96 Nonfiction Books to Read this Women's History Month

March is Women’s History Month, celebrated in the U.S. by just about every major institution in the country. Click around a little, and you’ll find all kinds of interesting things going on. For instance, on March 30, the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will posthumously receive the National Museum of American History's signature honor, the Great Americans Medal.
Here at Goodreads, we like to stick to our lane, and our lane is books. As such, we have collected below 96 nonfiction titles on women in history, recommended by Goodreads regulars and divided into two broad categories: Histories and Biographies, and Memoirs. Each of the books listed here is relatively recent, published within the past ten years.
The authors below have developed a wide range of different approaches to the topic. You’ll find specific profiles of pioneering women—doctors, say, or rocket scientists. Other books chronicle entire historical eras, even some in which women ruled the world. One author has narrowed the focus to particularly treasured anatomical specifics.
Autobiographically speaking, we’ve got Black artists, First Nation writers, pioneering comics, and more. You’ll also find last year’s most talked-about memoir.
Click around and see what you like, add anything interesting to your Want to Read shelf, and feel free to make further recommendations in the comments section.
Top Histories and Biographies for Women's History Month
Comments Showing 1-50 of 111 (111 new)


I think the effort the author put into the idea would be enough to still qualify it for women's history month and this list; the author is a woman and her topic was women, and the lack of information is relevant.


via her twitter, it says She/They.
Therefore having her in a female list is ok.

via her twitter, it says She/They.
Therefore having her in a female list is ok."
thats not at all how being nonbinary works -_-

that is a fiction book, this list is non fiction


Bridget Quinn written in 2017 should be included too.

Goodreads is an American site, based in San Francisco, and nearly half of its users are Americans. Of course it's going to focus on our writers more than others.

Goodreads is an American site, based in San Francisc..."
That means over half of its users are not American, as in, the majority. That the company is based in the US shouldn't mean much since it caters to an international audience and has millions of non-American books on its site. Someone researched and compiled this list, they could have easily done so and include more stories from and about women in other parts of the world.

b) GR's fiction lists usually have diversity, so I was quite disappointed in this one as I was wanting non-fiction books that focused on women globally. We
make up half the planet and IWD is in March. I realise WHM is largely American - however this does not preclude a celebration of women worldwide.


The Unwomanly Face of War: An Oral History of Women in World War II
One of the best history books I have ever read

Goodreads is an American site, based in S..."
Louisa wrote: "CJ wrote: "Tanvi wrote: "I count two books that are not set in the UK or Europe. Where is the diversity on this list? Why so many stories about Americans?"
Goodreads is an American site, based in S..."
Sounds like you don't know much about how percentages work. There is no other country that even comes close to the U.S. in numbers of users. Yes, the non-Americans are slightly more than half - because it includes the entire rest of the world, hundreds of different countries, each making up a tiny slice of the pie. Most of which publish books that aren't in English and aren't going to be featured prominently on a site that, again, is an American site and used mostly by English-speakers. If you want books that are more relevant to your country, maybe you should find a site based in that country, or start one yourself.

True, which makes it especially odd that in your first post you said you counted 2 books that aren't based in the UK or Europe, then complained about how American the list was. I didn't try to parse the logic.

Wish my 2022 book was on this list. Happy Women's History Month!

Also every second book on this list is about WW2 - history is 1000's of years - maybe a bit more diversity, yeah?

Regardless, my point still stands. You obviously understood the point well enough, yet chose to take issue with my wording and harp on about how America this, that and the other.

- The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
- I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai & Christina Lamb
- Not without my daughter by Betty Mahmoody

I recommend "Cixi: The Concubine who launched modern China" by Jung Chang.

Very disappointed this book is not on the list.

by Caroline Criado Pérez
I highly recommend this book. And while the author is from the UK, she does bring in data from around the world (Japan, India, etc). I think the Transportation chapter was my favourite. <3

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We reached out to the author and have removed their book on their request.


Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We reached out to the author and have removed their book on their request."
I love Helen Macdonald's writing, but that just seems idiotic. Why would you want your book to get less exposure and be read by fewer people? It's not like there's a separate non-binary month to be featured in. I guess maybe June for Pride month?

Wish my 2022 book was on this list. Happy Women's History Month!"
Tracy wrote: "Let Me Be Frank: A Book About Women Who Dressed Like Men to Do Shit They Weren't Supposed to Do
Wish my 2022 book was on this list. Happy Women's History Month!"
Lol, that's such a great title. Added to my want-to-read list.

Regardless, my point still stands. You obviously ..."
Okay fine, looking at the list again (I just skimmed it yesterday) I agree that it's bizarrely lacking in books about other cultures. There are so many about women that could be featured. Just off the top of my head,Last to Eat, Last to Learn: My Life in Afghanistan Fighting to Educate Women and Between Good and Evil: The Stolen Girls of Boko Haram.

A GHOST IN THE THROAT SHOULD BE ON THIS LIST AND I AM SO ANGRY IT ISN'T
It's beautiful, heartbreaking, insightful, and one of the most strongly feminine tex..."
I absolutely agree!

Exactly. I don't understand why lists like that can't be "women and nonbinary writers"; I've seen feminist anthologies, etc. that follow that. Ughh. But I guess if the author doesn't want to be included, idk. It just seems like a tricky situation to put an author in.

Gosh, I have no idea why someone wouldn't want to be misgendered. It's not like gender identity is all that important, right? Not when compared to book exposure!
/s
That being said, this reminds me that I really, really need to read H is for Hawk. Been on my TBR for way too long.


- The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
- I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yous..."
oh I'm shocked that I Am Malala is not on here!

Wish my 2022 book was on this list. Happy Women's History Month!"
thanks for mentioning this! never heard of it, but now will check it out! esp. it's illustrated!

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We reached out to the author and have removed their book on their request."
I love..."
also confused, esp. if the author states they use "she/they", this is not "exclusive-women history month", so it seems to me if you use she, even if not exclusively, you would qualify to be featured here... just my take, but hey, if the author themselves doesn't want to be featured here, for whatever reason, who's to argue?!

Gosh, I have no idea why someone wouldn't ..."
it's a good book!


I could not agree more. So many of the kindle unlimited options here are centered around WWII as well. Don't get me wrong- it's definitely interesting and their stories should be told, but still.



An incredibly eye opening nonfiction book to read this month!

World War II relied on women in many capacities that they were precluded from before the War, so I understand the many books listed, and personally welcome stories from that period.
I like the way people put suggestions in the comments for books that others may not find on their own, as suggested by Cybil.
Cybil also mentioned that these books were recommended by “Goodreads regulars” and “published within the past ten years”. It has been narrowed accordingly.

A GHOST IN THE THROAT SHOULD BE ON THIS LIST AND I AM SO ANGRY IT ISN'T
It's beautiful, heartbreaking, insightful, and one of the most strongly feminine tex..."
Thank you, this sounds exciting. I added it to my want-to-read!
A GHOST IN THE THROAT SHOULD BE ON THIS LIST AND I AM SO ANGRY IT ISN'T
It's beautiful, heartbreaking, insightful, and one of the most strongly feminine texts I've ever read.