20 Best Feminist Books for Women of All Ages
Being a woman in today’s world can feel a bit like slogging through quicksand while wearing concrete-filled boots. Women make $0.80 for every $1 men make. Hillary lost the election and the POTUS is a documented sexist. And not to be shallow, but Powerless, my favorite new TV show, is getting the axe after only one season.
When things get tough, I’ve always turned to books and a need for inspiration is no different. There’s a book here for nearly every problem, but I’m going to tell you upfront, if you’re looking for a #babyfeminist reading list, this isn’t the one. I’ve eschewed feminist scholars in favor of more fun, less-academic women’s history and #girlpower feels to compile this list of the best feminist books. Sorry, not sorry.
Inspiring Memoirs and Biographies
This section of the best feminist books are all memoirs or biographies that I have either read or have on my to-read list. Personally, reading about successful women is the best motivation, no matter the situation. (I swear on my life, that rhyme was accidental, but when life gives you rhymes, you’ve gotta go with it.)
Inspiring Memoirs and Biographies
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
by Malala Yousafzai
Inspiring Memoirs and Biographies
by Tina Fey
Inspiring Memoirs and Biographies
by Margot Lee Shetterly
Inspiring Memoirs and Biographies
The Good Girls Revolt: How the Women of Newsweek Sued their Bosses and Changed the Workplace
by Lynn Povich
Inspiring Memoirs and Biographies
Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
by Irin Carmon
Inspiring Memoirs and Biographies
Rise: How a House Built a Family
by Cara Brookins
Not Your Mother's History Book
#TheFutureIsFemale, but so was the past, tbh. Unfortunately, our high school history textbooks all-too-often skipped all the badass ladies and focused on the white dudes. These are the best feminist books that will help you fill in the gaps.
Not Your Mother's History Book
Headstrong: 52 Women Who Changed Science — and the World
by Rachel Swaby
Not Your Mother's History Book
Wonder Women: 25 Innovators, Inventors, and Trailblazers Who Changed History
by Sam Maggs
Not Your Mother's History Book
by Danielle L. McGuire
Coffee Table Books
One day, I will own all of these and display two or so at a time on a rotating basis. These are the types of #adulting goals that I set. On a more serious note, I like the coffee-table-style anthology for quick reading moments. If you have 10 minutes, you can read a story, making it perfect for killing time while your computer finishes installing updates or while you wait for your Uber to pick you up. These are the best feminist books for the girl on the go (or the girl who likes to show off her feminism to the world).
Coffee Table Books
Rejected Princesses: Tales of History’s Boldest Heroines, Hellions, and Heretics
by Jason Porath
Coffee Table Books
Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World
by Rachel Ignotofsky
Coffee Table Books
Bad Girls Throughout History: 100 Remarkable Women Who Changed the World
by Ann Shen
Coffee Table Books
by Kate Schatz
Coffee Table Books
by Kate Schatz
For Actual Girls
A recent study published in Science Journal shows that at age five, girls believe that they are just as smart as boys. By age six, they no longer think that girls are just as likely to be “really, really smart” as boys. These are the best feminist books to help the girl in your life keep her confidence — because let’s be honest, she’s going to need it to fight the #patriarchy.
For Actual Girls
Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women
by Catherine Thimmesh
For Actual Girls
by Innosanto Nagara
For Actual Girls
The Gutsy Girl: Escapades for Your Life of Epic Adventure
by Caroline Paul
For Actual Girls
by Robert Munsch
Writer’s Note: I think every little girl should have a copy of The Paper Bag Princess.
For Actual Girls
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls
by Elena Favilli
For Actual Girls
by Kelly DiPucchio