The 2021 Mighty Women Reading List for Adults

The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race

Jennifer Doudna discovered the wonders and mysteries of DNA in sixth grade after reading The Double Helix and she was eager to learn more. More importantly, she wanted to turn discoveries into practical inventions that could make the world better. As an adult, she and her collaborators learned how to use a bacteria's immune defense mechanism to create "genetic scissors" that could edit genes: CRISPR. Their discovery changed science forever, earning Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier a Nobel Prize, but it also opened up many moral questions — and Doudna was more than willing to grapple with them. This thrilling biography explores the life and mind of a brilliant woman who has launched a new scientific revolution that will allow us to cure diseases, have healthier babies, fend off viruses, and possibly transform the future in unimaginable ways.

The Doctors Blackwell: How Two Pioneering Sisters Brought Medicine to Women and Women to Medicine

When Elizabeth Blackwell decided to study medicine, she was defying stereotypes about what women were capable of in the mid-1800s — but her determination and intelligence won out, and she became the first woman in America to receive an M.D. in 1849. Shortly afterward, her sister Emily followed in her footsteps. The two Blackwell doctors founded the first hospital staffed entirely by women, the New York Infirmary for Indigent Women and Children, but while the success of the hospital was largely due to Emily's brilliance and hard work, Elizabeth's strong personality often overshadowed her. In this fascinating dual biography, Janice P. Nimura explores a story about breaking barriers and a sisterhood that changed the field of medicine forever.

The Woman They Could Not Silence

One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear

Elizabeth Packard's independence and intellect offended her husband — and in 1860, the solution was simple: he had her committed to an insane asylum in Jacksonville, Illinois. Inside the asylum, Elizabeth discovered horrifying conditions — and many more women like her, committed not because they are in need of medical care, but because they defied the men in their lives. When her adult children managed to free her, Elizabeth knew she had to fight back... and she not only won a court case that ensured no women could be imprisoned solely on the word of her husband again, but she also fought for the rights of women and people with mental illness across the country. Kate Moore, author of The Radium Girls, captures a stunning portrait of a woman who fought for both her own freedom and for the rights of millions who couldn't raise their own voices.

The Light of Days: The Untold Story of Women Resistance Fighters in Hitler's Ghettos

In the midst of the Polish ghettos of World War II, a Jewish resistance movement was growing — and it was led by women. Pushed to their limits by the destruction of their homes and the violence against their families, the "ghetto girls" united Jewish youth groups as resistance cells, paid off (or killed) Gestapo guards, transported weapons hidden in loaves of bread, and much more. In this searing account, Judy Batalion, the granddaughter of Polish Holocaust survivors, tells the story of these courageous women for the first time, from their determination to fight the Nazis to their capture and internment in prisons or concentration camps. This dramatic account, which has also been adapted into a Young Readers Edition, chronicles their courage and cleverness for the first time, celebrating the women who survived to tell the story — and those who gave their lives.

Say Hello

Carly Findlay lives with Icthyosis, a rare skin condition that results in a visible facial difference and disability — but that doesn't mean you shouldn't say hello. In fact, she's on a quest to get the world to challenge their assumptions about bodies, appearance, and disability! Findlay explores what it's been like to live with a condition that draws stares and rude comments every day of her life... and what it's like to be an activist for acceptance, whether she's actively participating in a Reddit "WTF?" comment thread that started with her picture or traveling the world as a public speaker. Both funny and heartfelt, this irrepressible memoir will get you thinking about appearance diversity in a whole new way.

Women in White Coats: How the First Women Doctors Changed the World of Medicine

In the early 1800s, many women avoided medical care. Male doctors were often rough and demeaning with female patients; they were ignorant about women's biology; and the stigma of a diagnosis could hold them back from marriage, jobs, and more. As a result, women often died of preventable, treatable illness. Three women — Elizabeth Blackwell, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson and Sophia Jex-Blake — decided to demand the right to become doctors themselves. Not only would they earn medical degrees, paving the way for other women to do the same, but they would also create women-run facilities and colleges that changed the way women receive medical care. This book, perfect for fans of Hidden Figures and The Radium Girls, celebrates three women who changed medicine forever.

The Arbornaut: A Life Discovering the Eighth Continent in the Trees Above Us

As a student, Meg Lowman was the only girl at the science fair; as a graduate student, she realized she'd have to climb to the canopies of Australia's rainforests to effectively study the leaves she was researching. Forty years later, she's one of the world's best-known arbornauts, nicknamed the "real-life Lorax" for her exuberant efforts to promote protection of the "eighth continent": the world's treetops. Combining fieldwork notes and memoir, The Arbornaut is a celebration of the wonder of trees and the thrill of scientific discovery, plus a call to action to take steps against climate change. Inspiring, uplifting, and full of hope, this book is sure to inspire you to take a new look at the trees outside your window.

The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times

It's easy to feel hopeless looking at today's headlines, but primatologist, conservationist, and activist Jane Goodall argues that hope has never been more necessary! With best-selling author Douglas Abrams, Goodall lays out her Four Reasons for Hope: The Amazing Human Intellect, The Resilience of Nature, The Power of Young People, and The Indomitable Human Spirit. Full of stories from her career — including insights and plans she's never before shared — this timely and important book is a reminder from Goodall to the world that we have the power to make change as long as we keep hope alive.

All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days

The True Story of the American Woman at the Heart of the German Resistance to Hitler

At 26, Mildred Harnack went to Germany to enroll in a PhD program — and got a front seat to the rise of the Nazi party. By 1932, she started holding secret meetings for anti-Hitler activists in her apartment; by 1940, her cadre was the largest underground resistance group in Berlin. She recruited, sabotaged, helped Jewish refugees escape, and when the war began, spied for the Allies. When she was caught by the Gestapo the night before she was due to flee the country, German military judges sentenced her to six years in prison camp; Hitler overruled them and ordered her executed. Now, Harnack's great-great-niece Rebecca Donner draws on archival research and family documents to create a narrative non-fiction account of the only American in the leadership of the German resistance — a woman who was almost forgotten.

Walk with Me: A Biography of Fannie Lou Hamer

"I am sick and tired of being sick and tired." Fannie Lou Hamer grew up at a time when a Black woman like her wasn't supposed to speak up. She left school at 12 to pick cotton, was sterilized without her consent, and was denied the right to vote. But in the early 1960s, she refused to remain silent. Hamer became one of the Civil Rights Movement's most powerful voices. She worked with the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, and co-founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. And when she spoke on television about her beating at the hands of Mississippi police — in a speech that even President Lyndon Johnson tried desperately to block — she captured the nation's attention. Drawing on newly declassified sources and interviews with Hamer's family and friends, this is the definitive biography of one of America's greatest fighters for equality.

Fox and I: An Uncommon Friendship

By the the Catherine Raven was done her PhD, she felt alone in more ways than one. The tiny cottage she built in Montana kept her both physically and emotionally isolated, but she hoped it would provide a restful place to apply for a "real" job. And then, a fox started showing up, every day at 4:15 pm. Her unexpected visitor turned out to be a pleasure: she would read to him from The Little Prince, he grew comfortable being near her, and they became friends... but even their friendship could not shield them from the forces of nature and inevitable loss. This stunning memoir explores how recognizing ourselves as just one of many creatures that live upon this planet can provide even the loneliest person with a sense of connection, belonging, and community.

Eleanor

The story of Eleanor Roosevelt is more complex than most people know. After a childhood of insecurity, denial, and loneliness, her marriage to Franklin D. Roosevelt took her into the halls of power — but left her feeling more alone than ever as he pursued affairs with other women. Instead of collapsing, she decided to explore her own self and devoted herself to being a voice for the voiceless, first in the White House, and then around the world. Drawing on new research, acclaimed biographer David Michaelis creates the first single-volume cradle-to-grave portrait of this remarkable woman and how her life changed the world.

Dusk, Night, Dawn: On Revival and Courage

When dark times surround us — bad news, personal crises, and more — how do we cope? Bestselling author Anne Lamott argues that we do so by embracing what makes us human... and recognizing that the dark must end. Telling her own stories — including the story of marrying for the first time after she already had a grown son and a grandson — she describes how her optimistic outlook led to the good things she enjoys today. With her trademark honesty and humor, Lamott encourages readers to contemplate life, faith, and how we can find joy in unexpected times and places.

Cokie: A Life Well Lived

For the public, Cokie Roberts was a journalist, an advocate, an author, and a historian, and a familiar face and voice on national television and radio for over 40 years. For her friends and family, though, she was a woman who cared deeply about both the people she loved and the world around her. In this powerful and personal book, Roberts' co-author and husband of 53 years, Steve Roberts, reflects on her life, her accomplishments, and her zest for living. He captures memories from the people who knew her best, from family jokes to glass-breaking moments from her journalism career. And he urges readers to ask themselves the same question he still asks: "What would Cokie do?"

House of Sticks: A Memoir

When Ly Tran's family immigrates from a small town in Vietnam to an apartment in Queen's in 1993, it's supposed to be a new start, especially for her father, a former lieutenant who spent almost a decade as a POW. But it's not easy to navigate a new country, especially when the whole family — including preschooler Ly — have to sew ties and cummerbunds to make ends meet. As expected, Ly contributes to her family and follows her parent's Buddhist faith, but she also wants to blend in at school, something made every more difficult when her father believes her increasingly poor vision is a government conspiracy. House of Sticks is the chronicle of a girl coming of age between two worlds, trying to find where she belongs — and who she is — when she doesn't feel like she fits in either of them.

The Chancellor: The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel

Angela Merkel should not have been the sort of person who became one of the most powerful leaders in Europe: raised in Soviet-controlled East Germany, and with an early career as a research chemist, she somehow had the intelligence and courage to confront Russian aggression, house over one million refugees, and help unify Europe. She did so with political strategies that combined the humility of giving credit to others with the canniness of enacting her rivals' policies so they had no platform to run against her. Acclaimed biography Kati Marton has created a fascinating portrait — part biography, part morality tale — which shows how this gifted politician managed to compromise while holding on to her convictions, and how her leadership has benefited Germany and the world.

Dálvi: Six Years in the Arctic Tundra

When Laura Galloway took an ancestry test and discovered she had DNA in common with the Sámi, an Arctic tundra indigenous group, her curiosity was piqued. After falling in love with a Sámi reindeer herder, she decided to leave New York City for Kautokeino, Norway, a tiny town far in the north. The relationship didn't last, but her time in the Arctic did. As Galloway worked to learn the language — and the skills she needed to live in a reindeer-herding village — she also began to recognize how her emotionally abusive and lonely childhood had affected her.... and feel like she could find a place to belong. Dálvi is a tribute to the beauty of the Arctic and to the strength of the people who make it home.

The Puma Years: A Memoir

Before Laura Coleman became a writer and activist, she was a directionless twenty-something who decided to quit her job and backpack across Bolivia. She ended up in Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi, a wildlife sanctuary at the edge of the Amazon jungle, where she was assigned to work with a beautiful and traumatized puma named Wayra. As she learned to care for the many other animals in the sanctuary, and found her way into the community of staff and volunteers — from animal whisperers to a prom queen with a machete — she developed a deep bond with Wayra, and a full understanding of just how much was at risk as the Amazon was being destroyed, piece by piece. Full of hilarious and heartbreaking moments, this memoir of personal turmoil and discovery is a celebration of the power of connecting with another creature.

Black in Blue: Lessons on Leadership, Breaking Barriers, and Racial Reconciliation

Carmen Best spent 28 years as a police officer, defying obstacles based on both her race and her gender to become the first Black woman to lead the Seattle Police Department. But as protests rose against police violence, and the city council cut her budget, she stepped down, arguing she couldn't change the status quo from within without the support of the city's government and people. In this memoir, she explores the lessons she learned during her bath to becoming chief, how you can persevere when the culture of an organization needs to be challenged, and how one dedicated person can prompt change from within. This insightful and personal insider story is a thought-provoking look at both policing and how to serve one's community.

The Girl Who Dared to Defy: Jane Street and the Rebel Maids of Denver

In 1916, the elite of Denver were certain to have several "girls" in their households — hired women helpers, who were worked hard, paid poorly, and had little protection. One courageous woman, Jane Street, decided to stand up for change. Street, who had long worked with the Industrial Workers of the World, helped organize the "housemaid rebellion," battle for fairness for domestic laborers — and her work made national news. But the IWW wasn't interested in supporting a women's issue, and Street was an easy target. And when the first Red Scare arose — and labor organizers were deemed suspicious — Street's struggles mounted ever higher. Drawing on case histories, existing research, and even Street's own writings, Jane Little Botkin draws a captivating portrait of a woman who risked everything to fight for equality.

Dare to Make History: Chasing a Dream and Fighting for Equity

Twins Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson and Monique Lamoureux-Morando have loved hockey since they started playing with their four older brothers on a North Dakota pond. They played on boys teams when they had to, and then as they proved their mettle on the national and international stage, they got to win World Championship and Olympic medals. But they also had to fight USA Hockey over gender inequities — a fight that nearly threatened their ability to play at the 2018 Olympics. In this memoir, the Lamoureux twins talk about their lives — everything from the joy of being role models to the challenges of returning to training after giving birth — providing a reminder that fighting for justice is always something to be proud of.

She Come By It Natural: Dolly Parton and the Women Who Lived Her Songs

During her childhood in America's heartland of Kansas, Sarah Smarsh saw the women around her — women who struggled with poverty, early pregnancy, and stigma of being "trailer trash" — as the strength that held their community together. And country songs by female artists paid tribute to those ignored women — especially songs by Dolly Parton. In this book, which is part biography and part examination of how our culture dismisses the contributions of those from the "wrong" gender and class, the best-selling author of Heartland pays tribute to Parton's remarkable life, her philanthropy, and the spirit of feminism that she embodies in both her actions and her music.

Whistleblower

My Unlikely Journey to Silicon Valley and Speaking Out Against Injustice

Susan Fowler fought her way out of poverty to get to an Ivy League school, and by age 25, she had won a position at Uber, one of the most valuable companies in Silicon Valley's history. And there she faced a toxic and pervasive culture: sexist, racist, and permeated with harassment and abuse. She took the courageous step of writing a blog post about her experiences, riveting the nation and resulting in Uber's CEO getting ousted — but it also brought retaliation, investigations and threats. She's been honored as one of the people who drove the #MeToo movement, but she's also paid a price. In Whistleblower, Fowler tells her own story, never shying away from the cost of standing up to those in power, but reminding everyone that we can reclaim our power and fight for a fair world.

A Mighty Force: Dr. Elizabeth Hayes and Her War for Public Health

In 1945, Elizabeth O. Hays, a doctor for the coal company that owned the town of Force, Pennsylvania, publicly resigned. "Dr. Betty" was protesting the horrible living conditions in the town, which included sewage-contaminated drinking water and unpaved roads with mud so deep ambulances got stuck. 350 miners went on strike in support of her, and the whole country heard the news. As news outlets both large and small recorded every detail of the 33-year-old doctor's battle with the corrupt managers of the town, soldiers wrote fan letters to her and Woody Guthrie paid tribute to her with a song. Finally, President Truman directed the justice department to investigate her claims — and Dr. Betty won. Author Marcia Biederman tells a powerful story of a determined woman on a public health mission, and how her fight captured the attention of a nation.

When Women Invented Television

The Untold Story of the Female Powerhouses Who Pioneered the Way We Watch Today

When the television industry began, the men of the Golden Age of radio had no interest — why would they, when they were making millions in ad revenue already? But four visionary women saw promise in the new medium. Irna Phillips created daytime serials (with mostly female casts); Gertrude Berg took her radio show and turned it into a Jewish family comedy that led to multiple spinoffs; Hazel Scott became the first African American to host a national evening variety program; and Betty White became one of the first women to produce, write, and star in her own show. And then, as TV became more lucrative, they were sidelined — but their legacies still influence the industry today. Bestselling author Jennifer Keishin Armstrong captures the story of these four women and how they shaped the shows we know and love in this sometimes infuriating, often inspiring history.

Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight

When people talk about great First Ladies, it's easy to forget Lady Bird Johnson — but her work had an enormous impact! She was her husband's most trusted political strategist; her memo when he ran for president highlights her incredible political talent. She ran the East Wing like a professional office, and took on issues like environmentalism, women's liberation, and more. And during a time of turmoil, including the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War, she projected a sense of calm when the country needed it most. Author Julia Sweig draws on Lady Bird's White House diaries to capture the previously hidden side of this little-appreciated woman, creating a portrait of a gift, complex woman whose story deserves to be told.

Eartha & Kitt: A Daughter's Love Story in Black and White

Eartha Kitt was a beloved celebrity, adored for her starring roles — and for her groundbreaking positions on racial equality, women's rights, and LGBTQ rights — but she was also a doting mother to her adored biological daughter, Kitt. Born in extreme poverty in South Carolina, and from a mix of Black, Cherokee, and White heritage, Eartha read as Black, while Kitt is blonde and light skinned. They went everywhere together for decades, and even after Kitt got married and had a family of their own, Eartha and Kitt were as close as could be. In this poignant and personal book, which places Eartha's story in the context of a rapidly shifting 20th century America, Kitt gives us a peek at what it was like to know the real Eartha Kitt, with all of her love and wisdom.

Vera Rubin: A Life

When Vera Rubin died in 2016, she was considered one of the most influential astronomers of her day for her observations that confirmed the existence of dark matter — the mysterious substance that affects the universe but can't be seen by a telescope. But it wasn't just her research that changed the world: it was also her tireless work to mentor women scientists, and change attitudes to women in STEM. In this first ever biography of Rubin, Jacqueline Mitton and Simon Mitton draw from Rubin's correspondence and papers to describe both her groundbreaking research and her activism for women researchers, capturing a portrait of a woman driven by a deep desire to learn more about the universe.

Limitless: The Power of Hope and Resilience to Overcome Circumstance

In 2008, Mallory Weggemann went in for a routine medical procedure — and a complication paralyzed her from the waist down. But the dedicated athlete was determined to keep competing; by the 2021 Paralympic Games, she held fifteen world records. Then, another setback: after a fall, she severely injured her left arm. After two more surgeries and extensive rehabilitation, she returned to the international athletic stage and won three medals at the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships. In this empowering book, Mallory shares her own story and explores how we can all redefine our limitations and embrace our comebacks — even if they look different than we expected.

Sunshine Girl: An Unexpected Life

As an adult, Julianna Margulies is an award-winning actress, perhaps best-known for her Emmy Award-winning performance as Carol Hathaway on ER. But as a child, her family nicknamed her "Sunshine Girl" for her bubbly, optimistic nature. Splitting her time between divorced parents — often on different continents — she spent her days in Paris, New York, England, and New Hampshire, and realized that, wherever she went, she was the one who brought calm to turmoil and organization to chaos. And when she entered the world of acting, she put those skills to good use as she dealt with difficult relationships, painful rejections, and finally the triumphs she'd been dreaming of. Intimate and honest, this memoir is a tale of resilience and optimism that reminds readers to bring a little sunshine to their own lives.

The Last Diving Horse in America: Rescuing Gamal and Other Animals

Fans of Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken will know the story of Doc Carver's High Diving Horses, who plunged forty feet into a tank of water with a diving girl on their backs to entertain the crowd. In May 1980, Cynthia Branigan — who had been haunted by the show after seeing it as a child — was sent on a mission: rescuing the last Atlantic City Steel Pier diving horse, who was up for auction. After outbidding slaughterhouses and collectors, she succeeded... and had to begin the process of learning how to care for Gamal when she knew almost nothing about horses. Over time, Gamal rescued her as much as she rescued him, and set her on a new passion: saving other animals in need. This is a heartwarming story that celebrates how the animals we love can give us purpose and meaning when we need it most.

More Than Love: An Intimate Portrait of My Mother, Natalie Wood

To the world, Natalie Wood was a glamorous movie star they admired in Splendor in the Grass and West Side Story. But to Natasha Gregson Wagner, she was Mom — and when Natalie drowned at the age of 43, setting off rumors full of scandal and making Wagner's stepfather, Robert Wagner, the suspect in a murder, that side of her was lost. In this poignant book, Wagner tells the story of her mother through her own eyes for the first time, exploring the woman she knew and how she differed from the Hollywood image. This is a heartfelt story of a daughter cutting through grief and revealing the true person behind the media stories.

The Smallest Lights in the Universe: A Memoir

Sara Seager is an MIT astrophysicist who was used to scanning the sky for exoplanets — tiny, distant worlds that might offer the promise of life. But when her husband died unexpectedly, leaving her a single mother with two young boys, she felt alone for the first time. She found comfort in her work, focusing on the challenges of identifying tiny hints of a planet's presence, and on Earth, where she received support from both expected and unexpected quarters. This is a stunning look at grief and life after loss, as well as the one-in-a-billion chances that happen in every life.

To the Greatest Heights

Facing Danger, Finding Humility, and Climbing a Mountain of Truth

Vanessa O'Brien was used to overcoming incredible obstacles: first she struggled her way to survival as a Detroit teenager when her family imploded, and then she found new goals after losing a high-powered corporate career to the 2009 economic crisis. O'Brien started climbing the world's most infamous mountains, achieving record after record as she climbed the Seven Summits, the highest peaks on each continent, and skiied to both the North and South Poles. But her story isn't just one of outdoor adventure: it's also one about having the courage to keep going when your world is falling apart. At times both funny and tense, and always inspiring, this is a powerful look at how these physical challenges helped O'Brien find purpose and resilience.

The Barbizon: The Hotel That Set Women Free

From the time it was built in 1927 — at the height of the Roaring Twenties, with newly liberated "Modern Women" eager to forge their own paths — the Barbizon offered something special: a residential hotel, exclusive to women, that offered a safe haven and a comfortable space to live for women who wanted a room of their own. From famous names like Titanic survivor Molly Brown and actresses like Grace Kelly, Liza Minnelli, and Phylicia Rashad, to interns at Mademoiselle and young models from the Ford Modeling Agency, generations of women dreaming of careers in the arts found their homes at the Barbizon. In this fascinating and impeccably researched book, author Paulina Bren pays tribute to a unique space that helped set women free.

The Churchill Sisters: The Extraordinary Lives of Winston and Clementine's Daughters

In the shadow of their father, Winston Churchill — often called "the greatest Englishman" — and their golden boy brother, Randolph, the Churchill sisters often faded into the background. And yet these bright and well-connected women were determined to live their own lives — and to try to do their part for their country. In this powerful yet intimate account, which draws on previously unpublished family letters, Dr. Rachel Trethewey tells the stories of Diana, Sarah, and Mary (and their sister Marigold, who died young): women who witnessed some of the most important events in world history... and who supported and challenged their more famous father, helping him shape the 20th century.

The Howe Dynasty

The Untold Story of a Military Family and the Women Behind Britain's Wars for America

The Howe brothers are renowned in history for some of Britain's most notable military campaigns of the late 18th century — but the women of the family played an equally important role, one which has largely been ignored. Historian Julie Flavell draws on letters by Caroline Howe to unveil how aristocratic women's maneuverings put their nephews and brothers into the seats of power they needed to make history — and spent their days in drawing rooms and social events fighting gossip and scandal. And in one little-known moment in 1774, Caroline herself sat down with Benjamin Franklin for "half a dozen Games of Chess" — a cover for a last-ditch negotiation attempting to avoid the American War of Independence. Suspenseful and meticulously researched, this is a unique look at Revolutionary War history — one which highlights the neglected role of women in the politics before the battles.

The Dragons, the Giant, the Women: A Memoir

Wayétu Moore celebrated her 5th birthday in Liberia without her mother, who was studying in New York. She was looking forward to a happy reunion — and then civil war broke out. After being forced to flee her home with her father and grandfather, and getting smuggled across the border to Sierra Leone, she got the reunion she wanted, but also found herself a new immigrant in the US. In this moving memoir about her journey away from, and then back to, her home country, Moore explores both her emotional life as she adjusted to life in Texas and the political forces that affect millions of migrants around the world.

Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi and the Lessons of Power

As a child, Nancy Pelosi got an inside peek at politics thanks to her big-city mayor father — and while her mother was his political organizer, Pelosi thought it would be more interesting to be the one in the seat of power. At the age of 46, after her five children were almost grown, she entered politics herself, and became renowned for her ferocious determination and her political acumen. She became the first female Speaker of the House, and then — just as she privately planned to retire — she found herself going head to head with Donald Trump, vowing to stand up to his disruption and protect democracy. This definitive biography, which draws on over 150 interviews — including many with Pelosi herself — is a deep and nuanced look at one of the most powerful women of American politics.

Believing: Our Thirty-Year Journey to End Gender Violence

When Anita Hill testified against Clarence Thomas in 1991, she was taking only the first step towards a still-unfinished battle to end gender violence. In her new book Believing, she explores what has — and hasn't — changed in the thirty years since her groundbreaking testimony. Hill draws on her own stories as well as those from thousands of others, showing how gender-based violence, from "harmless" harassment to assault and murder, affects every aspect of a woman's life, from her personal well-being to whether she can participate in the political process. Part memoir, part searing call to action, this is a powerful examination of why we must demand an end to gender-based violence.

Hudson Bay Bound: Two Women, One Dog, Two Thousand Miles to the Arctic

Natalie Warren and Ann Raiho set themselves a challenge: follow the 2,000-mile route from Eric Sevareid's 1935 classic Canoeing with the Cree. If they achieved it, they would be the first women to make the expedition. But in addition to all the physical challenges they faced — from weather and hunger to snake nests and polar bears — they also faced the emotional strain, at one point communicating only by written notes. Still, the beauties of the wilderness and the strength of their friendship helped see them through. Warren tells this story with verve, capturing the highs and lows of their historic trip, in a tribute to the power of friends to get through just about any challenge.

The Ride of Her Life

The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America

In 1954, 63-year-old Annie Wilkins, a farmer in Maine, was facing a devastating future. She had lost her farm, had no family to lean on, and the doctor said she had two years to live. So she latched onto a dream to see the Pacific Ocean, bought an ex-racehorse, and set off with her dog by her side and faith that the neighborliness of other Americans would see her through. From 1954 to 1956, she rode over 4,000 miles — through big cities and small towns, and through a country that was being transformed by the modern highway system and by a gradual drop in trust in strangers. This inspiring tale of a woman determined to make her own way is a unique look at how the 1950s, with its car ownership, TV shows, and growing population, changed American culture... and how one woman believed she could still lean on kindness.

Grace & Steel: Dorothy, Barbara, Laura, and the Women of the Bush Dynasty

The Bush family is one of America's political dynasties — and while many people are familiar with First Ladies Barbara and Laura Bush, there were many other women in the family who deserve their due! In this book by bestselling author J. Randy Taraborrelli, readers will learn about the lesser-known women of the Bush family: Dorothy Bush, Barbara's mother-in-law; Laura's daughters, Jenna and Barbara; the reserved Columba Bush, who quietly supported the arts, addiction recovery, and domestic violence shelters; and Sharon Bush, who fought back during an ugly divorce. This hidden history of the Bush women is a powerful story of determination, equality, and carving your own path.

Susan, Linda, Nina & Cokie: The Extraordinary Story of the Founding Mothers of NPR

For a woman in the workplace in the 1960s and 70s, it was hard to break out of secretarial roles, no matter what the law said — and that was particularly true in journalism, where the old boys club kept women relegated to the "women's pages." Then came a pioneering nonprofit, National Public Radio, and four women determined to make a difference. Cokie Roberts brought a spirit of public service; Susan Stamberg pushed for work-life balance; Linda Wertheimer fought for her spot on-air like she fought for her education; and Nina Totenberg provided unique Supreme Court coverage the world had never seen. Based on extensive interviews with these pioneering women and people who know them, Susan, Linda, Nina, and Cokie is a powerful portrait of four women who changed the news forever.

The Flowering: The Autobiography of Judy Chicago

World-renowned artist and feminist Judy Chicago reflects on her life and impact in this revealing memoir, complete with 90 color illustrations of some of her most famous works! Throughout her career, Chicago has challenged an art world that long dismissed creators who weren't male, and created thought-provoking artwork ranging from massive installations to pyrotechnics to the Judy Chicago Portal, which places her archives with multiple institutions to avoid the erasure that's too common for women artists. In this intriguing book, her personal narrative explores her journey as a woman artist, along with the specifics behind the creation of some of her most famous works including the groundbreaking Birth Project and the iconic The Dinner Party.

Fighting For Space

Two Pilots and Their Historic Battle for Female Spaceflight

As the space age dawned, two bold female pilots wrestled with how best to push forward the idea of women in the space program. Jackie Cochran held fistfuls of flying records and had led the Women's Auxiliary Service Pilots during World War II. Jerrie Cobb, 25 years Cochran's junior, took the same medical tests as the Mercury astronauts but was ultimately rejected along with the other women of the Mercury 13 program. Each woman had plans for women in space — plans that didn't necessarily agree. In this exciting dual biography, spaceflight historian Amy Shira Teitel explores the lives of two daring women, each of whom dreamed of being the first woman in space.

The Beauty of Living Twice

Sharon Stone survived a childhood of violence to achieve success in Hollywood — where she found many similar abuses, hidden under the glamour. And then, she had a stroke which took everything away. In this powerful memoir, Stone opens up about her lives before and after the medical crisis that changed everything for her. She explores the friendships that supported her, the roles she loved to play, and the humanitarian work that gave her purpose in the most difficult times. And she describes the long road she's been walking back to a new life in the aftermath of her health crisis. Candid, courageous, and meaningful, this is a memoir that will inspire readers to use their lives to the fullest.

Flesh & Blood: Reflections on Infertility, Family, and Creating a Bountiful Life

When N. West Moss started bleeding uncontrollably, doctors were baffled until they finally diagnosed her with a uterine hemangioma. The treatment was "simple" — a hysterectomy. But the journey was complex: Moss, who had already struggling with infertility, suddenly found herself thinking about the incredible women of her family, and how her line would end with her. And at the same time, her life was about much more than her uterus: her curious mind flitted from cocktail recipes to New Orleans history to the praying mantis in her sunroom. This powerful memoir presents grief not as an obstacle, but as a companion on your travels, and explores the many ways that a person can leave a legacy.

Windswept: Walking the Paths of Trailblazing Women

Annabel Abbs was raised in the Welsh countryside, an "experiment" by her poet father, and it instilled a love of the outdoors in her early. As an adult, she was inspired to walk the paths that had previously been trod by groundbreaking women of history: women like Georgia O’Keeffe, Nan Shepherd, Gwen John, Daphne du Maurier, and Simone de Beauvoir. As she traveled through multiple continents and many, many footsteps' worth of paths, she felt a connection with these women of the past — and realized how, just as walking gave these women the chance to reimagine their lives and futures, it was doing the same for her in the present. Part travelogue and part historical investigation, this is a captivating account that will make you eager to lace up your own shoes for a walk.

I'll Be Seeing You: A Memoir

Elizabeth Berg's father was a tough-as-nails Army veteran who adored his wife: for nearly seventy years, he devoted himself to her, and they spent as little time as possible apart. But when he developed Alzheimer's disease, the couple had to leave their home and move into a facility that could provide the care he needed. Suddenly, she and her siblings had to provide the advice, support, and direction that their parents had always given them. How could they know what was the right thing to do? Though challenges and missteps, but also through laughter and joy, they found a way to make the transition work. In this heartfelt memoir, Berg chronicles what it's like to watch someone you love on a journey you can't make easier — and how love can still help heal.

How to Stitch an American Dream: A Story of Family, Faith and the Power of Giving

Ten years ago, Jenny Doan was running a corner shop with one quilting machine and a few bolts of fabric for sale. She and her husband Ron had seven kids, a crumbling farmhouse, and a shoestring budget — but she also had big dreams. With determination and heart, she grew her business into the Missouri Star Quilt Company, the largest supplier of pre-cut quilting fabric and the hub for Doan's world-famous YouTube tutorials. In her memoir, Doan talks about her journey from homeschooling mom to savvy businesswoman, and celebrates how her successes have helped her give back to her beloved small town. This is a warm, conversational book that celebrates family, faith, and the courage to try something new.

The Gambler Wife: A True Story of Love, Risk, and the Woman Who Saved Dostoyevsky

In 1866, 20-year-old Anna Snitkina finally met her idol, author Fyodor Dostoyevsky. An "emancipated girl," as she called herself, she had been impressed by his novels, but was shocked to discover the writer himself sick, addicted to gambling, and within a hair of falling apart. She became his employee, then his wife, and then his business manager — saving not only Dostoyevsky's career, but also launching her own. In this compelling re-examination of her role, Andrew Kaufman draws on diaries and little-known letters to show how Anna juggled finances and Dostoyevsky's fragile state of mind, and even founded her own publishing house to keep him free of predatory contracts — making her Russia's first ever solo female publisher. This is a remarkable portrait of an independent-minded woman who left her mark on literary history.

We Share the Same Sky: A Memoir of Memory & Migration

Rachael Cerrotti's grandmother, Hana, was open about her experiences as a Holocaust survivor, who escaped the Nazis only thanks to the kindness of strangers, even as the rest of her family died. Together, they began documenting her story — and when Hana died in 2010, Rachael discovered she had begun to assemble an archive of her life, full of photographs, letters, diaries, immigration papers, and more. As Rachael followed her grandmother's story from Central Europe to the US — and even met descendants of some of the people who saved her — she also found that Hana's story gave her the strength to keep living despite her grief. This poignant parallel story of a grandmother's survival and a granddaughter's journey of discovery is a bittersweet look at how family stories change us all.

A Woman's Place Is in the Brewhouse

A Forgotten History of Alewives, Brewsters, Witches, and CEOs

For millennia, brewing has been "women's work" — part of the litany of tasks that fell under the category of managing a household. So why is brewing often male-dominated today? In this intriguing book, author Tara Nurin shows how whenever brewing became profitable — when it became a business instead of a chore — men would take control, pushing women out of roles that gave them independence and economic power. But today, women are starting to take back the brewing industry, with over 1,000 American brewers where women serve as founder, CEO, or head brewer. This insightful and empowering book will make you look at a frosty bottle of beer in a whole new way.

Below the Edge of Darkness: A Memoir of Exploring Light and Life in the Deep Sea

When complications from a surgery left Edith Widder temporarily blind, her dream of becoming a marine biologist almost vanished into darkness. Instead, the experience lead her to a new passion: studying oceanic bioluminescence. On her first deep dive, in a suit that felt like armor, all she wanted to know was Why was there so much light down there? In Below the Edge of Darkness, she reveals the hidden lives of the deep ocean's bioluminescent organisms — from microbes to giant squid — and unveils the dangers of exploring their world. This is a tribute to curiosity, wonder, and the magic of light in dark places.

Lady Editor: Sarah Josepha Hale and the Making of the Modern American Woman

For much of the 19th century, if an American woman (or many American men) wanted to know how to conduct themselves — including what to believe about issues like women's rights — they looked to Godey's Lady's Book and the writing of Sarah Josepha Hale. For decades, Hale was the most influential woman in America; she helped make the careers of American authors like Edgar Allan Poe and Harriet Beecher Stowe; she compiled the first women's history book; she wrote "Mary Had A Little Lamb"; and it was her campaign that finally convinced President Abraham Lincoln to establish Thanksgiving as a national holiday. This remarkable book explores Hale's life and career, highlighting how her ideals and forward-thinking principles shaped her nation — both while she was alive and long afterward.

All The Young Men

Ruth Coker Burks was 26 years old when she saw a hospital room that none of the nurses wanted to enter: the room of an AIDS patient. It was 1986, and stigma against both homosexuality and the disease itself was raging. As she sat with the man as he died, calling out for her mother, she found a new calling. Over years, she would nurse thousands of men, sometimes burying them herself when she couldn't find a funeral home willing to take their bodies. The gay community rallied around her, helping fundraise and spreading the word: there is a woman who will help when everyone else abandons you. This deeply moving memoir is a tribute to Burks' compassion and to the lives she fought for when no one else would.

Justice, Justice Thou Shalt Pursue

A Life's Work Fighting for a More Perfect Union

When Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died in September 2020, America lost a pioneer in law and a fierce advocate for equality: someone who was determined to ensure the law allowed everyone the chance to succeed. In this powerful collection, Ginsburg and Berkeley Law professor Amanda L. Tyler (one of Ginsburg's former law clerks) share both conversations and historical documents that capture Ginsburg's life, career, and influence. From notable briefs to her favorite speeches, this is a unique and personal look at this trailblazer which celebrates her enduring optimism: the belief that America could become "a more perfect Union."