Announcing: 50 Books for Post-Modern Times

Yesterday in my blog, I covered Newsweek’s myopic list of the 50 books that define and explain these confusing modern times. To recap: the list was 84% white, 78% male, 96% straight, and 66% both white and male.

Now, I’m not putting down white male writers. But there are many wonderful writers who are subject to significant oppression, and choosing to promote already coddled and significantly advantaged writers disproportionately contributes to that problem. Our country and our world is filled with brilliant and illuminating writers who do not fit perfectly into Jon Meacham’s narrow idea of what the canon looks like.

In response to this list, I present:

50 Books for Post-Modern Times

One upcoming week in my blog , I want to collect perspectives on 50 works by writers whose bodies do not fit neatly into the canonical narrative. I want writers that reflect the issues of discrimination that we face today: writers of color, women writers, QLBTGI writers, disabled writers. I want writers who have shaped your feminist/progressive worldview. I want writers who “challenge the structure that would allow for domination of white male authorship.”*

So: who inspires you? I want to hear from the Feministing community. Give me up to five authors who face significant oppression. I’m especially interested in intersectional writers. There are no genre limitations. To contribute:

Leave a comment here with your submission and contact information, including why you love them, or
Leave a comment with submission and contact info in this entry at my blog, or
Email me at deeplyproblematic@gmail.com with your submission.

In your communication, tell me:

How they inspire you
What they contribute to our cultural narrative

Everyone who contributes will be listed, quoted, and linked to when I post at least one of your submissions in the multi-entry list next week (or later, depending on how long it takes to get people to participate).

I’m excited to hear from you!

*Description by the excellent M of Ped Xing , who named this project.