Bookworm Cottage Style

In case you missed it, we are diversifying our bookshelves this year, highlighting stories and voices from a multitude of lived experiences. March is Women’s History Month. Most of the books I’ve recommended on my blog are written by or about women. So this month, I am highlighting a few titles that are about real women from history. The first two are more biographical, while the second two novels are more heavily fictionalized (but inspired by true people and events, nonetheless).

Grandma Gatewood’s Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail by Ben Montgomery (2014; 277 pages) // I don’t typically pick up biographies, but this book found me at the exact right moment. After a TOUGH week of parenting in which the entire family had the stomach flu, reading about Grandma Gatewood’s life gave me some much-needed perspective. A survivor of abuse and a mother of 11 children, Emma Gatewood walked all 2,000+ miles of the Appalachian trail (wearing Keds!) at 67 years old in 1955. She didn’t have any fancy hiking gear or equipment, she just put one foot in front of the other. I was going absolutely stir crazy from being stuck inside sick for a week plus, so reading about the trail was a much needed escape, and has motivated me to go on several long neighborhood walks. What a fascinating person!

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray (2021; 341 pages) // This novel is based on the fascinating true story of Belle de Costa Greene, an African American woman who passed as white to become one of the most successful art curators and collectors of her time working directly for J.P. Morgan. The writing and dialogue are very “of the era” so the book doesn’t read quite as quickly as contemporary fiction, but it is a page turning story nonetheless. Although Belle obscures her family history and true identity, in many other ways she is also unapologetically herself, challenging preconceived notions of working women, traditional gender roles, and the male-dominated art world. It is often said that history is written by the winners. The Personal Librarian is the type of story that makes you ache for all of the under-the-radar women, particularly women of color, who have come before us and shaped our society in ways we are only just beginning to understand.

Isola by Allegra Goodman (2025; 346 pages) // After her forbidden romance gets discovered, Marguerite, her lover, and her ladies maid get marooned on an island off of Canada and left to perish. What follows is a remarkable tale of survival, rugged determination, and brutal, insurmountable elements. What’s even more remarkable is that this novel was inspired by true events and Marguerite’s own experience in the 1500s. Historical fiction from this long ago is not usually my cup of tea and the writing (though beautiful) is different than the voicey contemporary novels I typically gravitate towards, so I was surprised to realize that I tore through this book in 2 or 3 days, finding excuses to keep picking it up. 

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (2023, 448 pages) // Oh hey, not me recommending this book again! If you need a refresher, the main character, Martha Ballard, is a badass middle-aged woman working as a midwife in Maine during the late 1700s. Inspired by real people and real events, the story follows a murder case that Martha gets tangled up in as she searches for answers and justice. Martha is just an incredible character — so much gumption and self assuredness — the type of character that makes me excited to grow older and wiser.