Today is the last day of women’s history month. In honor of the month ending, here are five books that I recommend, in order to help you keep learning about various aspects of women’s history.

1) The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Henrietta Lacks died of cancer, but her cells live on, used by scientists all over the country under the code name HeLa. The problem with this? Her family didn’t know about it for around 20 years after she died, and they were never compensated, despite the advances in medical research that Henrietta unknowingly contributed to. This book explains the situation from all angles, presenting a full portrait of the woman known as HeLa to researchers.

2) The Radium Girls by Kate Moore

These days we know that radium is so radioactive that it can kill you, but at the turn of the 20th century, it was marketed as a miracle cure. Turned into a fine powder, radium was also painted onto watch dials to make them glow in the dark. Unfortunately for the women hired for these jobs, there are major health consequences. Follow along with the story as they eventually get a kind of justice.

3) The Girls Who Went Away by Ann Fessler

Ann Fessler was adopted. While searching for her birth mother, she realized that there were numerous other women back in the 1950s and 60s who wound up in a similar situation as unwed mothers. Sent to religious run homes (many of them Catholic) in order to give birth without anyone in their hometowns knowing the reality of the situation, these women were also forced to give their children up for adoption. Their stories are told here.

4) Triangle: The Fire That Changed America by Dave Von Drehle

The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire led to a number of protections for factory workers across the country. Unfortunately, a number of the immigrant women who worked there had to die in the fire in order for that to happen. This book sheds a light on the conditions that they worked under, goes into depth on the women who worked there, and more.

5) The Girls Who Stepped Out of Line by Mari Eder

While the men were out fighting in WW2, many women were doing amazing things as well. From escaping Nazi control more than once and going on to fight with the resistance in Poland to joining the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots, and more, the true tales of these 15 women are those that you aren’t likely to forget.