10 Empowering Books Every Woman Should Read
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Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash |
Everyone needs a little prompting every now
and then. This is why motivational books exist. Here is our pick for the best
10 empowering books every woman should read.
#1. I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb
When the Taliban took
control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai
refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education.
On Tuesday, October 9,
2012, when she was fifteen, she almost paid the ultimate price. She was shot in
the head at point-blank range while riding the bus home from school, and few
expected her to survive.
Instead, Malala's
miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a remote
valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New York. At
sixteen, she became a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest
nominee ever for the Nobel Peace Prize.
I AM MALALA is the
remarkable tale of a family uprooted by global terrorism, of the fight for
girls' education, of a father who, himself a school owner, championed and
encouraged his daughter to write and attend school, and of brave parents who
have a fierce love for their daughter in a society that prizes sons.
I AM MALALA will make
you believe in the power of one person's voice to inspire change in the world.
Reviews:
"The
touching story will not only inform you of changing conditions in Pakistan, but
inspire your rebellious spirit." (Matthew Love, Time Out New York)
"Ms. Yousafzai
has single-handedly turned the issue of the right of girls--and all
children--to be educated into headline news. And she is a figure worth
hearing." (Isabel Berwick, Financial Times)
"Wise beyond her
years...." (Annie Gowen, Marie Claire)
"Riveting....
Co-written with Christina Lamb, a veteran British journalist who has an evident
passion for Pakistan and can render its complicated history with pristine
clarity, this is a book that should be read not only for its vivid drama but
for its urgent message about the untapped power of girls.... It is difficult to
imagine a chronicle of a war more moving, apart from perhaps the diary of Anne
Frank. With the essential difference that we lost that girl, and by some
miracle, we still have this one." (Marie Arana, Washington Post)
"Remarkable...a
must-read, first-person account of her journey through global terrorism, her
brave, encouraging parents, and her own fight for girls' education."
(MarieClaire.com)

A collection of essays
spanning politics, criticism, and feminism from one of the most-watched young
cultural observers of her generation, Roxane Gay.
“Pink is my favorite
color. I used to say my favorite color was black to be cool, but it is pink—all
shades of pink. If I have an accessory, it is probably pink. I read Vogue, and
I’m not doing it ironically, though it might seem that way. I once live-tweeted
the September issue.”
In these funny and
insightful essays, Roxane Gay takes us through the journey of her evolution as
a woman (Sweet Valley High) of color (The Help) while also taking readers on a
ride through culture of the last few years (Girls, Django in Chains) and
commenting on the state of feminism today (abortion, Chris Brown). The portrait
that emerges is not only one of an incredibly insightful woman continually
growing to understand herself and our society, but also one of our culture.
Bad Feminist is a
sharp, funny, and spot-on look at the ways in which the culture we consume
becomes who we are, and an inspiring call-to-arms of all the ways we still need
to do better, coming from one of our most interesting and important cultural
critics.
Reviews:
“A strikingly
fresh cultural critic.” (Ron Charles, Washington Post)
“Arresting and
sensitive. . . . An author who filters every observation through her deep sense
of the world as fractured, beautiful, and complex.” (Slate)
“[A] touching and crucial
essay collection. . . . If you’re interested in critical thinking about
culture, this book is a must.” (Newsweek)
“Roxane Gay is the
brilliant girl-next-door: your best friend and your sharpest critic. . . . She
is by turns provocative, chilling, hilarious; she is also required reading.”
(People)

In her comic, scathing
essay, "Men Explain Things to Me," Rebecca Solnit took on what often
goes wrong in conversations between men and women. She wrote about men who
wrongly assume they know things and wrongly assume women don't, about why this
arises, and how this aspect of the gender wars works, airing some of her own
hilariously awful encounters.
Reviews:
"This
slim book—seven essays, punctuated by enigmatic, haunting paintings by Ana
Teresa Fernandez—hums with power and wit."—Boston Globe
"The antidote to
mansplaining."—The Stranger
"Feminist,
frequently funny, unflinchingly honest and often scathing in its
conclusions."—Salon
"Solnit tackles
big themes of gender and power in these accessible essays. Honest and full of
wit, this is an integral read that furthers the conversation on feminism and
contemporary society."—San Francisco Chronicle Top Shelf
#4. Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More
by Janet Mock

In her profound and courageous New York Times
bestseller, Janet Mock establishes herself as a resounding and inspirational
voice for the transgender community—and anyone fighting to define themselves on
their own terms.
With unflinching
honesty and moving prose, Janet Mock relays her experiences of growing up
young, multiracial, poor, and trans in America, offering readers accessible
language while imparting vital insight about the unique challenges and
vulnerabilities of a marginalized and misunderstood population. Though
undoubtedly an account of one woman’s quest for self at all costs, Redefining
Realness is a powerful vision of possibility and self-realization, pushing us
all toward greater acceptance of one another—and of ourselves—showing as never
before how to be unapologetic and real.
Reviews:
“Far too many
assume that Janet Mock's story is primarily about her body. This book is
irrefutable evidence that Janet must be understood through her intellect,
spirit, and wit. Janet does what only great writers of autobiography
accomplish—she tells a story of the self, which turns out to be a reflection of
all humanity. You will be changed by this book.” -- Melissa Harris-Perry, Wake
Forest University Professor and host of MSNBC's "Melissa
Harris-Perry"
“A fiery success.”
-The Atlantic
“Mock’s compelling memoir
entrancingly chronicles the story of a multiracial trans woman’s becoming
within a society that is still widely antagonistic to the non-White, non-male,
transgender, and economically challenged among us. . . . Mock has written
herself into herstory. And she has done so with clarity and poetic brilliance.”
- The Feminist Wire
#5. In the Land of Invisible Women: A Female Doctor's Journey in the Saudi Kingdom
by Dr. Qanta A. Ahmed
by Dr. Qanta A. Ahmed

The decisions that
change your life are often the most impulsive ones.
Unexpectedly denied a
visa to remain in the United States, Qanta Ahmed, a young British Muslim
doctor, becomes an outcast in motion. On a whim, she accepts an exciting
position in Saudi Arabia. This is not just a new job; this is a chance at
adventure in an exotic land she thinks she understands, a place she hopes she
will belong.
What she discovers is
vastly different. The Kingdom is a world apart, a land of unparralled contrast.
She finds rejection and scorn in the places she believed would most embrace
her, but also humor, honesty, loyalty and love.
And for Qanta, more
than anything, it is a land of opportunity. A place where she discovers what it
takes for one woman to recreate herself in the land of invisible women.
Reviews:
"In this
stunningly written book, a Western trained Muslim doctor brings alive what it
means for a woman to live in the Saudi Kingdom. I've rarely experienced so
vividly the shunning and shaming, racism and anti-Semitism, but the surprise is
how Dr. Ahmed also finds tenderness at the tattered edges of extremism, and a
life-changing pilgrimage back to her Muslim faith." - Gail Sheehy
#6. Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide
by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn

With Pulitzer Prize
winners Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn as our guides, we undertake an
odyssey through Africa and Asia to meet the extraordinary women struggling
there, among them a Cambodian teenager sold into sex slavery and an Ethiopian
woman who suffered devastating injuries in childbirth. Drawing on the breadth
of their combined reporting experience, Kristof and WuDunn depict our world
with anger, sadness, clarity, and, ultimately, hope.
They show how a little
help can transform the lives of women and girls abroad. That Cambodian girl
eventually escaped from her brothel and, with assistance from an aid group, built
a thriving retail business that supports her family. The Ethiopian woman had
her injuries repaired and in time became a surgeon. A Zimbabwean mother of
five, counseled to return to school, earned her doctorate and became an expert
on AIDS.
Through these stories,
Kristof and WuDunn help us see that the key to economic progress lies in
unleashing women’s potential. They make clear how so many people have helped to
do just that, and how we can each do our part. Throughout much of the world,
the greatest unexploited economic resource is the female half of the
population. Countries such as China have prospered precisely because they
emancipated women and brought them into the formal economy. Unleashing that
process globally is not only the right thing to do; it’s also the best strategy
for fighting poverty.
Reviews:
“Opens our
eyes to an enormous humanitarian issue.” —Washington Post 10 Best Books of the
Year
“Vitally important. .
. . Heartbreaking, galvanizing, and unforgettable.” —Publishers Weekly Top 100
Books of 2009
“This book isn't a
sermon. . . . These stories are electrifying and have the effect of breaking
down this enormous problem into segments the reader can focus on. Suddenly,
these horrendous problems begin to seem solvable . . . Again, this book is not
a sermon about victims. Its range is wide, and sometimes it's even funny . . .
Half the Sky is a call to arms, a call for help, a call for contributions, but
also a call for volunteers. It asks us to open our eyes to this enormous
humanitarian issue. It does so with exquisitely crafted prose and sensationally
interesting material . . . I really do think this is one of the most important
books I have ever reviewed.” —Carolyn See, The Washington Post
#7. Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone
by Brené Brown

“True belonging
doesn’t require us to change who we are. It requires us to be who we are.”
Social scientist Brené Brown, PhD, LMSW, has sparked a global conversation
about the experiences that bring meaning to our lives—experiences of courage,
vulnerability, love, belonging, shame, and empathy. In Braving the Wilderness,
Brown redefines what it means to truly belong in an age of increased
polarization. With her trademark mix of research, storytelling, and honesty,
Brown will again change the cultural conversation while mapping a clear path to
true belonging.
Brown argues that
we’re experiencing a spiritual crisis of disconnection, and introduces four
practices of true belonging that challenge everything we believe about
ourselves and each other. She writes, “True belonging requires us to believe in
and belong to ourselves so fully that we can find sacredness both in being a
part of something and in standing alone when necessary. But in a culture that’s
rife with perfectionism and pleasing, and with the erosion of civility, it’s
easy to stay quiet, hide in our ideological bunkers, or fit in rather than show
up as our true selves and brave the wilderness of uncertainty and criticism.
But true belonging is not something we negotiate or accomplish with others; it’s
a daily practice that demands integrity and authenticity. It’s a personal
commitment that we carry in our hearts.” Brown offers us the clarity and
courage we need to find our way back to ourselves and to each other. And that
path cuts right through the wilderness. Brown writes, “The wilderness is an
untamed, unpredictable place of solitude and searching. It is a place as
dangerous as it is breathtaking, a place as sought after as it is feared. But
it turns out to be the place of true belonging, and it’s the bravest and most
sacred place you will ever stand.”
Reviews:
“[Brown’s]
research and work have given us a new vocabulary, a way to talk with each other
about the ideas and feelings and fears we’ve all had but haven’t quite known
how to articulate. . . . [She] empowers us each to be a little more
courageous.”—The Huffington Post
“It is inevitable—we
will fall. We will fail. We will not know how to react or what to do. No matter
how or when it happens, we will all have a choice—do we get up or not? Thankfully,
Brené Brown is there with an outstretched arm to help us up.”—Simon Sinek,
author of Start with Why and Leaders Eat Last
“With a fresh
perspective that marries research and humor, Brown offers compassion while
delivering thought-provoking ideas about relationships—with others and with
oneself.”—Publishers Weekly
#8. The Feminine Mystique
by Betty Friedan

Landmark,
groundbreaking, classic―these adjectives barely describe the earthshaking and
long-lasting effects of Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique. This is the book
that defined "the problem that has no name," that launched the Second
Wave of the feminist movement, and has been awakening women and men with its
insights into social relations, which still remain fresh, ever since
Reviews:
“[A] bridge
between conservative and radical elements in feminism, an ardent advocate of
harmony and human values.” - Marilyn French, Esquire
“The book that pulled
the trigger on history.” - Alvin Toffler, author of Future Shock
“One of those rare
books we are endowed with only once in several decades.” - Amitai Etzioni,
author of The Spirit of Community: The Reinvention of American Society
“[The Feminine
Mystique] now feels both revolutionary and utterly contemporary. . . . Four
decades later, millions of individual transformations later, there is still so
much to learn from this book. . . . Those who think of it as solely a feminist
manifesto ought to revisit its pages to get a sense of the magnitude of the
research and reporting Friedan undertook.” - Anna Quindlen

Outrageous Acts and
Everyday Rebellions—a phenomenal success that sold nearly half a million copies
since its original publication in 1983—is Gloria Steinem's most diverse and
timeless collection of essays. Both male and female readers have acclaimed it
as a witty, warm, and life-changing view of the world—"as if women
mattered." Steinem's truly personal writing is here, from the humorous
exposé "I Was a Playboy Bunny" to the moving tribute to her mother
"Ruth's Song (Because She Could Not Sing It)" to prescient essays on
female genital mutilation and the difference between erotica and pornography.
The satirical and hilarious "If Men Could Menstruate" alone is worth
the price of admission.
Reviews:
"From her
hilarious account of life as an overworked Playboy Bunny to the moving tribute
to her mother, Gloria Steinem's first collection of essays is-and will always
be-a required feminist reader. "- Susan Faludi, author of Backlash

Ten years ago, Jena
Lee Nardella was a fresh-out-of-college, twenty-something with the lofty goal
of truly changing the world. Armed with a diploma, a thousand dollars, and a
dream to build one thousand wells in Africa, she joined forces with Grammy
Award-winning band Jars of Clay to found Blood: Water and begin her mission.
Jena’s dream for her
nonprofit turned that initial $1 into $20, and then $100, and today into more
than $25 million. Working throughout eleven countries in Africa, Blood: Water
has provided healthcare for over 62,000 people in HIV-affected areas and has
partnered with communities to provide clean water for more than one million
people in Africa. But along the way she faced many harsh realities that have
tested her faith, encountered corruption and brokenness that nearly destroyed
everything she’d fought for, and learned that wishful thinking will not get you
very far. Jena discovered true change comes only when you stop trying to save
the world and allow yourself to love it, even when it breaks your heart.
With a fresh,
intelligent, and winsome voice, Jena Lee Nardella weaves an evocative, personal
narrative filled with honest and hard-won lessons that demonstrate the amazing
things that can happen when you fight for your dreams.
Reviews:
“Original,
perceptive, and compelling… In an astonishingly honest voice, Jena Lee Nardella
reflects on the questions we ask ourselves when the odds are overwhelmingly
against us - why hope that seems foolish is still necessary.” -Amy Tan,
bestselling author of The Joy Luck Club
“Very few people can
write a book about how they have already changed the world before they’re even
30. Jena is one of those rare gifts from God. Her story, her heart, and her
journey of bringing clean, fresh, life-giving water to the people in Africa is
one you will never forget. Read One Thousand Wells and then help her dig some
more.” -Kathie Lee Gifford
“Jena’s story will
inspire you to go out and live a great story. And though the work she does is
serious business, she never takes herself too seriously. She invites you into
her world like an old friend.” -Donald Miller, bestselling author of Blue like
Jazz
"Buckle up,
you're about to meet one of love's heroes." -Bob Goff, Hon. Consul, Republic
of Uganda; author of Love Does
“An authentic and
inspiring read for those who want to make a difference in the world.” -Tony
Hale, Emmy-Award winning actor from Arrested Development and Veep
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