"Work: A Story of Experience" by Louisa May Alcott immerses readers in the compelling narrative of Christie Devon, a young woman navigating the post-Civil War landscape in pursuit of independence and purpose. Set against the backdrop of the societal constraints of the era, this semi-autobiographical novel chronicles Christie's multifaceted journey through various jobs, each offering a glimpse into the challenges and triumphs of a woman seeking self-reliance. Alcott's...

"The supreme religious test of our social order is the hideous commerce of prostitution."-Jane AddamsIn this profound and influential work, Addams confronts the societal scourge of prostitution with unwavering clarity and compassion. Drawing from her extensive experience as a social reformer and the founder of Hull House, a pioneering settlement in Chicago, Addams delves deep into the root causes of prostitution, dissecting its implications for society...

"From SoulCycle to Scientology, we're all obsessed with cults. Linguist Amanda Montell examines the language cults use to draw us in"-- In which the author argues that the key to manufacturing intense ideology, community, and an "us/them" attitude all comes down to language. She explains the linguistic elements that make a wide spectrum of communities cultish, revealing not only how cult language affects followers, but also how it pervades modern...

Rebecca Solnit's essay 'Men Explain Things to Me' has become a touchstone of the feminist movement, inspired the term 'mansplaining', and established Solnit as one of the leading feminist thinkers of our time - one who has inspired everyone from radical activists to Beyonce Knowles. Collected here in print for the first time is the essay itself, along with the best of Solnit's feminist writings. From rape culture to mansplaining, from French sex scandals...

The Subjection of Women by John Mill was first published in 1869, written in 1861 about women's rights. The ideas from this essay John developed jointly with his wife Harriet Taylor Mill. John Mill was an influential liberal thinker of the 19th century, and English philosopher, and a civil servant and Member of the Parliament. John shows us how institutions are vital to the happiness of society and to the individual and as these institutions are...

Presents Mary Wollstonecraft's eighteenth-century text in which she argues for the emancipation of women and discusses modesty, morality, a woman's duty to her parents, and other related topics.

The Story of an African Farm (1883) is a novel by South African political activist and writer Olive Schreiner. Her first published novel, The Story of an African Farm was a bestseller upon its release despite being criticized for its portrayal of controversial social, religious, and political themes. Part Bildungsroman, part philosophical fiction, the novel is recognized as a groundbreaking work for its exploration of feminism, atheism, and the influence...

"Humans are a varied and divergent bunch with all manner of beliefs, morals, and bodies. Systems of oppression thrive off our inability to make peace with difference and injure the relationship we have with our own bodies. [This book] offers radical self-love as the balm to heal the wounds inflicted by these violent systems. World-renowned activist and poet Sonya Renee Taylor invites us to reconnect with the radical origins of our minds and bodies...