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Best Women Author Recommendations

“The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.”

—Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey, 1818

Historically, women (and people of color) have been sorely underrepresented on many reading lists. To help change that, we're highlighting women authors who more than deserve your attention. 

Discover classic women authors who flew under the radar with male pen names, and re-discover those who broke the mold and dominated their genres (hello, Agatha Christie!) or invented new ones (see: the history of Mary Shelley writing Frankenstein). 

You can also browse books by Black women, by early Irish female writers, or even books by royal women. For more modern and global women’s fiction, we suggest books that pass the Bechdel test, books by Elena Ferrante, and even books by women crime writers. Regardless of what you’re looking for,  all of the recommendations below will add some much-needed feminine perspective to your reading list.

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Christina Crawford on Why It's So Important to Remember "Herstory"

The author of "Daughters of the Inquisition" tells us why she's so interested in women's history and how, by learning from the mistakes of the past, we can change the future.

Biloxi Blues: School District in Mississippi Bans To Kill a Mockingbird

In light of the recent ban on Harper Lee's classic, one writer reflects on the history of racism and "To Kill a Mockingbird" in the South.

A Bunny's Tale: Gloria Steinem's Shocking Exposé That Challenged Hugh Hefner's Playboy Empire

In “Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions” the journalist shares lessons from her brief stint as a Playboy bunny.