June 2026 Group Read Nominations - The Ambitious Woman's Dilemma > Likes and Comments
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Nominations
• Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter
• The God of Small Things
• Valley of the Dolls
• The Story of My Life
Nominating Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter by Simone de Beauvoir! I did a cursory search of some books on the Gilmore list and this jumped out at me! I knew/know very little about Simone de Beauvoir but from what little I’ve read, she sounds super fascinating. Also, there seems to be a fair amount of non-fiction on the list and I wouldn’t mind checking one off.
My nomination is:The God of Small Things — Arundhati Roy
Ammu wants a life of her own in a Kerala defined by caste, family loyalty, and ironclad "Love Laws" about who is permitted to love whom. Her ambition is simply to live on her own terms — and the cost is devastating and specific.
I've been told Roy's prose makes you lose track of time!
Valley of the Dolls Drugs and disillusionment with fame and fortune are just the hooks because Jacqueline Susann’s writing is actually a layered and nuanced portrayal of sexual politics and sexual dynamics during the mid-20th Century, both in society at large and in the characters' personal relationships.
Goldilocks and the Three Bears but as a joke Annoyed that a Thousand Splendid Suns isn’t on the list but The Kite Runner is!! TSS would’ve been perfect. It came to mind instantly.
The Story of My Life by Hellen Keller stands out the most to me. Very high achieving with some of the worst obstacles I can imagine having to overcome.
P. wrote: "Goldilocks and the Three Bears but as a joke Annoyed that a Thousand Splendid Suns isn’t on the list but The Kite Runner is!! TSS would’ve been perfect. It came to mind instantly.
The Story of ..."
lol!
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams. Short synopsis: This is a historical novel about a young woman, Esme, who grows up in the world of the Oxford English Dictionary's creation, secretly collecting words related to women's experiences that are overlooked by the male lexicographers.
It sounds academic (and it is in a good, nerdy way), but it’s quite strong, eye-opening, and lovely.
Ann wrote: "The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams. Short synopsis: This is a historical novel about a young woman, Esme, who grows up in the world of the Oxford English Dictionary's creation, secretly..."
Hi Ann!
I don't see this book on the Rory List!
🌟 June 2026 Group Read Poll is LIVE! 🌟The nominations are in, and honestly? This lineup feels very Rory Gilmore-coded. ☕📚
This month's theme:
The Ambitious Woman’s Dilemma — stories about ambition, determination, and the cost of wanting more for yourself in a world that doesn’t always make room for it.
Your final nominees are:
📖 Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter — Simone de Beauvoir
📖 The God of Small Things — Arundhati Roy
📖 Valley of the Dolls — Jacqueline Susann
📖 The Story of My Life — Helen Keller
🗳️ Vote here: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/3...
Voting closes on May 29, 2026 11:59PM PDT! Cast your vote and help decide what we’ll all be emotionally spiraling over together next month. ✨
It's time to nominate our reads for June 2026, and our theme is one that feels very on-brand for a group raised on Lorelai Gilmore:
The Ambitious Woman's Dilemma — We're looking for books with a protagonist (of any gender) who is driven, determined, and navigating the very real friction between their ambitions and the world around them. That friction might come from systemic barriers, suffocating social expectations, or painful personal sacrifices. The heart of it is that tension — between the hunger to achieve and the cost of doing so.
Think: a character who wants something badly — a career, a calling, a life of their own design — and must reckon with everything and everyone standing in the way. Bonus points if it makes us want to stay up until 3am with a pot of coffee. ☕
To nominate: Drop your pick below with the title, author, and a sentence or two on why it fits our theme. Nominations close May 19th. We'll vote as a group after that! And don't forget, your nomination should be from the List!
Can't wait to see what you all have been reading. Let's go, book nerds. 📖