Non-Fiction
Rich in detail, filled with fascinating characters, and panoramic in its sweep, this magnificent work of women’s history tells for the first time the complete story of the American woman from the Pilgrims to the 21st-century. Available at the Library
In the surprising, often fiercely feminist and always fascinating The Secret History of Home Economics, Danielle Dreilinger traces the field’s history from Black colleges to Eleanor Roosevelt to Okinawa, from a Betty Crocker brigade to DIY techies. Available at the Library
Women’s Place in New Jersey History is a book by Deborah Marquis Kelly, Ellen Freedman Schultz, and Delight Wing Dodyk that documents the often-overlooked contributions of women to the state’s history, highlighting both famous figures like Alice Paul and lesser-known individuals in various fields. Available at the Library
The first biography of Ericka Huggins, a queer Black woman who brought spiritual self-care practices to the Black Panther Party. Available at the Library
An illuminating group portrait of the eighteenth-century women who dared to imagine an active life of the mind and spirit for themselves. Available at the Library
The riveting, untold history of a group of heroic women reporters who revolutionized the narrative of World War II—from Martha Gellhorn, who out-scooped her husband, Ernest Hemingway, to Lee Miller, a Vogue cover model turned war correspondent. Available at the Library
A provocatively written biography on Mamie Fish, also known as “The Ruler of the 400” and “The Theme Party Queen of the Gilded Age,” that explores how women like Fish used parties and social gatherings to gain power and prestige. Available at the Library
A revealing and unique portrait of Victorian life as told through the discovery of one woman’s textile scrapbook. Available at the Library
A wake-up call about the growing trend of misogyny in our culture-as evidenced by the flood of reality TV shows, ads, and lyrics that portray women as brainless bimbos, or worse. Available on Libby
In the summer of 1969, from big cities to small towns, young women across the country sent in applications to Yale University for the first time. Available on Libby
Meet the women writers who defied convention to craft some of literature’s strangest tales, from Frankenstein to The Haunting of Hill House and beyond. Available on Libby
In this personal, eloquently-argued essay—adapted from the much-admired TEDx talk of the same name—Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie offers readers a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century. Available on Libby
Fiction
A fiery feminist fantasy tale set in 1950s America where thousands of women have spontaneously transformed into dragons, exploding notions of a woman’s place in the world and expanding minds about accepting others for who they really are. Available at the Library
A lively and illuminating novel about the “munitionettes” who built bombs in Britain’s arsenals during World War I, risking their lives for the war effort and discovering camaraderie and courage on the football pitch. Available at the Library
A high society amateur detective at the heart of Regency London uses her wits and invisibility as an ‘old maid’ to protect other women in a new and fiercely feminist historical mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Alison Goodman. Available at the Library
A story about three generations of Palestinian-American women who struggle to express their individual desires within the confines of their Arab culture. Available at the Library
A powerful book based on the incredible true story of the glamour icon and scientist, The Only Woman in the Room is a masterpiece that celebrates the many women in science that history has overlooked. Available at the Library
Dream Count is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s searing, unforgettable story of these four women—a sparkling, transcendent novel that takes up the very nature of love itself. Available at the Library
A historical novel about 19th-century fossil hunters Mary Anning and Elizabeth Philpot, focusing on their unlikely friendship as they make groundbreaking discoveries on the English coast, challenging societal norms and the male-dominated scientific establishment.
Available on Libby
Available on Libby
At its heart, The Female Persuasion is about the flame we all believe is flickering inside of us, waiting to be seen and fanned by the right person at the right time. Available on Libby
In this compelling work of biographical fiction, Karen Harper tells the tale of Consuelo Vanderbilt, her “The Wedding of the Century” to the Duke of Marlborough, and her quest to find meaning behind “the glitter and the gold.” Available on Libby