Books like Shakespeare's wife by Germaine Greer

A poignant memoir of Adeline Yen Mah’s lonely childhood in a wealthy Chinese family during the 1940s, where she faces neglect from a stepmother and the weight of expectations while striving for love and acceptance.

After a life‑altering romance, Elizabeth Gilbert confronts her fear of marriage by researching its history and meaning, turning a personal dilemma into a witty, reflective exploration of love and commitment.

The moving, inspiring memoir of one of the great women of our times, Shirin Ebadi, winner of the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize and advocate for the oppressed, whose spirit has remained strong in the face of political persecution and despite the challenges she has faced raising a family while pursuing her work. Best known in this country as the lawyer working tirelessly on behalf of Canadian photojournalist, Zara Kazemi -- raped, tortured and murdered in Iran -- Dr. Ebadi offers us a vivid picture of the struggles of one woman against the system. The book movingly chronicles her childhood in a loving, untraditional family, her upbringing before the Revolution in 1979 that toppled the Shah, her marriage and her religious faith, as well as her life as a mother and lawyer battling an oppressive regime in the courts while bringing up her girls at home.Outspoken, controversial, Shirin Ebadi is one of the most fascinating women today. She rose quickly to become the first female judge in the country; but when the religious authorities declared women unfit to serve as judges she was demoted to clerk in the courtroom she had once presided over. She eventually fought her way back as a human rights lawyer, defending women and children in politically charged cases that most lawyers were afraid to represent. She has been arrested and been the target of assassination, but through it all has spoken out with quiet bravery on behalf of the victims of injustice and discrimination and become a powerful voice for change, almost universally embraced as a hero.Her memoir is a gripping story -- a must-read for anyone interested in Zara Kazemi's case, in the life of a remarkable woman, or in understanding the political and religious upheaval in our world.From the Hardcover edition.

Carmen Bin Ladin, a half‑Swiss, half‑Persian woman, recounts her marriage into the powerful Bin Ladin family, her life under strict Saudi customs, her fight for her daughters and her personal awakening amid the family’s ties to Saudi royalty.

An in‑depth nonfiction examination of Thomas Jefferson’s complex relationships with the women in his life, from early courtships to marriage, flirtations, and the contested partnership with Sally Hemings.

Rafia Zakaria’s memoir follows her family's migration to Karachi, interweaving the city’s social and religious upheavals with the personal tragedy of her aunt, who endures a painful second marriage amid Pakistan’s Islamization era.

Malalai Joya, Afghanistan’s youngest female MP, chronicles her courageous activism and fight for women’s rights amid warlords, Taliban rule, and threats to her life.