What does it mean to live in a world that wasn’t built with you in mind—and how do we begin to change that? Feminism helps us ask those questions, and more importantly, imagine better answers. Whether you’re just starting to explore feminist ideas or searching for words to name what you’ve always felt, these five books are powerful entry points.
These are the kinds of books everyone should read, come back to after a while, remember the underlined lines, and give to friends. These works challenge us, comfort us, sometimes unsettle us and raise questions—and that’s exactly what good feminist work is meant to do.
Here are 5 must-reads that will move you, shake you, and help you build your own understanding of feminism:
[By clicking on each book’s title, you can read it in an online version]
“Feminism is For Everybody” by bell hooks
This short and powerful book is a gentle, loving, yet deeply radical introduction to feminism. bell hooks writes in clear, accessible language, unpacking myths and showing how feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression. It’s a warm invitation—especially for beginners—to imagine a better world for everyone.
“We Should All Be Feminists” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Adapted from her viral TED Talk, this essay is an eloquent, deeply personal exploration of gender and inequality. Chimamanda offers a global, intersectional lens through stories and reflections that resonate across cultures. It’s short, striking, and the kind of book you’ll want to pass around to everyone you know.
“Invisible Women” by Caroline Criado Pérez
If you’ve ever felt like the world wasn’t quite designed with you in mind, this book will show you exactly why. Through data, research, and real-life examples, Pérez uncovers how gender bias is built into our systems, policies, and everyday tools. It’s eye-opening, frustrating—and utterly necessary reading.
“Living a Feminist Life” by Sara Ahmed
Sara Ahmed writes like a close friend who dares you to think deeper. She explores what it means to live feminism every day—at work, at home, in relationships, and in institutions that often resist feminist values. This book gives language to feelings many of us have carried silently for years.
“Women, Race and Class” by Angela Davis
This is a classic that we believe every feminist library should have. Angela Davis examines the history of feminism in the U.S. and highlights how issues of race, class, and gender have always been interconnected. It’s a rich, detailed, and intersectional look at feminism through the lens of struggle and solidarity.
Each of these books invites us to feel, question, and act. Feminism isn’t a one-size-fits-all belief—it’s a practice, a way of seeing and engaging with the world. Wherever you are right now, we hope these books bring you new awareness, courage, and a sense of belonging to a community.
The sentence translates to:
You can find this and other feminist books in the safe space of the Women’s Resource Center (address: Baghramyan 47).
Happy reading!
