Last year was rough. We all know this to be true. But for many of us, books provided solace and security – an escape when the events of the world seemed too much to take. Books also offered us a way to understand that which is painful and to grow in our understanding of justice and equality. At our last Steinem Sisters Collection Talking Circle of 2020, we celebrated the books that lifted us up and helped us get through. We hope you will find one, or two, from this list of feminist book recommendations that will do the same for you.

The Steinem Sisters Collection is a feminist collection that explores the lives and achievements of women. As such all the works on this list, although some not explicitly feminist, deal with feminist ideas such as power, race, and gender.

Rebecca Recommends

The Mercies

By Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Print   |   eBook   |   eAudiobook

Part folktale, part sinister thriller, this work of historical fiction is a witch hunt tale for our times.

Gina Recommends

The Book of Longings

By Sue Monk Kidd

Print   |   Large Print   |   Book on CD   |   eBook   |   eAudiobook

Sue Monk Kidd delivers yet another winner in this fictional account of a teenage girl who meets and marries Jesus.

Nancy Recommends

The Giver of Stars

By JoJo Moyes

Print   |   Large Print   |   Book on CD   |   eBook   |   eAudiobook   |   Spanish Translation

Here is a best-selling work of historical fiction about the packhorse librarians of Kentucky. Read it now, before the movie adaptation!

Mickey Recommends

The Vanishing Half

By Brit Bennett

Print   |   Large Print   |   Book on CD   |   eBook   |   eAudiobook

A novel set in the 1950’s, this work tells the story of twin girls and the divergent paths they take in life. It also has a place on Barack Obama’s 2020 Book list.

Elaine Recommends

The Only Woman in the Room

By Marie Benedict

Print   |   Large Print   |   eBook

A work of historical fiction about the life of Hedy Lamar.

Susan Recommends

Ancillary Justice

By Ann Leckie

Print   |   eBook   |   eAudiobook

The only Sci-Fi novel on the list, this book has an especially interesting take on gender where the pronoun “she” is the default.

For more information on the Steinem Sisters Collection or for more feminist book suggestions, please contact the Fact and Fiction Department at Fact.Fiction@toledolibrary.org.