While March is known as Women’s History Month, any month is a good time to read and learn more about remarkable women. As the pandemic settled on us in March 2020, I polled through various reading groups on Facebook for recommendations on books to read for Women’s History Month. The following compiled list of historical fiction and memoirs/ biographies represents the top ten based on number of mentions. Keep scrolling for a few more titles added in 2021.
- Becoming by Michelle Obama – Memoir (may have been influenced by the recency of publication at the of the poll)
- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot – Medical History
- The Red Tent by Anita Diamant – Historical Biblical Fiction*
- Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly – Science/Space History (also an excellent movie)
- Educated by Tara Westover – Memoir (may have been influenced by the recency of publication at the of the poll)
- One Thousand White Women by Jim Dodd – Historical Fiction of May Dodd
- Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross – Historical Fiction of Joan, purported 9th Century Pope**
- The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson – Historical Fiction of the Kentucky Pack Horse Librarians (may have been influenced by recency of publication)
- The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd – Historical Fiction of abolitionists Sarah and Angelinka Grimke
ADDED March 2021
- Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon – Biography honoring the Supreme Court Justice of the U.S.
- A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II by Sonia Purnell – Historical biography of Virginia Hall
- Love and Ruin by Paula McLain – Historical biography of journalist Martha Gellhorn
- The Book of Gutsy Women compiled by Hillary and Chelsea Clinton
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