Book Riot's 100 Must-Read Feminist Books

1.
Little Women (Little Women, #1)
Little Women (Little Women, #1) 4.17 avg rating — 2,393,058 ratings
2.
The Color Purple
The Color Purple 4.27 avg rating — 737,195 ratings
3.
The Handmaid’s Tale (The Handmaid's Tale, #1)
The Handmaid’s Tale (The Handmaid's Tale, #1) 4.15 avg rating — 2,323,126 ratings
4.
Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment
Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment 4.41 avg rating — 5,475 ratings
5.
The Women's Room
The Women's Room 3.99 avg rating — 9,269 ratings
6.
The Left Hand of Darkness
The Left Hand of Darkness 4.10 avg rating — 209,447 ratings
7.
Beloved (Beloved Trilogy, #1)
Beloved (Beloved Trilogy, #1) 3.97 avg rating — 476,949 ratings
8.
Americanah
Americanah 4.31 avg rating — 401,497 ratings
9.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou's Autobiography, #1)
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou's Autobiography, #1) 4.30 avg rating — 568,942 ratings
10.
A Wrinkle in Time (A Wrinkle in Time Quintet, #1)
A Wrinkle in Time (A Wrinkle in Time Quintet, #1) 3.97 avg rating — 1,263,380 ratings
11.
Feminism Without Borders: Decolonizing Theory, Practicing Solidarity
Feminism Without Borders: Decolonizing Theory, Practicing Solidarity 4.24 avg rating — 2,011 ratings
12.
A Vindication of the Rights of Woman
A Vindication of the Rights of Woman 3.92 avg rating — 26,300 ratings
13.
The Awakening
The Awakening 3.69 avg rating — 222,558 ratings
14.
Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity
Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity 4.05 avg rating — 18,776 ratings
15.
The Female Man
The Female Man 3.47 avg rating — 8,757 ratings
16.
Sexual Politics
Sexual Politics 3.99 avg rating — 3,856 ratings
17.
Kindred
Kindred 4.31 avg rating — 258,318 ratings
18.
Milk and honey
Milk and honey
by: Rupi Kaur
3.96 avg rating — 776,848 ratings
19.
Second Class Citizen
Second Class Citizen 4.09 avg rating — 4,597 ratings
20.
The Second Sex
The Second Sex 4.18 avg rating — 45,864 ratings
21.
The Meaning of Freedom: And Other Difficult Dialogues
The Meaning of Freedom: And Other Difficult Dialogues 4.47 avg rating — 824 ratings
22.
The Bell Jar
The Bell Jar 4.05 avg rating — 1,153,798 ratings
22.
Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination
Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination 4.32 avg rating — 7,356 ratings
24.
The Feeling May Remain
The Feeling May Remain 4.05 avg rating — 114 ratings
25.
Fat Activism: A Radical Social Movement
Fat Activism: A Radical Social Movement 3.88 avg rating — 124 ratings
26.
A Room of One’s Own
A Room of One’s Own 4.22 avg rating — 246,450 ratings
27.
The Queer Art of Failure
The Queer Art of Failure 4.03 avg rating — 2,796 ratings
28.
Bad Feminist
Bad Feminist 3.92 avg rating — 117,715 ratings
29.
Fear of Flying
Fear of Flying 3.47 avg rating — 22,979 ratings
30.
Obasan
Obasan 3.70 avg rating — 8,228 ratings
31.
Herland (The Herland Trilogy, #2)
Herland (The Herland Trilogy, #2) 3.48 avg rating — 24,914 ratings
32.
Who Fears Death
Who Fears Death 3.93 avg rating — 27,810 ratings
33.
Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women
Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women 4.04 avg rating — 9,233 ratings
34.
The Argonauts
The Argonauts 4.02 avg rating — 54,646 ratings
35.
Assata: An Autobiography
Assata: An Autobiography 4.59 avg rating — 29,691 ratings
36.
Infidel
Infidel 4.20 avg rating — 91,944 ratings
37.
The Hidden Face of Eve: Women in the Arab World
The Hidden Face of Eve: Women in the Arab World 4.01 avg rating — 1,764 ratings
38.
Against Our Will: Men, Women and Rape
Against Our Will: Men, Women and Rape 4.05 avg rating — 4,079 ratings
39.
The Feminine Mystique
The Feminine Mystique 3.87 avg rating — 30,216 ratings
40.
Vagina: A New Biography
Vagina: A New Biography 3.80 avg rating — 4,248 ratings
41.
Unsportsmanlike Conduct: College Football and the Politics of Rape
Unsportsmanlike Conduct: College Football and the Politics of Rape 4.26 avg rating — 373 ratings
42.
Third World Women and the Politics of Feminism
Third World Women and the Politics of Feminism 4.33 avg rating — 253 ratings
43.
This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color
This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color 4.52 avg rating — 9,683 ratings
44.
Simians, Cyborgs, and Women: The Reinvention of Nature
Simians, Cyborgs, and Women: The Reinvention of Nature 4.15 avg rating — 1,847 ratings
44.
Men Explain Things to Me
Men Explain Things to Me 3.83 avg rating — 85,147 ratings
46.
What Can a Woman Do With a Camera?: Photography for Women
What Can a Woman Do With a Camera?: Photography for Women 3.75 avg rating — 4 ratings
47.
Gender and the Media
Gender and the Media 3.89 avg rating — 112 ratings
48.
Undoing Gender
Undoing Gender 4.11 avg rating — 3,237 ratings
49.
Straight: The Surprisingly Short History Of Heterosexuality
Straight: The Surprisingly Short History Of Heterosexuality 3.78 avg rating — 1,117 ratings
50.
Woman Hating
Woman Hating 3.86 avg rating — 2,183 ratings
51.
Sisterhood is Powerful: An Anthology of Writings from the Women's Liberation Movement
Sisterhood is Powerful: An Anthology of Writings from the Women's Liberation Movement 4.21 avg rating — 1,241 ratings
52.
Bitch: In Praise of Difficult Women
Bitch: In Praise of Difficult Women 3.38 avg rating — 5,113 ratings
52.
Ain't I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism
Ain't I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism 4.50 avg rating — 18,477 ratings
54.
The Vagina Monologues
The Vagina Monologues 3.87 avg rating — 37,999 ratings
55.
Everyday Sexism
Everyday Sexism 4.26 avg rating — 12,320 ratings
55.
Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches
Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches 4.53 avg rating — 39,726 ratings
57.
Intersectionality
Intersectionality 4.05 avg rating — 510 ratings
58.
From Black Power to Hip Hop: Racism, Nationalism, and Feminism
From Black Power to Hip Hop: Racism, Nationalism, and Feminism 4.19 avg rating — 173 ratings
58.
We Should All Be Feminists
We Should All Be Feminists 4.40 avg rating — 320,733 ratings
60.
This Sex Which is Not One
This Sex Which is Not One 4.01 avg rating — 1,840 ratings
60.
The Complete Persepolis
The Complete Persepolis 4.40 avg rating — 199,568 ratings
62.
The House on Mango Street
The House on Mango Street 3.69 avg rating — 222,950 ratings
63.
Feminism and Sexuality
Feminism and Sexuality 4.25 avg rating — 24 ratings
64.
Our Bodies, Ourselves: A New Edition for a New Era
Our Bodies, Ourselves: A New Edition for a New Era 4.32 avg rating — 19 ratings
65.
All the Rage
All the Rage 3.80 avg rating — 15,256 ratings
66.
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail 4.07 avg rating — 850,479 ratings
67.
Embroideries
Embroideries 3.94 avg rating — 29,937 ratings
68.
Easy (Contours of the Heart, #1)
Easy (Contours of the Heart, #1) 4.07 avg rating — 228,798 ratings
69.
Sultana's Dream
Sultana's Dream 3.89 avg rating — 2,338 ratings
70.
The Days of Abandonment
The Days of Abandonment 3.87 avg rating — 54,897 ratings
71.
Killing the Black Body: Race, Reproduction, and the Meaning of Liberty
Killing the Black Body: Race, Reproduction, and the Meaning of Liberty 4.45 avg rating — 5,136 ratings
72.
Woman's Estate
Woman's Estate 3.72 avg rating — 116 ratings
73.
Playing the Whore: The Work of Sex Work
Playing the Whore: The Work of Sex Work 3.89 avg rating — 2,117 ratings
74.
Beauty Queens
Beauty Queens 3.62 avg rating — 55,073 ratings
75.
The Narrative of Sojourner Truth
The Narrative of Sojourner Truth 4.10 avg rating — 10,543 ratings
76.
The Sexual Politics of Meat: A Feminist-Vegetarian Critical Theory
The Sexual Politics of Meat: A Feminist-Vegetarian Critical Theory really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 4,248 ratings
77.
Living Dolls: The Return of Sexism
Living Dolls: The Return of Sexism 3.84 avg rating — 2,667 ratings
78.
Asking For It
Asking For It really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 23,889 ratings
79.
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit 3.73 avg rating — 89,522 ratings
80.
Brown Girl in the Ring
Brown Girl in the Ring 3.85 avg rating — 7,277 ratings
81.
Nimona
Nimona 4.18 avg rating — 181,633 ratings
82.
Separate and Dominate: Feminism and Racism after the War on Terror
Separate and Dominate: Feminism and Racism after the War on Terror 4.04 avg rating — 266 ratings
83.
Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women and the Rest of Us
Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women and the Rest of Us 4.03 avg rating — 6,315 ratings
84.
Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More
Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More 4.30 avg rating — 16,467 ratings
85.
Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity
Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity 4.27 avg rating — 8,773 ratings
86.
Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture
Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture 3.66 avg rating — 10,197 ratings
87.
Bitches, Bimbos, and Ballbreakers: The Guerrilla Girls' Illustrated Guide to Female Stereotypes
Bitches, Bimbos, and Ballbreakers: The Guerrilla Girls' Illustrated Guide to Female Stereotypes 3.98 avg rating — 854 ratings
88.
Cunt: A Declaration of Independence
Cunt: A Declaration of Independence 3.89 avg rating — 10,595 ratings
89.
Intercourse
Intercourse really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 2,698 ratings
90.
The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts
The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts 3.73 avg rating — 33,276 ratings
91.
Les Guérillères
Les Guérillères 3.92 avg rating — 1,486 ratings
92.
The Beauty Myth
The Beauty Myth 3.91 avg rating — 30,478 ratings
93.
Witches, Midwives and Nurses: A History of Women Healers
Witches, Midwives and Nurses: A History of Women Healers 4.02 avg rating — 6,460 ratings
94.
If I Was Your Girl
If I Was Your Girl 3.97 avg rating — 41,637 ratings
95.
The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love
The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love 4.36 avg rating — 27,091 ratings
96.
Headscarves and Hymens: Why the Middle East Needs a Sexual Revolution
Headscarves and Hymens: Why the Middle East Needs a Sexual Revolution 4.16 avg rating — 4,828 ratings
97.
Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman
Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman 4.17 avg rating — 62,836 ratings
98.
Full Frontal Feminism
Full Frontal Feminism 3.86 avg rating — 8,056 ratings
99.
Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture, and the Body
Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture, and the Body 4.12 avg rating — 1,858 ratings
100.
But Some of Us Are Brave: All the Women Are White, All the Blacks Are Men: Black Women's Studies
But Some of Us Are Brave: All the Women Are White, All the Blacks Are Men: Black Women's Studies 4.40 avg rating — 1,782 ratings
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