• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

College Magazine

College Life, Dating, Career & Campus Advice

  • Colleges
    • College Guides
    • College Rankings
    • Campus Life
      • Academics
      • Dating
      • Freshman Year
      • Health
      • Social Change
      • Party
  • Majors
    • All Majors
    • Most Popular Majors
    • Choosing a Major
  • Intern
    • Internship Directory
    • How to Get an Internship
    • How to Write a Resume
    • How to Write a Cover Letter
    • How to Interview
    • How to Network
    • Career 101
    • Find Your Passion Career
  • Money
    • How to Make Money
    • How to Save Money
    • How to Get a Job
    • Credit Cards 101
    • FAFSA
    • Ramen Project
  • Travel
    • Study Abroad
    • College Spring Break
    • How to Travel Cheap
    • Things to Do
  • Shop
    • Writer Course
    • College Magazine Shop
    • Gift Guides
    • College Packing List
  • Find your college or university
  • Colleges
    • College Guides
    • College Rankings
    • Campus Life
      • Academics
      • Dating
      • Freshman Year
      • Health
      • Social Change
      • Party
  • Majors
    • All Majors
    • Most Popular Majors
    • Choosing a Major
  • Intern
    • Internship Directory
    • How to Get an Internship
    • How to Write a Resume
    • How to Write a Cover Letter
    • How to Interview
    • How to Network
    • Career 101
    • Find Your Passion Career
  • Money
    • How to Make Money
    • How to Save Money
    • How to Get a Job
    • Credit Cards 101
    • FAFSA
    • Ramen Project
  • Travel
    • Study Abroad
    • College Spring Break
    • How to Travel Cheap
    • Things to Do
  • Shop
    • Writer Course
    • College Magazine Shop
    • Gift Guides
    • College Packing List
  • Find your college or university
  • About Us
  • Team
  • Write
  • Apply
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sign Up
  • Advertise
  • My Account
  • Cart

You are here: Home / Life / Gifts / Top 10 Books for Your Fave Nasty Woman

Top 10 Books for Your Fave Nasty Woman

December 22, 2016 //  by Kelly Livingston

Shares89FacebookTweet

Let’s all just admit it: 2016 has been a relentless hellscape of a year. Arguably, this goes doubly for all of the ladies out there, particularly the fiery feminist ladies. Being one myself, I turned to books this year to escape some of the trauma of the election, world news and the general level of hatred that seems to be filling the air around women right now. Perhaps their words can lead us through the dark days sure to come next year (specifically after January 20).

1. Men Explain Things to Me, Rebecca Solnit

We all have them: mansplainers. For those who don’t know, the term mansplainer was inspired by Rebecca Solnit’s essay Men Explain Things to Me. Here she delves into what happens when a man assumes that he knows more than a woman in any field, regardless of her level of expertise. Any self-identified Nasty Woman has surely been in these shoes, and she’ll surely enjoy the origin story of one of our favorite types of men (*eye roll*).

2. Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman, Lindy West

Maybe you like your feminism a little less academic. Lindy West perfects the balance between cultural criticism and gut-busting humor in Shrill. Get your girl a book that’ll make her laugh, cry and tell this queen to preach as she shares some of the most telling experiences in her life as a “loud” woman.

3. You Don’t Have to Like Me: Essays on Growing Up, Speaking Out, and Finding Feminism, Alida Nugent

Alida Nugent writes with a fearlessness to which any Nasty Woman would aspire. Her pull-no-punches approach towards all things women’s issues makes her both hilarious and one of the realest writers you’ll ever read. Every page will have your fave feminist nodding in agreement or laughing out loud as Nugent runs through every topic from lackluster sex ed to eating disorders to unnecessarily sexy yogurt ads.

4. Sex Object, Jessica Valenti

Rape culture is real. Every Nasty Woman knows this to be true. In her first memoir, feminist author Jessica Valenti talks through her experiences and thoughts on rape culture in a simultaneously relatable and horrifyingly truthful way. Among other things Valenti asks, “Who would I be if I lived in a world that didn’t hate women?” If this question can’t create a feminist rally cry then nothing will.

5. Girls to the Front: The True Story of the RIOT GRRL Revolution, Sara Marcus

Does she love angry girl music of the indie rock persuasion? Any woman this describes would love this history of Riot Grrl movement, an era defined by punk rock music fueled by feminist ideals. Take your feminism with a dose of 90s history thrown in and sink down into this blast from the past.

6. My Life on the Road, Gloria Steinem

What list of feminist reads would be complete without Queen G? Gloria Steinem has been a staple of the feminist movement since the 60s which basically makes her required reading. Her latest memoir chronicles her personal travels as a feminist and political organizer. She also gives a unique perspective on moments we’ve only read about in history books.

7. We Should All Be Feminists, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

The text of a TED Talk sampled by Beyoncé, it’s unlikely there’s a single feminist who hasn’t heard of this little gem. Adichie breaks down the reasons for feminism in such a way that they become irrefutable, common sense approaches to an otherwise frustrating world. Basically she has given us all a master class on how to take a deep breath and explain your beliefs in a way that would make sense to even the most ridiculous of misogynists.

8. We Were Feminists Once: From Riot Grrl to Covergirl, the Buying and Selling of a Political Movement, Andi Zeisler

From one of the co-founders of Bitch Magazine comes this indictment of modern culture as it relates to feminism. With the f-word becoming an ever-more-popular media trend, we must now start to ask ourselves: what does it mean to be a feminist now? How has the movement changed? Andie Zeisler uses her 20 years as a feminist writer and cultural critic to answer these increasingly important questions.

9. The Purity Myth: How America’s Obsession with Virginity is Hurting Young Women , Jessica Valenti

I know, I know, Jessica Valenti was already on this list once. Just hear me out. Her perspective on the way we value women’s sexuality in America is a must-read for anyone with or without a feminist ideology. The Purity Myth can be used as a tool to help any woman own her choices, her body and her sexuality which is as feminist as it gets.

10. Bad Feminist, Roxane Gay

There is no one right or wrong way to be a feminist. It took a long time for me to learn this, but it is one of the essential lessons en route to a full feminist realization. Any woman who needs help owning her choices and her complications will appreciate Roxane Gay’s approach, which is based around owning her “bad feminism” and owning herself.

Shares89FacebookTweet

Filed Under: Gifts Shop

About Kelly Livingston

Kelly is a senior at the University of Florida majoring in English and Anthropology. She is highly prone to feminist rants and has an unhealthy obsession with books.

You May Also Like

14 Gifts to Give Yourself If You’re Single on Valentine’s Day

14 Best Valentine’s Day Gifts to Give Your SO This Year

xmas cookies

10 Best Kids Gifts to Be The Favorite Older Cousin

gifts for music lovers

Top 10 Gifts for Music Lovers 2020

10 Thoughtful Gifts to Improve Your Communication Skills

diy gifts for parents

10 DIY Gifts for Your Parents If You’re Broke AF

ice cream

A Baskin of Sweet Treats: 10 Ice Cream Inspired Gift Ideas

UF Merch

10 Gifts for Florida Gators That They Actually Want

Top 10 DIY Gifts for Your BFF

Christmas

10 Gifts For Parents That They Want But Haven’t Asked For

friend group dressed up as Big Hero Six characters

Animation Nerds Unite: 10 Gifts for Animation Lovers

gifts for your girl squad

10 Gifts Your Girl Squad Can’t Live Without

a wrapped christmas gift for your boyfriend gifts for college guys

10 Gifts Your Boyfriend Actually Wants

friends film still

21 Gifts for Your Roommates—Whether You Like Them or Not

10 Virtual Gifts for Your BFF that Will Make Them Love You Forever

10 DIY Gifts Your Boyfriend Will Actually Appreciate

new years eve movie

10 White Elephant Gifts for Only $10

Real News: 10 Gifts for the Future Journalist in Your Life

Productivity Gift

25 Productivity Gifts That Make Life Just a Little Bit Easier

10 Tech Gifts to Make Zoom University That Much Easier

It Feels Like the Perfect Gift: 22 Taylor Swift Gifts for the Craziest Swifties

Top 10 Personalized Gifts to Send via Mail in 2020

10 Gifts to Show Some Warmth to Your Lonely Friend

Gifts for St. John’s University Students

The 10 Best Gifts for St. John’s University Students This Holiday

Previous Post: « 28 Awesome College Gifts on College Magazine’s Wishlist
Next Post: Top 10 Last-Minute Amazon Prime Gifts for Your BFF gifts for your best friend»

Primary Sidebar



Trending Posts

102

10 St. John’s University Finals Activities to Help You De-Stress

mental health
95

Pandemic and Academic Blues: Being Aware of Your Mental Health

36

Top 10 Colleges With the Most Fashionable Students

23

A Gator’s Bucket-List: 21 Things to Do Before Graduating From UF

Broadway
20

10 Musical Soundtracks to Make Study Sessions That Much Easier

Featured Chapter: St. John’s University

Footer

logo

College Magazine is the national daily guide to campus life. Our articles for college students feature university rankings of U.S. colleges, college guides, academic advice, college prep, career advice, student health and collegiate dating tips.

Written by students for students, by a team of journalists from universities nationwide, we’re on the pulse of the college experience.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Colleges

  • College Guides
  • College Rankings
  • Campus life
  • Academics
  • Dating
  • Freshmen Year
  • Health
  • Party

Majors

  • All College Majors
  • Most Popular Majors
  • Choosing a Major

Intern

  • Internships Directory
  • How to Write a Resume
  • How to Write a Cover Letter
  • How to Interview
  • How to Get an Internship
  • How to Network

Money

  • How to Make Money
  • How to Save Money
  • How to Get a Job
  • Credit Cards 101
  • College Loans

Travel

  • Study Abroad
  • College Spring Break
  • How to Travel Cheap
  • Things to Do

Shop

  • College Packing List
  • Gift Guides
  • About Us
  • Team
  • Write
  • Apply
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sign Up
  • Advertise
  • My Account
  • Cart

Copyright © 2021 College Magazine · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc.