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In 1987 Congress declared that Women's History Week be expanded to Women's History Month. While FHI celebrates women every month, we trust you will be engaged, inspired and delighted by this selection of books by women authors.

The Piano Teacher
By Janice Y.K. Lee
Penguin, 2009

Set in Hong Kong, this emotionally charged novel spans the changing years during and after World War II. Its crowd of characters includes some power-hungry types, both local and foreign, whose stories intertwine with themes of society, love, honor, betrayal and survival. Beginning in 1941 when Japan invaded Hong Kong, Lee skilfully takes her reader through some very difficult times with jolting changes, strong visual images and memorable characters. There is good reason this book has been on the New York Times bestseller list for 13 weeks and counting.

Sweetness
By Sarah Levy
Surrey Books, 2009

These delectable baking recipes will inspire beginners to experts and everyone in between. The beginning chapters focus on the basics, including the equipment and utensils needed for the recipes that follow. Each recipe presented is rated from 1-5 difficulty level, and are organized by occasion, like Work, Matters of Love and Hostess Gifts.

Now, as a bookworm not a baker, I took this cookbook for a test drive with none too high expectations. My challenge: Grandma Eadie's Double Chocolate Chip Cake, rated 1 for difficulty. The result: moist and delicious morsels, rave reviews and an auspicious first use for my 20-year-old, never-before-used bundt pan.

P.S. If your travels take you to Chicago and you appreciate luscious and amazing creations, stop by Sarah's Pastries for treats made by the author herself.

Remarkable Creatures
By Tracy Chevalier
Dutton, 2010

Chevalier's latest historic novel shares the story of a friendship between two unlikely women whose unique love for fossils creates the basis for a lifelong bond. Mary Anning, who really lived, was one of the few women recognized for significant contributions to science in 18th century England. Because of her gender, her accomplishments-such as discovering the first complete ichthyosaur skeleton-were never celebrated as fully as they would have been had she been a man.

The other half of the duo is Elizabeth Philpot, a middle-class spinster who is sent to live in a small seaside town with her unmarried sisters. She meets Mary, who is twenty years her junior and outside her social bracket, while collecting fossils-a passion they share. Fans of Chevalier's style will feel right at home with this engaging read.

Tranquilista
By Kimberly Wilson
New World Library, 2010

Plunk down in a comfy chair for a self-help guide that reads like a letter from a good friend. Find out how to be a "tranquilista," a woman who embraces her many sides-spiritual, creation and entrepreneurial-in order to live life to its fullest.

Wilson uses a classic cupcake recipe as a metaphor for how women can take charge of their lives, dividing the book into three parts: "Mix Mindfulness," "Bake in Beauty," and "Decorate with Sprinkles." She adds post-it notes throughout, with websites and books that provide additional resources and direction.

Alice I Have Been
By Melanie Benjamin
Delacorte Press, 2009

This piece of historic fiction is based on the life of Alice Liddell, the "real" Alice of "Alice in Wonderland." Dean Liddell of Christ Church in England, had several children, among them daughters Ina, Alice and Edith. The school's mathematics professor, Charles Dodgson-Lewis Carroll was a pen name-often spent time with the three girls.

Alice's connection to "Alice In Wonderland" was not always seen as a good thing. Her older sister was jealous and her mother felt it cast a shadow on her virtue. Even Alice herself thought Mr. Dodgson's story was meant for her eyes only, and did not know it would be published for all to read. In later years, while Alice Liddell Hargreaves continued to appear all over the world for demanding audiences, she did so with mixed emotions.

Healing Hearts
By Kathy E. Magliato, MD
Broadway Books, 2010

Dr. Magliato, one of the few practicing female heart surgeons in the world, shares her living memoir. Like other wome, she seeks balance between being a wife, a mother and a professional. While some of the images require a strong stomach-e.g., she shares the experience of performing an actual open-heart surgery-her exuberance, reverence and sense of humor are endearing.

It's also a timely reminder that raising awareness of cardiovascular disease is critical: one woman dies every sixty minutes in the United States from cardiovascular disease, and more women than men having died from it every year since 1985. Dr. Magliato, thank you for sharing some remarkable patients, Rose, Lindsay, Esther and Kimberly, so that we might be able to dodge heart disease.

This is the first time I have ever suggested that reading one of these picks might save your life. And it very well could.

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* The Good Reads Girl was drawn by Denise Simon, a Chicago-based freelance illustrator.
Check out her work at deniseannsimon.com.

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