If you've ever taken a women's and gender studies class or looked to expand your knowledge of intersectional feminism, you've most likely heard the name bell hooks. bell hooks was a renowned professor, writer, and social activist, penning more than 34 pieces of literature that explored the intersections of capitalism, race, and gender and challenged the way readers interacted with those systems in society. Before her death [1], she received a Pulitzer Prize for her poetry, was nominated for an NAACP Image Award, and founded the bell hooks Institute, which "documents the life and work" of its namesake. Ahead, we honour her work that changed the way we think about feminism; here are seven essential books you should read from bell hooks's massive, prolific collection of essays, poems, and literature.
Ain't I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism
bell hooks began writing Ain't I a Woman [2] ($42) when she was just 19 years old, and this book, which takes its title from Sojourner Truth's famous speech of the same name, might be hooks's most famous work. This must-read book explores the impact of sexism on Black women, and how Black women have historically been oppressed by both Black and white men and white women. Her writing unflinchingly challenges the idea that race and gender are separate issues, insisting that the fight to end sexism and racism are inseparably linked.
Feminist Theory: From Margin to Centre
Considered a follow-up to Ain't I a Woman, Feminist Theory: From Margin to Centre [3] ($39) analyses the future of the feminist movement while reminding activists of the need for continual reflection. This iconic text took mainstream feminist thinking from the 1980s and elevates it, encourageing readers to consider how both racism and classism intersect with sexism, and her arguments still hold up today.
Feminism Is For Everybody
This short book is an accessible introduction to feminist theory that's designed to be read by all genders. Feminism Is For Everybody [4] ($39) is both an answer to the question "what is feminism?" and an argument for why we should all be involved in the feminist movement. Looking at the successes and failures of the movement, she examines issues like sexual violence, reproductive rights, work, class, and racism, and encourages us to demand alternatives to the patriarchal systems that exist and persist in society today.
All About Love: New Visions
Published in 2000, All About Love: New Visions [5] ($15) discusses the importance of love both in our private and public lives and how our culture falls short of teaching us how to love. hooks argues that especially in America, women have been taught to give love in most situations — even when their needs aren't being met — while men are socialised to mistrust love and downplay their own emotions, resulting in them being unable to give or receive love in constructive ways.
Outlaw Culture
This collection of essays looks at pop culture icons like Madonna [6], Spike Lee, and others while examining the intersectionality of sexism and racism that's perpetuated by contemporary media. In Outlaw Culture: Resisting Representations [7] ($22), hooks asks us to look at the line between representation and tokenism while reminding us that a system made by a patriarchal society will never show us images or media that isn't beneficial to that same system.
We Real Cool: Black Men and Masculinity
In We Real Cool: Black Men and Masculinity [8] ($45), hooks asserts that America is a "culture that does not love Black males . . . especially, Black men do not love themselves. How could they?" A powerful look at how both white society and Black leaders are failing young Black men, this complex, thought-provoking book layers in pop culture references (including a chapter called "gangsta culture: a piece of the action") and weaves in the voices of Black authors and social workers.
Killing Rage: Ending Racism
Killing Rage: Ending Racism [9] ($17) is a collection of 23 essays that are still as relevant today as they were when hooks wrote them in 1996. As always, hooks maintains that eradicating racism must go hand-in-hand with eradicating sexism — and most of the time, women are locked out of public discourse on racism. These essays seek to highlight this imbalance, spotlighting trauma among Black Americans, internalized racism in movies and media, and the titular essay, "killing rage," discusses the anger Black people feel by repeated instances of everyday racism, and using the rage to fuel a catalyst for positive change.