Women's History Month Reading List

March is Women’s History Month. It is a month to remember and celebrate women who have transformed history and have inspired others to transform their world. It's also a time to take action, educate yourself, use your voice and commit to using your own #PowerToChange!

Get started by playing our bingo of must read books by female authors! How many of these books have you read? How many will you add to your list this Women's History Month?

Feed your mind and get inspired by authors whose powerful words and stories will inspire you to use your #PowerToChange. 

1. The Last Girl  by Nadia Murad –  The Islamic State took her captive and made her a slave, but Nadia’s courage and spirit remained undiminished. If you are looking for inspiration in dark and troubling times, Nadia’s story epitomises resilience.
2. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath – In recent years, mental health has come increasingly into the spotlight as a topic that should be openly addressed. Decades ago, this renowned poet gave an insight into her personal struggles with depression.
3. Unbowed: a memoir by Wangari Maathai – From her education to the environmental cause that has become an enduring part of her legacy, this memoir allows you to follow Wangari’s journey to becoming the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
4. Beloved by Toni Morrison – Set in the aftermath of the American Civil War, Toni conveys the horrors of slavery and how the ghosts of the past cannot be so easily forgotten. In this honest portrayal of a woman’s quest to rid herself of her troubled history, Toni exposes the emotional toil of suffering.
5. So you want to talk about race? By Ijeoma Oluo –Topical and helpful in thinking about racism and how it expresses itself today, Ijeoma discusses racial issues including police brutality, intersectionality, and affirmative action.
6. The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon – In the face of oppression from the Taliban, Kamila Sidiqi was determined to make a life for herself. Gayle tells us her story and how Kamila stitched a better life for herself and the women around her.
7. Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo – Focusing on the contemporary lives of Black British women today, Bernadine looks at the complexities of identity through an array of different characters. Bernardine shows that there is no one Black-British experience.
8. Between Two Worlds by Zainab Salbi – Refusing to shy away from her experience under the Saadam Hussein regime, Zainab reveals the world she lived in, but how it formed and shaped the world she wanted to create. Founder of Women for Women International, Zainab has helped to change countless lives.
9. The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende – Spread out across the generations and entwined with magic, Isabel tells the story of the Trueba family and how their lives unfold in a changing and revolutionary climate in Latin America.
10. Fears to Fierce by Brita Fernandez Schmidt – Passionate about the empowerment of women, Brita wants to allow other women to find their power to fulfil their purpose in life. Practical and inspiring, this is a self-help book for addressing fears and conquering them. Want to learn more about how to find your fierce? Join us for a free, exclusive Q&A with Brita on Thursday, 25th March! 
11. The Girl Who Smiled Beads by Clementine Wamariya –  A survivor of the Rwandan genocide, Clementine shares her refugee story and the challenges of beginning a new life in America. Trying to make sense of it all, Clementine shows what happens when your life is suddenly turned upside down and then back up again.
12. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott – With memorable characters, this childhood classic shares the character-forming trials and successes of the four March sisters, as they overcome poverty and pressures to conform.
13. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou –  Autobiographical, Maya deals with racism and abuse in her formative years in the American South. The first in a series of books, we begin to hear this woman’s story as she reflects on the people and events that affected her life.
14. Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino – In a series of reflections, Jia addresses contemporary issues of our time. In the process, she presents a self-obsessed world and the challenge of navigating a millennial culture that is constantly required to self-optimise.
15. Rage Becomes Her by Soraya Chemaly – Soraya explores women’s anger and how it is framed and accepted in society. Soraya challenges these ideas which reinforce gender stereotypes and provides a space for women to look at anger differently.
16. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia – With a strong female protagonist, a mystery to solve, and a house set on a hill that holds secrets, Silvia provides the perfect setting for a gothic horror story.
17. Know My Name by Chanel Miller – Protected by an alias, Chanel courageously came forward to identify herself at the victim of sexual assault at one of America’s most prestigious universities. Her pursuit of justice and the power of words to bring change is a testimony to her resolve.
18. To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf – A trip to the Isle of Skye becomes the setting of the exploration of different seasons of life. The Ramseys deal with life and death and the most common of all experiences: the passing of time.
19. Redefining Realness by Janet Mock – A young trans-woman, Janet discusses life before her transition, taking hormonal drugs during adolescence and a life-changing surgery at only 18 years of age. Janet shares her personal story of gender identity.
20. Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde – Dealing with a variety of topics, Audre provides a catalogue of essays and speeches which provide ample scope and passion for feminists looking to consider the myriad ways of looking at identity.
21. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte – An unhappy childhood, but with a resolute spirit and strong moral principles, Charlotte provides in Jane a central character who remains determined to overcome setbacks, without losing her values.
22. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi – With a look at the slave trade and the different experiences that black people encountered, Yaa shows the impact of slavery across the generations as she looks at the struggles faced in Ghana and America.
23. All The Birds In The Sky by Charlie Jane Anders –  A sci-fi novel full of science, magic, and a mission to save the world from climate change. Charlie brings opposites together and looks at how they can be reconciled.
24. Bad Feminist by Roxanne Gay – Through a series of essays, Roxanne looks at popular culture as she discusses feminist issues and her reflections as a woman making sense of the world around her.       

Buy your books via our Women for Women International storefront on Bookshop.org and we'll receive 10% commission of every sale in support of our work with women survivors of war, with a matching 10% going to independent bookshops - at no extra cost to you.