bell hooks began writing Ain't I a Woman ($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.