Books to Buy the Feminist in Your Life

How does one celebrate a feminist Christmas? We don’t have the answer to that question, because we’re not exactly sure what we’ve asked. You can however give enlightened loved ones a fabulously feminist book. Or you can seek to convert the passive bystanders in your midst to some shouldn’t-be-radical politics.

Yes Please by Amy Poehler
Whenever we felt overwhelmed this year, we found duvet evening salvation in a marathon viewing of Parks and Recreation. The Amy Poehler starring-sitcom never fails to put a goofy smile on our faces ahd her first book is the same. This is one for gals who genuinely believe they have a chance at being Amy’s real life Ann.

Buy?Yes Please

Americanah and We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

This really has been Adichie’s year. First, every bookclub everywhere read her novel Americanah and was psuhing a copy and anyone standing still long enough. The story of a young woman returning to Nigeria after studying in the states and meeting up with her teenage love was a treat

Then, her guest appearance on Beyonc?’s eponynous album saw her become something of an internet star. Queen Bey sampled a TED talk of Adichie’s, wherein she spoke about why feminism should be constantly on the agenda. We Should All Be Feminists is a short book featuring the speech in its portable entirety.

Buy?We Should All Be Feminists and?Americanah

Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
You really can’t not throw this collection of essays from internet writing star Roxane Gay under the tree. This is an ideal gift for your friend who has a set of eye roll gifs saved in a folder on her desktop for when the men’s rights activists find her on Twitter.

Buy?Bad Feminist

Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She’s Learned by Lena Dunham
The headlines surrounding Dunham’s debut book have been heated to say the least. First there was the massive advance that was nails on a blackboard to the haters, and then a paragraph in the book where the Girls writer and director describes her seven-year-old self examining her younger sister’s vagina found the book at the centre of a media storm that still has not settled.
However, Not That Kind of Girl is still a book worth reading. It’s got a voice that some people say owes a debt to the late and great Nora Ephron, and Dunham’s writing is just a self-deprecating and intelligent, there is a sheer nakedness here that is slightly terrifying in its familiarity.

Buy?Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She’s Learned

Follow Jeanne Sutton on Twitter @jeannedesutun