Feminist Literature

In recent years, there has been a slew of novels retelling old myths and epics from the perspective of a female character, but books with strong female leads are nothing new. From classic fiction to memoirs, from fantasy to thrillers, literature is populated with female leads — both fictional and real — who are strong in different ways.

The fight for women's liberation and equality under patriarchy spans centuries of history, and is still being waged today—but what lessons can feminist movements like #MeToo learn from suffragettes and black feminist activists? Fordham historian Kirsten Swinth explores the best books on feminism, and makes a powerful case for modern feminists listening to early foremothers.

This week Virago Press celebrates its 50th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the international feminist publisher is reissuing one iconic book from each decade of its existence. Sarah Savitt, publisher of Virago Press, talks us through their 'Five Gold Reads' and explains why they remain important feminist books.

Mary Wollstonecraft lived by her pen and wrote trenchant critiques of the role of women and marriage in late 18th century British society. She died aged 38, a few days after giving birth to her second daughter, Mary Shelley. She is often remembered for writing the Vindication of the Rights of Woman, but it was not in fact her best book, says Cambridge intellectual historian Sylvana Tomaselli. Here, she recommends books to read to get a good understanding of the extraordinary Mary Wollstonecraft, and the writers she was both influenced by and reacting against.

If you looked up patriarchy in a dictionary, the definition probably wouldn't correspond with what most feminists and activists mean by it today. Here, Mona Eltahawy—journalist, activist and author of The Seven Necessary Sins for Women and Girls—explains what it's all about, why its tentacles are everywhere, and what to read to understand more about it.

Women produce about 40% of global GDP and more than half of the world's food. But their economic and social contribution has too often gone unrecorded—subsumed into 'household earnings' or otherwise disregarded. Here, the Oxford academic and author of The Double X Economy Linda Scott selects five of the best books on gender inequality, and reveals how the empowerment of women might just be the route to world peace.

The 21st century has seen an explosion of feminist activism, with movements like #MeToo and the Women's March. Accompanying this heightened attention to the lived experience of women, several extraordinary books have been published. Writer, feminist, critic and broadcaster Bidisha selects the best ones.

Catherine Mayer—author, journalist and president of the Women's Equality Party—talks to Five Books about her optimism for a more equal future for society by way of her favourite science fiction visionaries and their work.

As America votes in a new president, veteran political journalist and author, David Maraniss, recommends the best books to read to get a better understanding of Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The ODI research fellow discusses gender equality in the developing world and says that the authority to insist on safe sex and access to medical care is vital to establishing the most basic forms of gender equality