Gerda Lerner published 12 non-fiction books, beginning with Black Women in White America (1972). The series is Women and History (2 books, starting with The Creation of Patriarchy). The best-known is The Creation of Patriarchy (1986).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Gerda Lerner
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The Creation of Patriarchy
Gerda Lerner's most-read book and the first of the 2 Women and History books.
Non-fiction in order
The Woman in American History (1971)
Black Women in White America (1972)
The Female Experience (1977)
A Death of One's Own (1978)
The Majority Finds Its Past (1979)
Women and History (1986)
Why History Matters (1997)
Fireweed (2002)
The Grimke Sisters from South Carolina (2004)
Living with History--making Social Change (2009)
About Gerda Lerner
Gerda Hedwig Lerner was an Austrian-born American historian and woman's history author. In addition to her numerous scholarly publications, she wrote poetry, fiction, theatre pieces, screenplays, and an autobiography. She served as president of the Organization of American Historians from 1980 to 1981. In 1980, she was appointed Robinson Edwards Professor of History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she taught until retiring in 1991.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Gerda Lerner FAQ
- How many books has Gerda Lerner written?
- Gerda Lerner published 12 non-fiction books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Gerda Lerner's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start Women and History with The Creation of Patriarchy. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is Gerda Lerner's last book?
- Living with History--making Social Change (2009).
- What is Gerda Lerner's most famous book?
- The Creation of Patriarchy (1986) is Gerda Lerner's most widely read book.
- Are Gerda Lerner's books connected?
- 2 books belong to 1 series (Women and History); the other 10 books stand alone.
Authors like Gerda Lerner
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.