When important movements have broad applications, it can be difficult to craft condense, pro-position arguments. That’s where We Should All Be Feminists comes in. At just 48 pages, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie‘s essay on the ubiquitous necessity of the women’s movement is a defense concise enough to slide into anyone’s hand.

It’s difficult to understate the impact We Should All Be Feminists has had. Based on Adichie’s 2012 TEDx Talk of the same name, the book was the source of that great feminism quote in Beyoncé’s “Flawless” video. In December 2015, Sweden announced that all 16-year-old high school students would receive a copy of We Should All Be Feminists, a decision NPR called “wholly uncontroversial.” It would be impossible for Adichie’s book to be so well received in U.S. public schools, and that’s just one of the many reasons why we need it.

Of course, a large portion of We Should All Be Feminists‘ importance comes from its author’s ethnicity. In a field dominated by white women — who are, unfortunately, not always inclusive of transwomen, sex workers, and women of color — a Nigerian-born Igbo woman’s voice stands out, and provides some much-needed perspective. While it might be easy for some to explain away Adichie’s complaints as a quality of developing countries, most women will recognize them immediately as part and parcel to the female experience.

If you’re new to feminism or know someone who could use a quick primer, you’d be remiss to pass over We Should All Be Feminists.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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Image: Sarah Mirk/flickr