A must-read list of guides and stories to inspire working women at different stages in their career life-cycle:

“Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead” by Sheryl Sandberg – Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook, offers practical advice and insights for women striving to achieve their career goals while balancing personal life.

“The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance—What Women Should Know” by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman – This book explores the concept of confidence and offers strategies for women to develop and maintain it in the workplace.

“Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office: Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers” by Lois P. Frankel – Lois Frankel identifies common mistakes women make in the workplace and provides practical tips for overcoming them to achieve success.

“Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men” by Caroline Criado Pérez – This book explores how gender biases impact data collection and design, shedding light on the often overlooked ways in which women are marginalized in various aspects of society, including the workplace.

30 Women in Power: Their Voices, Their Stories: Edited by Naina Lal Kidwai– It carries the stories and inimitable voices of thirty of India’s greatest women achievers who have been pioneers and led large organizations in banking, law, the media, advertising, government services, health care, consulting, the fast-moving consumer goods sector and the not-for-profit space.

Lady, You’re Not a Man!: The Adventures of a Woman at Work – Apurva Purohit, CEO of Radio City 91.1 FM, shows how women can accept, adapt and achieve their way to the highest rung in every arena. Through real-life stories and funny anecdotes, she provides pithy tips on a multitude of topics: from training husbands to training interns, from the right attitude to getting it right with kids, from dealing with household crises to office emergencies, from building a reputation to paving one’s way to the top. 

Roots and Wings: Inspiring Stories of Indian Women in Engineering by Shantha Mohan – This book chronicles the lives and careers of 29 pioneering women who graduated from the oldest engineering college in India sometime between 1943 and 1971. They all went on to make their mark in their unique ways in various fields of work in India as well as the USA. Buy here

Back on the Career Track: A Guide for Stay-at-home Mothers Who Want to Return to Work by Carol Fishman Cohen- From the Founder of IRelaunch, a pioneering organisation that first began facilitating stay-at-home mothers to return to work, this book shows you women are returning to work and helps you learn from their successes and challenges. Step-by-step exercises, inspiring stories, sample resumes, and resource lists round out this engaging, well-researched look at when, how, and why women are returning to work after career breaks of a few months or many years. It offers the perfect first step and a handy resource to regularly reference as you successfully relaunch your own career. Buy here

Women Who Launch: The Women Who Shattered Glass Celings by Marlene Wagman-Geller – The book has inspiring biographies of women creators, innovators, and leaders from around the world. It is filled with inspiring true stories of women activists, artists, entrepreneurs who launched some of the most famous companies, brands, and organizations today and changed the world.  Buy here

Own It: Leadership Lessons from Women Who Do by Aparna Jain – The book tells women’s stories. 200 Indian women leaders across industries discuss the challenges they face in the Indian workplace and at home. Heads of companies, human resource directors and senior managers talk about issues like pay parity, harassment, promotion and maternity policies. Why is the workplace agenda skewed against women and what are their own demons that keep them from breaking the glass ceiling? Thought-provoking and controversial, Own It takes the challenges that confront women in the workplace head-on – without discounting the complexities of being a woman in an Indian home. Buy here

Dare to Be: 14 Fearless Women Who Gave Wings to Their Dreams by Rinku Paul and Pooja Singhal- The book chronicles the success stories of fourteen women who have founded India’s fast-growing women-led businesses. None of them inherited businesses, nor were they born into great wealth. These are ordinary women made extraordinary by the single-minded pursuit of their passion and the courage they showed in the face of adversity.  Buy here

Bold and Untold : Life and Leadership Lessons from women who dared to dream by Ipsita Kathuria – The book is a compilation of stories of women that helps draw leadership lessons from rural women who dared to dream, who have achieved so much with so little. The untold stories of unbelievable women who are part of SEWA and their journeys of grit with empathy, perseverance with collaboration, and innovation with resourcefulness are inspiring and exemplary lessons in leadership for aspiring professionals to successful corporate leaders. Buy here

“The Power of Women at Work: Harnessing the Female Vision for Better Leadership” by Julie A. Morgenstern – Julie Morgenstern explores the unique strengths and perspectives that women bring to leadership roles and offers strategies for leveraging these qualities to drive positive change in the workplace.

“Bossypants” by Tina Fey – In this humorous memoir, Tina Fey shares her experiences as a woman navigating the male-dominated world of comedy and offers insights into finding success and fulfillment in a competitive industry.

“Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person” by Shonda Rhimes – Shonda Rhimes, the creator of hit TV shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal, shares her journey of saying “yes” to new opportunities and embracing challenges, inspiring women to take control of their lives and careers.

“The Myth of the Nice Girl: Achieving a Career You Love Without Becoming a Person You Hate” by Fran Hauser – Fran Hauser challenges the notion that women have to choose between being nice and being successful, offering practical advice for finding balance and authenticity in the workplace.

“Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.” by Brené Brown – Brené Brown explores the qualities of effective leadership and emphasizes the importance of vulnerability, courage, and empathy, qualities that are particularly relevant for women in leadership roles.

“Becoming” by Michelle Obama – In her memoir, former First Lady Michelle Obama reflects on her life and career, sharing valuable lessons learned along the way and inspiring women to embrace their own journeys with authenticity and determination.

“My Life in Full: Work, Family, and Our Future” by Indra Nooyi – is a memoir that delves into the Pepsi Co CEO’s personal and professional journey as a prominent business leader. Here are some books that share similar themes of leadership, personal development, and navigating the corporate world:

The Accidental Entrepreneur: The Juicy Bits by Janine Allis- The founder of Boost Juice shares the secrets and skills that took her from housewife to entrepreneur to head of a multi-national corporation. As a working mother of four, Janine understands the demands of modern life, and shows you how you can accomplish your goals without sacrificing your health or your relationships in the process. You will learn how to grow your company from kitchen table to earning billion in revenue, explore and apply Janine Allis’s practical tips for success, Identify and develop the skills you need to get where you want to be and Overcome the common obstacles that can throw you off course. Buy here

Get Rich, Lucky Bitch!: Release Your Money Blocks and Live a First Class Life by Dennse Duffield-thomas – The book that helps women release their money blocks and find their hidden potential for abundance. Buy here

What I know for sure by Oprah Winfrey – a beautiful book of essays packed with insight and revelation from Oprah Winfrey. Organized by theme – joy, resilience, connection, gratitude, possibility, awe, clarity, and power -these essays offer a rare, powerful and intimate glimpse into the heart and mind of one of the world’s most extraordinary woman while providing readers a guide to becoming their best selves. Buy here

The Working Woman’s Baby Planner by Marla Schwartz – Overcome challenges of being pregnant and working. Leanr the tricks for Coping with common discomforts, remaining professional when you are not feeling well, Making your workspace more comfortable and accommodating, tips for telling your boss you are pregnant, Breast-feeding and much more. Buy here (imported into India)

Secrets of Six-Figure Women: Surprising Strategies to Up Your Earnings and Change Your Life by Barbara Stanny – the author identifies the seven key strategies of female highearners: A Profit Motive, Audacity, Resilience, Encouragement, Self-Awareness, Non-attachment, and Financial Know-How. She turns each of the six-figure traits into a specific strategy for upping earnings for readers can, step-by-step, climb the income ladder. Buy here

How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back from Your Next Raise, Promotion, or Job by Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith – the authors identify the 12 habits that hold women back as they seek to advance, showing them why what worked for them in the past might actually be sabotaging their future success. Buy here

Broad Band: The Untold Story of the Women Who Made the Internet by Claire L. Evans – This is the stories of women who were pioneers in technology,who defied social convention to become database poets, information-wranglers, hypertext dreamers, and glass ceiling-shattering dot com-era entrepreneurs. Buy here

Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office by Lois P. Frankel. The author reveals a set of 130 unconcious mistakes women make that could be holding you back and teaches you how to eliminate these. Mistakes like “Avoiding office politics”. “Multi-tasking”, ” Failing to negotiate” and “Inappropriate use of social media”. Buy here

“Unfinished: A Memoir” by Priyanka Chopra Jonas – Priyanka Chopra Jonas shares her journey from her childhood in India to becoming a global icon in the entertainment industry, offering insights into her experiences and the lessons she has learned along the way.

“The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World” by Melinda Gates – Melinda Gates reflects on her experiences as a philanthropist and advocate for women’s empowerment, highlighting the importance of lifting up women and girls to create positive change in society.

“Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy” by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant – Sheryl Sandberg shares her personal journey of overcoming grief and finding resilience in the face of adversity, offering practical advice for building resilience and finding joy in life.

“Trailblazer: The Power of Business as the Greatest Platform for Change” by Marc Benioff and Monica Langley – Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and journalist Monica Langley explore the power of business to drive positive change in society, featuring stories of leaders who are making a difference in their communities.

“Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance” by Angela Duckworth – Psychologist Angela Duckworth explores the concept of grit and how it contributes to success, offering insights into the qualities that drive achievement in various domains, including business and leadership.

 “I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban” by Malala Yousafzai – This memoir by Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai chronicles her courageous fight for education and women’s rights, serving as an inspiration to girls and women worldwide.

“Lakshmi’s Story: A True Story of a Girl from Nepal Trafficked into India’s Sex Slave Trade” by Lakshmi and Rebecca T. Stevens – This non-fiction book tells the harrowing yet inspiring story of Lakshmi, who survived human trafficking and became an advocate for victims’ rights.

“Daughters of the Sun: Empresses, Queens and Begums of the Mughal Empire” by Ira Mukhoty – This book explores the lives of powerful women in the Mughal Empire, shedding light on their roles as rulers, patrons of the arts, and influencers of politics and culture.

“Indira: India’s Most Powerful Prime Minister” by Sagarika Ghose – Sagarika Ghose provides a comprehensive biography of Indira Gandhi, highlighting her leadership, political acumen, and enduring legacy as India’s first female Prime Minister.

 “Dipa Karmakar: The Small Wonder” by Bishweshwar Nandi – This book tells the story of Dipa Karmakar, the Indian gymnast who defied the odds to become the first female gymnast from India to compete in the Olympics, inspiring a generation of young athletes.

“Priyanka Chopra: The Incredible Story of a Global Bollywood Star” by Aseem Chhabra – Aseem Chhabra delves into the life and career of Priyanka Chopra, from her childhood in India to her rise to fame as a Bollywood actress and later as a global icon in Hollywood.

“Neerja Bhanot: The Untold Story of the Youngest Ashok Chakra Awardee” by Ramendra Kumar – This book chronicles the heroic actions of Neerja Bhanot, a flight attendant who sacrificed her life to save passengers during the hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73 in 1986.

“Biocon: Quest for Innovation” by Dr. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw – In this book, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, the founder of Biocon, one of India’s largest biotechnology companies, shares her journey as an entrepreneur and innovator in the field of biotechnology.

“Sudha Murty: The Mother of Indian Philanthropy” by Shruti Garodia – Shruti Garodia explores the life and philanthropic work of Sudha Murty, the chairperson of the Infosys Foundation and a prominent advocate for education and social welfare in India.

“She Walks, She Leads: Women Who Inspire India” by Gunjan Jain – Gunjan Jain profiles 24 influential Indian women across various fields, including business, politics, media, and sports, offering insights into their leadership styles and success stories.

“Lady You’re the Boss” by Apurva Purohit – Apurva Purohit, the CEO of Radio City, shares her experiences and insights on leadership, management, and navigating the corporate world as a woman in India.

“The Alphabet of Women Empowerment: Leading Indian Women Entrepreneurs Share Their Journeys” by Dr. Seema Gupta – This book features inspiring stories of Indian women entrepreneurs who have overcome challenges and achieved success in their respective fields.

“Rani Lakshmibai: The Valiant Queen of Jhansi” by Dr. Priya Dutt – This book chronicles the life and legacy of Rani Lakshmibai, the fearless warrior queen who played a key role in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 against British rule.

“Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong and the New Research That’s Rewriting the Story” by Angela Saini – Angela Saini examines the history of sexism in science and presents the latest research challenging long-held assumptions about gender differences.

“Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy” by Cathy O’Neil – Cathy O’Neil explores how algorithms and big data perpetuate inequality and discrimination, affecting various aspects of society, including employment, education, and criminal justice.

“Data Feminism” by Catherine D’Ignazio and Lauren F. Klein – This book explores how data science can be used to challenge power dynamics and promote social justice, with a focus on feminist principles and practices.

“Gendered Innovations in Science and Engineering” edited by Londa Schiebinger – This interdisciplinary collection of essays examines how gender analysis can lead to more inclusive and equitable scientific research and technological innovation.

“The Gendered Brain: The New Neuroscience that Shatters the Myth of the Female Brain” by Gina Rippon – Gina Rippon challenges the idea of inherent gender differences in the brain and argues that such beliefs are based on outdated and flawed science.

“Unscrewed: Women, Sex, Power, and How to Stop Letting the System Screw Us All” by Jaclyn Friedman – Jaclyn Friedman explores the intersection of sex, power, and gender inequality, offering insights into how patriarchy and misogyny shape women’s experiences in society.

“Feminism for the 99%” by Nancy Fraser, Tithi Bhattacharya, and Cinzia Arruzza – This book offers a radical feminist perspective on capitalism, racism, and inequality, advocating for a feminism that prioritizes the needs of marginalized women and challenges oppressive systems.