8 Essential Books for Empowered Women
By: Heream Yang // Feb. 18, 2019
Maybe your New Year’s resolution was to read more books. Whatever stage of the goal accomplishment process you happen to be at, here are 8 reads to renew your inspiration for 2019.
1) I Am Malala
By Malala Yousafzai
One of the proudest moments of my life was when I became mutual Facebook friends with Malala Yousafzai. To say I have a girl crush on her is a huge understatement- At the tender age of 21, she is not only the youngest Nobel laureate ever, but she is also an outspoken activist on behalf of female education. *swoon* Her story is sure to uplift, inspire, and maybe make you wonder what you’ve been doing all your life while Malala is out saving the world.
2) Becoming
By Michelle Obama
Whatever your political leanings, you have to admit- Michelle Obama is one impressive woman. Follow the former First Lady’s journey from the South Side of Chicago to Harvard Law School to the White House as she becomes one of the most admired self-made women in the nation. Here’s to hoping we can navigate the ups and downs of life with half as much poise, confidence and humility as American icon Michelle Obama.
3) Educated
by Tara Westover
I attended a cult-ish boarding school for two years, so I’ve experienced my share of strange, including running around the woods of Arkansas in XL nurse scrubs and flushing dumplings down the toilet. As absurd as my experiences were, they pale in comparison to Tara Westover’s childhood growing up in a fundamentalist Mormon family. She overcame abuse, familial estrangement, and a toxic survivalist culture to ultimately earn her PhD from Cambridge University. This is the story of how a girl who didn’t know about the Holocaust until college grew into the courageous, educated woman she is today.
By Rupi Kaur
If there is one language that Rupi Kaur knows how to speak, it’s soul. This iconic female author proves that, even in the age of Instagram, poetry is not dead. Let her words fall in their simple, soothing rhythm as she poignantly navigates the heartbreak, hope, and healing that love inevitably brings to each of our lives. Kaur’s poetry is cathartic, leaving the soul refreshed and light, as if after a good cry.
By Jane Austen
You can talk about Mr. Darcy all you want, but, at the end of the day, we’re all here for Elizabeth Bennett. This classic literary heroine crackles with eighteenth century wit and delightful hints of modern-day feminism. In an era when marriage was largely for convenience, the dashing Miss Bennett dares to look for love and may end up finding it in the man she least expects.
By Margaret Atwood
The patriarchy takes on a whole new meaning in Margaret Atwood’s dark but piercing narrative of Offred, a female servant whose body becomes a breeding ground for forced reproduction. As Offred gradually emerges from her society’s radical religious ideology and oppressive patriarchal system to embrace the hope of freedom, Atwood presents a stunning commentary on ownership of the female body, rendering her novel a thought-provoking, necessary read in this modern era.
By Mihaela Noroc
Immerse yourself in the stunning photographic imagery of Mihaela Noroc, who has traveled around the world to capture mesmerizing portraits of hundreds of women and the unique beauty they each possess. From Ethiopia to Italy to Nepal, you will marvel at all the wonderful shades, shapes, and sizes in which beauty can be found.
8) Little Women
By Louisa May Alcott
I couldn’t not include this one- I practically grew up alongside spitfire Jo, sweet Meg, tender Beth, and ambitious Amy as they earnestly worked to fulfill their dreams as artists, authors, friends, and mothers in Civil War era America. They are the ultimate girl gang, constantly pouring love and unconditional support into each other’s lives while weathering the occasionally sisterly squabble.
Do you have any recommendations? Comment below!
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