How To Be A Woman is a lively, smart and thoroughly entertaining memoir about growing up in a semi-hippie-ish large family (seven kids!) in a council house in Wolverhampton, England, surviving bullying and being called fat (by a bloke she had a crush on, no less), learning about boys, sex, coming to terms with her body (including what to call her lady parts), falling in love (with the wrong guy, oh was he ever the wrong guy), experiencing sexism, conducting some bizarre interviews (there’s a chapter set in a strip club), finding the right guy, getting married (oh that wedding sounded horrible) and having kids but understanding why you might not want to have them, too. Note: I believe that both men and women have a right to have or not have children and that women without children should not be treated as emotional cripples for it. Although I do actually feel as though Moran short-changed the joy of having children, but maybe that's what you get for being raised by a mother who was, by her own admission, absolutely desperate to have them.) But am I the only one who sees the problem with this quote? She says that "Nothing [in motherhood] is something you couldn't get from...calling your mum." I didn't notice this when I read it (I don't read that closely, dudes), but seriously? Moran has just used evidence of a would-be mother's mother/child relationship (with her own mother) as a reason why you shouldn't have children? My opinion: seriously faulty analysis. If ringing your own mother gives you such happiness, why wouldn't you want to pass that on? (God, now I sound like someone who is advocating the "all women must have babies" stance. I'm just making the point that I don't think Moran is helping her case here.

These aren't the only casually distasteful and problematic jokes Moran makes but these two stood out in my mind as particularly offensive. Since Moran takes a lot of time to discuss the harmful nature of the word 'fat', one would think she'd understand the damaging power of the R word and such ableist/transphobic language.

While it’s impossible to capture the nuances and richness of the female experience, the following 10 books present unique, moving portraits of being a woman.

The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou brings together the poet and activist’s most enduring memoirs, including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, and approaches weighty topics like racism and abuse with lyrical beauty. Angelou’s entrancing testimony of her past tells a story of being forced to confront the ugliness of the world but still finding a way to sing a hopeful song. 12. The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World by Melinda Gates Could I really have all of those things at once? Apparently, with autism, you really can – it makes you much more susceptible to other mental health issues. But I don’t think it’s a given, or permanent. Another compelling Pulitzer winner, Toni Morrison’s classic Beloved is set in a time shortly after the American Civil War. Its protagonist, Sethe, lives among memories that haunt her, in a story that takes an unflinching look at the trauma of slavery and its psychological impact. Blending beauty with horror, this book’s rich synthesis of ghost story, magical realism , and historical fiction is a book everyone needs to read at least once — and will probably want to read again. 52. White Teeth by Zadie Smith I know that Beth Moore puts a lot of work into these studies, & this one is no exception. As informative & uplifting as her video lessons are, sometimes I have a hard time getting past many of her personal quirks & nuances. For one thing, I feel like she's yelling at me in some segments or just preaching over my head in others, while maybe others (Priscilla Shirer, etc) might teach in my style of learning. Not to mention that a lot of it is directed at me using "pet-names" that my mom doesn't even use ("Girlfriend", "Beloved", "Darling", "Sweetie", "Honey", "Dear One", etc). It's easier for me to get past those overpowering nuances while reading her, rather than watching her. But that still doesn't shake the pet-names. Christians need to be real. They need to be who they are if they are going to be effective. Not try to be copy cats of the secular world.

Please do not let anyone market your book as "The Female Eunuch" if it is, in fact, a pretty good memoir hiding behind some stereotypically teenage-standard analysis.SCREAM! I loved this book, it is like spending an evening with your new, very funny/very clever,best friend.

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In created an international sensation when it was published in 2013. Sandberg incisively examines the state of the contemporary workplace, asking questions about the obstacles that women face when they express ambition, seek mentors, show leadership, and confront the challenges of motherhood. Sandberg’s witty, direct, and informative approach makes reading Lean In an empowering act in itself. 23. The Power is Within You by Louise Hay Philanthropist Melinda Gates has devoted her life and tremendous resources to providing opportunities to those in need — and one of her biggest takeaways has been that to elevate society, we need to stop putting women down. In The Moment of Lift , Gates reflects on her work, her travels, and the women’s issues that most urgently need our attention. The result is a compelling commentary on how you can leverage your privilege to effect positive change. 13. Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit Are you a Meg, a Jo, a Beth, or an Amy? Each girl is bound to identify with at least one of the March sisters. Set in Massachusetts during the American Civil War, Little Women is an uplifting story of sisterhood and boundless female curiosity. It’s a classic full of strong female heroines to which all women, even those who are no longer little, can relate.The suggestion that Lady GaGa is a feminist and should be placed upon a pedestal. To me, a feminist icon should be one who presents ideas. GaGa strikes me more as someone who is reaping the benefits of feminism, but not adding much new to the conversation. She is definitely a polarizing lightning rod, but more in the realm of image and sexuality. She definitely confronts and shatters stereotypes, but beyond that adds little to the conversation. Elizabeth George is bestselling author and national speaker dedicated to helping people live a life after God’s own heart. For over 30 years, the teachings and steadfast example of Elizabeth has helped countless men and women: Sometimes you need a boost from a brave female historical figure, a bold female industry leader, or a badass female character to remind you of all the things that women have accomplished and can achieve when they aren’t pushed to the margins and can claim their rightful space in the spotlight. In the list below, we recommend some of our favorite inspirational books ( nonfiction as well as fiction) for women — though people of all genders will enjoy these powerful stories. You’re bound to find some uplift and motivation as these reads spark joy, outrage, entrepreneurial ambition, or some combination of them all. Nonfiction 1. Becoming by Michelle Obama Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

This post was first published in 2021, but has since been republished with some of the best new books for women with autism. It was when I finally accepted that I was different and worthy, exactly as I was, that the clouds started to shift and I started to own the space I occupied.At one point or another, every woman has probably had something “mansplained” to them. Read the essays that inspired the term in Men Explain Things to Me and find someone who can share in your frustration and fury! Women are subjected to constant condescension, and Solnit gives a scathing take on the near universal, yet often unspoken, microaggressions against women, leaving you ready to call out mansplaining and take down the patriarchy. 14. Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay In this magical realist novel, Isabel Allende spans several generations of the same Latin-American family, but focuses on protagonist Clara. In the tradition of Gabriel García Márquez, this is an epic book full of life and events, where everything happens in an endless stream of dramatic family developments — which sounds like a lot, but you’ll be hooked. Widely considered to be Allende’s finest novel, The House of the Spirits is a riveting read that will leave you feeling that you’ve stepped into a whole new world full of magical women. 55. The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Stories by Charlotte Perkins Gilman George Eliot’s 19th century classic Middlemarch tells the story of several characters in provincial England. It’s a moving and wise narrative documenting a moment in time, but also a timeless tale about human nature. Eliot’s book is brimming with idealism and a belief in people’s power to do and be good; it’s no wonder that many consider Middlemarch the book that changed their lives. Brilliant and optimistic, this admittedly long novel really is worth your time. 45. A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen Everyday Sexism began as an online community project by British journalist Laura Bates. Exasperated by the normalization of everyday sexist behavior and sexual harassment, Bates created a community for over 50,000 women to share their stories. This book retells some of those stories, focusing on the pervasive impact of sexism on women’s lives, in a world that largely seems to think it has overcome gender inequality. This book is an eye-opening call to arms, a reminder that the fight is not over. 27. Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez