20th Century Bombshells: Women & The Bomb

World War II was a time of dramatic change. Modern warfare inspired new technology, including nuclear weapons, and also altered the way Americans thought about gender roles. Women of all social classes began working outside the home and impacting society in new ways. In the books below, American women play dynamic parts in the creation and the aftermath of the atomic bomb.

The Wives of Los Alamos by TaraShea Nesbit

Told collectively by the women of Los Alamos, this fictional memoir observes their community before and after the revelation of their work's nuclear nature.

The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise Kiernan

Recruited by the US Army during World War II, thousands of Americans moved to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, a secret Project Manhattan city. Despite the intense secrecy surrounding their work, the women of Oak Ridge establish a vibrant community united by their sense of purpose. After the Bomb "Little Boy" is dropped on Hiroshima, the residents of Oak Ridge must come to terms with their role in the development of the atomic bomb.

An Atomic Love Story: The Extraordinary Women in Robert Oppenheimer's Life by Shirley Streshinsky and Patricia Klaus

Notorious for both the creation of the atomic bomb and his connections to the Communist Party, J. Robert Oppenheimer also had quite the tumultuous love life. His relationships with three smart, ambitious, and extraordinary women are chronicled in real-life details with extra attention paid to the dynamic social setting of America in the mid-twentieth century in this well-researched book.

The House at Otowi Bridge: The Story of Edith Warner and Los Alamos by Peggy Pond Church

Edith Warner lived by herself between Los Alamos and the San Ildefonso Pueblo, but was hardly alone. While she was not integrated into either community, Edith built strong relationships with the people who lived there, including J. Robert Oppenheimer. This character-driven book examines Warner, the friendships she made, and the influence she held in New Mexico.

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Arabella by Georgette Heyer

Fans of Jane Austen will delight in Georgette Heyer's regency novels featuring strong, if sometimes a bit silly, female protagonists. Wit and humor abound with just the right amount of love story added in to make Heyer's work light and satisfying.

Arabella by Georgette Heyer

Sent to London for the season, the exuberant daughter of a country cleric hopes to meet an eligible man, but an upset carriage and her foolish tongue may ruin her chances and her reputation before she even arrives.

Also by Georgette Heyer:

Cotillion | The Grand Sophy | Frederica

Suggestions for further reading:

Gentle Rogue by Johanna Lindsay

Disguised as a cabin boy, a high-spirited and resourceful lady encounters a dashing yet stubborn ex-pirate in this high seas romantic escapade.

The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart

Hurtling along a trajectory with unintended consequences, our heroine finds herself an imposter and an heiress in opposition to an intimidating man's goals in this suspenseful story set in the English countryside.

Georgette Heyer's Regency World by Jennifer Kloester

Get a behind-the-scenes look at Regency etiquette, dress, and popular culture in this lively and information work.

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Peony in Love by Lisa See

Peony in Love by Lisa See

After an illicit glimpse of a handsome stranger, the daughter of a prosperous Chinese scholar learns about love and family from an unusual perspective.

Also by Lisa See:

     

Shanghai Girls | Snow Flower and the Secret Fan | Flower Net

Suggestions for further reading:

Empress Orchid by Anchee Min

At the end of the Ch'ing dynasty in 19th century China, concubine Orchid utilizes all of her resources from intellect to seduction to intrigue to gain and then maintain power in the Forbidden City.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Caught in a love story literally swept up by time, artist Clare and accidental time traveler Henry's passionate relationship defies convention.

Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang

The lives of three courageous women -- a grandmother, a mother, and a daughter -- and their relationships to each other unfold in this epic, multi-generational memoir set in brutal 20th century China.

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Tomato Red by Daniel Woodrell

Tomato Red by Daniel Woodrell

Angry and ambitious, Jamalee wants out of her Ozarks trailer park and teams up with her beautiful brother and a hardboiled drifter to escape in this alternately humorous and heartbreaking country noir novel.

Venus Holler – the trailer park on the wrong side of the tracks in the Missouri Ozarks – is the sort of place where people live real fast and learn real slow.

Sammy rolls into town with a once-clean shirt and a couple of cassette tapes looking for somewhere or someone to call home – or at least find some cold beer and womanly comforts for a time, but a warm beer will do too.

Jamalee, a firecracker with hair to match, wants out of the trailer park, out of Missouri, out of the Midwest.

Jamalee’s brother, well, let’s just say if your ex had his lips, he wouldn’t be your ex.

All Jamalee needs to do is raise the cash to get clear of Venus Holler and she has a plan on how to do it. She just needs her brother to seduce the wealthy women in the town and those women have practically already done that for him. Then they’ll just collect the hush money and they’re set. There are just a few bumps in the road: getting paid is harder than Jamalee thought and her brother might rather prefer the company of men.

For the trio, there’s only one thing more dangerous than being ambitious and a loudmouth and that’s being gay in the Ozarks. 

Also by Daniel Woodrell:

   

Winter's Bone | The Death of Sweet Mister | Give Us a Kiss

Suggestions for further reading:

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

25 years after testifying that her brother slaughtered her mother and two sisters in a Satanic sacrifice, Libby Day finds herself reluctantly working with a group of fanatics to potentially prove his innocence.

The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt

Trekking across the unruly western frontier, two guns for hire bound by blood and possibly misguided loyalties hunt their next mark and their next paycheck.

Murder on Rouse Hill by Alan Terry Wright

This riveting Law and Order-paced historical reconstruction of 1915 Soutland, Missouri and the brutal, unsolved murder that took place there twines small town politics with a brilliant cast of characters ranging from busy bodies to defense attorneys to would-be lynch mobs.

Readership Advisory Session: Sally

About Sally:
Sally is a mid-twenties female library page in the Pacific Northwest, MLIS candidate, and self-described "book snob". She has an academic background in English literature and creative writing. Sally's boyfriend reads primarily memoirs and nonfiction, but she typically doesn't read nonfiction unless it's academic in nature.

Sally's Likes:
- Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
       - Has read all of J.D. Salinger
- Short stories by Karen Russell
       - Has read all of Karen Russell
       - Elastic realism used to illustrate a point rather than a literary gimmick
- Geek Love by Katherine Dunn
- Coming of age stories, especially about boys
- Graphic novels
- French Milk by Lucy Knisley
- Fiction

Sally's Dislikes:
- Nonfiction
- Genre fiction
       - Particularly romances and serial mysteries

Reading Suggestions:

1. Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart

This quirky and poignant love story of a middle-aged, old-fashioned immigrant and a young materialistic Korean-American is superimposed on a dystopian backdrop of a not-so-distant future America teetering on the precipice of economic disaster. Sally may appreciate this critically-acclaimed novel for its unusual characters, multi-layered plot, and satirical, offbeat humor.

2. Blankets by Craig Thompson

Faith and first love motivate the introspective male protagonist in this critically-acclaimed, autobiographical graphic novel. Beautifully drawn and emotionally charged, Sally may enjoy reading this multidimensional coming of age story because of the male protagonist and depth of narration.

3. Dandelion Wine  by Ray Bradbury

The summer of 1928 marks the last season of innocence for twelve-year-old Douglas. The simple pleasures and routines of small town life illicit nostalgia for the past and hints at the beginnings of disillusionment. This pre-coming-of-age story is suggested for Sally because of the young male protagonist and mythical elements that are used to support the metaphors in the stories.

4. White Teeth by Zadie Smith

Unlikely friends, first and second chances at life, and kids growing up in an ethnically-diverse London neighborhood fill this multi-family, multi-generation award winning novel. The multiple coming-of-age stories and topical issues may appeal to Sally.









What would you have picked for Sally and why?

*This readership advisory transaction was a classroom exercise.

The Enchantment Emporium by Tanya Huff

The Enchantment Emporium by Tanya Huff

Alysha Gale -- born into a family of witches consumed by power and lust and dominated by a horde of not-so-subtle aunties -- finds more than yo-yos in her recently inherited junkshop in Calgary.
  






Suggestions for further reading:

A Discover of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Attempting to escape her magical family by engrossing herself in academia, Diana unintentionally ignites the interest of the magical underworld and draws the attention of a remarkably handsome vampire.

Faking It by Jennifer Crusie

A family of high-spirited women have more than a few secrets locked away in the basement of their art gallery. When Tilda encounters a dashing conman with overlapping goals, they form an exhilarating partnership.

A Field Guide to Demons, Fairies, Fallen Angels and Other Subversive Spirits by Carol K. Mack

An upbeat and well-researched look at the mythical, mystical, and unusually devious inhabitants of what Tanya Huff calls the Under Realm.