Feminist Reads

Feminism is more than fighting for gender equity. It is about retelling the stories that define us, recognizing the place of woman in our shared history, now and into the future. This collection of study guides features fiction, nonfiction, and poetry all about women and their tales of triumph, pain, love, and everything in between.

Publication year 2017

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Philosophy, Gender / Feminism, Politics / Government, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Social Justice, Education, Education, LGBTQ, Philosophy


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Teams

Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Action / Adventure, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, American Literature, Romance


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Romance, Education, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1995

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Nation

Tags Education, Education, Sociology, History: World, History: U.S., Gender / Feminism, Race / Racism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction)


Publication year 1798

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Mothers, Identity: Femininity, Society: Education, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Classic Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Philosophy, Gothic Literature, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Education, Education, British Literature, History: World, Philosophy


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity

Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Gender / Feminism, History: World, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2014

Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Gender

Tags Gender / Feminism, Sociology, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Social Justice, Politics / Government

Men Explain Things to Me is Rebecca Solnit’s 19th book. First published in 2014, it is comprised of a collection of essays primarily concerned with gender politics. The first essay explores men silencing women. It begins with Solnit recounting a conversation with “Mr. Very Important” in which he asks her about her writing, only to talk over her and lecture her about a book that, it turns out, she actually wrote. She uses this to... Read Men Explain Things To Me Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery

Tags Gender / Feminism, Biography


Publication year 1941

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Gender

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Relationships, Parenting, Class, Business / Economics, Finance / Money / Wealth, Great Depression, American Literature, Love / Sexuality, Gender / Feminism, History: World, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2020

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Daughters & Sons

Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, Relationships, Gender / Feminism, American Literature, Korean Literature, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Asian Literature, Biography


Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race

Tags Arts / Culture, Gender / Feminism, Philosophy


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Colonialism, Identity: Gender

Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Education, Society: Nation

Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, Gender / Feminism, Post-War Era, Southern Literature, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), History: World, Biography


Publication year 1966

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Fame, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature, Identity: Gender

Tags Lyric Poem, Arts / Culture, Gender / Feminism, American Literature, Confessional


Publication year 1994

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Politics & Government, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Community

Tags Religion / Spirituality, Gender / Feminism, Politics / Government, Sociology, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), History: World, Travel Literature


Publication year 1969

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags African Literature, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Gender / Feminism, Race / Racism, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2024

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Self Discovery

Tags History: World, Humor, Arts / Culture, Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction)


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Bullying, Gender / Feminism, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance


Publication year 1790

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Gender / Feminism, Education, American Literature


Publication year 1928

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Identity: Gender

Tags Gender / Feminism, LGBTQ, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, British Literature, Modernism, History: World, Fantasy

Orlando: A Biography is a novel published in 1928 by the English author Virginia Woolf. It tells the story of Orlando, a member of the English nobility who is born a male in 16th century England. Around the age of 30, Orlando mysteriously changes into a woman and lives for centuries without visibly aging. Author Jeanette Winterson called Orlando “the first trans novel in English.” (Winterson, Jeanette. “’Different sex. Same person’: How Woolf’s Orlando became... Read Orlando Summary