Know My Name
The Survivor of the Stanford Sexual Assault Case Tells Her Story
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4.6 • 74 Ratings
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- £6.99
Publisher Description
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING MEMOIR
'Incredibly moving and haunting' Roxane Gay
'I read this book cover to cover and it stunned me' Jia Tolentino
'Powerful, honest and necessary' Marian Keyes
'To girls everywhere, I am with you. On nights when you feel alone, I am with you. When people doubt you or dismiss you, I am with you. I fought every day for you. So never stop fighting, I believe you.'
Chanel Miller's story changed our world forever. In 2016 Brock Turner was sentenced to just six months in jail after he was caught sexually assaulting her on Stanford's campus. His light sentencing, and Chanel's victim impact statement, which was read by eleven million people in four days, sparked international outrage and action.
Know My Name is an intimate, profoundly moving memoir that exposes a patriarchal culture biased to protect perpetrators, a criminal justice system designed to fail the most vulnerable, and ultimately shines with the courage required to move through suffering and live a full and beautiful life. Entwining pain, resilience, and humour, this breath-taking memoir will stand as a modern classic.
'I could not put this phenomenal book down' Glennon Doyle, bestselling author of UNTAMED
'To read Know My Name inspires hope' Guardian
'A searing, beautiful book' Sunday Times
'Know My Name marks the debut of a gifted young writer. Miller's words are purpose. They are maps. And she is a treasure who has prevailed' New York Times
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
In Know My Name, Chanel Miller reveals that she is “Emily Doe,” the young woman sexually assaulted by Brock Turner at a Stanford University party. During the trial, Miller’s eloquent and raw victim impact statement sparked a national debate about white male privilege. With her powerful book, Miller gets to speak for herself in public for the very first time. Her searing memoir gives her an opportunity to discuss her life before and after the attack and reflect on the emotional trauma she still faces, as well as her long, complicated road to finding justice and peace. As infuriating and heartbreaking as her story remains, Miller’s hard-won wisdom feels inspiring and empowering. Her story is distressingly common—and it’s one everyone should know.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Miller's inspiring memoir grew out of her writing her victim impact statement for the sentencing of Brock Turner, a 19-year-old Stanford University swimmer who was convicted of raping her. An unconscious Miller was assaulted by Turner behind a dumpster outside a Stanford party in 2015, when she was 22 and visiting her sister, who was a student there. After laying out these facts, Miller recalls growing up in Palo Alto in a mixed-race family, her fledgling career as an illustrator, and her aspirations as a writer. The story that follows, of Miller waking up in a San Jose hospital with pine cones in her hair and an incomplete memory of the night before, is masterfully crafted by juxtaposing the details of physical evidence and accounts from witnesses with Miller's growing awareness that her life as she knew it was over ("It is utter confusion paired with knowing"). Miller describes the toll the trial takes on her and her family, and her desire to go back to her life before the assault. After writing her victim statement, which she published to an overwhelmingly positive reception on BuzzFeed, she begins to connect her previous interest in writing with her new identity as a survivor. This harrowing memoir is a convincing testament to the healing power of writing.
Customer Reviews
The kindest person on earth.
I am new to reading (but not writing). Watching Chanel on UK TV had prompted me to read her story. Having just consumed the afterword, I feel humbled to know a small part of this amazing women. The way she describes her story, feels like it transcends from oldest of Chinese souls; she can muster up a thought or moment in time and give it purpose and emotion, character and feeling - Chanel has you standing on the very SPOT.
I cannot imagine the awful dance she suffered mentally and for that I can only offer love; of which her family provided like a waterfall. I am this tiny piece of sand staring up at a giant - that is how Chanel has left me. You are gently wonderful x
Too Slow
So slow! Whilst I agree that Chanel Miller is a strong, resilient and brave woman to go through what she was unfortunately forcefully subjected to, I just don’t need to read a whole book about her life and how her moments shaped her as a woman etc. Honestly? This all could have been summarised in an hour’s podcast episode or a blog post. Again, if you’ve been through something similar to what she had been through, then this book is for you. Otherwise (and this is not to belittle her tragic trauma or in any way in belief of her experiences) it’s just a bunch of jargon about her life and I don’t know if I could see the book through to be honest! But again, I only DNF’ed it as it wasn’t my cup of tea. But each to their own!!!
Life-Changing
I think the world would be a better place if everyone was forced to read this book