Penguin Classics

"The Feminine Mystique" is a pivotal read if you're interested in understanding the roots of second-wave feminism and the societal pressures that shaped an entire generation's concept of womanhood. Betty Friedan's articulate dissection of mid-twentieth-century domesticity and the "problem that has no name" offers a profound look at the widespread dissatisfaction among women who were confined by rigid gender roles. It's as enlightening today as it was revolutionary then.