Emma Watsonmay have stolen our hearts with her brilliant portrayal as Hermione in the Harry Potterseries or as Sam in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, but she’s also known for pursuing an English literature degree and championing sustainability in fashion. In between her acting and ethical pursuits, she decided to start a book club called Our Shared Shelf in 2016.
She first broke the news of her latest venture when she asked her Twitter followers to help her name the club. She writes, “Hi Team, I want to start a feminist book club but so far have only brainstormed ‘Feminist Book Club’ and ‘Emma Watson Book Club.'” In a follow-up tweet she added, “I am almost certain there is a more inspiring name out there…. Does anyone have any thoughts?!” Not surprisingly, a lot of people had a lot of thoughts — celebrities included. Sophia Bush threw out the name “fEMMAnismReads” but ultimately Emma went with another fan’s suggestion — hence the name Our Shared Shelf.
For a time, it was housed on Goodreads and encouraged open dialogue between members about Emma’s feminist book recommendations. Even after announcing that Our Shared Shelf would no longer be moderated, she encouraged members to keep reading and interacting with each other.
After revisiting the full list, here’s my top 10 must-read books from Emma Watson’s book club.
My Life on The Road by Gloria Steineim
Known for explaining feminism in a more modern way, Gloria Steineim’s My Life on The Road offers readers a different peek into her life’s views. Inspired by a childhood that was filled with adventures, Steinem made it her mission to continue traveling all over the world to learn more about others and fight for equality.
My Life on The Road goes into great detail about the many moments that not only helped mold who she is, but it also talks about how she was challenged to evolve as well. I highly recommend reading it to learn more about what drives Steinem.
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
The Color Purple is one of those books that stirs up a lot of feelings for anyone who reads it — or refuses to. It covers everything from molestation to queer love in a way that tends to linger once the book is finished and I think that’s the point. Alice Walker wanted to write something that makes people realize that while there is ugliness in the world, there’s still love, hope, and the art of realizing who you are. That these things make life worth living regardless of who tries to stop them or not.
How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran
Emma Watson’s book club is full of great books about feminism and How to be a Woman is no exception. In her own way, Caitlin Moran points out the obvious about women — we still deal with oppressive ideas even though we’ve come far from being treated as witches who deserved death. She decides to cover hard conversations with a touch of wit and sarcasm, making it easy for the reader to say, “Ah, I knew something felt odd about this ‘normal’ thing.”
Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl by Carrie Brownstein
Carrie Brownstein’s memoir begins with recollections of her girlhood and the rock movement that set the stage for her future career. Like many of us, she searched for meaning in life and decided to take matters into her own hands by using music as an outlet. Thus began a long chapter of punk-rock in the 90s that defied all the rules of what was acceptable for women in a male-dominated industry.
More importantly, Brownstein talks about the love and community she found along the way which makes Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl a must-read in my eyes.
Women Who Run with the Wolves by Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés
It’s ironic to see this novel on Emma Watson’s book club list because I find myself reaching for it on a monthly basis. I think I stumbled across it after Jada Pinkett Smith mentioned it on an episode of the Red Table Talk and it’s been one of my saving graces ever since. Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés does a phenomenal job of explaining the different stages our psyches go through and how we can move through them.
She never promises that we’ll be unscathed as we learn how to trust our inner wild woman, but she does share — through stories passed down several generations — that there is a way to become a fully realized woman in a world that seeks to silence anyone it can’t control.
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood was ahead of her time when she wrote The Handmaid’s Tale because our current reproductive laws feel like we’re headed towards something that resembles the Republic of Gilead. It follows Offred’s journey as a fertile woman who’s forced to bear the children of one of the higher-ups without regard to her already having a husband and child whom she loves. It’s totalitarian and forces women beyond the role of a 1950s housewife.
Yet, Offred finds a way to get through her days and knows it’s only a matter of time before she escapes the hellish life she’s come to live.
The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf
Beauty has been redefined several times over the last millennium, but it’s clear that society still has a standard for it. It’s something that drives the fashion and beauty industries, causing women to feel as if they’re inadequate. However, Naomi Wolf seeks to help modern women break free from this idea that they have to achieve physical perfection in order to continue being seen as successful or worthy of good things in life.
Hunger by Roxane Gay
I find it interesting — in a good way — that Hunger is on Emma Watson’s book club list. Roxane Gay has never shied away from sharing her open and honest opinions about various things in life, but detailing her own struggles creates an air of relatability. Using food to deal with her conflicted feelings about her physical appearance and what feels good to her, Gay deep dives into what lies underneath her desire to eat.
After experiencing trauma at a young age, she and the reader begin understanding how she decided to protect herself by any means necessary. It’s a tale of accountability and finding one’s power again; something I think all of us experience at different points in our lives.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
I read The Hate U Give during a time when the unrest in Atlanta was reaching a fever pitch due to the police brutality happening around the world. It was scary to immerse myself in the world of Star, but I felt it was necessary to read about a fictional character who saw an innocent person’s life whisked away by an overly eager police officer.
As she grapples with the effects of trauma and the clashing of the two worlds she inhabits, Star eventually decides enough is enough.
Eloquent Rage by Brittney Cooper
Hilarious and heartbreaking at times, Eloquent Rage is one of those books that gives a crash course on what feminism looks like from a black woman’s perspective. It’s been on my shelf since my early twenties so seeing it on Emma Watson’s book club list makes my heart soar. Whether you’re looking for anecdotes on sex or the way our bodies are viewed, this book does an excellent job of breaking down society and pop culture in a digestible way.Let us know which of Emma Watson’s book club picks you’ll be adding to your top shelf and be sure to follow our Amazon storefront for more of Brit + Co’s favorite books!
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Lead image via Monica Schipper/Getty Images for The Kering Foundation
This post have been updated.