Books with category 🔆 Empowerment
Displaying books 1-48 of 81 in total

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion

2025

by Vaishnavi Patel

From the New York Times bestselling author of Kaikeyi comes an epic and daring novel that imagines an alternate version of 1960s India that was never liberated from the British, and a young woman’s struggle to change the tides of history.

Kalki Divekar grows up a daughter of Kingston—a city the British built on the ashes of Bombay. The older generation, including her father, have been lost to the brutal hunt for rebels. Young men are drafted to fight wars they will never return from. And the people of her city are more interested in fighting one another than facing their true oppressors.

When tragedy strikes close to home, Kalki begins to play a dangerous game with small acts of resistance, tempered by cautious, level-headed Yashu and fortified by Fauzia, whose dreams of the future awaken Kalki’s heart. Together, they found Kingston’s new independence movement, obtaining jobs working for the British while secretly planning to destroy the empire from the inside out. But one wrong move means certain death, and when facing threats from all quarters, Kalki must decide whether it’s more important to be a hero or to survive.

Set over the course of a decade and told as ten moments from Kalki’s life that mirror the Dashavatara, the ten avatars of Vishnu, Ten Incarnations of Rebellion is a sweeping, deeply felt speculative novel of empowerment, friendship, self-determination, and the true meaning of freedom.

My Name is Emilia del Valle

In this spellbinding historical novel from the New York Times bestselling author of A Long Petal of the Sea and The Wind Knows My Name, a young writer journeys to South America to uncover the truth about her father—and herself.

In San Francisco 1866, an Irish nun, left pregnant and abandoned following a torrid relationship with a Chilean aristocrat, gives birth to a daughter named Emilia Del Valle. Raised by a loving stepfather, Emilia grows into an independent thinker and a self-sufficient young woman.


To pursue her passion for writing, she is willing to defy societal norms. At the age of sixteen, she begins to publish pulp fiction under a man’s pen name. When these fictional worlds can't contain her sense of adventure any longer, she turns to journalism, convincing an editor at the San Francisco Examiner to hire her. There she is paired with another talented reporter, Eric Whelan.


As she proves herself, her restlessness returns, until an opportunity arises to cover a brewing civil war in Chile. She seizes it, along with Eric, and while there, begins to uncover the truth about her father and the country that represents her roots. But as the war escalates, Emilia finds herself in danger and at a crossroads, questioning both her identity and her destiny.


A riveting tale of self-discovery and love from one of the most masterful storytellers of our time, My Name is Emilia del Valle introduces a character who will never let hold of your heart.

Want

What do you want, when no one is watching?
What do you want, when the lights are off?
What do you want, when you are anonymous?

When we talk about sex, we talk about womanhood and motherhood, infidelity and exploitation, consent and respect, fairness and egalitarianism, love and hate, pleasure and pain. And yet for many reasons – some complicated, some not – so many of us don't talk about it. Our deepest, most intimate fears and fantasies remain locked away inside of us, until someone comes along with the key. Here's the key.

In this generation-defining book, Gillian Anderson collects and introduces the anonymous letters of hundreds of women from around the world (along with her own anonymous letter). Want reveals how women feel about sex when they have the freedom to be totally anonymous.

Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books

2024

by Kirsten Miller

The provocative and hilarious summer read that will have book lovers cheering and everyone talking! Kirsten Miller, author of The Change, brings us a bracing, wildly entertaining satire about a small Southern town, a pitched battle over banned books, and a little lending library that changes everything.

Beverly Underwood and her arch enemy, Lula Dean, live in the tiny town of Troy, Georgia, where they were born and raised. Now Beverly is on the school board, and Lula has become a local celebrity by embarking on mission to rid the public libraries of all inappropriate books—none of which she’s actually read. To replace the “pornographic” books she’s challenged at the local public library, Lula starts her own lending library in front of her home: a cute wooden hutch with glass doors and neat rows of the worthy literature that she’s sure the town’s readers need.

But Beverly’s daughter Lindsay sneaks in by night and secretly fills Lula Dean’s little free library with banned books wrapped in “wholesome” dust jackets. The Girl’s Guide to the Revolution is wrapped in the cover of The Southern Belle’s Guide to Etiquette. A jacket that belongs to Our Confederate Heroes ends up on Beloved. One by one, neighbors who borrow books from Lula Dean’s library find their lives changed in unexpected ways. Finally, one of Lula Dean’s enemies discovers the library and decides to turn the tables on her, just as Lula and Beverly are running against each other to replace the town’s disgraced mayor.

That’s when all the townspeople who’ve been borrowing from Lula’s library begin to reveal themselves. It’s a diverse and surprising bunch—including the local postman, the prom queen, housewives, a farmer, and the former DA—all of whom have been changed by what they’ve read. When Lindsay is forced to own up to what she’s done, the showdown that’s been brewing between Beverly and Lula will roil the whole town...and change it forever.

This American Ex-Wife

2024

by Lyz Lenz

This American Ex-Wife: How I Ended My Marriage and Started My Life is a deeply validating manifesto on the gender politics of marriage and divorce in America today, presenting an argument that the former needs a reboot. Journalist and proud divorcée Lyz Lenz delivers an exuberant and unapologetic account, flipping the script on the media's portrayal of divorced women.

Studies indicate that nearly 70 percent of divorces are initiated by women—women who seek liberation from relationships premised on their fundamental inequality. Through a combination of reportage, sociological research, literature, and popular culture, this book weaves personal stories of union and separation to create a kaleidoscopic portrait of American marriage.

Lenz pushes for a collective reevaluation of the institution, challenging the notion that divorce is a personal failure when, in fact, it may be a practical and powerful solution for women to reclaim the power they deserve. This raucous manifesto for acceptance, solidarity, and collective female refusal offers readers a riveting ride, all the while pointing toward a future of greater freedom.

The Furies: Women, Vengeance, And Justice

2024

by Elizabeth Flock

Renowned journalist and author Elizabeth Flock delves into a topic that many shy away from, challenging our notions about the role and necessity of female-led violence in opposing systems that are fundamentally against women. The Furies: Women, Vengeance, And Justice is a profound inquiry into the lives of three women who, facing failure from the very institutions designed to safeguard them—government, police, courts—resorted to violence to reclaim power, safety, and freedom.

The book presents immersive narratives of Brittany Smith, a young woman from Stevenson, Alabama, who, after claiming to have killed a man in self-defense against rape, was denied protection by the Stand-Your-Ground law; Angoori Dahariya, who leads a gang in Uttar Pradesh, India, avenging victims of domestic abuse; and Cicek Mustafa Zibo, a member of an all-female militia that confronted ISIS in Syria.

Through Flock's compelling prose and extensive on-the-ground research, this work explores the nuances of whether women's safety can ever be fully ensured without the use of force. It asks hard-hitting questions about the effectiveness of vengeance, the potential for creating lasting change within misogynistic and paternalistic systems, and the vision of societies where women wield real power.

The Furies ignites a conversation about gender equality, power dynamics, and the celebrated yet complex legacy of women who fight back.

Hidden Potential

2023

by Adam M. Grant

Hidden Potential offers a new framework for raising aspirations and exceeding expectations. Adam Grant weaves together groundbreaking evidence, surprising insights, and vivid storytelling that takes us from the classroom to the boardroom, the playground to the Olympics, and underground to outer space. He shows that progress depends less on how hard you work than how well you learn. Growth is not about the genius you possess—it’s about the character you develop. Grant explores how to build the character skills and motivational structures to realize our own potential, and how to design systems that create opportunities for those who have been underrated and overlooked.

Many writers have chronicled the habits of superstars who accomplish great things. This book reveals how anyone can rise to achieve greater things. The true measure of your potential is not the height of the peak you’ve reached, but how far you’ve climbed to get there.

Women Without Kids: The Revolutionary Rise of an Unsung Sisterhood

2023

by Ruby Warrington

What is “woman” if not “mother”?
Anything she wants to be.


Foregoing motherhood has traditionally marked a woman as “other.” With no official place setting for her in our society, she has hovered on the sidelines: the quirky girl, the neurotic career obsessive, the “eccentric” aunt. Instead of continuing to paint women without kids as sad, self-obsessed, or somehow dysfunctional, what if we saw them as boldly forging a first-in-a-civilization vision for a fully autonomous womankind? Or as journalist and thought leader Ruby Warrington asks, What if being a woman without kids were in fact its own kind of legacy?

Taking in themes from intergenerational healing to feminism to environmentalism, this personal look and anthropological dig into a stubbornly taboo topic is a timely and brave reframing of what it means not to be a mom. Our experiences and discourse around non-motherhood are central to women’s ongoing fight for gender equality. And whether we are childless by design or circumstance, we can live without regret, shame, or compromise.

Bold and tenderhearted, Women Without Kids seeks first and foremost to help valorize a path that is the natural consequence of women having more say about the choices we make and how our lives play out. Within this, it unites the unsung sisterhood of non-mothers―no longer pariahs or misfits, but as a vital part of our evolution and collective healing as women, as humans, and as a global family.

White Women

A no-holds-barred guidebook aimed at white women who want to stop being nice and start dismantling white supremacy.

It's no secret that white women are conditioned to be nice, but did you know that the desire to be perfect and to avoid conflict at all costs are characteristics of white supremacy culture?

As the founders of Race2Dinner, an organization which facilitates conversations between white women about racism and white supremacy, Regina Jackson and Saira Rao have noticed white women's tendency to maintain a veneer of niceness, and strive for perfection, even at the expense of anti-racism work.

In this book, Jackson and Rao pose these urgent questions: how has being nice helped Black women, Indigenous women and other women of color? How has being nice helped you in your quest to end sexism? Has being nice earned you economic parity with white men?

Beginning with freeing white women from this oppressive need to be nice, they deconstruct and analyze nine aspects of traditional white woman behavior—from tone-policing to weaponizing tears—that uphold white supremacy society, and hurt all of us who are trying to live a freer, more equitable life.

White Women is a call to action to those of you who are looking to take the next steps in dismantling white supremacy. Your white supremacy. If you are in fact doing real anti-racism work, you will find few reasons to be nice, as other white people want to limit your membership in the club. If you are not ticking white people off on a regular basis, you are not doing it right.

Against White Feminism: Notes on Disruption

2022

by Rafia Zakaria

Against White Feminism: Notes on Disruption offers a radically inclusive, intersectional, and transnational approach to the fight for women’s rights. For too long, upper-middle-class white women have been heralded as the 'experts' on feminism, presiding over multinational feminist organizations and writing much of the feminist canon.

Rafia Zakaria, an American Muslim woman, attorney, and political philosopher, champions a reconstruction of feminism in this transformative overview and counter-manifesto. She centers women of color in the dialogue, challenging the global, long-standing affinity of white feminism with colonial, patriarchal, and white supremacist ideals.

Zakaria covers topics like the legacy of the British feminist imperialist savior complex and the condescension of the white feminist-led 'aid industrial complex.' She critiques the conflation of sexual liberation as the 'sum total of empowerment,' following in the tradition of intersectional feminist forebears like Kimberlé Crenshaw, Adrienne Rich, and Audre Lorde.

In this staggering, radical critique, Zakaria refutes and reimagines the apolitical aspirations of white feminist empowerment, placing Black and Brown feminist thought at the forefront.

Face: One Square Foot of Skin

2022

by Justine Bateman

Writer, director, and producer Justine Bateman examines the aggressive ways that society reacts to the aging of women's faces.

Face: One Square Foot of Skin is a book of fictional vignettes that delves into the fear and evolutionary habits that have led to the belief that older women's faces are unattractive and undesirable.

Based on the experiences of the author and interviews with dozens of women and men, the book explores the root causes of society's negative attitudes toward aging women's faces. Bateman rejects the ingrained assumptions that older women's faces need to be "fixed," and suggests that we move beyond judging a woman's worth based on her face.

With passionate prose and a sharp eye, Bateman argues that a woman's confidence should grow as she ages, not be diminished by society's misguided attitudes about that one square foot of skin.

The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence

2022

by Gavin de Becker

True fear is a gift. Unwarranted fear is a curse. Learn how to tell the difference.

A date won't take "no" for an answer. The new nanny gives a mother an uneasy feeling. A stranger in a deserted parking lot offers unsolicited help. The threat of violence surrounds us every day. But we can protect ourselves, by learning to trust—and act on—our gut instincts.

In this empowering book, Gavin de Becker, the man Oprah Winfrey calls the nation's leading expert on violent behavior, shows you how to spot even subtle signs of danger—before it's too late. Shattering the myth that most violent acts are unpredictable, de Becker offers specific ways to protect yourself and those you love, including:

  • How to act when approached by a stranger
  • When you should fear someone close to you
  • What to do if you are being stalked
  • How to uncover the source of anonymous threats or phone calls
  • The biggest mistake you can make with a threatening person

Learn to spot the danger signals others miss. It might just save your life.

Primed For Revenge

Practicing law in a large partnership, Sydney Jones was primed for making partner. Then her life turned upside down after a disagreement with her boss at Birdman & Birdman. Leaving the office, she was swiftly kidnapped and taken to her assailants’ hideaway, beaten, and raped. With no memory of whom she was put her at a disadvantage with her captors. Through gritted teeth, she promised a day of repercussions for their actions while mentally visualizing her revenge.

Warned by her assailants to keep her mouth shut or else, she was delivered to her home. Not recognizing her former living quarters, she was careful in exploring her options for regaining her memory. Piecing together the reasons for her kidnapping brought her into contact with people, some she could trust and others risky. The problem was the amnesia prevented her from recognizing the difference.

Tapped for crime once nudged her toward caution for something afoul was going on at Birdman & Birdman. She prepared for a fight. With a vision of fury she made a chilling decision – never to be a victim again.

Rationality

2021

by Steven Pinker

Can reading a book make you more rational? Can it help us understand why there is so much irrationality in the world? Steven Pinker, author of Enlightenment Now, answers these questions in Rationality. In the 21st century, humanity is reaching new heights of scientific understanding--and at the same time appears to be losing its mind. How can a species that developed vaccines for Covid-19 in less than a year produce so much fake news, medical quackery, and conspiracy theorizing?

Pinker rejects the cynical cliché that humans are simply irrational--cavemen out of time saddled with biases, fallacies, and illusions. Instead, he explains that we think in ways that are sensible in the low-tech contexts in which we spend most of our lives, but fail to take advantage of the powerful tools of reasoning our best thinkers have discovered over the millennia: logic, critical thinking, probability, correlation and causation, and optimal ways to update beliefs and commit to choices individually and with others.

These tools are not a standard part of our educational curricula and have never been presented clearly and entertainingly in a single book--until now. Rationality also explores its opposite: how the rational pursuit of self-interest, sectarian solidarity, and uplifting mythology by individuals can add up to crippling irrationality in a society. Collective rationality depends on norms that are explicitly designed to promote objectivity and truth.

Rationality matters. It leads to better choices in our lives and in the public sphere, and is the ultimate driver of social justice and moral progress. Brimming with insight and humor, Rationality will enlighten, inspire, and empower.

Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself

End the struggle, speak up for what you need, and experience the freedom of being truly yourself.

Healthy boundaries. We all know we should have them – in order to achieve work/life balance, cope with toxic people, and enjoy rewarding relationships with partners, friends, and family. But what do “healthy boundaries” really mean – and how can we successfully express our needs, say “no,” and be assertive without offending others?

Licensed counselor, sought-after relationship expert, and one of the most influential therapists on Instagram, Nedra Glover Tawwab demystifies this complex topic for today’s world. In a relatable and inclusive tone, Set Boundaries, Find Peace presents simple-yet-powerful ways to establish healthy boundaries in all aspects of life. Rooted in the latest research and best practices used in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), these techniques help us identify and express our needs clearly and without apology – and unravel a root problem behind codependency, power struggles, anxiety, depression, burnout, and more.

Starfish

2021

by Lisa Fipps

Ellie is tired of being fat-shamed and does something about it in this poignant debut novel-in-verse.


Ever since Ellie wore a whale swimsuit and made a big splash at her fifth birthday party, she's been bullied about her weight. To cope, she tries to live by the Fat Girl Rules—like "no making waves," "avoid eating in public," and "don't move so fast that your body jiggles."


She's found her safe space—her swimming pool—where she feels weightless in a fat-obsessed world. In the water, she can stretch herself out like a starfish and take up all the room she wants. It’s also where she can get away from her pushy mom, who thinks criticizing Ellie’s weight will motivate her to diet.


Fortunately, Ellie has allies in her dad, her therapist, and her new neighbor, Catalina, who loves Ellie for who she is. With this support buoying her, Ellie might finally be able to cast aside the Fat Girl Rules and starfish in real life—by unapologetically being her own fabulous self.

Divergent Mind: Thriving in a World That Wasn't Designed for You

Divergent Mind is a paradigm-shifting study of neurodivergent women—those with ADHD, autism, synesthesia, high sensitivity, and sensory processing disorder—exploring why these traits are overlooked in women and how society benefits from allowing their unique strengths to flourish.


As a successful Harvard and Berkeley-educated writer, entrepreneur, and devoted mother, Jenara Nerenberg was shocked to discover that her “symptoms”—only ever labeled as anxiety—were considered autistic and ADHD. Being a journalist, she dove into the research and uncovered neurodiversity—a framework that moves away from pathologizing “abnormal” versus “normal” brains and instead recognizes the vast diversity of our mental makeups.


When it comes to women, sensory processing differences are often overlooked, masked, or mistaken for something else entirely. Between a flawed system that focuses on diagnosing younger, male populations, and the fact that girls are conditioned from a young age to blend in and conform to gender expectations, women often don’t learn about their neurological differences until they are adults, if at all.


As a result, potentially millions live with undiagnosed or misdiagnosed neurodivergences, and the misidentification leads to depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and shame. Meanwhile, we all miss out on the gifts their neurodivergent minds have to offer.


Divergent Mind is a long-overdue, much-needed answer for women who have a deep sense that they are “different.” Sharing real stories from women with high sensitivity, ADHD, autism, misophonia, dyslexia, SPD, and more, Nerenberg explores how these brain variances present differently in women and dispels widely-held misconceptions (for example, it’s not that autistic people lack sensitivity and empathy, they have an overwhelming excess of it).


Nerenberg also offers us a path forward, describing practical changes in how we communicate, how we design our surroundings, and how we can better support divergent minds. When we allow our wide variety of brain makeups to flourish, we create a better tomorrow for us all.

Leading Without Authority

Leading Without Authority offers a transformative approach to leadership where the power of co-elevation reshapes the way we conduct business and foster relationships. Bestselling author Keith Ferrazzi, with Noel Weyrich, introduces a bold methodology that challenges traditional hierarchical structures, empowering individuals at all levels to take initiative and inspire collective success.

In a rapidly evolving workplace, co-elevation surpasses the limitations of bureaucracy and formal titles. Ferrazzi's philosophy encourages mutual support and accountability, unlocking the potential for unprecedented productivity and engagement. Drawing from extensive research and experience guiding CEOs and senior leaders, this book provides a roadmap for navigating the challenges of modern industries and elevating everyone's performance.

Leadership is redefined to be inclusive, collaborative, and accessible to all, demonstrating that true authority comes not from a title, but from the ability to drive change and encourage teamwork.

Hood Feminism

2020

by Mikki Kendall

Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot is a potent and electrifying critique of today’s feminist movement, announcing a fresh new voice in black feminism. In her searing collection of essays, Mikki Kendall takes aim at the legitimacy of the modern feminist movement, arguing that it has chronically failed to address the needs of all but a few women.

Mainstream feminists rarely talk about meeting basic needs as a feminist issue, argues Kendall. Issues such as food insecurity, access to quality education, safe neighborhoods, a living wage, and medical care are all feminist issues. All too often, however, the focus is not on basic survival for the many, but on increasing privilege for the few.

Moreover, prominent white feminists broadly suffer from their own myopia with regard to how things like race, class, sexual orientation, and ability intersect with gender. Kendall asks, How can we stand in solidarity as a movement when there is the distinct likelihood that some women are oppressing others?

Drawing on her own experiences with hunger, violence, and hypersexualization, along with incisive commentary on reproductive rights, politics, pop culture, and the stigma of mental health, Hood Feminism delivers an irrefutable indictment of a movement in flux. An unforgettable debut, Kendall has written a ferocious clarion call to all would-be feminists to live out the true mandate of the movement in thought and in deed.

The Color Purple

2019

by Alice Walker

Alice Walker's iconic modern classic, The Color Purple, is a powerful cultural touchstone of modern American literature that depicts the lives of African American women in early twentieth-century rural Georgia. Separated as girls, sisters Celie and Nettie sustain their loyalty to and hope in each other across time, distance, and silence.

Through a series of letters spanning twenty years, first from Celie to God, then the sisters to each other despite the unknown, the novel draws readers into its rich and memorable portrayals of Celie, Nettie, Shug Avery, and Sofia and their experiences. The Color Purple broke the silence around domestic and sexual abuse, narrating the lives of women through their pain and struggle, companionship and growth, resilience and bravery.

Deeply compassionate and beautifully imagined, Alice Walker's epic carries readers on a spirit-affirming journey towards redemption and love.

The Vagina Bible

OB/GYN, writer for The New York Times, USA Today, and Self, and host of the show Jensplaining, Dr. Jen Gunter now delivers the definitive book on vaginal health, answering the questions you've always had but were afraid to ask--or couldn't find the right answers to. She has been called Twitter's resident gynecologist, the Internet's OB/GYN, and one of the fiercest advocates for women's health...and she's here to give you the straight talk on the topics she knows best.

Does eating sugar cause yeast infections?
Does pubic hair have a function?
Should you have a vulvovaginal care regimen?
Will your vagina shrivel up if you go without sex?
What's the truth about the HPV vaccine?

So many important questions, so much convincing, confusing, contradictory misinformation! In this age of click bait, pseudoscience, and celebrity-endorsed products, it's easy to be overwhelmed--whether it's websites, advice from well-meaning friends, uneducated partners, and even healthcare providers. So how do you separate facts from fiction? OB-GYN Jen Gunter, an expert on women's health--and the internet's most popular go-to doc--comes to the rescue with a book that debunks the myths and educates and empowers women.

From reproductive health to the impact of antibiotics and probiotics, and the latest trends, including vaginal steaming, vaginal marijuana products, and jade eggs, Gunter takes us on a factual, fun-filled journey. Discover the truth about:

  • The vaginal microbiome
  • Genital hygiene, lubricants, and hormone myths and fallacies
  • How diet impacts vaginal health
  • Stem cells and the vagina
  • Cosmetic vaginal surgery
  • What changes to expect during pregnancy, after childbirth, and through menopause
  • How medicine fails women by dismissing symptoms

Plus:

  • Thongs vs. lace: the best underwear for vaginal health
  • How to select a tampon
  • The full glory of the clitoris and the myth of the G Spot

... And so much more. Whether you're a twenty-six-year-old worried that her labia are "uncool" or a sixty-six-year-old dealing with painful sex, this comprehensive guide is sure to become a lifelong trusted resource.

Ash Princess

2019

by Laura Sebastian

Theodosia was six when her country was invaded and her mother, the Fire Queen, was murdered before her eyes. On that day, the Kaiser took Theodosia's family, her land, and her name. Theo was crowned Ash Princess—a title of shame to bear in her new life as a prisoner.

For ten years, Theo has been a captive in her own palace. She's endured the relentless abuse and ridicule of the Kaiser and his court. She is powerless, surviving in her new world only by burying the girl she was deep inside.

Then, one night, the Kaiser forces her to do the unthinkable. With blood on her hands and all hope of reclaiming her throne lost, she realizes that surviving is no longer enough. But she does have a weapon: her mind is sharper than any sword. And power isn't always won on the battlefield.

For ten years, the Ash Princess has seen her land pillaged and her people enslaved. That all ends here.

A Curve in the Road

From USA Today bestselling author Julianne MacLean comes a suspenseful, emotionally charged novel that explores the secrets and hidden truths within a seemingly perfect marriage.

Abbie MacIntyre is living the dream in the picturesque Nova Scotia town she calls home. She is a successful surgeon, is married to a handsome cardiologist, and has a model teenage son who is only months away from going off to college.

But then one fateful night, everything changes. When a drunk driver hits her car, Abbie is rushed to the hospital. She survives, but the accident forces unimaginable secrets out into the open and plagues Abbie with nightmares so vivid that she starts to question her grip on reality. Her perfect life begins to crack, and those cracks threaten to shatter her world completely.

The search for answers will test her strength in every way—as a wife, a career woman, and a mother—but it may also open the door for Abbie to move forward, beyond anger and heartbreak, to find out what she is truly made of. In learning to heal and trust again, she may just find new hope in the spaces left behind.

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You

A timely, crucial, and empowering exploration of racism—and antiracism—in America.

This is NOT a history book. This is a book about the here and now. A book to help us better understand why we are where we are. A book about race.

The construct of race has always been used to gain and keep power, to create dynamics that separate and silence. This remarkable reimagining of Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's Stamped from the Beginning reveals the history of racist ideas in America, and inspires hope for an antiracist future.

Stamped takes you on a race journey from then to now, shows you why we feel how we feel, and why the poison of racism lingers. It also proves that while racist ideas have always been easy to fabricate and distribute, they can also be discredited.

Through a gripping, fast-paced, and energizing narrative written by beloved award-winner Jason Reynolds, this book shines a light on the many insidious forms of racist ideas—and on ways readers can identify and stamp out racist thoughts in their daily lives.

Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions

From the best-selling author of Americanah and We Should All Be Feminists comes a powerful new statement about feminism today—written as a letter to a friend. A few years ago, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie received a letter from a dear friend from childhood, asking her how to raise her baby girl as a feminist. Dear Ijeawele is Adichie's letter of response.

Here are fifteen invaluable suggestions—compelling, direct, wryly funny, and perceptive—for how to empower a daughter to become a strong, independent woman. From encouraging her to choose a helicopter, and not only a doll, as a toy if she so desires; having open conversations with her about clothes, makeup, and sexuality; debunking the myth that women are somehow biologically arranged to be in the kitchen making dinner, and that men can "allow" women to have full careers, Dear Ijeawele goes right to the heart of sexual politics in the twenty-first century.

It will start a new and urgently needed conversation about what it really means to be a woman today.

Minority Leader

2018

by Stacey Abrams

Minority Leader is a guide to harnessing the strengths of being an outsider by Stacey Abrams, who has made significant strides in her political career. This book serves as a beacon for those who find themselves as the 'New American Majority'—a diverse and often underrepresented group seeking to climb the career ladder.

Stacey Abrams, with her roots in a working-poor family from Gulfport, Mississippi, shares her journey to Yale Law School and her ascent in business and politics, eventually becoming the first woman to lead either party in the Georgia General Assembly and the first African American to lead in the House of Representatives.

Combining elements of memoir with actionable advice, Abrams provides insights for women and people of color to navigate spaces traditionally occupied by white men. She emphasizes the importance of leveraging one's unique perspective, finding mentors, advocating for oneself, and pursuing genuine passions.

The book applies these lessons across various scenarios, from a recent graduate with a startup idea to a Latino city councilman with mayoral aspirations, and to anyone seeking to ascend in their profession. Abrams's goal is to fill the gap in available wisdom for navigating such paths and to empower her readers to make real change.

The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love

The Body Is Not an Apology offers a revolutionary departure from traditional body-positivity narratives. In this transformative work, Sonya Renee Taylor demonstrates the powerful connection between radical self-love and social justice.

Our world is rife with systems of oppression that thrive on our inability to make peace with our bodies and differences. By embracing radical self-love, we not only dismantle personal shame and self-loathing but also challenge global systems of injustice.

The book invites readers to stop treating their bodies like machines, recognizing that our minds and bodies are interconnected. It moves us beyond hidden lives of shame, reminding us that we are whole humans having complete human experiences.

Join the movement towards a more just, equitable, and compassionate world by embracing the power of radical self-love and honoring our shared humanity.

The Republic of False Truths

The Republic of False Truths offers an intense and gripping narrative that takes us into the heart of the Egyptian revolution. This globally-acclaimed novel provides an intimate look at the struggle for freedom in a country under the grip of a repressive regime.

In the bustling streets of Cairo in 2011, tensions mount as a revolution brews. Characters from all walks of life are drawn into the chaos: General Alwany, a high-ranking government official entrenched in the security apparatus, balances his piety and love for his family with his role in torturing state enemies; Asma, a young teacher, fights against the rampant corruption at her school; Ashraf, an unemployed actor, is swept into the heart of Tahrir Square through a fortuitous encounter; and Nourhan, a television personality, staunchly defends those in power.

Their lives intertwine as a new generation raises its voice, love crosses social divides, and the revolution gains momentum. Even as the old regime clings to power, individuals like General Alwany face pivotal moments when their own kin join the protests. Alaa Al Aswany crafts a deeply human portrait of the Egyptian Revolution, offering a compelling and passionate recount of his country's recent history.

The Vagina Monologues

2018

by Eve Ensler

I decided to talk to women about their vaginas, to do vagina interviews, which became vagina monologues. At first, women were reluctant to talk. They were a little shy. But once they got going, you couldn't stop them. Women secretly love to talk about their vaginas. They get very excited, mainly because no one's ever asked them before.

So begins Eve Ensler's hilarious, eye-opening tour into the last frontier, the forbidden zone at the heart of every woman. Adapted from the award-winning one-woman show that's rocked audiences around the world, this groundbreaking book gives voice to a chorus of lusty, outrageous, poignant, and thoroughly human stories, transforming the question mark hovering over the female anatomy into a permanent victory sign. With laughter and compassion, Ensler transports her audiences to a world we've never dared to know, guaranteeing that no one who reads The Vagina Monologues will ever look at a woman's body the same way again.

The Sun and Her Flowers

2017

by Rupi Kaur

From Rupi Kaur, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of milk and honey, comes her long-awaited second collection of poetry. A vibrant and transcendent journey about growth and healing. Ancestry and honoring one’s roots. Expatriation and rising up to find a home within yourself.

Divided into five chapters and illustrated by Kaur, the sun and her flowers is a journey of wilting, falling, rooting, rising, and blooming. A celebration of love in all its forms.

this is the recipe of life
said my mother
as she held me in her arms as i wept
think of those flowers you plant
in the garden each year
they will teach you
that people too
must wilt
fall
root
rise
in order to bloom

Moxie

Vivian Carter is fed up. Fed up with her small-town Texas high school that thinks the football team can do no wrong. Fed up with sexist dress codes and hallway harassment. But most of all, Viv Carter is fed up with always following the rules.

Viv's mom was a punk rock Riot Grrrl in the ’90s, so now Viv takes a page from her mother’s past and creates a feminist zine that she distributes anonymously to her classmates. She’s just blowing off steam, but other girls respond. Pretty soon Viv is forging friendships with other young women across the divides of cliques and popularity rankings, and she realizes that what she has started is nothing short of a girl revolution.

Moxie girls fight back!

Stillhouse Lake

2017

by Rachel Caine

Gina Royal is the definition of average—a shy Midwestern housewife with a happy marriage and two adorable children. But when a car accident reveals her husband’s secret life as a serial killer, she must remake herself as Gwen Proctor—the ultimate warrior mom.

With her ex now in prison, Gwen has finally found refuge in a new home on remote Stillhouse Lake. Though still the target of stalkers and Internet trolls who think she had something to do with her husband’s crimes, Gwen dares to think her kids can finally grow up in peace.

But just when she’s starting to feel at ease in her new identity, a body turns up in the lake—and threatening letters start arriving from an all-too-familiar address. Gwen Proctor must keep friends close and enemies at bay to avoid being exposed—or watch her kids fall victim to a killer who takes pleasure in tormenting her. One thing is certain: she’s learned how to fight evil. And she’ll never stop.

Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body

2017

by Roxane Gay

From the New York Times bestselling author of Bad Feminist: a searingly honest memoir of food, weight, self-image, and learning how to feed your hunger while taking care of yourself.

“I ate and ate and ate in the hopes that if I made myself big, my body would be safe. I buried the girl I was because she ran into all kinds of trouble. I tried to erase every memory of her, but she is still there, somewhere. . . . I was trapped in my body, one that I barely recognized or understood, but at least I was safe.”

In her phenomenally popular essays and long-running Tumblr blog, Roxane Gay has written with intimacy and sensitivity about food and body, using her own emotional and psychological struggles as a means of exploring our shared anxieties over pleasure, consumption, appearance, and health. As a woman who describes her own body as “wildly undisciplined,” Roxane understands the tension between desire and denial, between self-comfort and self-care.

In Hunger, she explores her past—including the devastating act of violence that acted as a turning point in her young life—and brings readers along on her journey to understand and ultimately save herself.

With the bracing candor, vulnerability, and power that have made her one of the most admired writers of her generation, Roxane explores what it means to learn to take care of yourself: how to feed your hungers for delicious and satisfying food, a smaller and safer body, and a body that can love and be loved—in a time when the bigger you are, the smaller your world becomes.

The Power of Different

2017

by Gail Saltz

A powerful and inspiring examination of the connection between the potential for great talent and conditions commonly thought to be “disabilities,” revealing how the source of our struggles can be the origin of our greatest strengths.

In The Power of Different, psychiatrist and bestselling author Gail Saltz examines the latest scientific discoveries, profiles famous geniuses who have been diagnosed with all manner of brain “problems”—including learning disabilities, ADD, anxiety, Depression, Bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and Autism—and tells the stories of lay individuals to demonstrate how specific deficits in certain areas of the brain are directly associated with the potential for great talent.

Saltz shows how the very conditions that cause people to experience difficulty at school, in social situations, at home, or at work, are inextricably bound to creative, disciplinary, artistic, empathetic, and cognitive abilities.

The Way I Used to Be

2017

by Amber Smith

In the tradition of Speak, this extraordinary debut novel shares the unforgettable story of a young woman as she struggles to find strength in the aftermath of an assault.

Eden was always good at being good. Starting high school didn’t change who she was. But the night her brother’s best friend rapes her, Eden’s world capsizes.

What was once simple, is now complex. What Eden once loved—who she once loved—she now hates. What she thought she knew to be true, is now lies. Nothing makes sense anymore, and she knows she’s supposed to tell someone what happened but she can’t. So she buries it instead. And she buries the way she used to be.

Told in four parts—freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior year—this provocative debut reveals the deep cuts of trauma. But it also demonstrates one young woman’s strength as she navigates the disappointment and unbearable pains of adolescence, of first love and first heartbreak, of friendships broken and rebuilt, and while learning to embrace a power of survival she never knew she had hidden within her heart.

The V Girl: A Coming Of Age Story

2016

by Mya Robarts

ROMANCE SET IN A DYSTOPIAN FUTURE

In post-apocalyptic North America, two emerging nations are at war and sexual slavery is legal. Lila Velez desperately wants to lose her virginity before the troops visit her town and take it away by force. She makes plans to seduce her only friend. Lila does not love him, but he is the only man who has shown her true affection, an affection she is willing to take as a substitute for love.

Lila hides a secret that will bring her closer to Aleksey Fürst, a foreign, broody man who she distrusts because of his links to the troops and his rough, yet irresistible appearance. He offers Lila an alternative to her plans, a possibility that terrifies her…and tempts her in spite of herself.

With threats looming at every turn and no way to escape, Lila fears that falling in love will only lead to more heartache. The consequences of laying down her arms for Aleksey and welcoming hope might destroy more than her heart. They might force her to face the worst of her nightmares becoming a reality. Is love possible in a world that has forgotten what the human touch is?

NOTES FROM THE AUTHOR

* This is a book full of romance and anti-rape messages. I didn't write this book to romanticize violence against women but to tell the story of a girl who has to come of age under the most terrible circumstances.

* This full-length novel is a stand alone. No cliffhanger.

* Alpha male hero. No cheating. No slut-shaming.

* Includes a discussion guide for bookclubs.

* Possible triggers for abuse survivors.

* Loosely based on documented evidence of unpunished war crimes.

The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo

2016

by Amy Schumer

Amy Schumer, the Emmy Award-winning comedian, actress, writer, and star of Inside Amy Schumer and the acclaimed film Trainwreck, has taken the entertainment world by storm with her winning blend of smart, satirical humor.

In The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo, Amy mines her past for stories about her teenage years, her family, relationships, and sex, sharing the experiences that have shaped who she is—a woman with the courage to bare her soul and stand up for what she believes in, all while making us laugh.

Ranging from the raucous to the romantic, the heartfelt to the harrowing, this highly entertaining and universally appealing collection is the literary equivalent of a night out with your best friend—an unforgettable and fun adventure that you wish could last forever.

Whether she’s experiencing lust-at-first-sight while in the airport security line, sharing her own views on love and marriage, admitting to being an introvert, or discovering her cross-fit instructor’s secret bad habit, Amy Schumer proves to be a bighearted, brave, and thoughtful storyteller that will leave you nodding your head in recognition, laughing out loud, and sobbing uncontrollably—but only because it’s over.

Matilda

2016

by Roald Dahl

Matilda is a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence, and psychokinetic powers. She's unappreciated by her crass, dishonest family and finds solace in the books she devours at an astonishing rate. At just five-and-a-half, she's tackling complex math problems and immersing herself in the works of Dickens.

Despite her intellect and abilities, Matilda's life is far from perfect. Her parents are dismissive and self-absorbed, and her school is run by the tyrannical headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, who has a penchant for throwing children as if they were javelins. But Matilda is not one to be underestimated or downtrodden.

With a combination of cunning, patience, and a touch of magic, Matilda begins to turn the tables on her parents and Miss Trunchbull. Rallying with her beloved teacher, Miss Honey, Matilda devises clever plans to outsmart the grown-ups who underestimate her. Through her journey, she demonstrates that even a child can change her own story, proving that brains and kindness can triumph over brawn and cruelty.

Roald Dahl's Matilda is a testament to the power of imagination, the importance of education, and the unyielding strength of the human spirit, especially in someone so young.

The Princess Saves Herself in This One

2016

by Amanda Lovelace

Ah, life - the thing that happens to us while we're off somewhere else blowing on dandelions & wishing ourselves into the pages of our favorite fairy tales.

A poetry collection divided into four different parts: the princess, the damsel, the queen, & you. The princess, the damsel, & the queen piece together the life of the author in three stages, while you serves as a note to the reader & all of humankind.

Explores life & all of its love, loss, grief, healing, empowerment, & inspirations.

Storm and Silence

2016

by Robert Thier

Freedom—that is what Lilly Linton wants most in life. Not marriage, not a brood of squalling brats, and certainly not love, thank you very much!

But freedom is a rare commodity in 19th-century London, where girls are expected to spend their lives sitting at home, fully occupied with looking pretty. Lilly is at her wits’ end—until a chance encounter with a dark, dangerous, and powerful stranger changes her life forever...

Enter the world of Mr. Rikkard Ambrose, where the only rule is: Knowledge is power is time is money!

A Mind of Your Own

Depression is not a disease. It is a symptom.


Recent years have seen a shocking increase in antidepressant use the world over, with 1 in 4 women starting their day with medication. These drugs have steadily become the panacea for everything from grief, irritability, panic attacks, to insomnia, PMS, and stress. But the truth is, what women really need can’t be found at a pharmacy.


According to Dr. Kelly Brogan, antidepressants not only overpromise and underdeliver, but their use may permanently disable the body’s self-healing potential. We need a new paradigm: The best way to heal the mind is to heal the whole body.


In this groundbreaking, science-based and holistic approach, Dr. Brogan shatters the mythology conventional medicine has built around the causes and treatment of depression. Based on her expert interpretation of published medical findings, combined with years of experience from her clinical practice, Dr. Brogan illuminates the true cause of depression: it is not simply a chemical imbalance, but a lifestyle crisis that demands a reset. It is a signal that the interconnected systems in the body are out of balance – from blood sugar, to gut health, to thyroid function – and inflammation is at the root.


A Mind of Your Own offers an achievable, step-by-step 30-day action plan—including powerful dietary interventions, targeted nutrient support, detoxification, sleep, and stress reframing techniques—women can use to heal their bodies, alleviate inflammation, and feel like themselves again without a single prescription.


Bold, brave, and revolutionary, A Mind of Your Own takes readers on a journey of self-empowerment for radical transformation that goes far beyond symptom relief.

A Bird Without Wings

2015

by Roberta Pearce

After an impoverished and indigent childhood, Callie Dahl is interested in one thing: money enough to buy her own home. Love and marriage are impractical pursuits, and hold zero attraction for her—though she alleviates her loneliness through the guilty pleasure of an at-far fantasy of her temporary boss, Lucius Ransome.

So when Lucius gives her the task of disproving a long-standing Ransome Family legend, it’s a tossup for her whether the main attraction is the financial bonus he’s promised or the chance to spend time in his company!

Her investigation unravels more than family secrets. As she plunges into a steamy affair with Lucius, everything she holds true comes apart as he introduces her to a world where love actually might mean more than money.

All the Truth That's in Me

2014

by Julie Berry

Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years ago, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family.

Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who’s owned her heart as long as she can remember—even if he doesn’t know it—her childhood friend, Lucas.

But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever.

This startlingly original novel will shock and disturb you; it will fill you with Judith’s passion and longing; and its mysteries will keep you feverishly turning the pages until the very last.

We Should All Be Feminists

What does “feminism” mean today? That is the question at the heart of We Should All Be Feminists, a personal, eloquently-argued essay—adapted from her much-viewed TEDx talk of the same name—by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the award-winning author of Americanah and Half of a Yellow Sun. With humor and levity, here Adichie offers readers a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century—one rooted in inclusion and awareness. She shines a light not only on blatant discrimination, but also the more insidious, institutional behaviors that marginalize women around the world, in order to help readers of all walks of life better understand the often masked realities of sexual politics. Throughout, she draws extensively on her own experiences—in the U.S., in her native Nigeria, and abroad—offering an artfully nuanced explanation of why the gender divide is harmful for women and men, alike. Argued in the same observant, witty and clever prose that has made Adichie a bestselling novelist, here is one remarkable author’s exploration of what it means to be a woman today—and an of-the-moment rallying cry for why we should all be feminists.

Don't Make Me Beautiful

2013

by Elle Casey

Don't Make Me Beautiful is a romantic suspense novel by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Elle Casey. This story, inspired by true events, explores themes of survival, healing, and the power of love.

At twenty-two, Nicole's life has been overshadowed by a monster, leaving her to hide in darkness, believing she deserves nothing more. Her world is changed unexpectedly when an autographed baseball from Brian Jensen enters her life, offering a glimmer of hope and the potential for transformation.

Temptation and fear intermingle as Nicole grapples with the idea of accepting help and revealing her deepest secrets. Despite knowing the pain hands can cause, she dares to hope they might also heal.

Elle Casey sheds light on the important subject of domestic violence, crafting a narrative that is both heart-wrenching and heartwarming. Nicole's journey of restoration and courage is a testament to the strength found in vulnerability and the possibility of a second chance at life.

Note: This book contains themes of violence and adult situations, making it suitable for mature readers.

The Feminine Mystique

2013

by Betty Friedan

Released for the first time in paperback, this landmark social and political volume on feminism is credited with being responsible for raising awareness, liberating both sexes, and triggering major advances in the feminist movement. Reprint.

Keep Holding On

Keep Holding On is a romantic and empowering book about bullying. Noelle's life is all about survival. Even her best friend doesn't know how much she gets bullied, or the ways her mom neglects her. Noelle's kept so much about her life a secret for so long that when her longtime crush Julian Porter starts paying attention to her, she's terrified. Surely it's safer to stay hidden than to risk the pain of a broken heart.

But when the antagonism of her classmates takes a dramatic turn, Noelle realizes it's time to stand up for herself—and for the love that keeps her holding on.

Easy

2012

by Tammara Webber

Easy is the New York Times Bestseller by Tammara Webber and first novel in the Contours of the Heart series, for fans of Colleen Hoover! Rescued by a stranger. Haunted by a secret. Sometimes, love isn’t easy… He watched her, but never knew her. Until thanks to a chance encounter, he became her savior… The attraction between them was undeniable. Yet the past he’d worked so hard to overcome, and the future she’d put so much faith in, threatened to tear them apart. Only together could they fight the pain and guilt, face the truth—and find the unexpected power of love. A groundbreaking novel in the New Adult genre, Easy faces one girl's struggle to regain the trust she's lost, find the inner strength to fight back against an attacker, and accept the peace she finds in the arms of a secretive boy.

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