International Women’s Day has become increasingly prominent over the course of the past few years, and 2018 could see the event reach its largest so far. The Day has been observed for more than 100 years and is recognised around the world as a time to celebrate the achievements of women, from political to social and everything in between. IWD is a great catalyst for a louder call for equality and unites global governments, women’s organisations, businesses and charities together under one banner. This year the theme is #PressforProgress and is a call to motivate and unite friends and colleagues and whole communities to think, act and be gender inclusive. Here at LoveReading we are taking the opportunity to celebrate IWD with the promotion of some amazing female authors. This year, LoveReading is celebrating the centenary of one of the greatest female writers in history, Muriel Spark. Dame Muriel was a poet, writer of fiction, criticism and literary biography at the top of her profession for more than half a century. Muriel’s works have never gone out of print and include the Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, The Driver’s Seat and Memento Mori.

The History of Women Re-written

I Know a Woman, by Kate Hodges and Lucy Mangan unveils the amazing and extraordinary achievements and stories of 84 pioneering women the perfect book to show the relentless strength of womankind! This tome of women's history and endeavour includes women from ground-breaking  Marie Curie, to the game changing Billie Jean King.

A Secret Sisterhood: The Hidden Friendships of Austen, Bronte, Eliot and Woolf, has been created by Emily Midorikawa, Emma Claire Sweeney and Margaret Attwood. The group have worked to resurrect four literary collaborations have been kept in the shadows, until now! Previously unpublished material unveils creative connections for these four giants in female-authored literature. The story of brilliant heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt who married the Charles Spencer-Churchill, the 9th Duke of Marlborough is told in Julie Ferry’s Million Dollar Duchesses. One of a number of matches between America’s heiresses and the elite of British society. Filled with scandal, illicit affairs, spurned loves and unexpected deaths, this is a great book.

Tessa Boase’s Mrs Pankhurst’s Purple Feather: Fashion, Fury and Feminism- Women’s Fight for Change is a shocking and entertaining book about the women's movement that captured the public's imagination. This book covers the events of this period with Emmeline Pankhurst; but also focuses on Etta Lemonwo, with a handful of other women who together created the conservation charity the RSPB. Penguin are also helping to host a wide range of events between the 5th and the 9th March.  Their pop-up bookshop can be found at 1-3 Rivington Street, London, EC2A 3DT. Their #LikeAWoman women’s empowerment blog has information about the events on offer. You can also see a wide range of books that feature in their women-author only pop-up bookshop, interviews and features from some amazing writers.

Educating the Future Generation

It is important that everyone celebrates the achievements of women and men while working for equality. This is most important when it comes to educating the future generation. Have any children you would like to learn more about suffrage for International Women’s day? Head over to our LoveReading4Kids blog post. You can also check out a range of books about Women’s Suffrage and the Vote 100 centenary.