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For one year, she took on a brand new challenge – and chronicled it all in a warm, thoughtful memoir. Using the immortal words of former First Lady and human rights advocate Eleanor Roosevelt, she would do something every day that scared her. One fateful New Year’s Eve, Noelle Hancock made a promise. Gay’s other non-fiction works, including ‘Hunger: A Memoir of my Body’ and ‘Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture’, which she edited, are well worth reading too. Feminism and equality continue to be pressing issues in the contemporary world and Gay’s wry observations and analyses will guide you in evaluating your own beliefs and morals. A collection of essays, with topics spanning pop culture, politics, race, gender, sexuality and society, she explores the notion of a ‘bad feminist’ – someone who follows the ideals of feminism and believes in gender equality but perhaps doesn’t fit squarely into the box of what we believe a feminist to be. Roxane Gay is a cultural critic, author and professor and ‘Bad Feminist ‘ is viewed by many as her magnum opus. Whether you follow American politics or not, this brilliantly written memoir is a quiet pause amongst the madness. This book is filled with guidance and stories about her life and the lessons she has passed onto her daughters to help them become global citizens. Written with her trademark warmth, this memoir takes the reader through her life, growing up on Chicago’s South Side, attending Harvard, turning her attention towards public service – and of course, meeting Barack. The former First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama has cemented herself as a role model for women and girls of all ages, showing thoughtfulness, poise and intelligence during her time in public life. So we’ve put together this reading list for the twenty-first-century woman to get stuck into during this turbulent time. You might be looking for comfort or understanding in a world that increasingly makes no sense or hoping to improve your own personal growth and development – and the answers you need could be in the pages of the right book. Whilst reading isn’t for everyone, the power of a good book at the right time can be transformative. “I think if we want our daughters to dream bigger than we did, then we have more work to do…So many of us have gotten ourselves at the table, but we’re still too grateful to be at the table to really shake it up.With the current global crisis, a lot of us are turning to our bookshelves and finding comfort in the written word. That’s what it means to be true to yourself.” We realised that being successful isn’t about being impressive, it’s about being inspired. “Success isn’t about how your life looks to others. You reach back and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.” “When you’ve worked hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity, you do not slam it shut behind you.
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I was surrounded by extraordinary women in my life who taught me about quiet strength and dignity.” “I am an example of what is possible when girls from the very beginning of their lives are loved and nurtured by people around them.
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Some of my favourite Michelle Obama quotes are: One of the reasons that I find her especially inspiring is that she’s been very candid about her childhood struggles, the pressure that she’s felt in all facets of her life, and her emphasis on the importance of empowering other women. And she once took baby Sasha to a job interview because she was unable to find last minute childcare. Two of my favourite Michelle Obama facts are: She was told by her college guidance counsellor that she wasn’t Princeton material but as it was her dream school, she persisted anyway. Both during her time as the first African-American first lady and afterwards she worked as an advocate for poverty awareness, education, nutrition, physical activity and healthy eating. She worked in law firms, before working for non-profit organisations, then transitioning to work at the University of Chicago. Not only is Michelle Obama a graduate of Princeton University, she is also a graduate of Harvard Law. Ever since “Becoming” hit the best-seller list and became everyone’s favourite read of the past few years, I’m sure Michelle has feature on many people’s inspirational lists. She’s a former first lady, activist, and lawyer. I’m bringing you my first First Lady in my “Women Who Inspire Me” series.