10 of the Best Feminist Books Everyone Should Read in Their Lifetime

From Caitlin Moran's joyful bestseller to Doris Lessing's radical novel, we round-up the feminist titles to inspire and galvanise.

Words by Ella Alexander. All images are courtesy.

Women have achieved a great deal over the last 100 years, thanks in part to the great canon of feminist literature which has shone a light on gender inequalities. Whether you want to educate yourself, a partner or a backward-thinking relative (we all have one), our guide to the best feminist books will change the way you think about gender inequality and what it means to be a woman today. Some take the form of compelling manifestos, while others take the form of imaginative prose, but each one draws attention to the progress that needs to be made. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it is a start.

This article first appeared on Harper’s Bazaar UK

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Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

Bad Feminist is a collection of wry essays that looks at what it means to be a modern feminist while enjoying things that might seem at odds with it, whether that be following fashion or wanting children. This reassuring, funny and wise book discusses how the culture we consume becomes who we are, and offers way in which we can all do better.
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