Named by BookBrowse as a Best Book for Book Clubs

Now Out in Paperback!

  • “In absorbing detail, Perkins describes the organizing efforts of those early years … [a] lively and engaging account of the college’s first class of female students.”

    New York Times
    Book Review
  • “This stunning, engaging work highlights the strength and courage of women who fought for their future against centuries of patriarchy.”

    Library Journal
    *Starred Review
  • “A riveting and uplifting account of the experiences of Yale’s early women coeds—first admitted in 1969 … This inspiring book is a ‘must read’ for everyone.”

    Janet L. Yellen
    U.S. Secretary of the Treasury
  • “This beautifully written history provides a comprehensive view of the many social and political changes that faced the young college women of this era.”

    Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
    Harvard University Professor and Host of PBS’s Finding Your Roots

Hello Book Clubs!

BookBrowse named YALE NEEDS WOMEN as one of its Top 12 Best Books for Book Clubs in 2021 and I’d be honored if your book club chose to read it. I’ve put together a bunch of book club resources. Take a look!

Book Club Resources

Subscribe to the Yale Needs Women newsletter!

Stories about women of courage, plus news and events.

I don’t spam or share your email address. You can opt out at any time. 

About Anne

Anne Gardiner Perkins, PhD, is an award-winning historian, a graduate of Yale University, and a Rhodes Scholar. She spent more than five years interviewing the women of Yale and digging through the archives to tell their story. Read more