48 of the Best Books by Women Authors to Read in Your Lifetime

"On Beauty" by Zadie Smith ($10, originally $18)

Zadie Smith's "On Beauty" is said to be loosely based on "Howards End" by E. M. Forster, but feels totally fresh. Smith is one of the most celebrated authors working now, and this novel about two academic families and the traps of modern-day racism is one of her best.

"Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ($18, originally $33)

A story about a Nigerian student who emigrates to the United States for school, "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie won the 2013 US National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction and is considered one of the most influential feminist books of the 21st century.

"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou ($18, originally $26)

Maya Angelou's autobiography has been inspiring readers since 1969. About her childhood between the Midwest and the South, this book uses powerful, poetic language to document race relations in segregated America.

"Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë ($7, originally $9)

This 19th century gothic novel is one of the most celebrated and well-read romances of all time. Moody and haunting, Charlotte Brontë's masterpiece has been adapted into films — but there's nothing quite like reading about and imagining the madwoman in the attic.

"The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank ($23)

Anne Frank's diary captures the true story of a young Jewish girl and her family who were forced into hiding during the second World War. In the decades since it was first published, Frank's first-hand accounts of one of the darkest chapters in global history has offered inspiration for millions of readers who take solace in her innocent, hopeful tone.

"The House of the Spirits" by Isabel Allende ($19, originally $30)

Considered one of the great masterworks of magical realism, Isabel Allende's first novel was originally published in Spanish in 1982. Set with a backdrop of a revolution in an unnamed Latin American country, "House of the Spirits" is a captivating meditation on family and belonging.

"Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley ($14, originally $15)

Everyone knows the story of Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein," which has been adapted into films (and spoofs!) multiple times since its publication. But the original book is definitely worth a read — especially for horror buffs.

"Zami: A New Spelling of My Name" by Audre Lorde ($17, originally $18)

One of the foremost Black feminists to ever live, the words of poet Audre Lorde helped shape an entire generation of queer Black thinkers, activists, and artists. Categorized as a biomythography, "Zami: A New Spelling of My Name" is informed by her own life growing up in Harlem in the late 1950s.

"The Well of Loneliness" by Radclyffe Hall ($5, originally $8)

Banned for obscenity when it was originally published in 1928, Radclyffe Hall's seminal lesbian novel was way ahead of its time.

"The Tale of Genji" by Murasaki Shikibu ($22, originally $36)

Widely considered the first novel ever written, this story was published in — get this — the early 11th century. No, that's not a typo. Written by noblewoman, poet, and lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu, this story has truly lasted the test of time, and is still read and reprinted today.

"The Color Purple" by Alice Walker ($8, originally $16)

One of the most influential works of 20th century queer literature, "The Color Purple" is a heart-wrenching love story between two Black women in the Jim Crow era. Since adapted into a musical and two films, and on countless high school reading lists, this story has remained relevant since its original publication in 1982.

"The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood ($8, originally $18)

Many people were introduced to Margaret Atwood's harrowing tale of religious extremism via the Hulu series of the same name, but the book (and its sequel, "The Testaments") is also well worth a read — especially given the political climate we find ourselves in now. Dystopia-heads, assemble.

"Tipping the Velvet" by Sarah Waters ($22)

A lesbian historical novel set in the late 19th century — and, some have argued, written in the style of Charles Dickens — this coming-of-age tale follows a young woman who falls in love with a male impersonator.

"Wuthering Heights" by Emily Brontë ($7, originally $8)

More than just a Kate Bush song, "Wuthering Heights" is an ominous tale about the dark side of true love, and one of the most widely acclaimed gothic novels ever published.

"The House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros ($20, originally $26)

This modern classic takes place on the streets of Chicago, and has captivated readers of all ages for decades. Narrated by Esperanza Cordero, the story is told in a series of vignettes that capture the joys and heartbreaks of childhood.

"A Room of One's Own" by Virginia Woolf ($11, originally $17)

Virginia Woolf was responsible for some of the most important works of literature in the 20th century, including "A Room of One's Own," which tells the imagined story of Shakespeare's fictional sister who never had the same opportunity to flourish creatively as her brother.

"Wide Sargasso Sea" by Jean Rhys ($14, originally $15)

For fans of "Jane Eyre," this novel (written over 100 years later) tells the imagined story of the madwoman in the attic — before she went mad and got locked up.

"The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath ($18, originally $30)

One of the most important books about mental illness from a feminist lens, "The Bell Jar" uses simple prose to draw readers into the narrator's mental breakdown.

"The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan ($18, originally $30)

This novel examines relationships between mothers and daughters, made all the more complex by immigration and assimilation, loss and hope.

"The Second Sex" by Simone de Beauvoir ($9, originally $37)

A defining work of early feminist prose that initially caused a scandal, "The Second Sex" should be on the reading list of any young woman interested in history.

"ain't i a woman: black women and feminism" by bell hooks ($33, originally $37)

Another must-read for feminist scholars, this work by bell hooks examines sex and gender throughout Black American history, starting during slavery up through the women's movement, which she assesses from a Black critical lens.

"The Year of Magical Thinking" by Joan Didion ($15, originally $28)

Considered one of the most moving and honest tales of grief ever recorded, Joad Didion's "The Year of Magical Thinking" is a great place to start if you haven't read any of her work yet. Just don't forget your box of tissues.

"The Feminine Mystique" by Betty Friedan ($11, originally $18)

Yet another banger for feminist scholars, "The Feminine Mystique" was responsible for quite a bit of consciousness-raising in its day (published in 1963), asking big questions about why ambitious, intelligent women have been relegated to domestic roles throughout so much of history.

"Anne of Green Gables" by L.M. Montgomery ($10, originally $17)

A novel long beloved by kids and young adults, "Anne of Green Gables" chronicles the life of an orphan who is sent to live with a brother and sister pair on a quaint Prince Edward Island farm.

"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee ($10, originally $17)

A masterpiece that put race and gender relations under the microscope way ahead of its time, "To Kill a Mockingbird" is one of those novels that is essential to the modern American identity.

"Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson ($24, originally $30)

This book, originally published in 1962, influenced entire generations of climate activists, and led to the banning of DDT and the adoption of new laws affecting our air, land, and water.

"Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott ($10, originally $13)

A classic that's been reimagined on film, "Little Women" is a must-read for lovers of coming-of-age tales.

"The Giver" by Lois Lowry ($10, originally $18)

A beloved dystopian novel, "The Giver" takes place in what initially feels like a utopia, but is slowly revealed to have a dark side.

"Beloved" by Toni Morrison ($20, originally $28)

This one will wreck you, but it will be worth it. Toni Morrison's "Beloved" is a clear-eyed reckoning with slavery and the hell that it rained on Black American women and families — even those who had escaped to freedom in the north. At times surreal, with elements of horror, this is one of the most incredible works of literature from the 20th century.

"The Age of Innocence" by Edith Wharton ($7)

Edith Wharton's "The Age of Innocence" became the first Pulitzer Prize–winning novel written by a woman when it won for fiction in 1921. Set in upper-class New York City in the 1870s, the story is a ravishing portrait of the Golden Age.

"The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck ($19)

Another Pulitzer winner, this novel paints a picture of 1920s China and chronicles the remarkable changes that Chinese society has undergone in the last century.

"Wild" by Cheryl Strayed ($10, originally $19)

Made even more popular by the Reese Whitherspoon film adaptation, "Wild" is the true story of author Cheryl Strayed's journey hiking the Pacific Crest Trail alone while reeling from the death of her mother.

"And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie ($20)

Agatha Christie is one of the most prolific mystery writers of all time, and it's hard to go wrong with any of her heart-pounding tales. This story takes place in a mansion on an isolated island and features lots of mysterious death. Can you guess what happens next?

"I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban" by Malala Yousafzai ($13, originally $30)

The brave Malala Yousafzai's true story of life as a feminist education activist in Pakistan has touched the hearts and minds of millions worldwide.

"Mrs. Dalloway" by Virginia Woolf ($7, originally $10)

Another amazing (and somewhat depressing) meditation on womanhood in the early 20th century, "Mrs. Dalloway" takes place in just a single day in a woman's life as she prepares for a big party. But while she's busy making sure the details are just right, she's overcome by regrets and memories of her past.

"The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson" ($10, originally $25)

An iconic literary figure, Emily Dickinson's collected poetry is a national treasure.

"Middlemarch" by George Eliot ($16, originally $17)

If you're a slower reader, be prepared to sit with this one for several months — it ranges from a whopping 800-944 pages depending on the edition. But the epic tale is Zadie Smith's favorite of all time, so it's worth the effort.

"The Love of a Good Woman" by Alice Munro ($22, originally $24)

Expect lots of passion, desire, longing, and bizarre twists in Alice Munro's "The Love of a Good Woman," a collection of short stories.

"Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston ($18, originally $26)

When it was originally published in 1937, some found the powerful Black woman protagonist of "Their Eyes Were Watching God" to be controversial and offensive. But the love story has since been embraced as one of the best — and most illuminating — of the 20th century.

"My Antonia" by Willa Cather ($11)

The final book of her "prairie trilogy" of novels, "My Antonia" is a celebration of friendship Jim Burden and Ántonia Shimerda, two immigrants in the American Midwest in the late 19th century.

"Jubilee" by Margaret Walker ($14, originally $18)

"Jubilee" takes place in the antebellum South and is the true story of the child of a white plantation owner and his Black mistress.

"Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen ($11, originally $13)

Protagonist Elizabeth Bennet has come to be one of the best-recognized literary figures of all time thanks to Jane Austen's most loved novel "Pride and Prejudice." The movies are fun, but the book is a must-read for any lover of literature.

"The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers ($15, originally $25)

Published when Carson McCullers was only 23, "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" is about an odd young girl named Mick Kelly and the power of loneliness.

"A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle ($15, originally $25)

Imaginative and odd, this science fiction novel is a favorite among readers of all ages and paints a vivid picture of travel through time and dimensions.

"Passing" by Nella Larsen ($7, originally $8)

Another important Black feminist work from the 20th century, "Passing" takes place during the Harlem renaissance in the 1920s, and interrogates what it really means to be "white."

"Bad Feminist" by Roxane Gay ($23, originally $30)

This book of essays was a smash hit when it was published in 2014, and is a comment on modern social and cultural politics that's at times hilarious and always astute.

"A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith ($16, originally $29)

This story takes place in Williamsburg — but not the oat-milk-latte-at-Whole-Foods version of Williamsburg we know today. The semi-autobiographical novel is a celebrated portrait of a time when most of Brooklyn was virtually unrecognizable compared to what it's become today.

"Kindred" by Octavia Butler ($12, originally $17)

Octavia Butler's works knows no bounds, and oscillate seamlessly between time periods and dimensions. "Kindred" is a beloved work of feminist science fiction that tells a story about slavery that's at once modern and deeply rooted in the past.

Emma Glassman-Hughes (she/her) is the associate editor at PS Balance. In her seven years as a reporter, her beats have spanned the lifestyle spectrum; she's covered arts and culture for The Boston Globe, sex and relationships for Cosmopolitan, and food, climate, and farming for Ambrook Research.

Hilary White was an editor at PS focused on lifestyle content.

Haley Lyndes was an assistant editor for PS Shopping where she found and tested the best home, beauty, and fashion products. She is a graduate of Northern Vermont University and has nearly five years of experience in both written and broadcast journalism.