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Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

As the most famous work by Angelou, it’s worth referring readers of her poetry to her first and—by many accounts—best work. This reference is also valuable, since it’s in Caged Bird that Angelou discusses the circumstances that fostered her love for poetry.

Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex

Simone de Beauvoir’s book was a landmark text for the feminist movement. Originally published in France in 1949, The Second Sex predated the launch of second-wave feminism by a little more than a decade. Even so, it became a major touchstone for the feminist movement throughout much of the second half of the twentieth century.

Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar

Sylvia Plath’s novel from 1963 is a landmark work of feminist literature. Whereas “Phenomenal Woman” depicts a strong speaker who confidently defies the expectations of her society, The Bell Jar dramatizes the darker side of how societal expectations negatively affect women. Plath’s novel chronicles the downward spiral in the mental health of its young protagonist, Esther Greenwood.

Alice Walker, The Color Purple

Alice Walker is well known for her advocacy in the field of Black feminism, particularly through her concept of “womanism.” Though The Color Purple doesn’t explicitly discuss womanism, it does concern the interconnected lives of a group of Black women and their struggles, particularly against ill treatment by Black men.

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