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1. A VINDICATION OF THE RIGHTS OF WOMAN BY MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT

In this classic of first-wave feminism, Mary Wollstonecraft made the argument that women deserved the same rights as men, including equal education – a fairly controversial statement in 1792. While many of Wollstonecraft’s opinions and attitudes about women’s roles in society might seem conservative by today’s standards, her writings played a major role in kick-starting the conversations that later feminists continued.

 

 

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Though feminism may not have been on her mind when she wrote the story of the intrepid March sisters in the 1860s, Alcott has influenced numerous generations of bold, loving and unconventional women. Following Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy as they grow, find love, pursue their art and endure loss, Little Women shows the many ways to be a woman, and earned a place in the hearts of feminists of all stripes.

 

 

'The Awakening' by Kate Chopin

Now's probably the time you regret just reading the Cliff's Notes of Kate Chopin's The Awakening in English Lit class. The classic (first published in 1899!) is the best-known example of early feminism. The main character, Edna, struggles with her family's views on femininity and motherhood. Relatable. 

 

A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf

Published in 1929, Woolf’s essay took on the established literary criticism of the time, which claimed women were inherently lesser writers and creators by virtue of their gender. Instead, Woolf pointed to the vast, systemic education and economic failures that stifled women writers of the time. As one of the foundational pieces of feminist literary critique, you might expect that Woolf’s words lost their potency over the years, but her clever, incisive perspective remains just as inspiring today as it was when it was published.

 

Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

Had Mrs Dalloway been put through the Bechdel test in its time, it would have failed miserably. But perhaps, that’s what makes it a feminist book. While A Room of One’s Own can definitely be read as a feminist novella, Mrs Dalloway is peppered with feminist themes throughout – even if it’s just show the futility of women’s existence in that time. But the underlying tension between the protagonist and an old female friend, suggesting a complex, maybe romantic relationship between the two is what instantly makes Mrs Dalloway ahead of its time.

 

The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing

Winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, this 1962 experimental novel spoke of what was, at the time, unspeakable—women as creatures with sexual desire, with mental illness, who struggle, and climax, and, yes, menstruate. Through the lens of Anna, a writer attempting to consolidate notebooks of her life experience and creative work into a cohesive whole, Lessing explores the un-pretty side of feminine life with love, anger, and a rawness that was nigh-unheard of for a female author of her era.

 

9. THE MADWOMAN IN THE ATTIC BY SANDRA GILBERT AND SUSAN GUBAR

Gilbert and Gubar’s work of feminist literary criticism might already be familiar to anyone who did an English Literature degree. The text looks at the way women are portrayed in 19th century novels, applying a feminist lens to the treatment of female characters, particularly the titular ‘madwoman in the attic’, Mr Rochester’s imprisoned wife Bertha.

 

 

The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

If you've ever enjoyed a feminist retelling of a classic fairytale, you owe a debt to Angela Carter, whose 1979 collection of short stories birthed a subgenre all its own. The tales—which include murderous Little Red Riding Hoods, vampiric Sleeping Beauties, a Beauty who becomes the Beast and the wife of Bluebeard turning the tables—remain some of the most raw and clever examples of the style, and everlasting proof of Carter’s talent.

 

'The Bluest Eye' by Toni Morrison

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison's debut novel, The Bluest Eye (1970), explores society's long-problematic beauty ideals through its main character, Pecola—a young black girl mocked for the color of her skin. After her traumatizing experiences with sexual assault and bullying, she must confront what it means to conform to the world around her.

 

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Now an Emmy-winning television series, Atwood’s The Handmaid's Tale is a gold-standard of feminist speculative fiction. The story follows Offred, a member of the fertile female servant class that is forced to survive in a dystopic near-future by serving as reproductive vessels for the ruling clas. In a time when women’s reproductive rights remain politically contentious, Atwood’s seminal novel remains as pertinent now as it did when it hit shelves more than thirty years ago.

 

Sex, Power, Money, Muscles: Breaking Boundaries of Gender' by Gloria Steinem

Feminist icon Gloria Steinem wants you to know that you aren't confined to female stereotypes in her highly-praised 1995 collection of essays, Moving Beyond Words. Over the years, she's used her own experiences as a woman to help propel the movement towards equality. 

 

Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit

Best known for popularizing the term “mansplaining,” Solnit’s collection of personal yet decidedly un-saccharine essays delves into big themes of the modern feminist experience with clarity and humor. From having your own interests explained to you and the #YesAllWomen movement to marriage equality, Solnit’s pieces are a relatable—often secondhand rage-inducing—look into gender in the 2010s.

 

BAD FEMINIST BY ROXANE GAY

Novels, essays or tweets – anything written by Roxane Gay is well worth reading, and Bad Feminist, her collection of personal essays, is one of her best. The widest range of topics is covered, including sexual violence, female anti-heroines, being a ‘bad’ feminist, and even the world of competitive Scrabble. Gay’s writing turns familiar topics on their heads, making you think about them in an entirely new light, and is fiercely funny as often as it is gut-punchingly frank.

 

THE YELLOW WALLPAPER BY CHARLOTTE PERKINS GILMAN

Another early feminist classic, The Yellow Wallpaper tells the story of a woman slowly undergoing a breakdown following extreme confinement as treatment for postnatal depression – and, frighteningly, was based on the author’s own experiences.