The New Book Review

This blog, #TheNewBookReview, is "new" because it eschews #bookbigotry. It lets readers, reviewers, authors, and publishers expand the exposure of their favorite reviews, FREE. Info for submissions is in the "Send Me Your Fav Book Review" circle icon in the right column below. Find resources to help your career using the mini search engine below. #TheNewBookReview is a multi-award-winning blog including a MastersInEnglish.org recommendation.

Friday, March 31, 2023

Deborah Lynn Stanley Reviews The Frugal Editor, 3rd Edition

Title: The Frugal Editor

Edition: Third Edition

Subtitle: Do-it-yourself editing secrets

Author: Carolyn Howard-Johnson

Publisher: Modern History Press

Available on Amazon

ISBN:  9781625996001


 


Reviewed by Deborah Lynn Stanley, originally for Amazon



Today I am sharing the third edition of my favorite self-editing book. Carolyn Howard-Johnson is a consistent source of encouragement for the writer’s journey!


Carolyn’s delivery style, always down to earth and illuminating, is headache prevention. Believe it or not, though I think we have all been surprised, grammar rules change over time and may not apply to fiction. In this third edition she has labored to clear up misconceptions and annoying style choices you may run into from the publishing world.


Carolyn has taken this opportunity to reorganize and add helpful new material for self-editing that may assist us in being better partners for our editors. 


The following additions stand out to me:


* A chapter for word-lovers and poets.
* Quick review of word processors.
* Spotting Scams: A list of dos and don’ts to help avoid publisher and agent scams.
* What to know about custom dictionaries.
* A list of twenty-one of the nation’s best editors tell their pet peeves.
* A lot of grammatically correct things that annoy publishers.
* Help to increase self-editing skills to catch what formatters and editors might miss. 
* Making Word Work for You and the Appendices you’ll love.

The Goal of the book is to equip writers, both aspiring and accomplished, with the best self-editing skills for successful publishing.


I recommend this book. It’s refreshing and empowers the writers' journey.  I was not required to write a positive review, I receive no compensation, and it was my choice to write this review.


Learn More About the Author:


Carolyn Howard-Johnson has published widely—from traditionally to alternatively, from journalism to fiction. She taught for UCLA Extension’s world-renowned Writers' Program for nearly a decade, speaks, and has national TV and radio appearances and commercials to her credit. She was awarded Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment by members of the California Legislature. Her hometown's Character and Ethics Commission honored her for her work on promoting tolerance, and the Pasadena Weekly named her to their list of “San Gabriel Valley women who make life happen” for literary activism.  Learn more about her at: https://howtodoitfrugally.com/ She is a contributing Author for: WOTM  https://www.writersonthemove.com/

  

About the Reviewer            

Deborah Lyn Stanley is an author of Creative Non-Fiction. She writes articles, essays and stories. She is passionate about caring for the mentally impaired through creative arts. 
Visit her My Writer’s Life website at: https://deborahlynwriter.com/   
Visit her caregiver’s website: https://deborahlyncaregiver.com/ 

"Mom & Me: A Story of Dementia and the Power of God’s Love" is available:
https://www.amazon.com/Deborah-Lyn-Stanley/
& https://books2read.com/b/valuestories








Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Robert Daly Reviews From Depression to Contentment: A Self-Therapy Guide by Bob Rich, Ph.D.

Robert Daly Reviews From Depression to Contentment: A Self-Therapy Guide by Bob Rich, Ph.D.


TITLE OF YOUR BOOK:

FROM DEPRESSION TO CONTENTMENT: A SELF-THERAPY GUIDE

 

AUTHOR OF BOOK:

Bob Rich, Ph.D.

 

AUTHOR'S FAVORITE LINKS

https://bobrich18.wordpress.com

 

ADD THIS ASSURANCE TO SATISFY COPYRIGHT LAW: 

X Yes, I have received permission from the reviewer to reprint their review in its entirety. 

 

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER 

Robert Davy is one of the delightful people who participated in one of Bob’s online positive psychology courses. He lives in Canberra, Australia.


REVIEW:


THE GO-TO MANUAL FOR DEPRESSION



This book is a tour through proven strategies for healing from depression. Chapter 2 (First Aid) gives a concise summary of things that can be worked on right away. This chapter alone is rich with practical advice. Later chapters deal with different frameworks for changing habits that lead to depression. The author recommends other authors' books where appropriate. There is a lot of helpful content in this book and it is presented in a straightforward way.


 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


       Dr. Bob Rich


Bob Rich has retired so far from five different occupations, but is still going strong as a Professional Grandfather. Jobs specs are to work for a tomorrow for today’s youngsters, and a tomorrow worth surviving in. Both of these require the same change: transforming a global culture of greed and hate with one of compassion and cooperation. Such an enlightened culture will stop our slide toward extinction, and even if it doesn’t, it will be far better to live in, for everyone. Everything Bob does, including his 19 published books, and his work at Bobbing Around https://bobrich18.wordpress.com advances this cause. His motto: Commit random acts of kindness.

 

http://bobswriting.com

Bobbing Around https://bobrich18.wordpress.com

@bobswriting


Saturday, March 18, 2023

Margot Finke Reviews Most Talked-About Book of 2023


Title: “
SPARE” 
Genre: Memoir  
Authors: Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex.  (Ghost Written by J.R  Moehringer.)Published Publisher:  Random House 
ProceedsL  Go to charity, and Harry reportedly earned an advance of at least $20 million.
Available:  Kindle, Paperback, Audio ( Harry reading ), Hardcover: ‎ 
416 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593593804
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-059359380
Available on Amazon, bookstores and other online sites.

Reviewed by Margo Finke originally for Facebook

Margot Finke Reviews Most Talked-About Book of 2023

REVIEW:
DISCLAIMER: I have just finished reading Prince Harry’s SPARE, and the following is my considered evaluation of what Harry wrote.
Being brought up in Australia, and force-fed Royal stories from every magazine and newspaper, I remain a Royalist to this day. However, I now know the royals are far from perfect, and not the fantasy family I once believed in.
YES, Harry is far from perfect. Yet with the family dynamics he was forced to deal with, the outcome is not surprising. I believe this book is a true and honest account of his feelings - as he sees them. No one can tell you what to feel. However, the genes you inherit from past generations, plus your upbringing, have a great deal to do with how you cope with life. Harry’s genes are a mixed bag, going back over one thousand years, and his upbringing did nothing to ameliorate the family dynamics he was dropped into. He seemed a rather a touchy-feely kid, one who needed to give and receive affection and hugs, plus wanting to be accepted for who he was. This never happened. Not in The Firm, nor in the privacy of his “keep your mouth shut, follow Royal Rules, and suck it up family. Definitely a closed and tight-assed bunch.
Eventually, Harry did come to realize that his father, Prince Charles, had done the best he could. He often wrote kindly about him. Yet once they married, Camilla had his dad’s ear most of the time, and seemed to feed the press juicy morsels and outright lies.
Of course, like any large family, many rivalry’s simmered. Particularly between Harry and William (Wills). They all lived an outwardly glamorous life. The Royal Bubble was maintained by an entrenched group of titled handlers and underlings, many of whom inherited this job from parents, grandparents, and so forth, down through the ages. They advised the Queen, and made sure that they had final access to the royal bubble. A Queen of the Pyramid Project, based on outdated rules that never saw the light of the 21st Century. Harry and Meagan never had a chance! I am betting the Queen never knew the half of it!
* Both princes needed intense therapy right after their mother was killed. Diana dying, and Prince Charles not an ideal dad, added to the emotional mix brewing inside Harry’s psyche! Not one in his immediate family seemed to care – they were all islands, intent on their own concerns. Sadly, this can happen in the best of families. It was finally Meagan, and a few of his closest friends, who found him the right therapist. His closest friends and confidants were army mates, his trusted bodyguards, plus college mates.
* The British press created a nightmare scenario, intent on doing and saying whatever sold papers – illegal or not.
* As young men, both princes should have been helped to learn the realities of “real” life and the world in general.
* Acting as the Queen’s ambassadors in other countries, plus learning to appreciate that most people did not have their advantages, should have been ldrumed into them both early on.
* So, along with the good things they have both accomplished, far too often partying and drinking showed up in Harry’s memoir. A classic case of the Devil making work for idle hands. As a kid and a young man, Harry seemed woefully unformed about the ordinary world and what went on outside the palaces he lived in. His education did not cover what a man in his position would need to deal with. And much of his early school life seemed a nightmare - bullying etc. His family let him down!
As the acknowledged Spare, his education should have included choices for his adult life – ones he felt comfortable with. His long stint in the armed forces was successful, and gave him purpose. He was good at it, and that gave him a measure of much needed confidence. The Firm did nothing to stop the press hounding him and Meagan with outright lies. This inaction was shameful and extremely callous. A more caring family would have stood by them and offered help and comfort. I can appreciate why Harry hated the press, as well as how they treated Meagan.
His families inattention and neglect brings to light the Nature versus Nurture analogy. If Princess Diana had lived, would her love and care have helped Harry cope with the negatives that faced him? I can only hope so. I wish him peace and continued love in the future.

More About the Reviewer

Margot Finke is the author of Magic Carpet of Books + Content Editing and Writing Guidance and offers autographed GIFT Copies on request at (mfinke@frontier.com) . She also wrote Secrets of Writing for Children. Find her at 
 Twitter -  https://twitter.com/Margot10 
She is the accredited author of this review and it is reprinted with her permission

More About #TheNewBookReview Blog




 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. 

 Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's #AuthorsHelpingAuthors service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Saturday, March 11, 2023

Actor, Dancer, Author Shares 3rd Issue of Her Fave Books about Film

TITLE Favorite Books about Movies: Part Three
AUTHOR: Betty Jo Tucker
AUTHOR'S WEBSITE: www.BettyJoTucker.com  
GENRE Nonfiction
AGE / INTEREST LEVEL Adult
AWARDS: Author received five awards for books about films (see Bio below)

                     Favorite Books about Movies: Part Three

Most movie addicts like me want to read as much as possible about films and filmmaking. Below are ten more of my favorite movie-related books. Each one listed made me feel involved, entertained and informed.

Twist of Lemmon. Chris Lemmon (Algonquin Books, 2006). Chris Lemmon wrote this acclaimed book about his father Jack Lemmon, one of Hollywood’s legendary movie stars. He has created a touching memoir, one that reveals the beloved family man behind Jack Lemmon’s star persona. Fortunately, Chris also includes many fascinating behind-the-scenes stories relating to his father’s remarkable movie career as well as personal tributes from such well-known show biz greats as Neil Simon, Cliff Robertson, Andy Garcia, Julie Andrews, Tony Curtis and Shirley MacLaine.   

Casablanca Film Trivia: Here’s Looking at You, Kid! Tom Barnes (Papyrus Publishing, 2008). Everything you’ve always wanted to know about the classic movie Casablanca can be found in this fun trivia book. Author Ted Barnes includes 1,130 questions about Casablanca. These questions cover such areas as history, actors, script, critics, images, characters, production staff, music, geography, goofs, and clothing. Each of the 33 chapters centers on a specific category or theme, and most of the chapters end with interesting “factoids” about this wonderful movie. I had a great time trying to answer Barnes’ questions while reading his book. I also learned some intriguing new information about one of my favorite movies

CLORIS. Cloris Leachman and George Englund (Kensington Books, 2010). The late great Cloris Leachman’s enthralling autobiography is such a candid, entertaining and inspirational book! As expected, it’s filled with delicious behind-the-scenes anecdotes about her work in films, television, radio and live theater. But it also reveals fascinating surprises concerning her private life and personal philosophy for living to the fullest. Cloris boasts a wealth of acting experience to draw from -- and she offers readers many humorous incidents to enjoy.  

Dishing Hollywood. Laurie Jacobson (Cumberland House Publishing, 2003). Film historian Laurie Jacobson writes about the most notorious scandals that have rocked Tinseltown from the early part of the 20th century up to the present. Her scintillating book contains tales of lives cut short, unsolved mysteries, dramatic suicides and steamy affairs fill the pages of Jacobson’s revealing romp through some of Hollywood’s biggest scandals involving stars like Gary Cooper, Lana Turner, Robert Mitchum, John Wayne, Marilyn Monroe, Debbie Reynolds, Frank Sinatra, Natalie Wood, River Phoenix and many more. This one is a real page-turner, folks!  

In Search of Lost Films. Phil Hall (BearManor Media, 2016). Author Hall is on an important mission, and he reveals all about it in this impressive book. He explains why so many films throughout the world have disappeared. Hall also describes a number of these movies and discusses the difficulty of evaluating the work of stars like Theda Bara and Lon Chaney because so many of their films are missing. But my favorite part of the book lists the various (and sometimes strange) places where certain lost films have already been discovered.  After reading this book, I started looking closer at storage areas, closets and yard sales for suspicious-looking film canisters. 

In the Company of Legends. Joan Kramer and David Heeley (Beaufort Books, 2015). Kramer and Heeley describe interesting behind-the-scenes experiences while making their marvelous movie star documentaries. Starting with award-winning profiles of Fred Astaire in 1980, they produced film portraits of the lives and careers of many other Hollywood legends including Spencer Tracy, Humphrey Bogart, John Garfield, Errol Flynn, Katharine Hepburn, Paul Newman, Judy Garland, Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda. This dynamic duo established a reputation for finding the un-findable, persuading the reluctant, and maintaining unique relationships long after the end credits rolled. Their dedicated team work is something to be admired!        

Madeline KahnBeing the Music – A Life. William V Madison (University Press of Mississippi, 2016). Madison’s in-depth biography of this beloved actress who won so many fans by combining her musical talent and flair for comedy gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at Madeline Kahn’s personal and professional life. It’s an inspiring tale about the persistence and dedication of an insecure but highly talented artist.  Although earning a degree in speech therapy and receiving training as an opera singer, Madeline became famous as a popular star of film, stage and TV. She wowed me in Young FrankensteinBlazing SaddlesHigh Anxiety, and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother. This book is a must-read for people who love Madeline as well as books about troubled showbiz stars.     

Shut Up! I’m Talking! Coming Out in Hollywood and Making It to the Middle. Jason Stuart (CCB Publisher, 2019). Jason Stuart was the first openly gay stand-up comedian. But he’s also performed character work in many feature films including Tangerine and The Birth of a Nation. He has the ability to take on various roles of any genre, and make them believable. And he has earned over 150 credits that prove he is talented, professional, and persistent. This memoir documents his long and curious career. As a mentor of many people “across all ages, straight and gay,” Stuart wanted to share what he learned, and that’s the purpose of this unique book.      

Tim and Tom: An American Comedy in Black and White. Tim Reid and Tom Dreesen. (The University of Chicago Press, 2009). Back in the tumultuous 1960s, actor Tim Reid and comedian Tom Dreesen began to use their talents as entertainers to help people deal with the serious problems of that chaotic time. This splendid book chronicles their experiences -- both positive and negative -- while entertaining and educating audiences as America’s first interracial comedy team. Reid has starred in many movies (including Trade, Dead Bang, and Say a Little Prayer), but he’s known best for his role as Venus Flytrap in WKRP in Cincinnati. Dreesen, a stand-up comic, has appeared on film in Man on the Moon and Spaceballs. 

Writing with Hitchcock: A Collaboration of Alfred Hitchcock and John Michael Hayes. Stephen Derosa. (Faber and Faber, 2001). Derosa explains how Hitchcock and Hayes worked together in four of Hitchcock’s early films (The Trouble with Harry, Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, and The Man Who Knew Too Much). Biographical sketches of both men as well as a breakdown of all four films are included. For Avid Hitchcock fans like me, this book is a treasure. 

INFORMATION ABOUT THE REVIEWER

NAME OF REVIEWER: Betty Jo Tucker

ORIGINAL PLACE THE REVIEW WAS PUBLISHED (ReelTalk Movie Reviews)

BIO: Betty Jo Tucker served as editor/lead film critic for ReelTalk Movie Reviews for 20 years. She also writes film commentary for AuthorsDen and the Colorado Senior Beacon. She is the award-winning author of Confessions of a Movie Addict, Susan Sarandon: A True Maverick, Cinema Stanzas: Rhyming About Movies, and Cinema Stanzas Two: Poet Laureate of the Movies. Using the pen names of Harry and Elizabeth Lawrence, Betty Jo and her husband Larry co-wrote It Had To Be Us, a romantic memoir adapted for the screen under the title of CAKE: A Love Story,which earned First Place in the Short Film category at the NSAEN Online International Film Festival. She is a co-founder of the San Diego Film Critics Society, a member of the Online Film Critics Society and an approved Rotten Tomatoes critic.

TWITEER MONIKER: Betty Jo Tucker @MovieAddictRevu

EMAIL ADDRESS: reeltalk@comcast.net




More About #TheNewBookReview Blog The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's #AuthorsHelpingAuthors service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Monday, February 27, 2023

Dr. John H. Krahn Reviews THE SECRET WAR OF HENRY REBBENOFF

Dr. John H. Krahn Reviews THE SECRET WAR OF HENRY REBBENOFF


TITLE OF  BOOK:
THE SECRET WAR OF HENRY REBBENOFF 

AUTHOR OF BOOK: Alice Reiter Laby

X Yes, I have received permission from the reviewer to reprint their review in its entirety.

REVIEWER'S BYLINE: Dr. John H. Krahn is President of The Long Island Authors Group. Dr. Krahn is the author of sixteen books and is also a much sought-after speaker both nationally and internationally.

REVIEW: "A most enjoyable and enlightening read, Laby is a fine writer who weaves all of the elements of great historical fiction into one fine novel. It is a page turner from start to finish. A must purchase."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Alice Reiter Laby is a life long Long Islander, venturing off Long Island to attend graduate school at Fordham University. Having worked in the maritime industry for several years, she then found rewarding work in her community at a counseling center. Her favorite endeavors were coordinating a disabled adult group and volunteering with her dog Jami as a pet therapy team. She still loves Long Island and her life with her partner and his parrot, a short drive or train ride from her three sons and their families.

AUTHOR'S EMAIL ADDRESS: alicelaby@gmail.com 

AUTHOR'S FAVORITE LINK: Amazon


Dr. John H. Krahn Reviews THE SECRET WAR OF HENRY REBBENOFF

Saturday, February 25, 2023

Veteran Educator Carolyn Wilhelm Reviews Third Edition of The Frugal Editor

Title: The Frugal Editor
Edition: 3rd edition
Publisher: Modern History Press
ISBN: 9781615996001
Available on Amazon
Pages 279 including Index
Awards: Reader Views, USA Book News, Irwin Award, and more

Reviewed by Carolyn Wilhelm originally for Amazon

Technology changes and changes - a reliable book to keep up with the times. Like the addition of the chapter on making back-matter work harder for authors. Yes, please.

Why is it so difficult to find mistakes in our own writing? Why is editing so difficult? Why do writers need editors - many in fact. It is because writers and authors know what they mean to say. Our brains fill in the missing words and fix errors as we try to edit our own work. It is really difficult to notice our own mistakes. Having taught first grade, I see how children learn to read and write - with plenty of errors. And teachers could not understand children’s writing without filling in mistakes and making sense of it.

Veteran Educator Carolyn Wilhelm Reviews Third Edition of The Frugal Editor

Carolyn Howard-Johnson understands the great difficulty of perfect final drafts, and even books published professionally. Using tools like Word in specific ways (but never relying only on Word) she helps writers and editors by giving strategies to catch gremlins and typos. Even library books might have 5% of errors.

I was in a writing group where members would divide and conquer by separating editing tasks. One person reads for understanding, one for punctuation, one for consistency, and so on. But there are tools and tricks to weed out problems before paying professional editors. Carolyn Howard-Johnson knows them all!

Avoid publishing scams, hire help after most of the editing is done, and adapt the included sample query letters to your own style.

Great book to keep on your writing desk ad use as a reference during your writerly life.


More About the Reviewer

Carolyn Wilhelm is a veteran educator with a pile of academic letters behind her name as well as a frequent reviewer for Midwest Book Review, Amazon.com, and others. Find her teaching aids on Pinterest at WiseOwlFactory, many of them free.

More About #TheNewBookReview Blog 

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others on her The New Book Review blog. Find guidelines for submitting to that blog and other free services in the tabs at the top of the home page of this blog or go to https://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews. It is open at no charge to authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read and love.

Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's #AuthorsHelpingAuthors service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. 

 Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Monday, February 20, 2023

Daniel Gawthrop Reviews Victim ~ A Feminist Manifesto from a Fierce Survivor

TITLE OF BOOK: Victim: A Feminist Manifesto from a Fierce Survivor

AUTHOR: Karen Moe

REVIEWER:  Daniel Gawthrop

REVIEWER’S BYLINEThe British Columbia Review Publisher and Editor

ASSURANCE TO SATISFY COPYRIGHT LAW: 

 X Yes, I have received permission from the reviewer to reprint their review in its entirety. 


Daniel Gawthrop Reviews Victim ~ A Feminist Manifesto from a Fierce Survivor


REVIEW:

For any new author seeking a large audience for a polemical work, the self-declared “manifesto” is a risky undertaking. Driven by the urgency of singular purpose, a manifesto in the wrong hands can result in the most artless of writing: self-righteous, tone-deaf in its didacticism, utterly lacking in irony, or all three. In a book title, the word “manifesto” combined with “feminist” and “victim” calls up all sorts of red flags that will turn off certain readers: one might well assume that what’s between the covers will be drearily predictable and all too depressing.

Fortunately, this “manifesto” is nothing of the kind. To the contrary, the reader is in good hands with Karen Moe: her first book, a memoir about rape and recovery, turns out to be creative non-fiction of the most readable, if gut-wrenching, sort. Much of this has to do with the author’s self-deprecating humility, which shines through in every chapter. In turning the narrative lens toward herself, Moe—an art critic, visual/performance artist, and feminist activist—employs a high degree of self-awareness in deconstructing not only a traumatic event in her own life but also the misogynistic ideas and behaviours that produce rape culture, constantly examining her own assumptions while doing so. She has clearly done her homework, too, coming to this project armed with all the feminist theory she needs to build her case. ...

Now fifty-five, Moe says she was emotionally incapable of writing this memoir until now. And that’s a good thing, for Victim is a much better and wiser book than it would have been had she published it within a short time of her terrifying abduction. As a memoir charting the author’s decades-long recovery, Victim is a rich and soulful testament to the power of human resilience that redefines the meaning of victimhood itself. It confirms the power of art as a source of healing while offering rape victims a time-tested roadmap for recovery, self-empowerment, and—in response to reactionary political events like the overturning of Roe vs. Wade—resistance.