In honor of International Women’s Day coming up on March 8, I’ve put together a (small and not comprehensive) list of recent books by women I admire. The majority of these women happen to be on the political side of Democrats — but I have read books by women on both sides and fully believe that women are unanimously for human rights no matter what party they officially belong to.

A few years ago a friend told me she had read a book about John Quincy Adams and it was really good. I hadn’t considered books about our presidents would be interesting, but I thought I’d give the book a shot and see for myself.

I was definitely surprised how much I enjoyed the book and the life story of our 6th President and son of our 1st Vice President and 2nd President of the United States. I read this book leading up to the 2016 election and the parallels in history to current events were remarkable. It is a wonder how history really does repeat itself.

I didn’t realize that John Quincy Adams had kept a diary for most of his life (which is the main source for this book) and that after he left the office of the President he went back to serve in the House of Representatives for the State of Massachusetts until his death. This book led me down a path of getting to know some of our political leaders in a way I’ve never considered before.

I used to be a mystery novel glutton, reading every mystery I could get my hands on, but this one non-fiction book opened a craving and curiosity to learn more about our country, our wars and the people we entrust our most sacred rights.

I did study history and social studies in school, but feel like I don’t know the first thing about our history at all. I started a quest to learn as much as I can about this country that we hold dear.

I have always had a love for documentaries and had recently watched The Roosevelts a documentary on PBS and wanted to know more about Franklin and Eleanor. I ran across Franklin and Eleanor an Extraordinary Marriage as an audio book and thought it would be a great listen for my 1-hour commute to work.

p.s. I am probably the last one on earth to know this, but this was when I realized that you can check out e-books and audio books from your local library!

This story of Franklin and Eleanor is told starting with how they met (they are related 5th cousins once removed…or Theodore Roosevelt’s niece!). Their marriage was like a lot of marriages, full of ups and downs and interesting “other” relationships outside of the marriage.

After President Roosevelt was stricken with Polio Eleanor often spoke in public on her husband’s behalf. She was outspoken and a strong supporter of civil rights for African Americans and advocated for expanded roles for women. She was the first First Lady to hold regular press conferences, wrote a newspaper column and served as the United States Delegate to the United Nations General Assembly.

She was often criticized for her outspoken-ness at the time, but now she is seen as a leader and way ahead of her time.

“You MUST do the thing you THINK you cannot do” — Eleanor Roosevelt

I have always admired Condoleezza Rice, however from only what I heard about her in the media. I started her 800-page memoir No Higher Honor (which by the way is one of the bonus’ of reading on a Kindle, you have no idea how gigantic the book is when you don’t have to hold all 800 pages.)

I also actually talked my friends into reading it as well…and I was the only one who persisted to the end. I do wish I had listed to her read the audio book, but this one I read the old-fashioned way.

It took me about 6 months to read her book, but it was sooo interesting — she was Secretary of State for President George W Bush and then National Security Advisor and presided over some of the most awful days in US history. 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the war in Afghanistan, and then the beginning of the financial crisis of 2008 to name a few.

I’ve not known much detail about foreign affairs and after reading Condoleezza’s account, I have so much admiration and respect for someone so intelligent and full of grace. If I could have just an ounce of her grace in difficult situations, that would be a blessing.

“You might not be able to control your circumstances, but you can control your response to your circumstances.” — Condoleezza Rice

After the 2016 election, I realized that I don’t actually know much about the women that help lead our nation and policy making — other than what is reported in the news. I was one of the women in the camp that thought I didn’t like Hilary Clinton, but I couldn’t really tell you why. I did end up voting for her because the alternative was horrifying (and that proved to be true).

It’s said that it’s hard to dislike people close-up, meaning that if you take the time to get to know someone, you will find that you have more in common or respect for that person and their personal journey. In Hilary’s case I found this to be true.

I decided I wanted to know more about this woman that had come so close to becoming the first woman in the highest public office in America so I listened to her book What Happened, shortly after the election.

I came away really liking Hilary, she’s a very intelligent woman who has studied our country’s history and our role in the world like no-one I know. She also seems to be a funny, caring and doting mother and grandmother. I am sad that she had so many against her and I’m sure those that don’t like Hilary, are like me and believed all the rhetoric that played on the news everyday.

It doesn’t really matter what I think, but Hilary can be proud that she conducted herself with poise and no matter how many bad news days there were, she always held her head high and told the truth. She opened many doors for more women to follow in her footsteps and cracked that glass ceiling.

Hillary had a lot going against her in the 2016 election — and most of it was the mere fact that she is a woman. Sadly, a lot of the media against her would not have rose to the surface if she were a white male running for office.

I really enjoy listening to books when they are read by the author, this gives you a feeling that they are sitting next to you telling their story. Hillary reads the audio version of “What Happened” and just the first chapter of “Hard Choices”.

Hard Choices is her account of what happened while she was Secretary of State under President Obama. What I found interesting is she really focused on Asia-Pacific at the beginning of her term which is a whole new set of foreign affairs different from Condoleezza Rice.

Hillary was Senator of New York on 9/11/01 and then Secretary of State 10 years later in 2011 when Osama Bin Laden was EKIA (enemy killed in action). I find that reading books and watching documentaries about historical events even if I was alive when those events happened, gives me a new perspective and details of the story that I’d either forgotten or didn’t know at the time.

Hillary also explains the history between her and Putin — this serves as the backdrop to why Russia did not want Hillary to be President. (also watch Agents of Chaos on HBO). Her stories about Myanmar, Cuba, Libya, and Afghanistan gave me a better understanding of our complicated history with these countries.

“Always aim high, work hard, and care deeply about what you believe in. And, when you stumble, keep faith. And, when you’re knocked down, get right back up and never listen to anyone who says you can’t or shouldn’t go on.” — Hillary Rodam Clinton

Just after the 2020 election, I decided I should probably know a little bit more about the first woman Vice President, Kamala Harris. I don’t watch too much TV, so I didn’t know much about Kamala before reading her book.

For all of our public leaders, I’ve learned they all have their one ‘pet project’ that they focus their attention on and for Kamala that was the DACA program and protecting children of immigrant families — especially the family separation policy under the Trump administration. She also served on the Senate committee for homeland security and governmental affairs.

Kamala is an accomplished lawyer, District Attorney of San Francisco, Attorney General of California and then State Senator before becoming Vice President. I feel like even though she has lead great life already, her story is just beginning.

“My mother would look at me and she’d say, ‘Kamala, you may be the first to do many things, but make sure you are not the last.’” — Kamala Harris

I was a supporter of Elizabeth Warren for the 2020 presidential election and decided to read A Fighting Chance. I listened to Elizabeth read this book to me on my morning run. I don’t usually read about books before I decide to read them — so it’s a happy surprise when I learn something I didn’t know I wanted to learn.

I love hearing how these women start their careers and about how they kept persisting and accomplished so much against so many road blocks. In short, Elizabeth was a working single mom of two and worked her way to a law professor at Harvard before running for public office.

Elizabeth’s specialty is bankruptcy law and she used her law background and research to help change and shape bankruptcy laws to help protect low income families around the same time we were heading into a financial crisis in 2008. She then served on the TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) committee overseeing the government bailout of the “too big to fail banks”.

I’m heartbroken that our only option to defeat Donald Trump was another old white guy (even though I do like Biden as President). We have’t come as far as I think we like to believe. Next on my reading list are Elizabeth’s other books that she co-authored with her daughter Amelia.

“If you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re probably on the menu” — Elizabeth Warren

If you are looking for your next book, consider the story of one of these women, you won’t regret it. 😉