48 of the Best Books by Women Authors to Read in Your Lifetime

"The Color Purple" by Alice Walker ($8, originally $16)

One of the most influential works of 20th century queer literature, "The Color Purple" is a heart-wrenching love story between two Black women in the Jim Crow era. Since adapted into a musical and two films, and on countless high school reading lists, this story has remained relevant since its original publication in 1982.