Warning: This list of inspirational books for women may be never-ending.
Just kidding.
But really, there are so many amazing nonfiction books written by women, and the best ones are still yet to come…
Each year women write powerful stories, and turn them into books. And with the rise of self-publishing, more women of color and marginalized groups have access to publishing and sharing their stories with the mass.
It’s amazing, and exciting to think of all the emerging women writers today.
But for the purpose of this article, I’ll keep it relatively short, and will continue updating this list as perennial sellers by women continue to move and shake the world.
Here are the best inspirational books for women:
- The Moment of Lift
- Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
- Year of Yes
- Tiny Beautiful Things
- Warrior Goddess Training
- We Should All Be Feminists
- All the Women in My Family Sing
- I Am Malala
- Big Magic
What are inspirational books for women, exactly?
Inspirational books for women are books that portray stories, content, or topics that inspire others, mainly women of all different lifestyles and backgrounds.
The inspirational books for women in this article were all written by women, which makes them that much more relevant and insightful. Who better to inspire women than women writers?
Related: Benefits of Journaling
Inspirational books for women: fiction or nonfiction?
For the purposes of this article, we are focusing on nonfiction, but fiction books have their power as well.
I love all things fiction, so I’ll be sharing the best inspirational books for women that fall under the fiction category in another post.
Related: Strong Women Quotes To Inspire
Why read inspirational books for women?
Everyone should read inspirational books for women, not only if you’re a woman yourself, but if you are raising little women, have women that you love in your life, etc.
Everyone should read more books by women, especially those who want to develop a more deeper understanding of humanity in itself – particularly those that see the world as women do.
9 Inspirational Books for Women
Here’s our list of top books we recommend to anyone looking for inspiration.
Keeping this list to nine was difficult, but necessary! As we come across new books that we think should end up on this list, we’ll continue updating the article.
If there’s a book you think should be on here that isn’t – let us know in the comments and we’ll check it out!
Happy reading!
1 – The Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates
What makes it inspiring: Melinda Gates writes this book on the premise that the greatest opportunity for lifting a society up is to lift the women up. In this book, Gates shares inspiring lessons from people she’s met all around the world, through her work and travel. This is added to the inspirational books for women list because it incorporates the most pressing issues that women around the world face. Paired with supportive data, Gates sheds light on things like child marriage and lack of access to contraceptives.
Who should read it: Women who are interested in lifting humanity up, both in a large and small scale. It’s also a powerful book to read for any
Quote worthiness: “If you want to lift up humanity, empower women. It is the most comprehensive, pervasive, high-leverage investment you can make in human beings.”
Goodreads rating: 4.3
2 – Grit by Angela Duckworth
What makes it inspiring: Set out to unravel what fuels success, Angela Duckworth presents insights and research to challenge the idea that success relies on talent. The book explains the notion that the recipe to success is actually a unique blend of passion and perseverance. It’s not a stuffy book full of data; Duckworth gives us real-life examples and insights from successful people in various industries.
Who should read it: Ambitious women, particularly those in education or business who want to understand what drives success to transform not only their lives, but the lives of those they lead or guide.
Quote worthiness: “I won’t just have a job; I’ll have a calling. I’ll challenge myself every day. When I get knocked down, I’ll get back up. I may not be the smartest person in the room, but I’ll strive to be the grittiest.”
Goodreads rating: 4.1
3 – Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
What makes it inspiring: Shonda Rhimes, self-proclaimed introvert and uber talented creator and producer of shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and How to Get Away With Murder, delivers an intimate, hilarious narrative on how, and why, she decided to say yes to things she previously said no to. Ultimately, this book is about the benefits of saying yes, and being open to the scary, uncomfortable things in life.
Who should read it: Women that have fallen into complacency, or those that need inspiration to step out of their comfort zone and embrace their fear. An inspirational book for women, this hilariously touching rendition from Rhimes is definitely a good read.
Quote worthiness: “I think a lot of people dream. And while they are busy dreaming, the really happy people, the really successful people, the really interesting, powerful, engaged people? Are busy doing.”
Goodreads rating: 4.6
4 – Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
What makes it inspiring: This book is a collection of columns written anonymously by Cheryl Strayed, famously known now for her book, Wild. Prior to being a bestselling memoirist, Strayed was an advice columnist. But don’t let the idea of reading an advice column turn you off to this – it’s an insightful look at all the crazy things we experience on this rollercoaster of life. From the highs – like landing a dream job or meeting your soulmate – to the lows – like death and being cheating on – this book delivers a funny, deep, and compassionate view that’s completely honest, and touchingly relatable.
Who should read it: Anyone who is looking for stories to relate to, or needs to widen their perspective on the experiences of other people.
Quote worthiness: “Don’t surrender all your joy for an idea you used to have about yourself that isn’t true anymore.”
Goodreads rating: 4.3
5 – Warrior Goddess Training by HeatherAsh Amara
What makes it inspiring: Author HeatherAsh Amara is on a mission to help today’s overwhelmed women tap into their inner power. A book that mixes spiritual wisdom with personal stories and actionable exercises, it aims to inspire women to shed their layers of expectation and criticism in order to embrace their authentic selves.
Who should read it: Women who are open to a bit of woo woo, that struggle to harness their power, passion, and life purpose.
Quote worthiness: “When we bring our attention back to discovering who we are on the inside—not who we wish we were or who we think we should be—we begin a sacred path of transformation toward our innate, authentic, embodied power. This is the path of the Warrior Goddess.”
Goodreads rating: 4.10
6 – We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi
What makes it inspiring: Author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie takes a deep look at what “feminism” means for the 21st century. In this 52-page book, Adichie provides eloquent insight on what it means to be a woman today, and how women are still marginalized and discriminated against all around the world.
Who should read it: Any woman who shies away from the word “feminist” or anyone who is looking for a redefined feminist idea adapted for today.
Quote worthiness: ““Some people ask: “Why the word feminist? Why not just say you are a believer in human rights, or something like that?” Because that would be dishonest. Feminism is, of course, part of human rights in general—but to choose to use the vague expression human rights is to deny the specific and particular problem of gender. It would be a way of pretending that it was not women who have, for centuries, been excluded. It would be a way of denying that the problem of gender targets women.”
Goodreads rating: 4.45
7 – All the Women in My Family Sing
What makes it inspiring: Written and produced entirely by women of color, this anthology is empowering underrepresented voices. It may not be known as well as many of the other bestsellers we named, but it lives up to being one of the most inspirational books for women. It’s a beautiful collection of short essays written by 69 women authors, shedding light on topics of immigration, identity, romance, and self-worth.
Who should read it: Women of all walks and life – those who seek to feel close to others just like them, and those who seek to understand and connect with those that are different from them.
Quote worthiness: Since this is a collection of short stories, essays, and poems by 69 different authors, we can’t keep it to just one quote from one author!
Goodreads rating: 4.34
8 – I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
What makes it inspiring: Malala Yousafzai, known as the young woman who was shot in the head by the Taliban on her school bus ride home, writes about her compelling experiences. Not only did she fight for her own education and that of other young women, but her life was threatened and she was forced to say goodbye to life as she knew it. This book makes the list of inspirational books for women because it’s Yousafzai’s brave tale of being uprooted by terrorism, her continued fight for girls’ education, and her experiences living in a patriarchal society.
Who should read it: Any woman – young or old – who needs to get inspired, and an acknowledgement of the reality many girls and women face around the world.
Quote worthiness: “We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.”
Goodreads rating: 4.11
9 – Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
What makes it inspiring: Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Pray Love, shares her unique outlook on life and creativity, by giving readers insight into her process and experiences. This book dives into the nature of inspiration’s driving factors, and challenges readers to embrace their curiosity to live a life they love – a life that fuels their passion and puts the fire out of their fears. Gilbert teaches us to tap into the unique creativity and innovation that every individual possesses.
Who should read it: Any creative heart that wants to pursue their passion while conquering fear, and/or those who are looking to tap into their passion to live a life of purpose and mindfulness.
Quote worthiness: “The universe buries strange jewels deep within us all, and then stands back to see if we can find them.”
Goodreads rating: 3.92
You’ve likely heard of most of the titles on this list of inspirational books for women, since the majority of these books have appeared on some bestseller list at one point or another.
We’ve tried to add perennial books to this book – that is, those that stand the test of time.
So, if you’re in need of some inspiration and want to read books written for women, by women, then it’s time to snag these inspiring books for women to your TBR pile.
