In celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, let’s honor the inspiring women who shaped world history. From queens and activists to witches and scientists, women have been kicking ass and taking names since antiquity. To highlight their lasting impact, I’ve curated the following reading list that explores their dynamic lives and groundbreaking achievements.
Women in World History
Women have been shaping the course of history since day one. They were worshipped as deities in the ancient world. They became rulers of kingdoms and empires. Some women took up the pen as writers and the scalpel as doctors. They became activists, environmentalists, and spies. Others used their sensual powers as courtesans to influence politics and culture.
Throughout world history, women have always been integral to society. They were wives, mothers, and grandmothers. Oftentimes, however, society persecuted them during times of unrest and executed them as witches. Many were marginalized women, like the victims of Jack the Ripper. It’s a damn shame that everyone knows that murderous bastard’s moniker but not the names of the women he killed. No longer. These selections tell their stories and those of the women traditional history has long forgotten.
The Missing Thread: A Women’s History of the Ancient World by Daisy Dunn Buy Now
$26.29
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08/24/2026 11:35 pm GMT
When Women Ruled the World: Six Queens of Egypt by Kara Cooney Buy Now
$13.10
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08/24/2026 11:35 pm GMT
When God Was a Woman by Merlin Stone Buy Now
$11.38
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08/24/2026 11:36 pm GMT
Femina: A New History of the Middle Ages, Through the Women Written Out of It by Janina Ramirez Buy Now
$20.29
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08/24/2026 11:35 pm GMT
The Once and Future Sex: Going Medieval on Women’s Roles in Society by Eleanor Janega Buy Now
$16.81
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08/25/2026 01:07 am GMT
Queens of the Conquest: England’s Medieval Queens Book One by Alison Weir Buy Now
$17.99
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08/24/2026 09:29 pm GMT
Servants of the Dynasty: Palace Women in World History edited by Anne Walthall Buy Now
$34.95
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08/24/2026 11:35 pm GMT
Queens of Jerusalem: The Women Who Dared to Rule by Katherine Pangonis Buy Now
$18.99
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08/24/2026 11:35 pm GMT
The Secret History of the Mongol Queens: How the Daughters of Genghis Khan Rescued His Empire by Jack Weatherford Buy Now
$13.45
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08/24/2026 11:35 pm GMT
Women in World History: 1450 to the Present by Bonnie G. Smith Buy Now
$30.85
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08/24/2026 11:36 pm GMT
The Dark Queens: The Bloody Rivalry That Forged the Medieval World by Shelley Puhak Buy Now
$23.87
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08/24/2026 11:36 pm GMT
The Book of the Courtesans: A Catalogue of Their Virtues by Susan Griffin Buy Now
$20.98
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08/24/2026 11:36 pm GMT
When Women Ruled the World: Making the Renaissance in Europe by Maureen Quilligan Buy Now
$19.99
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08/24/2026 11:36 pm GMT
Game of Queens: The Women Who Made Sixteenth-Century Europe by Sarah Gristwood Buy Now
$15.26
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08/24/2026 11:36 pm GMT
She-Wolves: The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth by Helen Castor Buy Now
$20.99
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08/24/2026 11:36 pm GMT
Witches, Midwives, and Nurses: A History of Women Healers by Barbara Ehrenreich and Deidre English Buy Now
$9.59
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08/25/2026 01:07 am GMT
In Defense of Witches: The Legacy of the Witch Hunts and Why Women Are Still on Trial by Mona Chollet Buy Now
$29.23
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08/24/2026 11:36 pm GMT
The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold Buy Now
$6.99
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08/24/2026 11:36 pm GMT
Daughters of the Samurai: A Journey from East to West and Back by Janice P. Nimura Buy Now
$17.95
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08/24/2026 11:36 pm GMT
Three Ordinary Girls: The Remarkable Story of Three Dutch Teenagers Who Became Spies, Saboteurs, Nazi Assassins and WWII Heroes by Tim Brady Buy Now
$3.99
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08/24/2026 11:36 pm GMT
Women in White Coats: How the First Women Doctors Changed the World of Medicine by Olivia Campbell Buy Now
$9.00
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08/25/2026 01:15 am GMT
Visionary Women: How Rachel Carson, Jane Jacobs, Jane Goodall, and Alice Waters Changed Our World by Andrea Barnet Buy Now
$15.50
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08/24/2026 11:36 pm GMT
A Short History of Queer Women by Kirsty Loehr Buy Now
$11.68
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Bookish Broads: Women Who Wrote Themselves into History by Lauren Marino and Alexandra Kilburn Buy Now
$8.53
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08/24/2026 11:36 pm GMT
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Biographies and Memoirs
The following biographies and memoirs delve into the lives of pharaohs, queens, empresses, revolutionaries, and activists. Their stories teach us that women are badass bitches who can lead, command armies, innovate, and change the world.
The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut’s Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt by Kara Cooney Buy Now
$32.76
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08/24/2026 11:35 pm GMT
Nefertiti: Unlocking the Mystery Surrounding Egypt’s Most Famous and Beautiful Queen by Joyce Tyldesley Buy Now
$21.53
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08/24/2026 11:35 pm GMT
Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff Buy Now
$9.59
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Empress: The Astonishing Reign of Nur Jahan by Ruby Lal Buy Now
$22.57
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08/24/2026 11:36 pm GMT
Joan of Arc: A History by Helen Castor Buy Now
$13.49
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08/24/2026 11:35 pm GMT
The Life of Elizabeth I by Alison Weir Buy Now
$12.03
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Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France by Leonie Frieda Buy Now
$12.28
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Marie Antoinette: The Journey by Antonia Fraser Buy Now
$12.51
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08/25/2026 01:27 am GMT
Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera Buy Now
$21.59
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08/24/2026 11:36 pm GMT
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank Buy Now
$6.99
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The Elements of Marie Curie: How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science by Dava Sobel Buy Now
$13.97
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08/24/2026 09:29 pm GMT
Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang Buy Now
$11.86
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08/24/2026 11:36 pm GMT
I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World by Malala Yousafzai with Patricia McCormick Buy Now
$9.99
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08/24/2026 11:36 pm GMT
Unbowed: A Memoir by Wangari Maathai Buy Now
$10.75
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08/24/2026 11:36 pm GMT
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To learn about women in American history, see The Best Books About American Women’s History.
For more history book lists, click here.
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