Book recommendations for the feminist mind
I read a lot and over the past year and I have found myself picking more books written by women, about women or memoirs of amazing women. These books have provided me with some interesting perspectives about feminism and women. I hope they help widen your perspectives too:
1. The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf
By the time I had read twenty pages of The Beauty Myth, I realized that this is one of the most important books I will ever read. Admittedly, I was initially skeptical of Wolf’s central thesis — that the cultural “myth” of feminine beauty is a political and economic weapon used by the male-dominated world to undermine women’s advancement in society — but, by the time I had finished reading the first chapter, I had a changed perspective of the world. This is a book, in my opinion, that should be required reading. It is a book about the very atmosphere women negotiate daily, and from an early age — one in which we intuit the importance of our looks, and are apprehensive about our “beauty” as an indication of our status, competence, wealth, power, and credibility — one in which we are manipulated by powerful corporate advertisers to feel insecure, so we will remain the largest underpaid labor pool, and simultaneously the largest consumers of unnecessary products, in the world.
2. We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
If you wanna start with one book to read about why feminism is important, then this is it! A short, sharp, and effective essay about gender, the wrong ideas many people have about feminism, and why it is so damn important. It does not point fingers and blame men for a cultural mind-set they were born into. Instead, it offers calm logical arguments for positive change going forward. And that’s what the world needs. I also suggest Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by the same author which is Adichie writing to her friend on how to raise a feminist daughter.
3. Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
I absolutely loved this book! The book won the Booker Prize in 2019 and tells the story of 12 women, all from different backgrounds and different struggles. All women are black and British and very different characters from each other. She presents us with a broad and diverse spectrum of black women’s voices, all distinct, from differing backgrounds, ages, roots, class, occupations, families, from many parts of the country and sexuality in all its forms. We have characters who have struggled with homosexuality, sexual assault, being trans, poverty, abusive relationships and characters who have dealt with patriarchy their whole lives. The book is as feminist as gets. I loved how each story is independent yet there are glimpses of each character in each other’s life. That sends out a message that women can uplift women in so many small ways.
4. Becoming by Michelle Obama
I know it’s 2021 and you’re tired of being recommended this book, but damn read it already, it’s such a good book! Becoming was my first audio book and I am glad I chose this experience. So many of my friends had suggested that I prefer the audio book over the book for this one and I am so glad I did. Michelle Obama’s read in her voice touched me deeply. Becoming is the story Michelle’s life from being a black girl who grew up in a poor family in the south side of Chicago to her overcoming her boundaries and getting into Harvard, working as a lawyer and then her term as the First Lady of USA. I loved how honest, touching and emotional this book was. The book isn’t about politics but political experiences do come into picture. It wasn’t about what Barack Obama did or did not do as a president but rather how a family of four had to still maintain normalcy in a job that was mostly chaos. It’s a book that inspires you push your boundaries and do more. The book is extremely well written and I loved it with all my heart.
5. Know My Name by Chanel Miler
The book is gripping, emotional and intriguing. Public-ally known as Emily Doe, Chanel Miller was sexually assaulted on the campus of Stanford at a frat party by a student, Brock Turner. When you know the premise of the book you know that the book is going to be important. However, that’s not all. The book brings out the flaws and the incompetence of the American justice system. How long and draining it is, to prove a crime that was obviously committed. And it’s more or less the same everywhere. The whole process is somehow based on victim blaming. Secondly, the book is about reclaiming identity. Chanel talks about how her whole personality was reduced to being a victim. She walks us through her journey from the night of the incident to living with it for the rest of her life. She talks about her pain and about her growth. The book is inspiring and moving, and definitely a must read (or must listen!). This book is definitely going to be one of my favorite books for a lot of reasons. I actually chose the audio book experience for this one which is read by Chanel herself. This made it all the more heartbreaking as you can feel Chanel’s voice cracking in anger and shock and tears in the aggressive parts of the book. It makes you feel the reality and the depth of the book.
6. What Kind of Woman: Poems by Kate Baer
It is not often when you come across a collection of poems that just speak to you. What Kind of Woman by Kate Baer is a collection of poems broken up into three parts. Part one is being a woman. Part two is being a wife. Part three is being a mother. While these poems really speak to women, they are for everyone. It can be an experience in the minds of women. This was a short but an intriguing read. I also suggest Wild Embers and The Girl and The Goddess by Nikita Gill for amazing poems about women reclaiming their identity.
7. A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum
This is one of those stories that will dig in deep and make you want to scream at the cultures that undervalue women. We know we are different — physically — but that’s where it stops. Putting my anger aside, this is a beautifully written story of two women who have migrated to America from Palestine and a daughter born in America. The struggle of upholding traditional customs while assimilating into a new culture. Rum captures voices of traditions, secrets and shame; Loneliness and depression. She is both credible and passionate. Told from three perspectives from three generations, these cultures treat their women as possessions; their intelligence undermined and shame is perpetuated because they are less than their sons, brothers, husbands, fathers. This one made me weep. I cry for you Isra and the other women who continue to be treated as anything other than an equal. May you find courage to defy customs and continue to fight for change.
Other recommendations if you’re interested -
She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement by Jodi Kantor, Megan Twohey - The story of how two journalists broke the story about Weinstein which eventually led to the Me Too movement
The Color Purple by Alice Walker - Story of Celie, a young black girl born into poverty and segregation who deals with her children being taken away from her, being raped by her father and being trapped in a bad marriage who ultimately decides to take control of her life
The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni - Mahabharata, the half history half myth epic which is mostly centered around men, is reimagined from Panchaali’s, the Pandavas wife’s perspective.