I've been a somewhat bummed with reading lately. It's been a bit of a drag. None of it seems to have changed my life much. I think it's because of what I've been reading, Moby Dick, etc. They don't have many female characters. Only 2 female characters come to mind as memorable. By memorable I mean a character I could remember without having to flip through the book to recall them. I don't mean memorable as in having an historic aura as have Marie Antoinette or Marie Curie. In order to correct this, I'm thinking of reading some female authors.
I should throw up some points to preclude any rush to judge me as chauvinistic with white, male writers. I like thinking the classics are so labeled for a reason and most classics are written by white, male authors. I do read female authors but for awhile I was a little too influenced by their writing, as if I were married to them and they were right about things. Eventually, I came to my senses and realized I thought they were right because I wanted them to be right.
Also, I'm fairly adamant about not overreacting to diversifying by relegating classics written by white, male authors to the bottom of the shelf. If I have to diversify to that extent, then I feel the motive isn't one of being more inclusive but, rather, a motive to supplant white, male authors.
I don't expect much change within the next 3 or 4 months. I'm not sure which female authors I'll chose. I'm not even sure that a lack of gender diversity is the root of my being bummed.
Anyway, onward and upward with the arts! Blah, blah, blah.