Lindy West

Hailed by Lena Dunham as an "essential (and hilarious) voice for women," Lindy West is ferociously witty and outspoken, tackling topics as varied as pop culture, social justice and body image. Her empowering work has garnered a coast-to-coast audience that eagerly awaits SHRILL, her highly-anticipated literary debut. West has rocked readers in work published everywhere from The Guardian to GQ to This American Life. She is a catalyst for a national conversation in a world where not all stories are created equal and not every body is treated with equal respect. SHRILL is comprised of a series of essays that bravely shares her life, including her transition from quiet to feminist-out-loud, coming of age in a popular culture that is hostile to women (especially fat, funny women) and how keeping quiet is not an option for any of us.

Women Are Funny, It's Okay to Be Fat, and Feminists Don't Have to Be Nice

Shrill

When I think back on my teenage self, what I really needed to hear wasn't that someone might love me one day if I lost enough weight to qualify as human - it was that I was worthy of love now, just as I was.

"The only way I can think to say it is that you are better than I thought people could be"

I am happier than I thought people could be.

hileahrious

A very necessary book. Feminism inspired me to read it, however, much more inspires me to recommend it. On a very basic level, the message is, "Don't be such an asshole," and as I said, this is a very necessary message, especially in the context: West delves into the struggles of being fat; a fat woman; a comic; a woman comic; a blogger; a woman blogger; (etc.); a woman. Not only is it entertaining, but it's very well-written and comes full-circle in its cause. I am sure that I am better for reading it, and I will be better in the future because of it, and that is precisely the point. As West puts it "We're all building our world, right now, in real time. Let's build it better."

Lizelle G

When the personal is political, it is also universal. West writes with humor, kindness, but most of all, honesty. I’d like every thin and fat and everyone in between to read this book, and come to terms with the awful and harmful ways we have been taught to associate with fat people.

Jeannette Ordas

A very quick and enjoyable read. She's preaching to the converted here, but she's funny, smart and talks the truth. Lindy expands on essays that have already been published online and some work (like the Dan Savage story) but others feel a bit too much like an addendum...."this is what I meant to say/should have said". Recommended.

Micah

Lindy West delivers her writing in such a way that makes me feel like she's next to me. Her style is easy to read, even when the conversation topics are heavy, and she maintains an, "I'm just fucking up my way through life and pretending I'm not until someone notices," vibe throughout. I am here for it. Fat women advocating for love and acceptance of fat bodies? We love to see it.

A great fast read. If you are aware of and follow Lindy's writing this will have some stories you've seen before but with the added context of history and the process in bringing these works to life. Empowering about bodies, feminism, standing up for oneself, love, death. I cannot recommend it enough not only to my female friends but all my friends.

Elaina

This is one of the best memoirs I’ve ever read. I have never read something so close to my own experience of whirlwind when it comes to heartbreak as The Tree. Parts of this book feel like Lindy West was in my brain, thinking my own thoughts. 

Cindy Lieberman

A sane, well-reasoned and funny book about owning our stories, our bodies, our lives. The author does a brilliant job of explaining why we must call out the misogynistic comments of politicians, co-workers and comedians (among others) in order to (slowly but inexorably) change the narrative.

Archita Birla

loved this book!! It is funny, insightful, and incredibly lovely to read💖💖

Nadine 

Caroline Lewicki

I couldn't love this book more if I tried. It's a statement, it's an eye opener, it's charming and brilliant and funny and heartbreaking. It helped me see privileges I didn't know I had and it reinforced so many of the strong feminist values I believe and fight for.

Elizabeth Garza

This started off really funny, and it carried the humor through the end, but West touches on some traditionally controversial topics so it's not all laughs. But her writing is RAW and heartfelt, and honest, and self-aware, and I really enjoyed reading it on a whole. Not going to lie, she's very involved in comedy-verse and I'm not so whenever she would go more in depth about some of the happenings in that world (I have a particular essay in mind - but as I write this I don't remember, and I already returned my book to the library, bleh) I skipped. *shrug* 

But I still highly recommend for anybody that enjoys reading essay collections with loud and wonderful feminist and body-positivity points to make.

Yoomi

If you are a woman, you must read this. Then give it to your husband, boyfriend, best friend, best friend with benefits to read it. It's one of those books that makes me proud to be a feminist.

Jeni Enjaian

About 50-75 pages into this book, I set it aside in favor of "The President's Club," more drawn to the latter due to the timing of the presidential inauguration. I found it easy to set this book aside because at that point, West had not really drawn me into the book in a way that I would find it difficult to set aside. I had enjoyed her chapter on the weird phobia many have about talking about menstruation as well as just how weird menstruation actually is. However, beyond that, I had not identified with her. I could not figure out the trajectory of the book. Part of me kept thinking at first that West was a comedienne; she does have a sardonic sense of humor that I quite appreciate. Once I finished "The President's Club" and returned to this book, I got over the stumbling block of uncertainty and into the meat of the book, her campaign to hold people (men usually) for the utterly egregious things they say about women while claiming humor, among other things. Wow. Powerful.
Read this book. Read it with an open mind. Don't get defensive if you have fallen prey to acting the way that some people she describes did. Realize the power of your words and the affect they have on other people.

b.andherbooks

A fantastic listen. West does an amazing job narrating her essays, which are at turns humorous, smart, scary, and important. this is an especially timely read in the current political climate. Thank you to an awesome colleague for recommending this to me.

Jen Taylor

Reading this is like wearing a suit of armour while simultaneously receiving the warmest hug.

Shrill Women Are Funny, It's Okay to Be Fat, and Feminists Don't Have to Be Nice

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