The Ultimate Smart Girl Top 127 Books You Must Read
If you really knew me you would know - I am a nerd. I feel like there is so much knowledge in the world and I want as much as I can!! How to get it? Books!
If you really knew me you would know - I am a nerd. I feel like there is so much knowledge in the world and I want as much as I can!! How to get it? Books!
The way I like to read is that I am constantly buying books on subjects I am curious about whether I read them immediately or not. I know a lot of people self flagellate over not reading every book they buy, but in my opinion, this is silly. You’re building your own personal library! A reflection of who you are via what you are interested in. I also have no qualms about quitting a book that isn’t engaging me. I used to read everything cover to cover but life’s too short!
It happens frequently that when I want to learn about a topic, I already have a book on my shelf, previously unloved, that does just the job. A good example of this is John York’s Into The Woods. This was gifted to me a few years ago and I started reading it but couldn’t get into it because my headspace just wasn't in a creative place. I was reminded just last week by my editor about how good it was so I picked it up again and whaddya know, it’s perfect for helping me structure my creative writing.
My whole library is rather broad, and many of the books I am listing below are the ones that informed my own book New Methods For Women. They are designed to help me…understand the world…understand myself…be a better human…understand other humans…and also to found, build and grow businesses that will support myself and enrich the lives of others.
I must have read thousands of books in my lifetime, but when compiling the list I had the following criteria to whittle it down:
- It changed the way I think.
- It changed the way I live.
- It helped me understand my identity and who I am.
- It helped me build better relationships with others.
- It helped me develop myself at work.
- I've thought about them over and over again for years.
I have a penchant for Big Business (NYC), Power, Women’s Stories and the Origins of Humanity.
So I’ve put them into the following sections:
- Start Ups, Founders & Work
- Managing Yourself & Others
- Big Business
- Money
- Moguls
- Humanity & History
- Technology
- Philosophy & Essays
- Existential Crisis
- Body, Heart & Mind
- Gender Equality
- Writing, Story, Character
- Power
- Politics & Media
- Hospitality, Hosting & Home
- Historical Fiction
- Short Stories
- Long Stories
- Women's Stories
- Social & Satire
I have read every single one of these (mostly cover to cover) however any marked with an asterisk* I am still currently reading.
Do let me know what you think! And now that you know my taste, please recommend me any books in the comments! Especially by women and people of colour. My early reading was very determined by the Eurocentric environment in which I was raised.
Here is a welcome note from me!
Keep checking back on this list for notes and pictures and links. So here goes…my top 127 (I added two more...) books for a young woman looking to gain her power through knowledge.…
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