A lot of what I know are also textbooks (I am getting my Ph.D. in sociology of race, class and gender). Important names include: Joan Acker, Patricia Hill Collins, Margaret Andersen, either Mink, Linda Gordon, Susan Faludi…

If you are interested in fiction I would recommend: any and all Margaret Atwood (especially Handmaid’s Tale), Toni Morrison, Bell Hooks, Charlotte Perkins Gilman…

Are you looking for non-fiction or fiction?

If non-fiction, The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan should be required reading if one is looking for an intro. Yes, it’s old, but…it’s Ms. Friedan, for goodness sake. Another old book that shows the flip side, a must-read is The Total Woman by Marabel Morgan. It’s humorous today, but sad part is that it sold over 10 million copies.

As for fiction, I agree with @jenandcolin‘s vote for Margaret Atwood’s A Handmaid’s Tale, as well as Cat’s Eye. A Woman of Independent Means by Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey is another personal favorite, as well as The Color Purple by Alice Walker.

“Full Frontal Feminism.” Here’s the link: http://www.amazon.com/Full-Frontal-Feminism-Womans-Matters/dp/1580052010/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1288277347&sr=1-2

It’s not an academic source, but it’s a fun and passionate read. I think it’s a great place to start. Enjoy!

Susan Faludi is a contemporary feminist writer, and her book ‘Backlash, the Undeclared War Against American Women’ is a great place to start. She also has a gripping article in the last edition of Harper’s magazine that presents the values of the new generation’s feminism.

I would look into bell hooks. She’s written dozens upon dozens of books on feminism, gender, sexuality, class, race, and anything and everything relating to modern feminism. She even wrote a book called “Feminism is For Everyone,” a great intro to feminism and feminist studies. Her books are very accessible – they’re easy to read, even for those who do not have extensive knowledge of feminism.

I want to add that Faludi has another great book to explain the history of the American man as well: “Stiffed, The Betrayal of the American Man.” The American ‘gender war’ can only be understood when we understand that everyone is a victim of it.

I like bell hooks, for sure and I don’t think it’s bad to start a couple of decades ago or longer…the basics begin there…read De Beauvoir’s The Second Sex.

Oh, I’m sorry, I mean an intro to all the different schools of thought in feminism. My bad.