Best Feminist Books
This is a list of books any feminist, new feminist, or a soon-to-be feminist should read. Let me know what books you feel should be added to this list!
Tags:
activism, african-american-history, african-american-nonfiction, african-american-studies, american-literature, american-studies, autobiography, best, biography, bisexual, british-literature, feminism, feminist, fiction, gender, gender-studies, history, intersectionality, lesbian-nonfiction, literary-classics, literary-fiction, memoir, non-fiction, politics, queer, queer-studies, sexual-politics, sexuality, women, women-nonfiction, women-of-color, womens-history, womens-studies
Lissette
190 books
64 friends
64 friends
jenna
444 books
70 friends
70 friends
Amy
1659 books
8 friends
8 friends
Wealhtheow
4986 books
702 friends
702 friends
Natasha
1077 books
29 friends
29 friends
Bryan
1162 books
82 friends
82 friends
Jessica
390 books
214 friends
214 friends
Jennifer
3791 books
50 friends
50 friends
More voters…
Comments Showing 1-50 of 61 (61 new)
message 1:
by
Lisa
(new)
Oct 14, 2008 06:17AM
![Lisa](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1350454130p1/608591.jpg)
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![Merry](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1270128351p1/184574.jpg)
![mazal bohbot berrie](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1293844777p1/3629959.jpg)
![Derya](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/f_25x33-d79c46f9428d2aea1444d67c091766a6.png)
![Dusty](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1605501426p1/655483.jpg)
![Lisa](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1328348739p1/7614591.jpg)
![Lynne Lowe](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1677110574p1/3188921.jpg)
I agree. People spell it wrong all the time.
![Lynne Lowe](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1677110574p1/3188921.jpg)
I have to disagree with you. There are a lot of books here representing all women. You should look a bit closer.
![Richard](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1344430638p1/11410539.jpg)
The background to her story can be found at http://askdavid.com/reviews/book/insp... and the description can be found on Amazon: UK http://tinyurl.com/ct5xqx9
USA http://tinyurl.com/cxv9c9x
![Fatin](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1583014119p1/12904385.jpg)
Here's a great poem I read, I have no idea who it's by but it's great.
I fight like a girl who refuses to be a victim.
I fight like a girl who is tired of being IGNORED & HUMORED & BEATEN & RAPED.
I fight like a girl who’s sick of not being taken seriously.
I fight like a girl who’s been pushed too far.
I fight like a girl who OFFERS & DEMANDS RESPECT.
I fight like a girl who has a lifetime of ANGER & STRENGTH & PRIDE pent up in her girly body.
I fight like a girl who doesn’t believe in FEAR & SUBMISSION.
I fight like a girl who knows that THIS BODY & THIS MIND are mine.
I fight like a girl who knows that YOU ONLY HAVE AS MUCH POWER AS I GRANT YOU.
I fight like a girl who will never allow you to take more than I offer.
I fight like a girl who FIGHTS BACK.
So next time you think you can distract yourself from your insecurities by victimizing a girl, THINK AGAIN. She may be ME and I FIGHT LIKE A GIRL.
![Fatin](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1583014119p1/12904385.jpg)
I LOVE LOVE LOVE The Color Purple. I think it's great not just as a feminist novel that goes to the very core of feminism, but also as a piece of literature about religion.
Fatin wrote: "hmm, I'm a huge fan of Jane Eyre but I'm not sure I'd call it the best "feminist" novel. But then, I haven't read it in a long while and the details aren't very clear to me.
Here's a great poem I ..."
I was wondering why Jane Eyre was on here. What did I miss? She should have smacked Rochester up the side of the head. Read Wide Sargasso Sea.
Here's a great poem I ..."
I was wondering why Jane Eyre was on here. What did I miss? She should have smacked Rochester up the side of the head. Read Wide Sargasso Sea.
![Kirsten](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1604274150p1/2384499.jpg)
![Kirsten](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1604274150p1/2384499.jpg)
![Deborah Starling](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1425230282p1/40782869.jpg)
![Kirsten](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1604274150p1/2384499.jpg)
Yeah, I have no idea. It definitely doesn't belong here.
![Kaion](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1443816759p1/2670571.jpg)
![BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...)](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1675876559p1/5986596.jpg)
I can only answer for Pride and Prejudice, as I haven't read Atlas Shrugged. I haven't voted for it myself, but I can see why people thought Pride and Prejudice to be feminist. Just look at the behaviour of Elizabeth: She definitely showed a feminist streak in those days :-) And although she is rather an empty-headed girl, one can also argue that Lydia shows signs of feminism in her behaviour... (considering the era the book was written in). And after all, the description of the Listopia does say "This is a list of books any feminist, new feminist, or a soon-to-be feminist should read." Seen in this light, I don't think Pride and Prejudice should be missing on this list.
![Erik](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1673311602p1/952874.jpg)
Seriously. I balked when I saw those on here!
message 35:
by
V. A Court of Wings and Ruin is NEW ADULT/EROTICA but Goodreads editors won't tell you to include it in the choice awards
(new)
![V. A Court of Wings and Ruin is NEW ADULT/EROTICA but Goodreads editors won't tell you to include it in the choice awards](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1496622329p1/31006810.jpg)
![Linda Harasim](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_25x33-ccd24e68f4773d33a41ce08c3a34892e.png)
![Gabriela](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/f_25x33-d79c46f9428d2aea1444d67c091766a6.png)
How do I vote for it?
![Gabriela](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/f_25x33-d79c46f9428d2aea1444d67c091766a6.png)
Well let's see...
Anna Karenina (the book) examines the life of a woman and how she is constrained by social conventions. She attempts to escape but is eventually unsuccessful. This would be classified as a social criticism novel. The female character doesn't have to have a happy ending for the book to be feminist. The point is that her only options are dependence on men or poverty and social ostracism.
I would not necessarily classify Like Water for Chocolate as a feminist book, though it does portray the oppression of women by other women because of their gender (a son would not have the same restrictions and duties) in a negative way. The House of Bernarda Alba is, for me a better case study.
But these sort of lists end up being popularity contests where best selling, mass produced books end up with the most votes even if they actually have little to do with the subject.
Also, Twilight presents codependency and nearly abusive controlling behavior between the two main characters as normal and even desirable and romantic. One male friend once asked me why feminism still existed, if women had achieved equality . I replied that although many advances had been made, many aspects of our culture still reflect underlying patriarchal values. I only needed a one word example for him to concede "Twilight".
Being a feminist does not mean you beat people up like a comic book character. It is about self reflection and examining the values and ideas that guide your life or are present in your social environment. If you want to read about women who ARE feminists and can stand up for themselves here's a good book: Women of a Non-State Nation, The Kurds ( they also happen to be real people not fictional characters).
The only reason I got through the first two books of Twilight was because my two best friends (one just out of a codependent relationship) promised to read The Tenant of Wildfell Hall in return. After the second book, I could not take the silly Cinderella nonsense anymore and stopped. My friend ended up watching the movie and said it helped her determine she did not want to get back together with the guy.
Now I try to balance the examples my high school students get from the media by loaning them out my books like the Bell Jar, A Doll's House etc and show them that it's Okay to be with someone if you want to, but you don't owe anyone any explanations if you want to be single and concentrate on your studies or career and achieve your own goals.
'Delusions of Gender' by Cordelia Fine is a good one. Didn't see it mentioned here.
message 43:
by
V. A Court of Wings and Ruin is NEW ADULT/EROTICA but Goodreads editors won't tell you to include it in the choice awards
(new)
![V. A Court of Wings and Ruin is NEW ADULT/EROTICA but Goodreads editors won't tell you to include it in the choice awards](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1496622329p1/31006810.jpg)
Nice to know that Tita who never stood her ground is considered a "feminist" when she never stood her ground. Nice to know that Anna Karennina is considered feminist because the book in which she appears was written by a genious writer. Not that Ana, the character did anything good. In breaking dawn is Bella who saves the day. Anna Karennina is just a wimp who whines a complain.
![Elissa](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_25x33-ccd24e68f4773d33a41ce08c3a34892e.png)
![Alaina](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1476938602p1/60745733.jpg)
Flirting with Danger by Lynn M. Phillips
Almost Famous Women by Megan Mayhew Bergman
Girls on the Verge by Vendela Vida
Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls by Jes Baker
Sex Object by Jessica Valenti
Angry White Men by Michael Kimmel
Hunting Girls: Sexual Violence from The Hunger Games to Campus Rape by Kelly Oliver
Trainwreck: The Women We Love to Hate, Mock, and Fear...and Why by Sady Doyle
![Imke](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1569274163p1/58844227.jpg)
![BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...)](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1675876559p1/5986596.jpg)
There are other titles on this list I wonder about as well. But I guess it is left up to the reader to decide, as the description says "This is a list of books any feminist, new feminist, or a soon-to-be feminist should read". Because of it, one can add almost any title, unfortunately...
![Nocturnalux](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1708076932p1/18314688.jpg)
Well, yeah, but later in the book Dagny pretty much admits that she needs Galt to dedicate everything about her life. As happens to every righteous character in the novel, everyone gets Galt'ed.
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