Laura Bates shares her favourite feminist books

The writer and founder of the Everyday Sexism Project chooses her favourite feminist books. She will speak about her new book, "The New Age of Sexism", at the Hay Festival on 26 May.

Noughts and Crosses

Malorie Blackman, 2001

A love story set against the backdrop of a racially segregated world, with light-skinned "noughts" systemically oppressed by the ruling, dark-skinned "crosses". Stirring and inspiring, it remains one of the most powerful examples of how children's literature can convey the devastating impact of prejudice and inequality.

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Asking For It

Louise O’Neill, 2015

A fictional but all-too-familiar story about the aftermath of the rape of a young woman in a small town. This searing YA novel explores themes of complicity, victim-blaming and the devastating legacy of sexual violence, and portrays how both the media and our communities can play a role in the miscarriage of justice.

Circe

Madeline Miller, 2018

A brilliant retelling of Greek mythology through a feminist lens. Not just a delicious novel, but also a comforting reminder that it is never too late to correct the erasure of women from the narrative.

My Life on the Road

Gloria Steinem, 2015

This memoir from the legendary campaigner is a vital primer for any feminist activist. Steinem powerfully conveys the importance of collective voice, intersectionality and solidarity in the quest for a better world.

It’s Not About the Burqa

Edited by Mariam Khan, 2019

A moving, eye-opening and often hilarious collection of essays by Muslim women, covering everything from misogyny to Islamophobia.

Nesting

Roisín O’Donnell, 2025

Fleeing with her children from the coercive control of her abusive husband, Ciara must navigate an inhumane and broken housing system. This debut novel reads like a thriller, but for thousands of women the story it spotlights is all too real.

Titles in print are available from The Week Bookshop