Shout
The True Story of a Survivor Who Refused to be Silenced
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- £5.99
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- £5.99
Publisher Description
‘Seriously—does ANYONE write…with the realism, grace, and soul of Laurie Halse Anderson?’ Jodi PIcoult
Bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson is known for the unflinching way she writes about, and advocates for, survivors of sexual assault.
Now, inspired by her fans and enraged by how little in our culture has changed since her groundbreaking novel Speak was first published twenty years ago, she has written a poetry memoir that is as vulnerable as it is rallying, as timely as it is timeless. In free verse, Anderson shares her life and calls women to action through deeply personal stories from her life that she’s never written about before.
Searing and soul-searching, this important memoir is a denouncement of our society’s failures and a love letter to all the people with the courage to say #MeToo and #TimesUp, whether aloud, online, or only in their own hearts.
Shout speaks truth to power in a loud, clear voice – and once you hear it, it is impossible to ignore.
‘Anderson’s novels…force all of us to acknowledge the real and painful truths that are too dangerous to ignore.’ New York Times
‘A captivating, powerful read about clawing your way out of trauma, reclaiming your body, and undoing lifetimes of lessons in order to use your voice as the weapon it is.’ Booklist
‘A strong example of how lived experience shapes art and an important book for the #MeToo movement.’ Kirkus
‘[P]erhaps the most significant contribution of any memoir of childhood sexual assault and abuse...Her book is a powerful testament that bears witness not just to her own pain, and the pain of others similarly abused, but also to the power of speaking persistently, time and time again, about topics that most people don’t want to hear.’ LA Review of Books
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this powerful memoir told in free verse, Anderson delves into her past and that of her parents, sharing experiences at the root of novels such as Speak (her rape at the age of 13) and The Impossible Knife of Memory (her father's PTSD after World War II). In language alternately raw and lyrical, she traces the years from her childhood to the start of her writing career, describing how the memory of her rape finally spurred her to write the truth and to become an activist against censorship and rape culture, which are both addressed in the book along with confusing social messages surrounding sexuality ("the rules they fed you/ were the wrong rules"). Exploring the impact of silence on truth ("I learned then that words/ had such power/ some must never be spoken"), she also portrays her parents' marriage, her shifting relationships with them, and her closeness with her father after her mother's death. In one especially contemplative poem entitled "how the story found me," Anderson turns on its head the common refrain "follow your dreams," recommending that readers "follow your nightmares instead/ cuz when you figure out what's eating you alive/ you can slay it." Her potent words and willingness to shout her message are proof of the soundness of that advice. Ages 12 up.