"Tell Me a Riddle" (1961) is Tillie Olsen's award-winning story about the sacrifices a Jewish immigrant couple has had to make in order for their marriage to survive.

The Second Sex (1949) by French water Simone de Beauvoir. A landmark book that outlines the biological, historical, and social origins of women's oppression. Recognized as one of the books that helped launch the feminist movement.

The Dollmaker (1954) by Harriette Arnow. A novel about a poor, Southern, working-class family that moves to Detroit during World War II. Chronicles the mother's growing disillusionment with modern society as she struggles to raise her children against the backdrop of the city's dangerous steel mills.

"Blues Ain't No Mocking Bird" (1972) a short story published in Toni Cade Bambara's collection Gorilly Love. An impoverished African-American family attracts the attention of a film crew gathering footage or a project on...