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20 Women to Be Reckoned With

Strong, talented, and unapologetic, these women are making a statement—in their fields and in the world. They aren’t all necessarily household names, the richest, or the most powerful (although some are), but they're all worth getting to know with picks from our new and used books.
1.

Michelle Obama

Former first lady, lawyer, graduate of Princeton and Yale, role model for women, advocate for children's health, and fashion icon....Just when Michelle Obama seemed to have done it all, she rocketed to the top of the book charts in 2018, when her new book Becoming sold 3 million copies in one month. It's already one of the fastest selling political memoirs in history. Michelle Obama is poised to be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.
2.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court since 1993, only the second woman ever appointed to the court. Before joining the court, her legal career included a focus on gender equality and women's rights. At 85 years old, she's been dubbed the "Notorious RBG" for her toughness. She's survived colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, and surgery to remove cancerous nodules in her lungs.
My Own Words Book Cover
My Own Words
from $4.19
Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg Book Cover
Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
from $4.69
3.

Oprah Winfrey

Oprah is an inspiration and a brand maven. TV star, actress, producer, philanthropist. A magazine, a TV network, a book club, a charity. She’s been unofficially cited as the most influential woman in the world and the greatest African American philanthropist in American history.
What I Know For Sure Book Cover
What I Know For Sure
from $4.29
Oprah: A Biography Book Cover
Oprah: A Biography
from $5.19
4.

Malala Yousafzai

As a teenage Pakistani human rights advocate, Malala Yousafzai gained attention for her work as a BBC blogger, including a nomination for the International Children’s Peace Price. A 2012 assassination attempt by the Taliban left her severely injured. She survived to become the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize at age 17 and founded the Malala Fund, an international non-profit organization working to ensure 12 years of free, safe, and quality education for every girl.
5.

Margaret Atwood

Margaret Atwood was a celebrated novelist, poet, literary critic, and environmental activist long before the Hulu adaptation of The Handmaid's Tale brought her into the spotlight again. She's authored 16 novels, 10 non-fiction books, 8 collections of short fictions, 8 children's books, and even a graphic novel, and has won numerous awards.
The Handmaid
The Handmaid's Tale
from $3.99
Oryx and Crake Book Cover
Oryx and Crake
from $4.39
6.

Meghan McCain

Co-host of The View and ABC News analyst Meghan McCain defies labels. As a self-identified Republican, she's socially liberal and a champion of gay rights. She's the author of three books, including a picture book about her father, the late Senator John McCain.
Dirty Sexy Politics Book Cover
Dirty Sexy Politics
from $5.39
My Dad, John McCain Book Cover
My Dad, John McCain
from $4.69
7.

Marie Kondo

The queen of tidying up and organizing, Marie Kondo began her consulting business in Tokyo at the age of 19. She's since become a bestselling author and has been listed as one of TIME's 100 most influential people. In January 2019, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo premiered on Netflix.
8.

Tiffany Haddish

Best known for her comedy and acting career, Tiffany Haddish is also a producer, model, and author. She was the first female stand-up comedian to host Saturday Night Live and volunteers for charities working with the homeless.
The Last Black Unicorn Book Cover
The Last Black Unicorn
from $4.19
9.

Rachel Hollis

Motivational speaker and blogger Rachel Hollis is the author of seven books, including the New York Times bestselling self-help title Girl, Wash Your Face. Prior to becoming an author, she became a social media star after posting a body-positive photo on Instagram showing her stretch marks from pregnancy that garnered more than 10 million views.
10.

Janet Mock

Author of two memoirs, Janet Mock made history as the first trans woman of color to write and direct an episode of a TV show for the episode "Love Is the Message" of the FX series Pose. Prior to her work on Pose, she worked with People.com, HBO, Allure magazine, Entertainment Tonight, Marie Claire, and MSNBC, and was on the 2017 TIME 100 Most Influential People list.
11.

Fran Lebowitz

Fran (Frances) Lebowitz is a famed author, public speaker, and actor who was first published at age 20 in Changes magazine. Since that time, she's been a non-stop presence in popular culture with her sardonic wit and outspoken views. She's the author of two bestselling humor books and one children's book. Fun Fran Fact: Fran Lebowitz reportedly owns more than 10,000 books.
The Fran Lebowitz Reader Book Cover
The Fran Lebowitz Reader
from $7.09
Metropolitan Life Book Cover
Metropolitan Life
from $30.29
12.

Joanna Gaines

Joanna Gaines is the co-owner, co-founder, and designer for Magnolia Homes and was the co-star of the TV series Fixer Upper on HGTV. Joanna does the design and her husband Chip is the contractor in this power couple. They also run Magnolia Homes, a website featuring home decor, apparel, and jewelry.
The Magnolia Story Book Cover
The Magnolia Story
from $4.19
13.

Rita Moreno

Rita Moreno is one of the few artists to have won an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy, and a Tony award—and many more awards. She even received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from George W. Bush in 2004. In 2017, she contributed to "Almost Like Praying," a song created by Lin-Manual Miranda for which all proceeds were donated to disaster relief efforts in Puerto Rico, where Moreno was born.
Rita Moreno: A Memoir Book Cover
Rita Moreno: A Memoir
from $6.19
14.

Beyoncé

“Power is making things happen without asking permission.” With over 100 million records sold, 23 Grammy Awards, multiple appearances on TIME’s Most Influential People and Most Powerful Women lists, fashion lines, and an active philanthropist, Beyonce remains unstoppable.
15.

Chrissy Teigen

Chrissy Teigen began her rise to stardom as a model and has branched out to cooking, writing, launching her own clothing line, and acting. Her 2016 book Cravings: Recipes for All of the Food You Want to Eat was the second-best selling cookbook of the year. Cravings 2 was released in 2018.
Cravings: Recipes for All the Food You Want to Eat Book Cover
Cravings: Recipes for All the Food You Want to Eat
from $5.79
Cravings: Hungry for More Book Cover
Cravings: Hungry for More
from $4.19
16.

Ellen DeGeneres

When Ellen DeGeneres came out as a lesbian (both personally and her TV character at the time) in 1997, she paved the way for future LGBT actors and actresses. She’s since risen to mega-stardom. Currently, her daytime show is in its sixteenth season, she has her own lifestyle brand named simply ED, she’s an active humanitarian, and she is an ardent supporter of animal rights…among other things.
Seriously...I
Seriously...I'm Kidding
from $4.19
Love, Ellen A Mother/Daughter Journey Book Cover
Love, Ellen A Mother/Daughter Journey
from $4.99
17.

Jenny Han

Bestselling Children's and Young Adult author Jenny Han is a former children's bookseller and children's librarian. She wrote her first book, Shug, while in college. A film adaptation of To All the Boys I've Loved Before was released by Netflix in 2018.
The Summer I Turned Pretty Book Cover
The Summer I Turned Pretty
from $4.19
Burn for Burn Book Cover
Burn for Burn
from $4.89
18.

Toni Morrison

In addition to her deeply moving novels about African Americans in the United States, Toni Morrison is the author of children’s books and non-fiction. She has a Pulitzer Prize in Fiction, a Nobel Prize in Literature, a Presidential Medal of Freedom, and just about every other award–even a Grammy (Best Spoken Word Album for Children).
19.

Serena Williams

Serena Williams was ranked #1 women’s singles in tennis eight times between 2002 and 2017 and is considered one of the greatest female players of all time. She’s also a writer and actress, has her own clothing line, and is active with numerous charities, including the Serena Williams Foundation, which builds schools in Kenya and provides college scholarships to students in the U.S.
On the Line Book Cover
On the Line
from $5.59
20.

Rose McGowan

Rose McGowan was born into a cult in Italy in 1973, subject to abuse, and became a teen runaway in the US. Despite these challenges, she went on to become an award-winning actress. In 2017, she came forward with allegations of sexual assault and has been an advocate and voice for abuse victims. Her autobiography Brave tells the story of her childhood and experiences in Hollywood.
Brave Book Cover
Brave
from $5.09
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