Choosing the right book to read or gift someone can be extremely daunting. Whether you’re looking for a general book on the topic of STEM or are interested in books about career advancement, entrepreneurship and leadership, or stress management—the different options may get overwhelming and make it hard to know where to start. If you’re a female working in STEM and looking for ways to expand your knowledge, the options may seem especially more limited.
Before giving up on finding the right book for yourself or a loved one, check out our list of the top 17 books every stem-inspired woman should have on her bookshelf. These books provide inspiration, advice, and insight into what it means to be a woman working in science, technology, engineering, and math from history to modern day reality.
Books for General Reading
Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II — by Liza Mundy
The women who served as code breakers during World War II were recruited from small towns and elite colleges. They moved to Washington, DC where they learned the meticulous work of deciphering messages with codes that had been created by men whose brothers fought on opposite sides in Europe — yet these same prizes would soon be at risk without their efforts! A strict vow kept them Hidden until just recently when Liza Mundy’s book about “the best-kept secret” became popularized thanks largely to an interview with a surviving female cryptanalyst which is now coming to life through her research into what happened back then: how America was able not only to win battles but also save lives around globe.
Broad Band: The Untold Story of the Women Who Made the Internet — by Claire L. Evans
Throughout history to modern day, women have always been at home base when it comes to innovation. The “Broad Band” is an interesting exploration into these unsung female heroes who made what we know today as “the Internet” possible. From Ada Lovelace, who wrote the first computer program in 1842 and helped unlock Britain’s digital age with her work on Charles Babbage’s difference engine—to programmers whose creativity inspires decades of forward thinking; this book charts female visionaries at every turn throughout history and is an exciting call to arms for women who want change in the world. It features tenacious and inspiring figures like Grace Hopper, Elizabeth “Jake” Feinler (the one-woman Google), Stacy Horn—a woman behind some of history’s most groundbreaking technology—and many more incredible stories!
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks — by Rebecca Skloot
Henrietta Lacks was an African American woman who died of cancer in 1951. However, her cells live on—they were taken without her knowledge or consent and have been used in countless scientific breakthroughs over the past six decades. “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” tells her incredible story and sheds light on the ethical issues surrounding the use of human tissue in medical research. It’s a fascinating read that will leave you questioning the implications of scientific progress.
The Fossil Hunter: Dinosaurs, Evolution, and the Woman Whose Discoveries Changed the World — by Shelley Emling
Mary Anning was just 12 years old when she discovered the first dinosaur skeleton—of an ichthyosaur—while fossil hunting on cliffs near Lyme Regis in 1811. It wasn’t until after this incredible find that it became widely believed that animals did not become extinct, but were rather merely “limited representatives of once living species.” The child from a poor family had attracted attention among collectors already; eventually leading up to Charles Darwin’s theory over 200 years later which laid out how evolution worked through natural selection (or crossbreeding).
“The Fossil Hunter” tells the story of a girl who became an amazing paleontologist, but she had to start from humble beginnings. At first Mary was just cleaning fossilized bones in her home workshop with dirt under her nails and not much money for dinner; yet today this young woman is recognized as a world-renowned scientist that made major contributions toward understanding the evolution of different species on Earth!
Books on Career Advancement
Hiding in the Bathroom: An Introvert’s Roadmap to Getting Out There (When You’d Rather Stay Home) — by Morra Aarons-Mele
Morra Aarons-Mele is a self-proclaimed introvert and an entrepreneur with a flourishing business. She disagrees that there’s only one successful “type” of person: the intense, super social and sleep-deprived mover-and-shaker who musters endless amounts of grit for their success in life because they hide when things get tough rather than climbing up ladders or working hard at networking events all day long, but still want to be heard from time-to-time. “Hiding In The Bathroom” celebrates these quieter moments where you can finally breathe without feeling like your voice won’t matter.
Morra offers up this guide for how to succeed on your own terms as well as live with less anxiety while maintaining balance outside pressures like deadlines or social expectations. This book serves as a thought-provoking and practical guide for professionals who are looking to build their own versions of success. With chapters focusing on managing anxiety, evaluating one’s work and life balance, and empowering oneself through self evaluation—this book offers many valuable tools and insights that will help readers take control over how they want their lives to be—on their own terms!
Lean In — by Sheryl Sandberg
Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook from 2008-2022 and an accomplished woman in her own right, provides advice on how to combine professional achievement with personal fulfillment. She demonstrates that men can benefit by supporting women both at work as well as outside it. “Lean In guides” readers through specific steps they should take for negotiating salaries or asking mentors about career opportunities while also providing anecdotes from people who have done these things successfully.
Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office — by Lois P Frankel
This book contains over 130 self sabotaging behaviors that women make in their adult years that ultimately undermine their careers. Frankel uses her 25 years of experience as a corporate psychologist to help readers identify these self-sabotaging behaviors and offers readers helpful solutions to avoid making these mistakes in the future. After reading this book, you’ll be able to take the right steps towards achieving your career goals and gain insight into how to avoid common missteps and make choices that will benefit your career.
Biographies and Memoirs
The Illustrated Women in Science: Year One — by Dale DeBakcsy
Author Dale DeBakcsy (Frederick The Great; The Cartoon History Of Humanism) offers twenty-six portraits of great historical and current women in science and insight into their stories. These portraits offer an inspiring story alongside their tragic tales — some of which have been forgotten — while others continue on as pillars for our society today. Accompanying each biography is a comic strip celebrating the brilliance these female scientists showed during different periods throughout history, along with the absurdities that surrounded them and made it difficult to advance forward at times — but also ensuring we never forget what they accomplished!
An Autobiography and Other Recollections — by Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin
This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the life and times of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, acclaimed as the greatest woman astronomer of all time. This book dives into the story of her own professional life, work, and scientific achievements, that were augmented by the personal recollections of her daughter, Katherine Haramundanis. Other highlights in this book include Jesse Greenstein’s scientific appreciation, a historical essay by Peggy Kidwell and an introduction by Virginia Trimble—a new addition to this edition. Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin’s book features the accounts of other women scientists that underwent interesting times and surpassed adversity. Her love for astronomy was her guiding light, and her attitude and approach have inspired the accomplishments of many women scientists. A must-read for anyone interested in astronomy and the advancement of women in society, because their stories show us what can happen when you follow your passion no matter where it takes you!
Hidden Figures — by Margot Lee Shetterly
This New York Times bestseller tells the true story of four African American women who made history by working as mathematicians and engineers at NASA during the Space Race of the 1960s. Their calculations helped fuel some of America’s greatest achievements in space—a powerful, revelatory history essential to our understanding of race, discrimination, and achievement in modern America. “Hidden Figures” is an inspiring tale of perseverance and determination, and it will show you just what’s possible if you never give up on your dreams.
Nobel Prize Women in Science: Their Lives, Struggles, and Momentous Discoveries — by Sharon Bertsch McGrayne
How did the first women win Nobel prizes in science? This book answers that question and many more! It’s filled with fascinating accounts from female scientists like Marie Curie, Christiane Nusslein-Volhard (a German geneticist), Emmy Noether(an Austrian mathematician), and Lise Meitner (who discovered nuclear fission). The list goes on about these amazing ladies who paved the way for other great minds in the industry. These women faced ridicule and discrimination at every turn, but their passion led them to success in this field that we so often think of as “men’s work.” A must-read for anyone who has ever loved or been inspired by science.
Entrepreneurship & Negotiation
The Lean Startup — by Eric Ries
In a world where businesses are expected to innovate more than ever before, “The Lean Startup” offers entrepreneurs in companies of all sizes an approach for testing their vision continuously and adapting accordingly. Ries provides this scientific method with his famous “5 Whys” technique which helps reduce waste by asking why five times rather than just once when looking into problems or issues at hand.
Getting to Yes — by Roger Fisher and William Ury
The best way to resolve conflicts is not through anger or tears, but by using this proven method that works for everyone. Negotiating with people who have different goals than you can often be difficult—but it doesn’t need to feel like an impossible task! “Getting To Yes” offers a proven strategy for coming together on mutually acceptable terms without getting angry or taken advantage of during the process.
Leadership
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People — by Stephen Covey
In this timeless classic, Stephen R. Covey presents an approach for solving both personal and professional problems with penetrating insights into the principles of fairness, integrity, honesty—the key to living life worthily and being able to take advantage of change when it occurs around us because it provides security that can only be found through knowing who we are on the inside. This book teaches us how to use integrity, honor, goodness and justice for all people in our lives whether they be friends or family members. The principles taught from this text can help create an environment where you feel confident about your future opportunities because it gives insight on what makes someone successful both personally and professionally.
Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverts — by Susan Cain
This book is perfect for anyone who wants to know how kids live their lives. It has stories about what they go through at school, on the weekends with family or friends, and even just inside of themselves — all told from a perspective that hasn’t been seen before! The author takes readers through some tips for better decision-making when dealing with other people’s emotions and health directly.
Susan Cain’s original book was all about the struggles that happen in a workplace, but she realized there needed to be a version for kids as well. This new edition focuses on children’s world—school and extracurriculars among other things; you’ll read accounts from actual young people who’ve tackled challenges while maintaining their own ways (without being too introverted or extraverted).
Quiet Leadership — by David Rock
“Quiet Leadership” is a great book for introverted women who want to succeed in leadership positions. It provides strategies for leveraging your quiet strengths to achieve success without having to conform to extroverted standards.
Stress Management
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up — by Marie Kondo
Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo has taken tidying up to a whole new level with her revolutionary category-by-category system. With detailed guidance for determining which items in your house “spark joy” (and which don’t), this international bestseller will help you clear out all of those cluttered dishes, dirty clothes piles on the floor or cluttered desktops so that life can flow more smoothly! You’ll be able to enjoy what little time there is left over thanks to the KonMari Method.
If you’re looking for inspiration or practical advice for navigating your career journey, these books are must-reads and are only a few of the great books available for women in STEM. Each title offers valuable insights into everything from confidence building to shattering glass ceilings. So, no matter what you’re looking for, there’s bound to be a book on this list that will help boost your career, expand your knowledge, and maximize your potential.
Check out the 12 Prominent Women in STEM Who Shaped History for more inspiration and to learn more about their challenges and successes!
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