The first female prime minister of Australia, a reformed shoplifter now at the helm of a multi-million-dollar fashion empire, a comedian and former SNL writer, and the youngest woman to create and direct a hit television show.
The above is an eclectic bunch of women who have all had inspiring, tumultuous and successful careers, with one thing in common: They’ve all conquered typically male-dominated industries.
And thankfully, these women are also all willing to share those stories that accompany their rise to the top with books. They offer everything from deeply personal and (sometimes) humorous realities of success, to practical tips for shattering barriers and expert advice for playing your own strengths.
With several of those book releases hitting stores now (just in time for those cold winter nights) or later on in the year, we’ve rounded up a few of the books you should already be reading or making space for on the bookshelf.
Lena Dunham: Not that Kind of Girl: A young woman tells you what she’s ‘learned’
Release date: 30 September
Actress, writer, director and producer Lena Dunham will share a number of personal essays in her upcoming release on a range of topics including getting your butt touched by your boss, friendship, dieting (kind of) and having two existential crisies before the age of 20. She will also offer plenty of stories about proving yourself to a room full of 50-year-old men in Hollywood.
“I am not a married mother of three or the owner of a successful hosiery franchise. But I am a girl with a keen interest in self-actualization, sending hopeful dispatches from the front lines of that struggle.”
Amy Poehler: Yes Please
Release Date: 28 October
Amy Poehler — actress, producer and comedian extraordinaire — will share her advice on topics like friendship, parenting, love and career in an illustrated, non-linear diary full of humor and honesty. She’ll include true stories, fictional anecdotes and life lessons, and do it all with her inimitable wit.
“Great people do things before they’re ready. They do things before they know they can do it. Doing what you’re afraid of, getting out of your comfort zone, taking riskslike that- that’s what life is. You might be really good. You might find out something about yourself that’s really special and if you’re not good, who cares? You tried something. Now you know something about yourself”
Julia Gillard: My Story
Release Date: 1 October
My story is Julia Gillard’s chronicle of her time as prime minister of Australia, and the turbulent path that led to her political demise. Described as a candid self-portrait, her book will detail the experience of a political leader seeking to realise her ideals as the country’s first female prime minister.
“I was prime minister for three years and three days. Three years and three days of resilience. Three years and three days of changing the nation. Three years and three days for you to judge”.
Sophia Amoruso: #GirlBoss
Release Date: Out Now
From dumpster diving and shoplifting to online entrepreneur and #GirlBoss, Sophia Amoruso is the founder and CEO of the $100 million plus online fashion empire NastyGal. Her book serves as both a life story and a guide to female empowerment, containing a number of lessons she’s gleaned from her rise to the top of the fashion world as a self-described oddity in business.
“Abandon anything about your life and habits that might be holding you back. Learn to create your own opportunities. Know that there is no finish line; fortune favors action. Race balls-out toward the extraordinary life that you’ve always dreamed of, or still haven’t had time to dream up. And prepare to have a hell of a lot of fun along the way.”
Tara Moss: The Fictional Woman
Release Date: Out Now
Author, activist, model, television personality: Tara Moss has worn numerous labels throughout her career. She has now released her first non-fiction work that takes a look at the common fictions about women in modern society blending memoir, comment and analysis to address subjects like feminism, sexism and social attitudes towards women.
“The rumours abound: that my novels are heavily edited; that my boyfriends wrote them for me; that I employed a ghost writer; that they are plagiarised. But the truth is, I have written every day since I was a child, and I have spent hours every day for years now plotting, researching, writing, editing and labouring over my novels. The rumours are false, but without a strong public voice (social media is yet to exist) I have very little means to defend myself.”