Recommended Reading and the Tempest Bradford Challenge

I've never signed on to the Tempest Bradford challenge to stop reading books by White, Straight, Cis Male Authors for One Year. I can't bring myself to put off reading good books by authors I love for a year.

However, inspired by the challenge, I have looked more closely into my past reading choices and found that they are overwhelmingly skewed towards white male authors. And based on this, I have made an effort to seek out work from a more diverse group of authors over the past year and will continue to do so in future. The lists of books read on the right of this blog, although by no means complete, should show that I am making progress in this regard. But progress could be faster.

It is not that hard to find good writing in SFF by authors other than white males. However, it never hurts to have lists of good books to assist in that search. I have recently found two such lists that look quite promising.

The first is derived from a list compiled in 2013 by David G. Hartwell, senior editor at Tor Books, of "major books of science fiction written by women over the period 1984 to 2001." This list was originally published by The New York Review of Science Fiction and was attractively organized by Worlds Without End (which is where I stumbled upon it). Alphabetically by author, with year of publication in parentheses:

1. Brother Termite, Patricia Anthony (1993)
2. A Woman Of The Iron People, Eleanor Arnason (1991)
3. Ring of Swords, Eleanor Arnason (1993)
4. Primary Inversion, Catherine Asaro (1995)
5. The Last Hawk, Catherine Asaro (1997)
6. The Quantum Rose, Catherine Asaro (2000)
7. Unwillingly to Earth, Pauline Ashwell (1992)
8. Crash Course, Wihelmina Baird (1993)
9. In the Garden of Iden, Kage Baker (1998)
10. Sky Coyote, Kage Baker (1999)
11. The Best of . . ., Marion Zimmer Bradley (1985)
12. The Warrior’s Apprentice, Lois McMaster Bujold (1986)
13. Borders of Infinity, Lois McMaster Bujold (1989)
14. Falling Free, Lois McMaster Bujold (1988)
15. The Vor Game, Lois McMaster Bujold (1990)
16. Mirror Dance, Lois McMaster Bujold (1994)
17. Cetaganda, Lois McMaster Bujold (1996)
18. Dreamweaver’s Dilemma, Lois McMaster Bujold (1996)
19. Memory, Lois McMaster Bujold (1996)
20. A Civil Campaign, Lois McMaster Bujold (1999)
21. Falcon, Emma Bull (1989)
22. Bone Dance, Emma Bull (1991)
23. Dawn, Octavia Butler (1987)
24. Adulthood Rites, Octavia Butler (1988)
25. Imago, Octavia Butler (1989)
26. Parable of the Sower, Octavia Butler (1994)
27. Bloodchild and Other Stories, Octavia Butler (1995)
28. Parable of the Talents, Octavia Butler (1998)
29. Mindplayers, Pat Cadigan (1987)
30. Patterns, Pat Cadigan (1989)
31. Synners, Pat Cadigan (1991)
32. Home by the Sea, Pat Cadigan (1992)
33. Dirty Work, Pat Cadigan (1993)
34. Promised Land, Pat Cadigan (1999)
35. Dervish Is Digital, Pat Cadigan (2001)
36. The Furies, Suzy McKee Charnas (1994)
37. The Conqueror’s Child, Suzy McKee Charnas (1999)
38. Chanur’s Venture, CJ Cherryh (1984)
39. Voyager in Night, CJ Cherryh (1984)
40. Cuckoo’s Egg, CJ Cherryh (1985)
41. The Kif Strike Back, CJ Cherryh (1985)
42. Chanur’s Homecoming, CJ Cherryh (1986)
43. Visible Light, CJ Cherryh (1986)
44. Cyteen, CJ Cherryh (1988)
45. Rimrunners, CJ Cherryh (1989)
46. Heavy Time, CJ Cherryh (1991)
47. Hellburner, CJ Cherryh (1992)
48. Foreigner, CJ Cherryh (1994)
49. Invader, CJ Cherryh (1995)
50. Rider at the Gate, CJ Cherryh (1995)
51. Inheritor, CJ Cherryh (1996)
52. Precursor, CJ Cherryh (1999)
53. Defender, CJ Cherryh (2001)
54. Mainline, Deborah Christian (1996)
55. Mutagenesis, Helen Collins (1993)
56. Beholder’s Eye, Julie Czerneda (1998)
57. In the Company of Others, Julie Czerneda (2001)
58. A Paradigm of Earth, Candas Jane Dorsey (2001)
59. Native Tongue*, Suzette Haden Elgin (1984)
60. Jaran, Kate Elliott (1992)
61. City of Diamond, Jane Emerson (1995)
62. The Start of the End of It All and Other Stories, Carol Emshwiller (1990)
63. Rainbow Man, MJ Engh (1993)
64. Infinity’s Web, Sheila Finch (1985)
65. Artificial Things, Karen Joy Fowler (1986)
66. Sarah Canary, Karen Joy Fowler (1991)
67. Black Glass, Karen Joy Fowler (1998)
68. In Conquest Born, CS Friedman (1987)
69. Halfway Human*, Carolyn Ives Gilman (1998)
70. The Dazzle of Day, Molly Gloss (1997)
71. A Mask for the General, Lisa Goldstein (1987)
72. Queen City Jazz, Kathleen Ann Goonan (1994)
73. The Bones of Time, Kathleen Ann Goonan (1996)
74. Mississippi Blues, Kathleen Ann Goonan (1997)
75. Crescent City Rhapsody, Kathleen Ann Goonan (2000)
76. Flesh and Gold, Phyllis Gotlieb (1998)
77. Ammonite, Nicola Griffith (1993)
78. Slow River, Nicola Griffith (1995)
79. Winterlong, Elizabeth Hand (1990)
80. Æstival Tide, Elizabeth Hand (1992)
81. Icarus Descending, Elizabeth Hand (1993)
82. Glimmering, Elizabeth Hand (1997)
83. Last Summer At Mars Hill, Elizabeth Hand (1998)
84. Midnight Robber, Nalo Hopkinson (2000)
85. Divine Endurance, Gwyneth Jones (1984)
86. Escape Plans, Gwyneth Jones (1986)
87. Kairos, Gwyneth Jones (1988)
88. White Queen, Gwyneth Jones (1991)
89. North Wind, Gwyneth Jones (1994)
90. Bold as Love, Gwyneth Jones (2001)
91. Hellspark, Janet Kagan (1988)
92. Mirabile, Janet Kagan (1991)
93. The Journal of Nicholas the American, Leigh Kennedy (1986)
94. Polar City Blues, Katherine Kerr (1990)
95. The Silver Kiss, Annette Curtis Klause (1990)
96. Trinity and Other Stories, Nancy Kress (1985)
97. An Alien Light, Nancy Kress (1988)
98. Brain Rose, Nancy Kress (1990)
99. The Aliens of Earth, Nancy Kress (1993)
100. Beggars in Spain, Nancy Kress (1993)
101. Beggars & Choosers, Nancy Kress (1994)
102. Beggars Ride, Nancy Kress (1996)
103. Beaker’s Dozen, Nancy Kress (1998)
104. Probability Moon, Nancy Kress (2000)
105. Probability Sun, Nancy Kress (2001)
106. Dreams of Dark and Light, Tanith Lee (1986)
107. Night’s Sorceries, Tanith Lee (1987)
108. Always Coming Home, Ursula K LeGuin (1985)
109. Buffalo Gals and Other Animal Presences, Ursula K LeGuin (1987)
110. A Fisherman of the Inland Sea, Ursula K LeGuin (1994)
111. Four Ways to Forgiveness, Ursula K LeGuin (1995)
112. Unlocking the Air and Other Stories, Ursula K LeGuin (1996)
113. The Telling, Ursula K LeGuin (2000)
114. Arachne, Lisa Mason (1990)
115. Summer of Love, Lisa Mason (1994)
116. An Exchange of Hostages, Susan R Matthews (1997)
117. The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall, Anne McCaffrey (1993)
118. The Girl Who Heard Dragons, Anne McCaffrey (1994)
119. China Mountain Zhang, Maureen McHugh (1992)
120. Mission Child, Maureen McHugh (1998)
121. Nekropolis, Maureen McHugh (2001)
122. Murphy’s Gambit, Syne Mitchell (2000)
123. The Ragged World, Judith Moffett (1991)
124. Remnant Population, Elizabeth Moon (1996)
125. Once a Hero, Elizabeth Moon (1997)
126. The City, Not Long After, Pat Murphy (1989)
127. Points of Departure, Pat Murphy (1990)
128. Sheepfarmer’s Daughter, Elizabeth Moon (1988)
129. Lunar Activity, Elizabeth Moon (1990)
130. Deception Well, Linda Nagata (1997)
131. Vast, Linda Nagata (1998)
132. Limit of Vision, Linda Nagata (2001)
133. Becoming Alien, Rebecca Ore (1987)
134. Being Alien, Rebecca Ore (1989)
135. Alien Bootlegger and Other Stories, Rebecca Ore (1993)
136. Gaia’s Toys, Rebecca Ore (1995)
137. The Annunciate, Severna Park (1999)
138. Little Sisters of the Apocalypse, Kit Reed (1995)
139. Silver Screen, Justina Robson (1999)
140. Synthesis and Other Virtual Realities, Mary Rosenblum (1996)
141. Chimera, Mary Rosenblum (1993)
142. The Drylands, Mary Rosenblum (1993)
143. Alien Influences, Kristine Kathryn Rusch (1994)
144. Extra(Ordinary) People, Joanna Russ (1984)
145. The Hidden Side Of The Moon, Joanna Russ (1988)
146. Venus of Dreams, Pamela Sargent (1986)
147. The Best of . . ., Pamela Sargent (1987)
148. The Healer’s War, Elizabeth Ann Scarborough (1988)
149. The Game Beyond, Melissa Scott (1984)
150. Trouble and Her Friends, Melissa Scott (1994)
151. Shadow Man, Melissa Scott (1995)
152. Night Sky Mine, Melissa Scott (1996)
153. The Shapes of Their Hearts, Melissa Scott (1998)
154. Reef Song, Carol Severance (1991)
155. Heritage of Flight, Susan M Shwartz (1989)
156. Legacies, Alison Sinclair (1995)
157. A Door into Ocean, Joan Slonczewski (1986)
158. The Children Star, Joan Slonczewski (1998)
159. Code Of Conduct, Kristine Smith (1999)
160. Other Nature, Stephanie Smith (1995)
161. The Arbitrary Placement of Walls, Martha Soukup (1997)
162. Alien Taste, Wen Spencer (2001)
163. Chance and Other Gestures of the Hand of Fate, Nancy Springer (1987)
164. Larque on the Wing, Nancy Springer (1994)
165. After Long Silence, Sheri S Tepper (1987)
166. Grass, Sheri S Tepper (1989)
167. Raising the Stones, Sheri S Tepper (1990)
168. The Fresco, Sherri S Tepper (2000)
169. Virtual Girl, Amy Thomson (1993)
170. The Color of Distance, Amy Thomson (1995)
171. Through Alien Eyes, Amy Thomson (1999)
172. Brightness Falls from the Air, James Tiptree Jr (1985)
173. Tales of the Quintana Roo, James Tiptree Jr (1986)
174. Crown of Stars, James Tiptree Jr (1988)
175. Her Smoke Rose Up Forever, James Tiptree Jr (1990)
176. Lost Futures, Lisa Tuttle (1992)
177. World’s End, Joan D Vinge (1984)
178. Phoenix in the Ashes, Joan D Vinge (1985)
179. Catspaw, Joan D Vinge (1988)
180. Opalite Moon, Denise Vitola (1997)
181. The Silent City, Élisabeth Vonarburg (1988)
182. In the Mother’s Land, Élisabeth Vonarburg (1992)
183. Reluctant Voyagers, Élisabeth Vonarburg (1995)
184. Whiteout, Sage Walker (1996)
185. Mother Grimm, Catherine Wells (1997)
186. Children of the Wind, Kate Wilhelm (1989)
187. And the Angels Sing, Kate Wilhelm (1992)
188. The Ghost Sister, Liz Williams (2001)
189. Sea as Mirror, Tess Williams (2000)
190. Fire Watch, Connie Willis (1985)
191. Doomsday Book, Connie Willis (1992)
192. Impossible Things, Connie Willis (1993)
193. To Say Nothing of The Dog, Connie Willis (1998)
194. Passage, Connie Willis (2001)
195. Looking for the Mahdi, N Lee Wood (1996)
196. Sister Emily’s Lightship and Other Stories, Jane Yolen (2000)
197. Reclamation, Sarah Zettel (1996)
198. Fool’s War, Sarah Zettel (1997)
199. Playing God, Sarah Zettel (1998)
200. Busy About the Tree of Life, Pamela Zoline (1988)

I am disturbed both by the fact that I have read very few of these books, as well as by the fact that I have read even fewer of the authors.

The second is a list of 19 Science-Fiction And Fantasy Novels By Women Of Color curated by Anjali Patel. The list in full:

1. Parable of the Sower, by Octavia Butler
2. The Summer Prince, by Alaya Dawn Johnson
3. Who Fears Death, by Nnedi Okorafar
4. Spirits of the Ordinary: A Tale of Casas Grandes, by Kathleen Alcala
5. Ash, by Malinda Lo
6. The Salt Roads, by Nalo Hopkinson
7. A Stranger in Olondria, by Sofia Samatar
8. Joplin's Ghost, by Tananarive Due
9. The Stars Change, by Mary Anne Mohanraj
10. The Antelope Wife, by Louise Erdrich
11. Almanac of the Dead, by Leslie Marmon Silko
12. The Gilda Stories, by Jewelle Gomez
13. Island of Eternal Love, by Daína Chaviano
14. Redemption in Indigo, by Karen Lord
15. So Far from God, by Ana Castillo
16. Ink, by Sabrina Vourvoulias
17. Orleans, by Sherri L. Smith
18. Salt Fish Girl: A Novel, by Larissa Lai
19. The Lost Girl, by Sangu Mandanna

Unlike the first list, I have read a few of these and look forward to reading more over the coming months (and years).