Books

10 Essential Books About Writing

An illustration shows a person with brown skin and brown hair with a pencil in their mouth, bookshelves with blue, purple, yellow, and pink book covers behind them, and a laptop in front of them.
by Nylah Burton
April 6, 2022 at 12:07pm
Must-read titles for writers include works by Elena Ferrante, Akwaeke Emezi, Meg Wolitzer, Yoko Ogawa, and more.
Chandler Baker, a white woman with long blond hair, smiles at the camera.

Worthy Secrets: Stepford-esque Men Create True Horror in “The Husbands”

by Addissyn House
August 3, 2021 at 12:48pm
Chandler Baker’s second adult novel takes a look at what equality really means. Read more »
a colorful illustration shows Black people laying across a pile of books

BitchReads: 13 Books Feminists Should Read in August

by Evette Dionne
August 2, 2021 at 2:55pm
The books just keep on coming. Read more »
Alison Bechdel, a thin, white person with short brown hair and glasses, is wearing a black turtleneck and looking somberly at the camera

The Costly Quest for Superhuman Strength

by Naureen Khan
July 30, 2021 at 3:58pm
Our culture—our time, our work, and of course, our bodies—is more consumed by optimization than ever. Read more »
Elizabeth Gilpin is a white woman with long, blond hair and she's wearing a colorful sweater and staring at the camera

“Stolen” Reclaims the Narrative of the Troubled Teen

by Dara Mathis
July 26, 2021 at 3:56pm
A survivor challenges institutional child abuse masquerading as therapy. Read more »
a collage of two books: The Upstairs House by Julia Fine and Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder

Mother Monsters: Two New Books Get Raw about Mothering as a “Natural” Role

by Scarlett Harris
July 20, 2021 at 12:42pm
“Maybe this was what happened to all moms and no one had told her.” Read more »
Leah Johnson, a Black woman with long black hair and a black shirt, smiles brightly at the camera

“Rise to the Sun” Torches the Illusion of Perfection

by Arriel Vinson
July 9, 2021 at 12:30pm
What does it mean to love people, even when we know we could lose them? Read more »
Collage of vintage Baby-Sitters Club book covers

You Can Sit With Us: Reflecting on the Legacy of the “Baby-Sitters Club”

by Elizabeth Hall
July 1, 2021 at 10:00am
Why do we love what we do? How has our love failed us? Read more »
Elissa Washuta, a light-skinned Native American woman with long, brown hair, poses in front of a pink wall

White Magic: The Spellbinding Writing Power of Elissa Washuta

by Yasmine Ameli
June 29, 2021 at 11:45am
Elissa Washuta demonstrates the inherent power of storytelling. Read more »
Casey McQuiston, a white woman with short brown hair and clear plastic glasses, is shot in sharp view outside

Time After Time: Queer History Comes Alive in “One Last Stop”

by Ilana Masad
June 25, 2021 at 2:23pm
Queer history is many times, many places, many persons. Read more »
Photo of author Amanda Montell, with shoulder length blonde hair, standing in front of a red background in a white top.

Capitalism Is a Cult, and You’re Already a Lifetime Member

by Grace Ebert
June 15, 2021 at 12:27pm
Similar to the language of scams and gaslighting, cultish language purposely obscures and confuses both followers and nonbelievers. Read more »

Pages

Best of Bitch

Black Girls Hunger for Heroes, Too: A Black Feminist Conversation on Fantasy Fiction for Teens

by Zetta Elliott
December 17, 2013 at 3:19pm
What happens when two great black women fiction writers get together to talk about race in young adult literature? That's exactly what happens... Read more »

Mock & Awe: Janet Mock on Truth-Telling, Community Building, and Writing the Story She Had Been Waiting for Her Whole Life

Janet Mock, a transgender Hawaiian woman with curly, brown hair, smiles
by Tina Vasquez
Spring 2014 • Maps & Legends
“Redefining Realness” is written with astounding honesty and heart. Read more »

Eat, Pray, Spend: Priv-Lit and the New, Enlightened American Dream

Elizabeth Gilbert, a white woman wearing a navy blue jumpsuit, leans forward and holds hand with and Oprah Winfrey, a Black woman wearing a gray cardigan and jeans
by Joshunda Sanders
Summer 2010 • Action
Even as reports on joblessness, economic recovery, and home foreclosures suggest that no one is immune to risk during this recession, the popularity of women’s wellness media has persisted and, indeed, grown stronger.  Read more »

Rewriting the Future: Using Science Fiction to Re-Envision Justice

by Walidah Imarisha
Spring 2015 • Law & Order
Our justice movements desperately need science fiction. Read more »