When searching for something to read in honor of Women’s History Month, the options are seemingly endless. Where to begin—and which titles are part of the feminist canon? From meditations on gender roles to inspiring memoirs and fictional heroines squashing the patriarchy, we’ve put together a roundup of books that capture the female experience across genres, time periods, and subject matter. Whittling down this list from the scores of books written by, for, and about women of all gender expressions and their experiences was no easy feat—so we’ve included a few titles that are more than deserving of an honorable mention below. Read on to build up your to-be-read stack for the Women’s History Month (and every month onward).

Playwright of “The Vagina Monologues,” V transports readers from the front lines of activism to the caverns of self-compassion as she teaches a master class in courage and comeuppance in this book of essays, prose, poetry, and diary entries.