Dear Ijeawele or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2017) This book has so many important, thought-provoking ideas about raising a feminist child. Adichie is becoming one of my favourite authors for sure – she writes so well and does not avoid difficult topics. And this book is just, well, WOW. Also, it’s really tiny – just over 60 pages. Go read it, everyone!
Is Gender Fluid?: A Primer for the 21st Century (The Big Idea Series) by Sally Hines (2018)
I am currently reading this book and I must say I’m very impressed! This book discusses gender from so many perspectives: historical, social, biological, cultural, evolutional, political, intersectional, as an identity, and so on. It is scientific, informational, accurate and skilfully constructed. Also, so much terminology explained! I recommend this pretty much to everyone – it’s both entertaining and educational. Is Gender Fluid? has something for everyone: for people who haven’t looked into gender at all and people who think they’ve read everything on the subject. Also, it has tons of pictures!
101 Poems by 101 Women edited by Germaine Greer (2001)
Edited by Germaine Greer, this poetry anthology has poems from the 17th century to the mid 90s. If you like poetry (and even if you don’t), this one is definitely worth reading! You’ll become familiar with so many incredible female authors from different backgrounds and life periods. The authors range from Queen Elizabeth I to Audre Lorde to Margaret Atwood, showing a wide variety of spectacular poetry.
The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee (2018)
Looking for something on the lighter side? Try The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy! It’s a YA historical fantasy novel boasting with feminist themes. The prose is hilarious, heart-warming and thought-provoking. The character’s are witty and diverse, and there are different strong female characters. Also, YES for asexual representation! The characters are familiar from The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue — a spectacular book, by the way —but you don’t need to read that one before reading The Lady’s Guide. I highly recommend the audiobook version (I got mine from Audible); Moira Quirk has done an amazing job with the narration. This book makes my heart happy.
The Power by Naomi Alderman (2016)
What would happen if sexism turned upside down? In The Power, Naomi Alderman paints a dystopian picture in which women are in power, and speculates what our world would look like if there was this radical shift in power dynamics. This is definitely one of the most thought-provoking books I’ve ever read. I must admit, however, that I am hesitant to recommend this highly praised novel. For example, it is fairly obvious that the book has been written by a white western woman, and I do think that there could be some improvements in both the narration and the writing in general, but while some aspects of the book can and should be criticized, it is definitely worth the read. Read it for the idea that challenges you to think of gender and power in new ways.
Photos taken by the author.