Trailblazing author, feminist scholar, professor, and critic bell hooks died from an undisclosed illness on 15 Dec. at age 69. A press release shared by bell's niece, Ebony Motley, stated that the author was "surrounded by friends and family when she passed". bell rose to critical acclaim through her writing — which included essays, cultural criticisms, and children's books. Some of her most famous works were books like Ain't I a Woman?, All About Love, and Feminist Theory.