The most inspirational books for women (especially for women of color)

Why am I passionate about this?

Things may have gotten better for women compared to our mothers’ and grandmothers’ generations, but that is not to say that it’s easy to navigate work and life, the weight of others’ expectations, and the expectations we place on ourselves. Women of color have a particular set of challenges that others often can’t even see. I have been lucky: I have found wonderful guides and sources of inspiration, and I have been able to pass along what I have learned. Nobody should have to navigate these challenging waters on their own. We need buddies, confidantes, truth-tellers, and sources of inspiration.


I wrote...

More than Ready: Be Strong and Be You . . . and Other Lessons for Women of Colour on the Rise

By Cecilia Muñoz,

Book cover of More than Ready: Be Strong and Be You . . . and Other Lessons for Women of Colour on the Rise

What is my book about?

Women of color are becoming more visible and more powerful than ever, achieving greater success and blazing new paths for future generations. These women are pioneers, finding their own way in arenas long dominated by others. As the first Latine to direct national domestic policy issues, Cecilia Muñoz knows the difficulties of getting ahead without exemplars to follow. In my book, she offers lessons from the challenges she and other women of color face and the victories they have achieved in the White House and beyond. 

Full of invaluable insights about working through fear, overcoming injustices, and facing down detractors, this book provides the tactical tools women–especially women of color–need to reach success and impact–without compromising who they are. 

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of My Beloved World

Cecilia Muñoz Why did I love this book?

I believe in having heroes, and the more human and relatable they are, the better. In this book, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor tells her amazing story while also showing that she is not so different from the rest of us.

And while it’s a fascinating and inspiring story, what I love about this book is the same thing that I love about the person who wrote it. She’s normal and relatable, a person who has struggled with diabetes since she was small, who grew up in the most modest of circumstances, and who rose to become the first Hispanic person on the Supreme Court both because she is extraordinary and because she is just like the rest of us. 

By Sonia Sotomayor,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked My Beloved World as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A “searching and emotionally intimate memoir” (The New York Times) told with a candor never before undertaken by a sitting Justice. This “powerful defense of empathy” (The Washington Post) is destined to become a classic of self-invention and self-discovery.
 
The first Hispanic and third woman appointed to the United States Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor has become an instant American icon.
 
In this story of human triumph that “hums with hope and exhilaration” (NPR), she recounts her life from a Bronx housing project to the federal bench, a journey that offers an inspiring testament to her own…


Book cover of Becoming

Cecilia Muñoz Why did I love this book?

I had the honor of getting to know Michelle Obama when I worked in the White House, and she–along with her book–is every bit as dazzling and inspiring as you’d expect.

In the book, as in life, she insists on being authentically who she is - despite the string of “firsts” in her life, including being the country’s first African American First Lady, there is no pretension to her. Only honesty. This is a rare and wonderful book by a rare and wonderful human and a great source of inspiration.

By Michelle Obama,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked Becoming as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir; 17 million copies sold worldwide

THE NO. 1 BESTSELLER

BRITISH BOOK AWARDS, NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR

THE SUNDAY TIMES, MEMOIR OF THE YEAR

BOOKS OF THE YEAR: THE TIMES, OBSERVER, GUARDIAN, EVENING STANDARD

Now in paperback featuring a new introduction by Michelle Obama, a letter from the author to her younger self, and a book club guide with 20 discussion questions and a 5-question Q&A, the intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir by the former First Lady of the United States

In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama…


Book cover of Dear Madam President: An Open Letter to the Women Who Will Run the World

Cecilia Muñoz Why did I love this book?

This is a book that I repeatedly return to when I need to remember how to be strong in the face of trouble. While there’s plenty of trouble in this book, both public and personal, Jen Palmieri is a charming guide to some painful truths that are really familiar to me.

She reminds me to find joy in the work. And she can see the future that we can all shape if we work together; that’s where I want my daughters to live. 

By Jennifer Palmieri,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dear Madam President as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

DEAR MADAM PRESIDENT is an empowering letter from former Hillary Clinton Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri to the first woman president, and by extension, to all women working to succeed in any field. By using lessons learned during her experiences with Hillary Clinton, President Obama, and Elizabeth Edwards--to name a few--Palmieri through each chapter creates a forward-thinking framework of inspirational and practical advice for all women everywhere--from boardrooms to living rooms--who are determined to seize control of their lives, their workplaces, and their country. DEAR MADAM PRESIDENT will turn the results of the 2016 election into something incredibly empowering for future…


Book cover of The Likeability Trap: How to Break Free and Succeed as You Are

Cecilia Muñoz Why did I love this book?

The moment I started reading this book, I thought, “YES! EXACTLY!” Alicia Menendez has done a really compelling job of showing how and why women are under so much pressure to be amiable and likable, especially on the job, and how these expectations can make it hard to move forward.

This book reminded me that we don’t have to be limited to “strong and cold” or “weak and warm.” We can succeed by being ourselves. 

By Alicia Menendez,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Likeability Trap as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Be nice, but not too nice. Be successful, but not too successful. Just be likeable. Whatever that means?

Women are stuck in an impossible bind. At work, strong women are criticized for being cold, and warm women are seen as pushovers. An award-winning journalist examines this fundamental paradox and empowers readers to let go of old rules and reimagine leadership rather than reinventing themselves.

Consider that even competent women must appear likeable to successfully negotiate a salary, ask for a promotion, or take credit for a job well done-and that studies show these actions usually make them less likeable. And…


Book cover of The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table

Cecilia Muñoz Why did I love this book?

When I first saw this book, I couldn’t believe that it hadn’t been written already, decades before it actually came out. Minda Harts understands from her own experience that even the best advice for women often misses what women of color need the most to succeed.

I loved the straight talk and the practical advice; there are truths in this book that we all need to hear and guidance that we can all benefit from. 

By Minda Harts,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Memo as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Memo is the much-needed career advice guide for women of colour specifically, finally ending the one-size-fits-all approach of business books that lump together women across races and overlook the unique barriers to success for women of colour.

In a charismatic and relatable voice, Minda Harts brings her entrepreneurial experience as CEO of The Memo to the page, as well as her past career life as a fundraising consultant to top colleges across the country. With wit and candour, Harts begins by acknowledging the "ugly truths" that keep women of colour from getting the proverbial seat at the table in…


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Act Like an Author, Think Like a Business: Ways to Achieve Financial Literary Success

By Joylynn M Ross, Falessia Booker (editor),

Book cover of Act Like an Author, Think Like a Business: Ways to Achieve Financial Literary Success

Joylynn M Ross

New book alert!

What is my book about?

Act Like an Author, Think Like a Business is for anyone who wants to learn how to make money with their book and make a living as an author. Many authors dive into the literary industry without taking time to learn the business side of being an author, which can hinder book sales and the money that can be made as an author.

This resource serves as a guide to mastering the art of financial literary success and to help avoid the mistakes that many authors make while learning the ropes on their own. This book helps authors “think outside the book” in order to make money in ways other than book sales and create multiple streams of literary income.

Act Like an Author, Think Like a Business: Ways to Achieve Financial Literary Success

By Joylynn M Ross, Falessia Booker (editor),

What is this book about?

Do you want to make money with your book? Do you want to make a living as an author? There’s more to doing so than simply writing and publishing your book. Many authors dive into the literary industry without taking time to learn the business side of being an author. This could dramatically hinder your book sales and the money you can make as an author. Without a guide such as this, mastering the art of financial literary success can take you years, and you’ll be sure to make mistakes during the learning phase. Some mistakes could cost you money;…


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