Phoebe Robinson's Reading List

"Like lots of people, I really love Roxane Gay. This is one of my favorite essay collections I’ve read in the past five to ten years. She’s really good at conversational writing that’s also academic and intelligent and funny. After #MeToo there’s a lot of introspection, and people need to analyze themselves and see what feminist they’ll be. There’s no perfect feminist."

"She’s brilliant beyond brilliant. I was reading this at this black hair salon while I was getting my braids done so I felt like the best of all of America. Ephron has a way with language and jokes. She’s very much a writer who uses her personal life to fuel her work. It’s really funny. Women who are older, people ignore their contributions, but people always craved her writing and her take on the world, and it’s a testament to her skills as a writer, and how she could get you into her world a..."

"Eye roll. It’s my favorite of all Shakespeare’s work. I love the play so much. It’s truly perfect. It’s a work that still influences film, TV, other books. I love how Shakespeare can really rip your heart out one second and then make you laugh the next. He’s a master writer."

"I know it hasn’t been out that long, but this is a classic. I got it as a present for my mom for Mother’s Day. It speaks to women of all ages, of all backgrounds, of all financial classes, what have you. It makes an amazing argument. I think men should read it. I never hear men talk about this book, and I’m like, ‘You should be reading this, dog! You too should be a feminist!’ She gets you pumped the fuck up to be like ‘Yeah I’m a feminist and I’m going to take over and live my best life and..."

"I first read this when I was a sophomore in college. I’m always a fan of female authors and their work isn’t always included in canons or revered or placed on a pedestal the way male authors are — this is a book that has stood the test of time. It’s incredible to read books that represent different time periods in black people’s lives. Not just about slavery. Not just about black suffering. That can often be the only narrative that we get. This is more a snapshot of a woman’s life throughout..."