Last checked September 2026 against 7 sources · Editorial policy
Best books on menopause
Widely read menopause books include Mary Claire Haver's The New Menopause (Rodale, 2024), Jen Gunter's The Menopause Manifesto (2021), Lisa Mosconi's The Menopause Brain (2024) and, for perimenopause, Haver's The New Perimenopause (2026). For the plainest guidance from a professional society, see ACOG's Menopause: What Your Ob-Gyn Wants You to Know. Check any book's advice against NHS or NAMS guidance.
Menopause and perimenopause books compared: The New Menopause, The Menopause Manifesto, The Menopause Brain and ACOG's guide, with publishers, page counts and how to choose.
Menopause books: expectation vs reality
What people often expect
“A best-selling menopause book gives me the medical consensus”
What the evidence shows
Books reflect their authors' views. Some are written by doctors and cite research; others promote diets, fasting or supplements with weaker evidence. Check a book's claims against guidelines: for example, the NHS says combined HRT slightly increases breast cancer risk, while Estrogen Matters argues it doesn't.
Best books on menopause and perimenopause
The New Menopause book by Mary Claire Haver
The New Menopause: Navigating Your Path Through Hormonal Change with Purpose, Power, and Facts was published by Rodale in 2024 and runs 288 pages. The author is listed as Mary Claire Haver, MD. It's one clinician's approach to symptoms and treatment, so it works best as a starting point: check what it says about hormones, diet and supplements against NHS or NAMS guidance.
Best perimenopause book: The New Perimenopause
Haver's follow-up, The New Perimenopause: An Evidence-Based Guide to Surviving the Zone of Chaos and Feeling Like Yourself Again, was published by Rodale Books on April 7, 2026. It's written for the years before the final period, when cycles and symptoms are still changing. Other perimenopause-focused books include What Fresh Hell Is This? by Heather Corinna (2021).
Learn more →The Menopause Manifesto book by Jen Gunter
The Menopause Manifesto: Own Your Health with Facts and Feminism by Dr. Jen Gunter was published by Citadel on May 25, 2021, and runs 400 pages. It came out before the FDA approved fezolinetant (Veozah), so it doesn't cover the newest non-hormonal option for hot flashes. If you're weighing treatment now, read it alongside a current guide to hot flash treatments and HRT.
Learn more →Books on the menopause brain, fitness and aging
The Menopause Brain by Lisa Mosconi (2024) covers brain changes in the transition. Next Level by Stacy T. Sims, PhD, and Selene Yeager (Rodale Books, 2022, 304 pages) focuses on training through menopause. Unbreakable by Vonda Wright, MD (2025, 400 pages) covers aging with strength. Both training books suit women who want to keep or build muscle in midlife.
Learn more →The ACOG menopause book
Menopause: What Your Ob-Gyn Wants You to Know comes from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the US professional body for OB-GYNs. It's the only title in our list from a professional society, so it's the closest to the advice a US gynecologist would give. It's less widely read than the best-known titles and skips the personal stories many readers like.
Books on HRT: Estrogen Matters
Estrogen Matters by Avrum Bluming and Carol Tavris, revised in 2024, argues that hormones can improve and lengthen women's lives without raising breast cancer risk. Guidelines differ: the NHS says combined HRT slightly increases breast cancer risk, with around 5 extra cases per 1,000 women over 5 years, though benefits usually outweigh risks under 60.
Learn more →Menopause diet books
The Menopause Reset by Mindy Pelz (2023) and The Menopause Gut by Cynthia Thurlow, NP, focus on diet and gut health. Check their advice against trials: a 2026 Cochrane review found intermittent fasting no better than regular diet advice for weight loss, and the best-supported eating patterns in menopause are Mediterranean and DASH.
Learn more →Menopause books by the numbers
288
400
2026
5 per 1,000
Popularity reflects readers, not medical accuracy. Check any book's claims against guidelines.
We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. It doesn't change what we recommend. How this works →
Menopause books compared
The New Menopause (Haver, 2024)
Good for
Rodale, 2024; 288 pages.Watch
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One doctor's approach.The New Perimenopause (Haver, 2026)
Good for
Focused on perimenopause; Rodale Books, 2026.Watch
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The newest title on this list.The Menopause Manifesto (Gunter, 2021)
Good for
Citadel, 2021; 400 pages.Watch
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Published before recent drug approvals.Menopause: What Your Ob-Gyn Wants You to Know (ACOG)
Good for
From the US professional society for OB-GYNs.Watch
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Less widely read than the other books here.Estrogen Matters (Bluming and Tavris, 2024)
Good for
Detailed case for hormone therapy.Watch
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Its breast cancer view differs from NHS guidance.Next Level (Sims and Yeager, 2022)
Good for
Training-focused; Rodale Books, 2022; 304 pages.Watch
Check price on Amazon →
Less on medical treatment.
How to choose a menopause book
- Check the publication date; treatments such as fezolinetant were approved recently.
- Prefer books by clinicians or professional societies, and check claims against NHS or NAMS guidance.
- Be wary of books built around a single diet, fast or supplement protocol.
- Compare hardcover, paperback, ebook and audiobook before you buy; prices often differ by format.
When a menopause book isn't enough
Menopause books: questions women ask
What is the best book on menopause?
Widely read choices are The New Menopause by Mary Claire Haver (2024) and The Menopause Manifesto by Jen Gunter (2021). For guidance from a professional society, choose ACOG's Menopause: What Your Ob-Gyn Wants You to Know.
What is the best book on perimenopause?
The New Perimenopause by Mary Claire Haver (2026) is written specifically for perimenopause; What Fresh Hell Is This? by Heather Corinna (2021) is another option.
Is The New Menopause book worth reading?
It's a 288-page overview from one doctor, published by Rodale in 2024. Read it as one clinician's approach, and check what it says about hormones and diet against NHS or NAMS guidance.
Are there good menopause diet books?
Diet-focused books include The Menopause Reset and The Menopause Gut. Trials support Mediterranean and DASH eating more than any single protocol.
What new books on menopause came out recently?
The New Perimenopause by Mary Claire Haver was published on April 7, 2026, and Unbreakable by Vonda Wright in 2025.
Is Estrogen Matters accurate?
It argues HRT doesn't raise breast cancer risk; the NHS says combined HRT slightly increases it. Discuss your own risks with a doctor.
Sources
- Amazon.com Books listings and Open Library edition records for menopause books (checked September 2026).
- The North American Menopause Society. The 2023 nonhormone therapy position statement of The North American Menopause Society. Menopause. 2023;30(6):573-590.
- NHS. Benefits and risks of hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
- Prescribing information: Veozah (fezolinetant tablets). Astellas Pharma, 2026. DailyMed, US National Library of Medicine.
- Garegnani LI, Oltra G, Ivaldi D, et al. Intermittent fasting for adults with overweight or obesity. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2026;2(2):CD015610.
- Baraut MC. Nutrition during the menopausal transition: Current evidence, health trajectories and clinical implications. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2026;75:103405.
- NHS. Postmenopausal bleeding.
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