3 Books Every Woman Must Read

It’s Women’s History Month and I’ve been focusing on the many ways that I can be a better feminist. I’ve been trying to shop women-owned, we celebrated International Women’s Day, and now I’m educating myself through reading books on women’s issues and about women who rock this world. So I asked a couple of kick butt women that I admire about what books they thought everyone who identifies as women should read. Here are three books every woman must read!

Natalie Mazzarella

Publicist & Content Creator, Wear You Are Now
Book: Let’s Just Say It Wasn’t Pretty

In a world where selfies and perceived perfection reign supreme, it’s very easy to feel the pressure to mold to traditional definitions of beauty; no matter who we are or where we come from. Let’s Just Say It Wasn’t Pretty, a book penned by my favorite actress and style icon, Diane Keaton, hits right to the point on that very topic. It’s a smart, funny chronicle of the ups and downs of living and working in a world obsessed with beauty. It offers up a message of empowerment for anyone who’s ever dreamed of kicking back against the “should’s” and “supposed to’s” that undermine our pursuit of beauty in all its forms.

With chapter titles that include “Wrong is Right”, “Prisoners on my Wall”, and my personal favorite “Turtlenecks and Ties, Bikinis and Bras”, Keaton puts her cards on the table about the importance of staying true to yourself and crafting your own definition of beauty- no matter what anyone else thinks.

If beauty is defined as a characteristic of an idea, object, person or place that provides a perception of pleasure or satisfaction, then we should decide what those characteristics get to be. There are no wrong answers. There are no “should’s” or “supposed to’s”. There is the only hope to create a conversation that forces us to hold up a mirror, and resoundingly like what we see.

And if all fails, there’s always Diane Keaton.

Emily Fanning

Founder, Shell Chic’d
Book: A is for Awesome!

Being a mother is both my greatest honor and greatest responsibility. I want my daughter to live her life surrounded by strong and confident women, while respecting those trailblazers that came before her. A Is for Awesome! tells the [abbreviated] stories of 23 women, from Malala to RBG, who changed the world. Ellie won’t have to look very far to see politicians and professors and scientists and actresses who look like her represented, but so many little girls of other races and cultures unfortunately do, so I love the diversity represented in this book. Our other favorites include Vashti Harrison’s Think Big Little One, Dream Big Little One, and Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around the World.

Kate Andrews

Founder & Editor, Fashionably Kate & Co.
Book: My Own Words: Ruth Bader Ginsburg

While there are so many books that should be on this list, I do not think it would be complete without mention of the late, great Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s My Own Words. While I expected a traditional autobiography, it is actually a collection of essays, speeches and statements from the bench written and delivered by Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Hence, the title, My Own Words.

I’m not going to lie, at first this turned me off of the book. But I hate starting something and not finishing it. So I gave it another try and what I realized is that I learned so much more about her thoughts and passions through these entries, than if it had been a recounting of the events of her life. That kind of information I can find anywhere. 

It also includes an essay by her late husband, Martin Ginsburg, which details a gender-discrimination case the couple worked on together. This is the case that led to her work for gender equality as well as her appointment as Supreme Court Justice. And did you know her name was actually Joan? The book is just full of so many great pieces of information that I didn’t know. Not only will you feel absolute respect for everything she accomplished during her life, you’ll also feel her warm personality jumping off the pages.

Thank you so much to Natalie and Emily for sharing their picks for books every woman must read. Make sure to check out their inspiring websites and social media accounts that I’ve linked above. I will definitely be picking up both Let’s Just Say It Wasn’t Pretty (I’m a huge Diane Keaton fan) and A is for Awesome! (Arielle will love it!). 

What are some of your favorite books that you feel every woman should read?