Though it has not always been considered proper, there have been many women who, throughout history, have put their thoughts and feelings on paper in some of the most incredible literary masterpieces the world has to offer. This is far from a definitive list, but this is my humble attempt at paying homage to a few of the great literary minds.

Murasaki Shikibu (973-1025? CE): also known as Lady Murasaki is, perhaps one of the earliest person to write what we would call a modern novel. Not much is known about her life, other than the few years she spent in court, and that she was born to a provincial governor and scholar. Her greatest work is called The Tale of Gengi.

Jane Austen (1775 - 1817): Despite never finding a true love in her own life, Jane Austen more than made up for it through the characters in her novels. To this day, her books captivate readers through her portrayals of strong and witty women, her overwhelmingly dashing men, and her incredibly realistic, tangled images of life and love during the Regency period in England. Some of her major works include Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Emma.

Pearl S. Buck (1892 – 1973): Born in America, but raised in China, Pearl Buck was witness to many tumultuous times such as the Boxer Uprising and the Nanking Incident. Her travels between the US and China, and her education in both places led to the writing of her best known novels East Wind, West Wind and The Good Earth – which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1935. In 1938, Pearl became the first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize for Literature. After her return to the US, she dedicated her life to advancing the cultural exchanges between America and Asia.

Juana Ines de la Cruz (1651-1695): Despite being self-taught, Sor Juana was, perhaps, one of the most influential thinker in Mexico’s infancy. She joined a convent, and continued her studies, while also teaching drama and music. She wrote plays and poetry, philosophical works, and stood in stern defense of a woman’s right to education and knowledge. Though she fell out of favor near the end of her life, and was forced to abandon her writing, her works have become pertinent once again, through the rise of the Feminist movement in the 20th century.

Louisa May Alcott (1832 - 1888): Raised in Concord, Massachusetts, Louisa is a prime example of being in the right place at the right time. She grew up surrounded by some of the greatest minds in American literature and philosophy, and she definitely earned her place among them. Her greatest novel, Little Women, is a reflection of her own life, and will continue to be a treasured favorite for its raw emotion and the unbreakable bond between the sisters.

Sappho (circa 630): During one of the many periods when women were generally relegated to the home; when only the wealthy men of Greece were expected to indulge in the art of writing Sappho stepped beyond the norm. She chose a life on the isle of Lesbos where she could freely study art. Her poetry focused on romance, and she was well liked during her lifetime. Unfortunately, only one of her poems has survived in its entitrity, though many fragments are still available. Her poems include “Please,” “To Atthis,” and “To Andromeda.”

Willa Cather (1873 – 1947): O Pioneers! and My Antonia are two of Willa Cather’s most notable works. They reveal the gritty emotional roller-coaster that faced those that attempted to tame the prairies of the Midwest while America was still young. She refused to be bound by Victorian conventions in her life, or in her writing – which was often considered to have an unconventional structure. She never wrote openly about gay and lesbian themes, though she chose to be open about her affections in public, and included many subtle indications in her writing.

Simone de Beauvoir (1908 – 1986): Among the lists of feminist works, one is likely to find Beauvoir’s The Second Sex near the top. She was born in Paris, and studied at the Sarbonne. It is here that she met Jean-Paul Sartre – whom she would share her life and works with. She taught philosophy and photography until the Nazi occupation of France. Though she had been writing for many years her first novel, L’Invitee, was published in 1943, and her quintessential work, Les Mandarins, was published in 1954. Upon her death in 1986 she was buried with Sartre in Paris.