It’s a tale as old as publishing time:

Man writes a book on business, leadership, habits, finances, you name it—it’s for everyone. It’s widely read, referenced, and quoted by women and men alike. Think Atomic Habits, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Good to Great.

Woman writes a book on business, leadership, habits, finances, you name it—it’s for women. It’s widely read, referenced, and quoted—by women. Publishers, marketers, and so on insist that the audience is women only, that it should be marketed to women, read by women. Think Lean In, . . . now, quick, can you name another popular business, leadership, habits, or finance book by a woman? And it can’t be by Mel Robbins or Brené Brown.

If you’re a woman, I bet you can. If you’re a man, serious bonus points if you can drop one in the comments without the assistance of Google.

And look, I don’t judge men. They’ve been raised in a reading culture that celebrates male voices in business and leadership. But if you’re a man reading this, my hope is that you’ll be inspired to think beyond the bestsellers and consider expanding your reading library to include more diverse voices.

I also support books written by women, for women. In fact, many of my wonderful clients have written profound, life-changing books on topics like finance, leadership, business, grief, and more for female readers.

I’m here for it. Their books are truly changing lives. And it’s a deep honor to coach these authors as they write to readers who need their stories, expertise, and insights.

But here’s the thing: while these books are written by women, for women, they should be read by men too. And business, leadership, habits, and finance books by women should enter the marketplace with the assumption that, like their male counterparts, their perspectives are just as valid and valuable—worthy of a wider audience.

14 percent worthy

As of this writing, of the top fifty Amazon bestsellers in Business & Money, just seven books are by female authors. Of those seven, two of them are by Mel Robbins, and one of them I’m not totally sure is a female author—it’s a bill payment checklist that I surmised is by a female author because they also wrote a weight loss tracker for women.

That means just 14 percent of best-selling business and money books are written by women.

To be fair to readers at large, as I mentioned earlier, many of the books written by women are targeted to women specifically. There is a category for this: Women & Business.

And there should be. Because as I mentioned earlier, readers need books written by people like them, for them. In fact, Growing Influence, the book I coauthored with my friend and colleague Ron Price was number one in this category for a time. I’m grateful the genre exists and that women found this book.

The point of this think piece isn’t to say we shouldn’t be writing to niche audiences. As most of my book-coaching clients will tell you, I guide them to find their niche, because the publishing world is saturated with new books—and when you write to everyone, you write to no one.

My point is to advocate for women to consider the wider value of their perspective, and for men to read more widely. To seek out information and perspectives that are different. And for women to consider that books written by men, for men, are often written from a vantage point that doesn’t consider the nuance of living as a woman in this world.

An example is the often-cited Atomic Habits. It’s a well-written book, and the author, James Clear, has built an astoundingly large email list of readers who love hearing from him. He’s thoughtful and brings in science, and the book is compelling and inspiring.

But women readers have found it wanting. They go back to their real lives as women and carry the burden of centuries of domestic and mental labor. They face the reality of being the parent who attends to all the children’s needs, from doctor’s visits to school projects to bake sale cupcakes. They vow to get up early, and then their kid keeps them up late, or all night, and they feel like a zombie when their alarm goes off before the sun. To improve by 1 percent is a great aspiration, but there are seasons when it’s more like 1 percent, -3 percent, 1 percent, 1 percent, -5 percent, and so on.

Still read Atomic Habits, women, but carry into that reading experience the lens of your reality as a woman in the world. And men, maybe pick up a habits book for women to understand your colleagues, friends, partner, daughter, and other loved ones better?

Here’s a list to get you started

I asked my social media community to share a list of must-read books by female authors, as well as books by my wonderful clients. Many are in the business, leadership, habits, and finance space; some are in aligned genres. Enjoy!

Regina Lawless, Do You: A Journey of Success, Loss, and Learning to Live a More MeaningFULL Life

Giovanna González, Cultura and Cash: Lessons from the First Gen Mentor for Managing Finances and Cultural Expectations

Ingrid Hu Dahl, Sun Shining on Morning Snow

Arivee Vargas, Your Time to Rise: Unlearn Limiting Beliefs, Unlock Your Power, and Unleash Your Truest Self

Dr. Amanda Hanson, Muse: The Magnetism of Women Who Stop Abandoning Themselves

Janet Phan, Boldly You: A Story about Discovering What You’re Capable of When You Show Up for Yourself

Dr. Luissa Kiprono, Push, Then Breathe: Trauma, Triumph, and the Making of an American Doctor

Amy Lafko, People First: A Proven Method for an Exceptional Healthcare Practice

Christina Del Villar, Sway: Implement the G.R.I.T. Marketing Method to Gain Influence and Drive Corporate Strategy

Jeannie Burlowski, Launch: How to Get Your Kids Through College Debt-Free and Into Jobs They Love Afterward

May Lam-Rocco, Confi-Dance: Memoirs of an Asian Businesswoman’s Journey from a Traditional Upbringing into Unconditional Love

Lindsey Weigle, Enough Already

Kristen Luke, Uncomparable: The Financial Advisor’s Guide to Standing Out through Niche Marketing

Betsy Wills and Alex Ellison, Your Hidden Genius: The Science-Backed Strategy to Uncovering and Harnessing Your Innate Talents

What would you add?

I want to hear from you! Please share your respectful opinions below, as well as must-read books by female authors in the business, leadership, habits, and finance space. I read and reply to every comment and love hearing from you!