There’s always a book that is so profound and groundbreaking that everyone in your life tells you, you HAVE to read it at some point in your life. However, that ‘read before I die’ reading list can become pretty long, pretty quick. While I do not claim to be a literary expert, here’s my top five books that I think every female should read at least once in their life.
- We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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We Should All Be Feminists is a striking book written by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. The book was developed and derived from a TEDx talk that the author did in 2012 in London, England. The short essay style book discusses how Adichie believes that 21st-century feminism could be more inclusive than it is today.
A relatively short read with a very impactful message. Adichie’s We Should All Be Feminists is a book that all females should read to discover how we could all be feminists in a more inclusive way.
- You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
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You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life is not your typical self-help book. While it contains the same self-help content, Sincero mixes in her advice on how to create a life you love living while also being your best self with funny stories from her life that makes reading a self-help book a whole lot better.
Every female should read Sincero’s ‘You Are A Badass’, once (or multiple times, up to you) in their lifetime to remind themselves that they are a badass and that their life that they have constructed is beautiful and they should love it, just the way it is.
- Becoming by Michelle Obama
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A relatively new release with an amazing message. Former First Lady, Michelle Obama walks her readers through the story of her childhood, her college years, her husband’s presidency, her philanthropy work, and all the way up to the present, where she’s now a former First Lady of the United States. Michelle does not shy away from anything while telling her story and provides valuable advice to her readers as she tells the story of her storied life.
Becoming is a must-read for any female. Michelle Obama is living proof that no matter where you come from or what challenges you face along the way, you’ll always find light at the end of the tunnel with a little bit of determination and dedication.
- #Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso
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Sophia Amoruso’s #Girlboss is one of my absolute favourites. Amoruso tells her story of how she rose from spending her teens committing petty theft and dumpster diving to becoming the founder and executive chair of the multi-million dollar fashion brand, Nasty Gal. Amoruso tells her story of her career and how determination and belief in herself allowed her to build her fashion empire despite the challenges — like taking a job solely for the health insurance that came with it — she faced along the way.
Sophia Amoruso’s story shows her readers that no matter where you went to school or what your teenage years were like, you can achieve anything you put your mind to if you follow your dreams and don’t listen to the doubters.
- Girl, Stop Apologizing: A Shame-Free Plan for Embracing and Achieving Your Goal by Rachel Hollis
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Rachel Hollis approaches an often difficult topic when it comes to the lives of women in the 21st century: how to neglect society’s stereotypes of women for being a mother, a wife, a daughter, a caregiver, and simply just be you. Hollis urges her readers to be their true selves, not to focus their identity on the titles that society gives women at birth.
Hollis’ wake-up call is a book that I believe every woman needs to read at some point or another in their lives as she discusses skills and behaviors to adopt to rid your identity of these titles. A must-read for any woman who is struggling with defining their place in society.
Overall, these five books are definitely ones that you want to add to your reading list to make sure you check them out at one point or another during your life. All of these reads are women-written, female-focused, and great reads for any woman at any age.