Celebrate Women's History Month with novels inspired by true events and the lives of real women from American history. Blending fact and fiction, these authors have drawn from historical and biographical sources, the experiences of their ancestors, and their imagination to bring these women and their accomplishments to life.
By Her Own Design by Piper Huguley
"The incredible untold story of how Ann Lowe, a Black woman and granddaughter of slaves, rose above personal struggles and racial prejudice to design and create one of America's most famous wedding dresses of all time for Jackie Kennedy."
Woman of Light by Kali Fajardo-Anstine
"A “dazzling, cinematic, intimate, lyrical” (Roxane Gay) epic of betrayal, love, and fate that spans five generations of an Indigenous Chicano family in the American West."
Learning to See: A Novel of Dorothea Lange, the Woman Who Revealed the Real America by Elise Hooper
"A novel about strong-willed trailblazing photographer, Dorothea Lange, whose fame grew during World War II and the Great Depression."
The Lost Journals of Sacajewea by Debra Magpie Earling
"This novel offers a revisionist history of Sacajewea, the Lemhi Shoshone woman who, while still a teenager, provided critical assistance to the Lewis and Clark expedition in their exploration of the Louisiana Territory."-from Kirkus
The Brightest Star by Gail Tsukiyama
"A magnificent historical novel based on the life of the luminous, groundbreaking actress Anna May Wong—the first and only Asian American woman to gain movie stardom in the early days of Hollywood."
Belle Greene by Alexandra Lapierre
"Based on the true story of Belle da Costa Greene, a woman who defied all odds to carve out a destiny of her own choosing, this is a richly imagined novel bursting with atmosphere, lush period detail, and many unforgettable characters."
The Mad Girls of New York by Maya Rodale
"A gripping and compelling novel based on the true story of fearless reporter Nellie Bly, who will stop at nothing to prove that a woman’s place is on the front page."
The Queen of Sugar Hill: A Novel of Hattie McDaniel by ReShonda Tate
"A fascinating fictional portrait of Hattie McDaniel, one of Hollywood’s most prolific but woefully underappreciated stars—and the first Black person ever to win an Oscar for her role as Mammy in the critically acclaimed classic film Gone With the Wind."
Bessie by Linda Kass
"Drawing on biographical and historical sources, Bessie reimagines the early life of Bess Myerson, who, in 1945 at age twenty-one, remarkably rises to become one of the most famous women in America."
The Great Mrs. Elias by Barbara Chase-Riboud
"The author of the award-winning Sally Hemings now brings to life Hannah Elias, one of the richest Black women in America in the early 1900s, in this mesmerizing novel swirling with atmosphere and steeped in history."
All summaries are provided by the publisher unless otherwise noted.