Recs if you like Femina: A New History of the Middle Ages, Through the Women Written Out of It...

These book covers all have a certain anatomical resemblance in common, from subtle and subversive to in-your-face. These books span non-fiction and fiction, menstrual health, desire, taboo, dystopia, and more.

This list is inspired by a day when a few people had updates involving Tampa and I was like, “wait, is that…?”

*Yes, I do know that the artist herself said that she really was just painting flowers and people were reading what they wanted to, but…

These are some of my favorites and books I want to read--nonfiction that reads like fiction or is otherwise compelling. If you're intimidated by books on history, science, memoir, or other subgenres in nonfiction, start here.

WHAT LIES BENEATH US LIES BEFORE US

Books about digging, the ground we walk on and the stories buried underneath our feet. From dinosaurs / paleontology, anthropology, ancient history, archaeology to the soil and geology and all its wonders. Non-fiction only

Different kinds of non-fiction books about gender, feminism, and related topics. People like black women or neurodivergent women are twice or more marginalised, and often it's not clear whether treatment was due to (for example) skin colour or perceived gender, so I'll add some books about other kinds of marginalisation as well. I haven't read all books (yet); if one is problematic, please tell me so in a comment!

Nonfiction titles concerning events, people, and history from the Medieval/Early Modern periods! Many of these are suggestions from the PB community as shared in the Medieval Times quest forum.

Recommendations always welcome!

an assortment of secondary and primary sources 🧑‍🏫 📚

Books about feminine power and rage. Inspiring, enraging, validating. Let us rise, my sisters.

a collection of books im interested in which are releasing this year (2026). no particular order

(some are adjacent)

A collection of non fiction books from women in science or any other field of knowledge! I'm so tired of having to listen to men that I am making it my mission to read as many non-fiction books from women I can.

Fiction and nonfiction books about or inspired by medieval Europe.

Non fiction books about history (mainly ancient and medieval) and mythology

For when music just won't cut it and you need a new weird hyperfixation.

Pair with "Level 10 – World History, Part 1" book.

Also needed: "CK-12 Biology for High School" book.