I'm going to college this fall and to prepare over the summer I want to read some books that empower females.

I have always been really shy and awkward, bullied for as long as I can remember, and insecure. I want to change though.

Could you please recommend some books, fiction or nonfiction, that deal with these things and/or may have helped you in the past?

I'd appreciate it!

this is a good thread!

unfortunately, i don't have any suggestions for books. when i was in high school though, i read a lot of zines. zines are good.

Nevermind The Bollocks - Women Rewrite Rock, from the top of my head. Remarkable women sharing their experience and views on life and femininity.

I read "When Wallflowers Dance" by Angela Thomas a while ago, and I found it brought me to realise qualities within myself that proved very beneficial for my self-esteem. I think you'd like it.

If overcoming your insecurity/shyness/awkwardness is your objective, remember that books can do alot but they can't guarantee social prosperity. It's up to you to make a concsious effort to go out more, talk to people, really put yourself out there. Reading books on confidence-boosting is a good idea and well done for taking that step, but don't rely solely on text. Action is what will boost your confidence. Good luck.

i really loved "body outlaws" when i first read it.
(i haven't read it in quite awhile)
http://www.bodyoutlaws.com/

Break, Blow, Burn : Camille Paglia Reads Forty-three of the World's Best Poems

*sure, she's a giant dyke. but this book is thrilling.

I also think the short story "Hairball" by Margaret Atwood is amazing. You may be able to find it online.

Also check out:

The White Album, Slouching Toward Bethlehen and The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion; she is a superior female American writer.

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promiscuities by naomi wolf.
I know it might seem like an odd choice but it made me think about things in a different way and made me slightly more confident in myself.

judith butler's gender trouble.

The Torn Skirt by Rebecca Godfrey, Foxfire by Joyce Carol Oates, Fanny by Erica Jong...

Oooooh I was going to say this one,*such* a good book, I just finished reading it.

margaret atwood - cat's eye
it's not the you go, girl kind of empowerment but it deals with one woman's childhood, being in a clique, being bullied by her bestfriend. it has one of most vivid characterizations of a woman i have ever read. recommended!

anything by elizabeth berg

i liked the women's room by marilyn french but i guess that's more to do with women&men relationships .. it's empowering in that sense.

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don't you think every kitten figures out how to get down
whether or not you ever show up

Weren't you the one who asked me about this book on the old board? probably not...

Yeah, Marilyn French is wonderful.

The Beauty Myth : How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women
Naomi Wolf

That's a wonderful idea! Um... I have nothing to offer though. I keep reading Bridget Jones's Diary 1 & 2 to comfort myself with the thought that I'm not the only one feeling shit about myself.

Juliette by Marquis de Sade.

!! I've been wanting to read this for ages. Camille is super rad. She makes you want to listen and make a difference.

GERMAINE GREER is love aswell..

Also valley of the dolls and use them as what not to do. Anne is weak. If you can pick their wrongs, your on your way..

I agree with The Valley of the Dolls comment! It's a fantastic book to read anyway, but you also learn from it if you read it with a critical mind.