25 Must-Reads for Women’s History Month

The one and only from Emily Brontë, and it is a gut punch. A tragic story of class divides and revenge, Wuthering Heights is a classic tale of the power of love, and the devastation of love lost.

Bringing women to the forefront of America’s founding, Norah O’Donnell’s gripping storytelling shines a spotlight on scientists, artists and abolitionists long overlooked by history.

Set in the religious patriarchy of Gilead, The Handmaid’s Tale is a haunting narrative of what America could be. As the threat of Gilead looms ever closer, this seems less like a dystopian novel and more like a prescient warning. Read it before you live it.

The quintessential romantic comedy from the queen of mannerly stories of love and unlove. It’s the timeless tale of Bennett and Darcy, the love that was always and never meant to be.

Look through a child’s eyes at the most tumultuous and cataclysmic years in Iran’s modern history in this terrifying and ultimately hopeful memoir.

An icon of literary achievement and author of eerily prophetic writing finally tells us about herself. It’s pretty much a superhero origin story, told in vibrant detail, making it a shining feat of storytelling on its own merit.

A powerful voice of courage and symbol of resistance and hope, Malala Yousafzai reintroduces herself to the world in her upcoming memoir, Finding May Way. Opening up about everything from coming-of-age moments to college years, friendships and finding the love of her life, she follows her own compass and rises above her darkest moments.

History comes alive in this delightfully entertaining journey, bringing to light the life of a largely forgotten English queen whose husband honored her memory by placing twelve crosses between Lincoln and London.

The ongoing question of who gets to tell their story is given a fresh and welcome perspective with Cat Bohannon’s incredible ability to rewrite the entire evolution of humanity from the female side. This is a brilliant work of scientific writing that reshapes the entire conversation of genetics, and it is written so well that you won’t even realize how much you’re learning.

The powerful true story of four trailblazing women who were scientific pioneers during World War II and beyond, and the incredible lives they led.

Speak is the story of an isolated high school student whose recent rape has left her retreating into a silent shell. Through time, art, and her small but mighty group of friends, she learns to reclaim herself and fight back against those who would seek to silence her. Grappling with serious and relevant themes and subjects, this book encourages the reader to do as Melinda does—speak.

I Who Have Never Known Men is a post-apocalyptic novel that has cemented itself as a classic of feminist literature. See the desolate world through the eyes of a young woman on her journey through entrapment and survival. Eerie and haunting, this is a read that will raise the hair on the back of your neck.

An essential collection of essays perfect for women’s history month reading about feminism in the modern world, all from the perspective of writer and activist Roxane Gay. The intersections of race, gender, body politics, and much more collide in a poignant, funny, and striking collection.

Told through poetry, the story of an African American girl’s journey through adolescence stings with the remains of Jim Crow and follows her through the Civil Rights Movement. But it’s also the story of a writer coming into her own, learning the power of words, and overcoming a childhood struggle with reading.

Olga was perfect. She did everything her parents wanted. But then she died, and Julia has no chance of being the perfect Mexican daughter her sister was. That is, until she learns her sister may not have been so perfect after all. A story of family, Mexican culture, the American Dream, and much more.

Like mother, like daughter! Chelsea’s picture book about women throughout history who have persisted during difficult times is inspiring and informative. Learn the stories of women such as Ruby Bridges, who triumphed during the Civil Rights Movement; Helen Keller, who owned her identity as a disabled woman and refused to let others define her abilities; Oprah Winfrey, media mogul and the first black female billionaire, and more!

Yes, you need to read the book by the first Latina Supreme Court Justice! Sonia grew up in the projects in the Bronx and wound up on the most senior court in the land. How did she get there? By overcoming adversity, relying on family, and learning to love herself.

The book that became a box office smash is a must-read. The story of the NASA mathematicians—and African-American women—who changed the face of the race to space was lost to time and whitewashed history. But now you can read about the brilliance and ambition of Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, Christine Darden, and Gloria Champine.

A new product hit the market that people all across the country used for beauty and medicinal purposes. We now know this dangerous product for what it really is: radium, and while people were using it to make themselves more beautiful and healthier, the truth was glistening beneath the surface. When the girls working in the radium factories got sick, it exposed an industry’s dark underbelly of corruption, abuse, and more.

The haunting story of a girl’s innocence touched by the violence and hatred of the Third Reich has a message that still persists to this day: love one another, before it is too late.

Based on an essay by the same name, this book tackles the issue of feminism head on. Exploring everything from race and gender to sex and power dynamics, this incredible book is perfect for those just starting to break down the definition of feminism and how it applies to their lives.

When her husband died, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg was faced with a choice: lose herself to her grief, or turn to option B and try to find a way forward. She chose the second option, but she did not do so alone. This book examines grief, and the multitude of ways human beings process it, and how to find happiness again “when option A is not available.

Don’t miss the unforgettable story of Henrietta Lacks, a woman whose cells were taken from her during cancer treatment…and without her knowledge, consent, or compensation, provided essential information to cancer research. Those cells are still alive today, and in them, her legacy lives on.

A fantasy inspired by the lore and culture of West Africa, this YA novel is one of the buzziest books of the year. Zéli’s mother was murdered, as were so many other maji, by a king who feared the magic they possessed. But now she has a chance to restore her kingdom to glory…if she can align herself with a princess, and outsmart a prince.

This story of a family of women bonded while the patriarch of the family is off at war has lasted generations for its timeless message of love, sisterhood, and fighting for what you want in life.