What We're Reading: A Book About…Reading More Books
Stephanie Staal's new memoir discusses how literature and feminism have influenced who she's become as a women.

Let's be honest — everyone has a college course they took that they couldn't wait to go to (and don't lie, even the homework was fun!). Whether it was physical geology, advanced magazine writing, aquatic entomology or American legislative process, some subjects were worth waking up at 7 a.m. for. However nerdy it may seem, these subjects will forever be engaging. But what if you could revisit them and take the class again? What if you could look at the material from a different, more educated and mature point in your life? A new memoir tunes us in on exactly what it's like.
Reading Women: How the Great Books of Feminism Changed My Life
Author: Stephanie Staal, the author of The Love They Lost: Living with the Legacy of Our Parents' Divorce.
Genre: Literary memoir
What Happens: Juggling a marriage, a baby and life in a new city — a far cry from her formerly stable, independent full-time work life in New York — Stephanie Staal has a wake up call. Staal finds nostalgia in the form of her "Feminist Texts" composition notebook from Barnard College after stumbling upon The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan on a random trip to Barnes and Noble. Challenging the feminist within, Staal reenrolls at her alma mater to take the same course that once changed the way she looked at the world.
Why Read It: Staal's metaphorical prose not only enforces the importance of reading but also sheds light on the relevance of re-reading. Her pages reach the feminist in everyone and show how retaking the course connected the dots on the woman she was and the woman she became.
Details: PublicAffairs, February 22, $15.99
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
-
Amal Clooney Wears Royal Family-Approved Gold Pumps
The decorated lawyer wore a lacy velvet gown to join husband George Clooney backstage on Broadway.
-
William Preparing Prince George for "Massive Responsibility"
"We can do so much more," the Prince of Wales explained.
-
Royal Aides Reveal Prince William Is "Demanding" and "Impatient"
The Prince of Wales was also described as "pretty ambitious."
-
Everything We Know About 'A Court of Thorns and Roses' Book Six, From the Release Date to the Plot
We're dying to read the next installment in the hit romantasy series.
-
Every Ali Hazelwood Book, Ranked—From 'The Love Hypothesis' to 'Bride'
Her novels are known for being set in the STEM world...and being very steamy.
-
The 30 Best Self-Help Books to Read in 2025
Allow these titles to empower and inspire you.
-
13 Books That’ll Make You Want to Call Your Mom
These must-reads come from literary mothers like Maya Angelou and Amy Tan, as well as our contemporary faves.
-
"Crime Junkie" Host and Mystery Author Ashley Flowers Shares Her Must-Read Crime Books
'The Missing Half' author/podcaster knows a good whodunit.
-
Natural Women
In an excerpt from Amanda Hess's debut memoir, 'Second Life,' she writes about a movement that predates MAHA moms.
-
Ana Huang Is Ready to Rule Over Romance
With the release of 'King of Envy,' the author, who started as a self-published BookTok favorite, is quickly becoming the queen of the genre.
-
The Best Lisa Jewell Books, Ranked—From 'Then She Was Gone' to 'None of This Is True'
Few do page-turners quite like her.