Commencement (2009)
By J. Courtney Sullivan

"I'm more than a few years older than the four women in Commencement, but I nevertheless found myself really connecting with the story. By following the lives of these different women, the novel takes a look at why we make the choices we do and how the consequences of those choices come to shape us. Meeting for the first time at Smith College in the late '90s, these four college friends form a tight bond, one that is later tested as they face various crossroads in their relationships and careers during their 20s—dead-end jobs, parental disapproval, dealing with romantic partners, weddings, babies, etc. Reading this book transported me straight back to that period in my life, reminding me of the importance of female friendship, camaraderie, and support."







Reading Women
Stephanie Staal's Reading Women: How the Great Books of Feminism Changed My Life is about juggling the challenges of being a wife, mother and professional, finding your identity—and finding time to read.




Keep Reading:
31 favorite women writers

Think you know "chick lit"? Take this quiz!