Chick Lit

"Chick" is an American slang term for young women and "Lit" is short for literature. The term is used to denote genre fiction written for and marketed to young women, especially single, working women in their twenties and thirties. The term was introduced by Cris Mazza and Jeffrey DeShell as an ironic title for their edited anthology Chick Lit: Post- feminist Fiction published in 1995. The genre's creation was spurred on by Sue Townsend's Adrian Mole diaries in the mid-1990's, plus the success of Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones's Diary and Candace Bushnell's Sex and the City. The genre continued to sell well in the 2000s, with chick lit titles topping bestseller lists and publishing houses creating brand names devoted entirely to chick lit.

While it's cold outside, you can stay inside and enjoy one or both of these great examples of Chick Lit.

Jemima J: a novel about ugly ducklings and swans
By Jane Green

Jemima is "bored, fat and unhappy" as a hack writer on a small London paper. Love comes her way through the internet, as she pushes herself to improve her outward appearance. By her side is true friend Geraldine, who helps Jemima as she deals with issues such as body size and social acceptability. The author successfully captures the nuances and neuroses of the singles scene with a gimlet eye and uninhibited voice.

Good in Bed: a novel
By Jennifer Weiner

Feisty and funny, Cannie is a 28-year-old Philadelphia Examiner reporter preoccupied with her weight and men. After reading an article written by an ex-boyfriend entitled "Loving a larger woman," Cannie embarks on the road to self-discovery by relying on family and friends, joining a weight-loss group, selling her screenplay and gaining maturity to ask for help when she faces something bigger than her fears.