Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman

New
Paperback
2017
$12.37

'Women are told, from birth, that it's our job to be small: physically small, small in our presence, and small in our impact on the world. We're supposed to spend our lives passive, quiet and hungry. I want to obliterate that expectation...'
Guardian columnist Lindy West wasn't always loud. It's difficult to believe she was once a nerdy, overweight teen who wanted nothing more than to be invisible. Fortunately for women everywhere, along the road she found her voice - and how she found it! That cripplingly shy girl who refused to make a sound, somehow grew up to be one of the loudest, shrillest, most fearless feminazis on the internet, making a living standing up for what's right instead of what's cool.
In Shrill, Lindy recounts how she went from being the butt of people's jokes, to telling her own brand of jokes - ones that carry with them with a serious message and aren't at someone else's expense. She reveals the obstacles and stereotyping she's had to overcome to make herself heard, in a society that doesn't think women (especially fat women and feminists) are or can be funny.
She also tackles some of the most burning issues of popular culture today, taking a frank and provocative look at racism, oppression, fat-shaming, twitter-trolling and even rape culture, unpicking the bullshit and calling out unpalatable truths with conviction, intelligence and a large dose of her trademark black humour.
'Lindy West is an essential (and hilarious) voice for women. Her talent and bravery have made the Internet a place I actually want to be.' Lena Dunham

Synopsis

'Women are told, from birth, that it's our job to be small: physically small, small in our presence, and small in our impact on the world. We're supposed to spend our lives passive, quiet and hungry. I want to obliterate that expectation...'

Guardian columnist Lindy West wasn't always loud. It's difficult to believe she was once a nerdy, overweight teen who wanted nothing more than to be invisible. Fortunately for women everywhere, along the road she found her voice - and how she found it! That cripplingly shy girl who refused to make a sound, somehow grew up to be one of the loudest, shrillest, most fearless feminazis on the internet, making a living standing up for what's right instead of what's cool.

In Shrill, Lindy recounts how she went from being the butt of people's jokes, to telling her own brand of jokes - ones that carry with them with a serious message and aren't at someone else's expense. She reveals the obstacles and stereotyping she's had to overcome to make herself heard, in a society that doesn't think women (especially fat women and feminists) are or can be funny.

She also tackles some of the most burning issues of popular culture today, taking a frank and provocative look at racism, oppression, fat-shaming, twitter-trolling and even rape culture, unpicking the bullshit and calling out unpalatable truths with conviction, intelligence and a large dose of her trademark black humour.

'Lindy West is an essential (and hilarious) voice for women. Her talent and bravery have made the Internet a place I actually want to be.' Lena Dunham

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More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 272
Publisher: Quercus
Published: 09 Mar 2017
ISBN 10: 178429554X
ISBN 13: 9781784295547

Media Reviews

A warm, capacious and funny writer * Guardian *
This is a feminist, empowering book; I cried the whole way through though it's very funny as well ... It's nice to read something that you know would have changed your life for ever if you'd read it when you were 16 -- Sofie Hagen * Observer *
This important, brutally honest book makes for a hilarious read * Buzzfeed *
Lindy West is an essential (and hilarious) voice for women. Her talent and bravery have made the Internet a place I actually want to be. * Lena Dunham *
it is a powerful and frequently furious declaration of West's right to exist and be heard * i *
A call-to-arms for any woman who feels like she can't find her voice * Red *
Brilliant and brave * Sunday Independent *
The new feminist bible * Stylist *
Standout . . . screamingly funny * The Pool *
It's very very funny... it was a really enjoyable memoir but very disquieting too. * Nine to Noon, Radio NZ *
For the vast number of women who have struggled to accept their bodies as they are, West's memoir will offer numerous fist-pump moments. * New Zealand Listener *
If you've ever been labelled with a condescending big-girl euphemism such as bubbly or exuberant . . . you will laugh your chubby head off at West's book * Weekend West *
Shrill is a gutsy, whip-smart and fierce demonstration of the importance and the cost of speaking out * Canberra Times, Sydney Morning Herald, The Saturday Age *
Fun and feisty * Fabulous *
She reveals the obstacles she has encountered in challenging the status quo. * City Messenger *

Author Bio

Lindy West is a Seattle-based writer and performer whose work focuses on pop culture, feminism, social justice, humour and body image. Currently a weekly columnist at the Guardian and culture writer for GQ magazine, she was previously one of the most popular and prolific writers at feminist blog Jezebel.com. Lindy's articles typically generate thousands of shares and retweets. In January 2015 her exposure was magnified by a segment aired on US national radio in which she confronted an internet troll who'd impersonated her dead father. The podcast and ensuing article went viral and were shared more than 85,000 times worldwide, gaining Lindy countless new followers.

As a live performer and commentator, Lindy has made numerous appearances on radio and TV, and regularly speaks at academic events, conferences and literary festivals. In 2013, she won a Social Media Award from NYC's Women's Media Center, was selected for the Nation's top ten feminist articles of the year and New Statesman's top 20 best online pieces of the year, and was profiled by Cosmopolitan magazine.