10 must read Books towards exploring your own Empowerment

I find that oftentimes the best way to empower yourself is to read about women who have achieved their own empowerment; literature allows readers to be placed into the shoes of women from many different paths of life. The ten books in this list helped me understand other women’s experiences, and broaden my horizons of inclusive, intersectional feminism. These books are by women, for women, and encompass coming of age, hatred, anger, and love. The majority of the books here cover an umbrella of ethnic experiences and broader perspectives than the traditional white, cis, hetero women so frequently prioritized in society. There is a mixture of fiction, memoir, poetry, and non-fiction, and hopefully, a book that will educate and entertain you! 

1. Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women that a Movement Forgot – Mikki Kendall 

This is a hard-hitting book that took the world by storm last year. Mikki Kendall draws attention to the white feminist movement, and how women of colour are often forgotten about and neglected within mainstream feminism. She focuses upon issues in feminism that are largely ignored in an often white-centered movement, such as access to housing in safe neighborhoods, and medical issues. This book is incredible in helping you see new spaces within intersectional feminism that need developing, and her interweaving of anecdotes from her own life help ground the issues she is talking about with emotions. 

2. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo – Taylor Jenkins Reid 

A fictional deep-dive into the past of a glamorous, bisexual Cuban Hollywood actresses’ scandalous life. This is set in 1950s America and shows the hurdles that women have to jump over to be taken as seriously as men. Heart-breaking, funny, and incredibly entertaining, this novel revolves around a strong, independent woman who has never let any man stop her. It’s an easy read book following a journey through love and Hollywood, showing a flawed woman who is still loveable. It has powerful themes of race, misogyny, and sexuality, and Jenkins Reid writes about them in such a beautiful, lyrical way. 

3. Girl, Woman, Other – Bernadine Evaristo 

This novel was one of the best releases of 2019 and one which will last the test of time. It follows the journeys of a variety of mainly black women in London, crossing timelines and intersecting into each others’ lives. It is vibrant and powerful, following love, struggles, poverty, racism, and joy in an uplifting way. One of my favourite books that I read last year and it has stayed with me since – this book provides a beautiful insight into the life of black women through different times in England, and is one I think is very important. 

4. Sister Outsider – Audre Lorde 

Audre Lorde dedicated her life and literary talents to fighting for feminism and civil rights, and this book is a collection of some of her essays. She discusses the importance of women holding positions of power in areas that are traditionally male-dominated, such as literature. She intertwines the subject of gender and race in a lyrical and passionate way. In this novel, the experiences of black women are centered through her spellbinding style, and this book shook me to the core. 

5. She Must be Mad – Charly Cox

This book is a poetry collection revolving around the stigmatization and struggle of mental health in contemporary society. Cox explores what it means to be a woman, to come of age in a digital world, and the power that a body can hold. This poetry collection felt like ripping off a plaster whilst being given a huge hug at the same time; it is a raw, witty, and powerful insight into the mental health battles of young women.

6. The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood

A classic novel in feminist literature – a dystopian future where women no longer have autonomy over their lives and are reduced to base functions of childbirth. Women are valued for their bodies, no longer allowed to read, have their own money, or own relationships. Atwood writes a beautiful novel that is a scathing attack on the issues within society, acting as a drastic warning for the ways things go. Without spoiling the novel for those who haven’t read it, we witness a woman developing revolutionary thoughts and fighting against the system of a repressive society. This book affected me in a big way and was one of the first novels I read to spark my interest in gender politics and feminism, causing me to question society and what could be done to better the situation of women around the world. 

7. Women and Power: A Manifesto – Mary Beard

This essay follows the origins of misogyny, beginning within Ancient Literature, such as the tale of Medusa, and culminating with the figure of Hilary Clinton. Mary Beard discusses how strong women have continuously been treated through history, being denied positions of power. She radically questions the idea of power and the exclusion of women from it, suggesting that what is needed is a complete overhaul of existing societal structures and building them up from the bottom to create more inclusive, equal spaces for women. It’s a really short book and works as a perfecting jumping-off point if you are just beginning to take interest in ingrained misogyny and its effects upon women. 

8. Educated – Tara Westover

Educated is a powerful memoir following the life of Tara Westover, being born into a survivalist family to breaking free and joining the university, leaving her old life behind. Her family was preparing for the end of days, not trusting doctors or the schooling system, treating all ailments with herbalism and faith. We witness Tara beginning to educate herself through books, eventually enrolling in a university and studying history, learning about pivotal historical events, such as the Holocaust, for the first time. This memoir is a beautiful ode to the powers of education and gaining self-independence from your abusive family. 

9. Revolting Prostitutes: The Fight for Sex Workers’ Rights – Juno Mac, Molly Smith 

This manifesto is so powerful, arguing for sex workers’ rights to earn a living without being scrutinized by society. It argues for the full decriminalization of sex, and the authors explore this through their own personal experiences whilst also discussing laws around the world. Both the authors are sex workers and argue that the prohibiting and censoring of the sex work industry that is underway in society is doing more harm than it is good. Feminism should cover every woman, and sex workers are often some of the most vulnerable in society due to the open nature of their jobs. The censoring of their work in both society and social media is having a detrimental effect, demonizing women for simply existing. This is an important book, whether you want to learn about laws surrounding sex work, or you already know and want to further educate yourself. This manifesto is brilliant, an absolute masterpiece, advocating for the rights of women around the world and fully embodying intersectional feminism. 

10. What a Time to be Alone – Chidera Eggerue 

This beautiful and striking work was the inspiration behind the infamous ‘Women Don’t Owe You Pretty’, a book that has received a lot of criticism in the past few months. Chidera’s book features striking graphic designs inside whilst displaying such an empowering message for young women in how to navigate life. It is inspiring, aimed at young women but fully accessible to people of all ages. Her artwork highlights her messages of finding self-worth, believing you are enough, and taking enough time to heal yourself. This book feels like it was written by your best friend giving you a pep talk on how great you are, and as Chidera says, ‘you’re bad as hell and you were made with intention’.