Nothing expands the mind and perspective like a good book. And for those of the particularly feminist mind, books are exactly the thought-provoking hobby one needs. Here are the essential 10 titles of 2015 to keep you busy!:
Photo by Random House
My Life On The Road by Gloria Steinem is an obvious pick for any hardcore feminist today. It’s Steinem’s most recent work and details her experiences as a traveler through her years, the places, and in the feminist movement. What’s more, she’s dedicated her book to the doctor that performed an illegal abortion on her, who supported Steinem’s ability to make her own choices for her life.
Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, cowritten by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik, is a uniquely designed biography that details the journey of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Ginsburg has recently become an Internet sensation and inspiration for equality and justice. For any feminist, the RBG is the role model for any generation.
Headstrong: 52 Women Who Changed Science-And The World, collated and written by Rachel Swaby, features the profiles of many women throughout history that made significant differences in the field of science. These women are bold, intelligent, and the examples we need to promote to young girls to encourage them to go into STEM fields fearlessly.
Photo by Random House
Let Me Tell You: New Stories, Essays, And Other Writings is a collection of never before seen writings and creative work by Shirley Jackson, one of the greatest American writers of haunting and insightful short stories. Next year is the 100 year anniversary of her birth and this year is the 50th anniversary of her death and this is a wonderful way to honor her memory and the significance of her work.
The Fifth Season is the first of a trilogy science fiction series by N.K. Jemisin. The Fifth Season is masterfully written and possesses a compelling story in a complicated world that Jemisin has created and brought to life. The main characters resonate with readers on an emotional and intellectual level. This book is on this list not only for its impressive construction, but because women writers in science fiction need more recognition in our time.
Mothers, Tell Your Daughters: Stories by Bonnie Jo Campbell is a series of short stories set in the backdrop of rural America. It analyzes the relationships between mothers and daughters in a landscape in which their troubles are perpetuated by men and abusive relationships. The women featured demonstrate strength, vulnerability, and insight that isn’t won nor earned–just gained.
Photo by Random House
Unfinished Business: Women Men Work Family by Anne-Marie Slaughter is both: 1) a critique of why there’s still gender inequality in trying to achieve professional success with an active family life and 2) a blueprint for our society to change such difficulties for women and men. “Having it all,” which means having a family, a career, and a comfortable lifestyle, shouldn’t be such a rare commodity and Slaughter addresses the source of the problem directly.
Circling The Sun: A Novel by best-selling author Paula McLain is a historical fiction novel following the life of Beryl Markham who became the first woman aviator to fly solo over the Atlantic in 1936. McLain gives reader a look into a courageous woman whose tenacity and spirit brought her a variety of relationships but ultimately lead her to learning how to fly.