From the Publisher
"Although its title brings back memories of a more hopeful time, editors Samhita Mukhopadhyay and Kate Harding have crafted a collection of viewpoints aimed at piercing the fug of misogyny and racism that has held sway after the 2016 election...[Writers] hold forth on how to survive Trump's America, and raise others up along the way."—Elle.com (The Best Books to Read This Fall)
“With essay from Cheryl Strayed, Alicia Garza, Katha Pollitt, and marieclaire.com contributing editor Jessica Valenti, among other, this collection will keep you fired up for the next three years.”—Marie Claire
"Samantha Irby’s 'Country Crock' is fantastic. Sarah Jaffe’s 'Donald Trump’s War on the Working Class' is essential. Carina Chocano’s 'We Have a Heroine Problem' is brilliant. Just read the whole book. It's only getting more relevant by the hour."—Chicago Tribune
"In this fantastic collection of essays, women are speaking out on the issues that face us in Trump's America. Of course, this book is only the tip of the iceberg, but it's an excellent, intersectional beginner's guide."—Bustle (Books Donald Trump Really Needs to Read)
"I am hopeful that reading this anthology will not only inform and provoke us, but also that it will strengthen our collective resolve."—Lambda Literary
"An important guide showing what intersectional feminism actually looks like...compelling."—Rewire
"A searing and urgent collection....The writers are emotionally generous as they meditate on this pivotal moment in American history. The 2016 election marked a deeply personal shift in the tides of hope for so many. This book invites readers to converse, comfort, and hold one another accountable in the hope of igniting radical, intersectional change."—Booklist (starred review)
"Strong, thoughtful, and angry voices ring out for resistance, empathy, and solidarity."—Kirkus Reviews
From the Publisher - AUDIO COMMENTARY
"A searing and urgent collection . . . This book invites readers to converse, comfort, and hold one another accountable in the hope of igniting radical, intersectional change." Booklist Starred Review
Library Journal - Audio
04/01/2018
Pain, anger, resistance, and humor are recurring themes in this collection of 23 essays written in response to Donald Trump's election. Mukhopadhyay (Outdated: Why Dating Is Ruining Your Love Life) and Harding (Asking for It: The Alarming Rise of Rape Culture—and What We Can Do About It) have gathered a diverse group of women, including author Cheryl Strayed and columnist Katha Pollitt, to discuss the plight of women in the 21st century and fight back against the racism and sexism in the United States that have been ramped up by Trump's presidency. Several writers lament the gender bias that caused Hillary Clinton to be defeated. In a moving essay, Sarah Michael Hollenbeck writes of the cruelty she faces as a disabled woman, while black, gay, and trans essayists speak of their oppression and urge white women to do more than just march in their pink pussy hats. Jill Filipovic examines the pain and difficulty Trump's "gag rule" causes women who need access to safe, effective birth control. Bahni Turpin narrates in a clear, pleasant voice. VERDICT This collection will appeal to listeners wishing to be inspired and challenged by controversial ideas. ["A thought-provoking view of the election from an array of feminist perspectives that will be of interest to many": LJ 9/15/17 review of the Picador hc.]—Nancy R. Ives, SUNY at Geneseo
Library Journal
09/15/2017
This collection of essays edited by Mukhopadhyay (senior editorial director of culture & identities, Mic) and Harding (Asking for It) aims to present a diverse group of voices "writing at the intersection of feminism, identity, and personal experience" with a primary focus on the 2016 presidential election. Many pieces focus on the authors' personal reaction to the election results, with some describing their anger, fear, and heartbreak. The contributors, including Cheryl Strayed, Rebecca Solnit, Alicia Garza, and others represent a variety of groups who fear being marginalized under Donald Trump owing to discrimination based on their race, ethnic background, religion, sexual orientation, or gender nonconformity. Some essays analyze the reasons behind Hillary Clinton's loss of the presidency and the sexism that permeated the election, presenting historical context on the struggle for gender equality. There are also chapters on current women's issues: health care, reproductive rights, immigration, and economic inequality. Taken together, these writings emphasize the need for an intersectional feminist movement. The final essays present a general path forward and the importance of building an inclusive coalition focused on active resistance. Unfortunately, these chapters lack details on specific actions, but they broadly encourage personal and public forms of resistance. VERDICT A thought-provoking view of the election from an array of feminist perspectives that will be of interest to many. [See Prepub Alert, 3/27/17.]—Theresa Muraski, Univ. of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Lib.
MAY 2018 - AudioFile
This incredible collection of essays from a diverse array of well-known women writers, narrated by Bahni Turpin, focuses on the aftermath of the surprising election of Donald Trump. Addressing the issues and divisions of identity politics and coalitional politics, the selections are angry, poignant, entertaining, and inspiring. Turpin expertly voices the frustration, passion, and fury of each of the featured writers. Particularly powerful are selections by Cheryl Strayed, Jill Filipovic, Katha Pollitt, and Randa Jarrar. Part "how did we get here?" and part call to action, the essays will have listeners shaking their heads, wiping away tears, and laughing out loud as they reflect on where we’ve been and how far we still have to go. K.S.M. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2017-08-06
Women essayists reflect on Trump, Clinton, and the prospects for feminism. Mukhopadhyay (Outdated: Why Dating is Ruining Your Love Life, 2011), senior editorial director of Culture and Identities at Mic, and Harding (Women's Resource Center/Cornell Univ.; Asking for It: The Alarming Rise of Rape Culture—and What We Can Do About It, 2015, etc.) gather a diverse collection of essayists to respond to the challenges faced by women in Trump's America. The writers include Cheryl Strayed, who felt "numb shock" after Trump's election; Nation columnist Katha Pollitt, who offers suggestions for activism for reproductive rights; and award-winning essayist Rebecca Solnit, who points to the "highly gendered term ‘hysteria'" used to attack Clinton. Many writers agree with Carina Chocano, who sees Clinton's defeat as a result of gender bias: "there's no more despised figure on earth than a woman who thinks she should be in charge." The anthology is broadly representative. Sarah Michael Hollenbeck considers women with disabilities; Jill Filipovic points out the plight of women in Africa after Trump's "gag rule" prohibited U.S. funding to any foreign organization that provides abortions or advocates for abortion rights; Melissa Arjona writes about Mexican women living in South Texas; Collier Meyerson and Zerlina Maxwell consider black feminism. Also represented are gay and trans women, such as Meredith Talusan, who asserts that "Clinton's loss, despite the fact that she was exceedingly better qualified than Trump, mirrors the way trans women and femmes are marginalized in post-Trump feminism, despite our significantly greater experience of fighting oppression" compared to mainstream white women, who, several writers note, dominated the women's march after Trump's inauguration. Kera Bolonik, a gay mother raising an adopted black son, and the granddaughter of Jews persecuted by Nazis, sees parallels to fascism in the atmosphere of hate and fear unleashed by Trump and his supporters. Strong, thoughtful, and angry voices ring out for resistance, empathy, and solidarity.