It’s March, and we all know what that means: It’s time to celebrate Women’s History Month!
We’re marking the occasion with nonfiction audiobooks by and about women who changed the world and paved the way for today’s fight for gender equality. From perspective-shifting women philosophers to iconic women in film to women doctors who changed the medical landscape, there’s much to learn from these engaging audiobooks by and about historic women. Grab your headphones and get ready for some fascinating feminist stories with these audiobooks perfect for your Women’s History Month listening pleasure.
In this blog, we’ll take a look at the history of Women’s History Month and suggestions for ways to celebrate. Then we’ll dive into the audiobook recommendations, starting with memoirs and other writings by women who have shaped our history and present. After that, you’ll find audiobooks reflecting on the impact of historic women, including biographies, pop culture studies, and philosophy and history books. Whatever your areas of interest, we’ve got the perfect Women’s History Month listening experience for you.
But there’s no need to worry if you don’t make it through all these audiobooks by the end of March. You can learn about women’s history and explore new ways to fight for gender equality any time of year. It’s always Women’s History Month if you dare to dream!
“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.” ― Charlotte Brontë
What is Women’s History Month?
National Women’s History Month is a month-long celebration of women’s contributions to history and society, in the United States and across the globe, celebrated annually in the U.S. in March.
This recognition of powerful women throughout history and the women’s rights movement began as a day — International Women’s Day, held on March 8 each year, first declared in 1911 (although the exact date has shifted a bit in the past century). Women’s rights advocates argued that women deserved more than one day a year to recognize the impacts feminism and women have made on our world. The National Women’s History Project teamed up with other like-minded organizations to petition Congress for the first official Women’s History Week, which was declared by President Jimmy Carter in 1980. Its popularity grew, and thanks to further advocacy by the National Women’s History Project and friends, the first National Women’s History Month was declared in March 1986 through a law passed by U.S. Congress.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
The U.S. isn’t the only country that recognizes the historic contributions of women each year with a special month. Women’s History Month is also celebrated each March in the United Kingdom and Australia. Canada recognizes their Women’s History Month in October, centered around the commemorative Persons Day held annually on October 18, marking the constitutional case that advanced women’s equality by making it legal for women to sit on the Senate of Canada.
Each year, the National Women’s History Alliance (formerly the National Women’s History Project) declares a theme for National Women’s History Month. In 2025, the official theme is “Moving Forward Together: Women Educating & Inspiring Generations,” honoring women educators, teachers, mentors, and leaders who share their knowledge with others to shape a more equitable future. The goals of this theme include honoring the contributions of women educators and leaders, inspiring new generations to join the fight for equality, educating people of all generations and backgrounds about feminist history, uniting various communities to celebrate women’s contributions to our society, and envisioning a brighter future for women leaders.
With this year’s focus on education and knowledge sharing, it’s the perfect time to celebrate by exploring audiobooks about feminism and women’s history. You can also mark the occasion by thanking a teacher who taught you about women’s history, participating in local events to learn about women who shaped your community, and sharing something you know about women’s history with your loved ones!
“We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.” ― Maya Angelou
Audiobooks by Noteworthy Historic Women
To start your Women’s History Month reading, check out these audiobooks written by women who not only witnessed history but had a significant impact on our past.
We’ve got musings on music, spirituality, and creativity from a legendary woman composer and musician. You’ll also find a moving multi-generational memoir about the experiences of Jewish women during the Holocaust and a Nobel Prize-winning memoir from an iconic photographer reflecting on the power of art in documenting our lives and memories. These audiobooks will give you a new perspective on noteworthy women by hearing their stories through their own words.
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| Monument Eternal by Alice Coltrane (A. Coltrane-Turiyasangitananda) |
Do Not Cry When I Die by Renee Salt with Kate Thompson |
The Use of Photography by Annie Ernaux and Marc Marie translated by Alison L. Strayer |
| The long-awaited reissue of Alice Coltrane’s original spiritual teachings and reflections, which provide powerful insight into her transcendent music, cherished by millions across the globe. | One of the oldest living Holocaust survivors recounts her family’s imprisonment at Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen in this moving memoir of love, loss, courage, and hope. | An account of Annie Ernaux’s love affair with journalist Marc Marie while she was undergoing treatment for cancer, and their combined project to document images and memories. |
“If you find a book you really want to read but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” ― Toni Morrison
Audiobooks About Fascinating Women and Women’s History
Get a wider perspective on feminism and women’s history with these audiobooks exploring women whose determination, bravery, and brilliance changed the world.
If you’re interested in women’s role in the field of medicine, check out audiobooks about groundbreaking women physicians, one who pioneered the first study on women’s reproductive biology and another who dedicated her life to making birth control and abortion safe and accessible, despite the social and legal repercussions they faced. For cinema buffs, we’ve got audiobooks about the impact of a revolutionary comedian/actress/screenwriter/director and an intersectional investigation of the representation of women and BIPOC characters on film, woven together with a personal narrative on how the movies we love shape us. And finally, you can learn about women’s role in the field of philosophy in an audiobook that considers what a world with gender equity would look like.
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| The Cure for Women by Lydia Reeder |
Miss May Does Not Exist by Carrie Courogen |
The Trials of Madame Restell |
Strong Female Character |
How to Think Like a Woman by Regan Penaluna |
| Documents the birth of a sexist science still haunting us today as the fight for control of women’s bodies and lives continues. | A remarkable love story about a comic genius whose prickly demeanor often overshadowed how she revolutionized how we think about our entertainment. | An unforgettable story of the changing society of nineteenth-century New York that brings Restell to the attention of a whole new generation of women whose fundamental rights are under siege. | Hanna Flint speaks from the heart in this personal and incisive reflection on how cinema has been the key to understanding herself and the world we live in. | Penaluna blends memoir, biography, and criticism to tell the stories of these four women, weaving throughout an alternative history of philosophy. |
We hope these fascinating audiobooks by and about influential women helped you find the perfect National Women’s History Month listens. Stay in touch with us online for more timely audiobook recommendations, lists of stories we love, and deep dives into various popular book genres!
