What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Female Persuasion
Meg Wolitzer · Book · 2018
If you loved The Female Persuasion, start with Little Women (Greta Gerwig, 2019) — a film on the same thread. Below: 3 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Female Persuasion across media.
What hooked you in The Female Persuasion was the way the complex interplay of mentorship and female ambition shapes personal identity.
Films on the same thread

Little Women
Greta Gerwig · Film · 2019
Explores: Sisterhood, Female ambition, Artistic expression.
Like The Female Persuasion, this story explores the evolving nature of female ambition and the profound impact that family bonds and artistic expression have on coming-of-age journeys.

Lady Bird
Greta Gerwig · Film · 2017
Explores: Mother-Daughter Relationship, Teenage Rebellion, Self-Discovery.
You will recognize the turbulent path toward self-discovery found in The Female Persuasion, as this film captures the raw tension between a strong-willed daughter and her maternal figure.

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
Kelly Fremon Craig · Film · 2023
Shares a thread with The Female Persuasion: Coming-of-age.
This film echoes the early, formative stages of independence depicted in The Female Persuasion, focusing on how young women navigate the external pressures of their environment while finding themselves.
Series on the same thread

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Amy Sherman-Palladino · Series · 2017
Explores: Self-Discovery, Female Empowerment, Breaking Societal Norms.
Much like the protagonist in The Female Persuasion, Midge must navigate the sudden collapse of her established world, forcing her to redefine her identity through the pursuit of dreams.

The Good Fight
Michelle King · Series · 2017
Shares a thread with The Female Persuasion: Power Dynamics.
The dynamic between mentor and mentee is central to The Female Persuasion, and this series mirrors that intensity as a young lawyer navigates power structures alongside her godmother.

The Bold Type
Sarah Watson · Series · 2017
Shares 2 threads with The Female Persuasion: Coming-of-Age, Feminism.
If the workplace focus of The Female Persuasion resonated with you, this series offers a similar look at how career ambition and female friendship drive personal growth in adulthood.

My Brilliant Friend
Saverio Costanzo · Series · 2018
Shares a thread with The Female Persuasion: Ambition.
The Female Persuasion examines the weight of long-term connections, and this story similarly tracks the lifelong evolution of a complex female friendship across shifting social and personal landscapes.
Podcasts on the same thread

Happier with Gretchen Rubin
Gretchen Rubin / The Onward Project · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Well-being, Behavioral Change, Mindful Living.
For those who appreciated the focus on personal growth in The Female Persuasion, this podcast provides practical tools for the self-reflection and behavioral change required for meaningful transformation.

Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel
Esther Perel Global Media · Podcast · 2026
Explores: infidelity, emotional vulnerability, human connection.
The Female Persuasion highlights the importance of deep, transformative relationships, and this podcast offers a similar, intimate look at the vulnerability required to understand one's own human connection.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Female Persuasion based on a true story?
The Female Persuasion is a fictional novel written by Meg Wolitzer. It follows the story of college freshman Greer Kadetsky and her relationship with a prominent figure in the women's movement named Faith Frank. The narrative explores themes of mentorship and personal influence within the academic and professional world.
Who is the main character in The Female Persuasion?
The primary protagonist of The Female Persuasion is Greer Kadetsky. She is a shy college freshman who becomes deeply influenced by Faith Frank, an elegant and persuasive leader of the women's movement. Their evolving relationship serves as the central focus of the book's narrative arc.
What is the premise of The Female Persuasion?
The Female Persuasion centers on Greer Kadetsky, a freshman who meets Faith Frank, a sixty-three-year-old icon of the women's movement. The story tracks how this encounter changes Greer's life while she balances her feelings for her boyfriend, Cory, and her own search for purpose and influence.
When was The Female Persuasion published?
The Female Persuasion was published in 2018. The novel was written by Meg Wolitzer and focuses on the dynamic between a young college student named Greer Kadetsky and an established women's movement leader named Faith Frank as they navigate themes of ambition and personal growth.