Feminism is perhaps one of the most misunderstood concepts in modern social theory. Whether you are a seasoned feminist, a cynic about the concept, or a curious learner, if you want to expand how you understand and approach feminism or dive into the transformative world of feminist literature, these 22 powerful feminist books and the writers that imagined them, can help.
These books examine complex issues of gender, equality and identity, offering core reading material for anyone interested in learning about social justice, empowerment and socio-cultural advancement from the perspective of feminist thought. This ranking was based on each work's analysis of important feminist issues, their historical and cultural impact and the intersectionality of each writer's perspective. Each book was also selected based on its relevance to feminist ideas, contemporary issues and relevance across genres.
In Naomi Alderman's The Power, she envisions a world where women develop the ability to emit electrical shocks, dramatically shifting the power imbalance between genders. Alderman's multi-pronged approach thoroughly examines how power dynamics can change when the oppressed become the oppressors. This speculative novel combines social commentary with a credible perspective to push readers to ask critical questions about gender roles and the consequences of prolonged oppression.
This memoir recounts the powerful story of Malala Yousafzai and her fight for girls' education in Pakistan under Taliban rule. In this account, Yousafzai also remembers how her advocacy led to an assassination attempt. It is a well-thought-out story about the courage to rebel for good against oppressive systems designed to keep women controlled. Yousafzai's quote, "We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced," accurately reflects the ethos of this book.
This abstract and non-fiction poetry collection by Rupi Kaur is divided into four sections: "the hurting," "the loving," "the breaking" and "the healing." Kaur's use of pithy, incisive poems and illustrations to examine sensitive topics like abuse, love, loss and empowerment makes this body of work both relatable and easy to assimilate. Kaur's accessible writing style resonates deeply with readers, making this one of the best-selling feminist poetry collections of its time.
Best For: Poetry lovers and readers looking for emotional and relatable feminist literature.
Where to Buy: Simon & Schuster.
Rebecca Traister's Good and Mad is a compelling examination of the history and transformative power of women's anger, from the suffragette movement to the #MeToo era. Traister's use of historical context, personal anecdotes and analysis gives credibility to the fact that women's rage has helped to champion substantial political and social change. Traister traces the female influence on political advancement in America, as well as how anger is perceived when it comes from women as opposed to when it comes from men.
Best For: Activists and readers looking to channel anger into systemic change strategically.
Where to Buy: Simon & Schuster.
Virginia Woolf probes into the social and financial roadblocks women face in pursuing artistic and intellectual ambitions in this powerful classic. Woolf famously argues that "a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction." By drawing inspiration from historical examples and tying that to her personal experiences as a creative mind, Woolf's essay remains a contemplative call to action for gender equity in creative spaces.
Best For: Writers, artists and readers who enjoy books about the confluence of gender and creative freedom.
Where to Buy: HarperCollins Publisher.
The Yellow Wallpaper focuses on women's mental health and how patriarchal expectations controlled their lives in the early- to mid-19th century ideology. The book examines how societal expectations of that time forced middle-class women into being moral exemplars, often at the expense of their mental health. In this book, Gilman follows an unnamed protagonist confined to a room by her husband as part of a "rest cure" that slowly leads to her descent into madness. The Yellow Wallpaper also critiques the overbearing gender roles and medical practices of its time.
Best For: Readers interested in early feminist literature and gothic fiction.
Where to Buy: Simon & Schuster.
This book combines psychology, mythology and folklore to study the "wild woman" archetype: a rebellious symbol of women's instinctual and creative nature. Clarissa Pinkola Estés, a Jungian analyst and storyteller, gets inspiration from global myths and cultural stories to demonstrate how women can return to their roots with their true selves, embrace their intuition and reclaim their strength. This book's appeal comes from its rare yet practical psychological approach to feminism.
In Hood Feminism, Mikki Kendall gets serious about how mainstream feminism can quickly ignore the issues that affect marginalized women, like poverty, education, and systemic struggles. By relying on her personal experiences with gender violence, poverty and being overtly sexualized, Kendall challenges the movement to be more inclusive and intersectional, arguing that feminism must prioritize the survival of all women -- not just those with privilege. Her powerful and unflinching voice makes this an essential read for anyone committed to addressing systemic inequities.
Best For: Readers interested in holistic feminism and practical activism.
Where to Buy: Penguin Random House
In this book, Angela Davis takes a bold and introspective look at the intersections of race, class and gender while providing historical context for the struggles of marginalized women. She tackles contemporary issues like reproductive freedom, sexual violence, domestic labor and child care and emphasizes how these issues manifest differently across racial and economic lines. For example, Davis discusses how Black and working-class women were historically burdened by unpaid labor and denied autonomy over their bodies, which complicated their relationship with feminist movements centered around the experiences of white, middle-class women.
Best For: Readers interested in historical and intersectional feminist analysis.
Where to Buy: Penguin Random House.
Australian philosopher Kate Manne's Entitled sets out from the beginning to hold broader society responsible for the pervasive and often invisible ways male privilege manifests in everyday life. With the help of philosophy, cultural analysis and real-world examples as foundational tools, Manne digs into the direct correlation between entitlement to power, resources and attention and how that amount of privilege can enable systemic sexism. Manne also introduces the concept of "himpathy," a term she created to describe the undue sympathy extended to powerful men accused of misogyny and harmful behavior, often at the expense of their victims.
Best For: Readers looking for thought-provoking books that expose the structural roots of male privilege.
Where to Buy: Penguin Random House.
In Feminism Is for Everybody, bell hooks demystifies feminism, presenting it as an attainable movement for everyone invested in creating a more equitable world. With precision and compassion, hooks explains the goals of feminism in this succinct manifesto, zeroing in on the urgency of dismantling systemic sexism and promoting reproductive rights and workplace equality, all within the intersections of race, class and gender. By addressing misconceptions about feminism, hooks challenge readers to see it not as divisive and combative gibberish but as a pathway to collective freedom.
Best For: Anyone curious about feminism's principles and what defines its facets.
Where to Buy: Barnes & Noble.
In this sharp-witted collection of essays, Rebecca Solnit comically critiques what often goes wrong in conversations between men and women and the overconfidence of men who often believe that they know more about women than they actually do. The titular essay, which popularized the term "mansplaining," stresses how women's voices are often dismissed or silenced, even when they are overqualified about what they are talking about. Solnit also looks at the connection between gender-based violence and systemic inequality, as well as the cultural biases that shape and influence these issues.
The numbers don't lie. In Caroline Criado Perez's Invisible Women, she uses data-driven analysis to expose the hidden gender biases in the data that influence the landscape of what is acceptable as gender norms, from transportation systems to workplace policies and medical research. Through meticulous research and compelling storytelling, Criado Perez illustrates how the "default male" standard in data collection creates systemic disadvantages for women, impacting their safety, health and economic opportunities. For example, she examines how crash test dummies designed to replicate the male body result in higher injury rates for women in car accidents and how gender-neutral policies in healthcare often fail to account for the specific needs of women.
Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning The Color Purple is a masterful and emotional novel that follows the story of Celie, a Black woman in rural Georgia during the early 20th century. Celie, who has borne the burden of trauma her whole life, struggles to make sense of her harrowing experiences, so she starts writing letters to God. The letters span 20 years of her experiences, highlighting the abuse, poverty and systemic racism she endured and offering a raw recount of her journey from being voiceless to finding empowerment. Central to this epistolary novel are the recurring feminist themes of grit, sisterhood and self-discovery, as Celie finds strength through her relationships with other women, including the bold and independent Shug Avery.
Best For: Readers who enjoy feminist-themed fictional stories about personal growth, intersectionality and the power of love and solidarity.
Where to Buy: Penguin Random House.
Sylvia Plath's semi-autobiographical novel The Bell Jar is a haunting account of the life of Esther Greenwood, a talented young woman wrestling with society's harsh expectations, professional pressures and her mental health. The Bell Jar is set in the 1950s and examines Esther's struggles as she struggles to balance her ambitions with the rigid gender norms of her time. From her internship at a prestigious New York magazine to her return home to suburban monotony, Esther's descent into mental illness is portrayed with raw, poetic intensity. Although not overtly feminist, The Bell Jar critiques the suffocating limitations imposed on women and the harsher stigmatization of mental health that women face.
Best For: Fans of literary fiction that offers nuanced perspectives of mental health, societal pressure and gender dynamics.
Where to Buy: HarperCollins Publisher.
Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale is one of the most enduring and relevant feminist classics of this century. In this novel, Atwood imagines a mono-theocratic society called the Republic of Gilead, where women's rights and autonomy have been systematically stripped. The plot centers around Offred, a "Handmaid" forced to bear children for the ruling elite. Atwood masterfully examines themes of reproductive freedom, power dynamics and the insidious nature of authoritarianism. Through Offred's perspective, readers witness the dark facts of oppression, the erasure of individuality and the quiet acts of defiance that, although frequently punished, keep hope alive.
Best For: Readers fascinated by feminist dystopian fiction and the implications of authoritarian control over women's lives.
Where to Buy: Penguin Random House.
Audre Lorde's Sister Outsider is a bold and unapologetic collection of 15 essays and speeches that systemic biases with intellectual agility and credible emotional appeal. As a self-described "Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet," Lorde brings an intersectional lens to her work, challenging readers to re-evaluate the systems of oppression that shape our society and why those systems are upheld. Essays like "The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House" and "Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power" offer intentional perspectives on how marginalized voices can challenge and dismantle patriarchal and racist systems. Lorde's philosophy in this book champions readers to think critically about their roles in fostering change.
Best For: Readers open to critical dialogue about the implications of collaborative action.
Where to Buy: Penguin Random House.
Roxane Gay's Bad Feminist is a witty and personal collection of essays that challenges the notion of "perfect feminism." Gay looks at the complexities and contradictions of being a feminist in a flawed world, offering a refreshing perspective that resonates with modern readers. As usual, Gay's acute eye for cultural critique examines topics like race, gender, privilege and body image while also looking at the influence of pop culture phenomena like The Hunger Games, Fifty Shades of Grey, and Girls. Bad Feminist has a particular edge because it sees Gay acknowledging her imperfections and conflicting feelings about feminism, creating a space where readers can reflect on their own journeys without judgment.
Best For: Readers looking for relatable feminist literature with humor, honesty and cultural relevance.
Where to Buy: HarperCollins Publishers.
As one of the earliest works of feminist philosophy, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman was far ahead of its time and has become a foundational text in feminist literature. In this evocative body of work, Mary Wollstonecraft argues for women's education and asserts that women deserve to be seen as rational beings capable of contributing equally to society. This book critiques 18th-century social norms while advocating for gender equality. Its timeless relevance makes it essential for anyone exploring the origins of feminist thought.
By writing this book, Betty Friedan gave voice to a generation of women who felt unfulfilled by domestic life in Post-World War II America. She probed at "the problem that has no name" and looked to address the widespread dissatisfaction of suburban housewives. Friedan's manifesto is often credited with igniting the second wave of feminism because of how candidly it called out the institutions that thrived on breaking down the autonomy of women, undermining their intellectual gifts to keep them subservient to patriarchy and domestic servitude.
Based on her widely acclaimed TED Talk, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's We Should All Be Feminists is a bite-sized yet powerful manifesto that breaks down feminism for the 21st century. In just under 50 pages, Adichie dismantles common stereotypes about feminism, arguing for gender equality as a women's issue and an overarching human issue. She weaves in personal anecdotes, cultural observations and sharp insights, making complex ideas about feminism and the conversation around equality accessible and less misunderstood. And she accurately described the term "feminist" in her viral TED talk as a "person who believes in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes."
Best For: Anyone seeking a quick and straightforward introduction to feminism or a reminder of its universal importance.
Where to Buy: Penguin Random House.
Simone de Beauvoir's The Second Sex is one of the most influential works in feminist literature. In this book, de Beauvoir looks at the social structures and acceptable cultural norms that have historically relegated women to the role of "the other," which fuels the cycle of oppression. The Second Sex examines a range of topics, including biology, psychoanalysis, history and mythology, to look closely at the roots of gender inequality. de Beauvoir's philosophical approach, rooted in existentialism, challenges readers to reconsider the roles and expectations imposed on women by patriarchal systems.
Best For: Readers looking for multi-pronged perspectives that connect feminism and social thought.