our fingertips today, to empower women of all ages, backgrounds, ethnicities, religions and occupations with this knowledge and to encourage variety in reading selection, to expose our members to literature they might otherwise remain ignorant of, in turn making possible the sparking of new interests and activities thus inspiring a new wave of leaders, innovators and artists, and above all, to have fun.

Membership is easy! Just start by picking up a copy of The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry (available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble) by Gabrielle Zevin. I owe it to this book for sparking the idea to start this club and this community and besides, it's just a really great read (review to follow).

Starting this February we will proffer up our list of recommended reads for the month in eight different genres: fiction, fantasy/sci-fi, graphic novels/manga, history/biography, humanities, business/finance, science/technology and children's. You choose the genre, pick the book, start reading, and once you're done, post a review. Whether it be on Goodreads, Amazon, BN.com, your blog or YouTube channel, send us the link at womensdiversitybookclub@gmail.com and we will post it on the blog. We look forward to your future participation; welcome aboard.

~WDBC