Shrill

I read this book as a part of a committee and wasn't crazy about it. I'm far from a prude but the obscene language was a bit much and overdone. She could have told the same story without excessive use of some of the chosen words. Overall topic of women's body image and the impact life experiences have had on her was good. She seems to have made an impact on other comedians and social media being used as a venue for bullying and speaking negatively about women.

Lindy West is funny. She's honest. She's brutally, unapologetically in favor of compassion and deserves a freaking medal for her work here. She tackles sexism, fat-phobia, racism, death, life, marriage, love, work, comedy, family, childhood, adulthood, self-acceptance, abortion and more with absolute hilarity and a genuine sincerity that's hard to come by these days. I laughed, I cried, I read it twice in 48 hours.

Literally laughed out loud so many times, I lost count. The personal stories were also very moving, and I could relate to so many of her experiences. I only know Lindy from Twitter, and a few scattered articles, but this book made me search back through her writing jobs to find more of her work. She has beautifully and boldly summed up the experiences of so many women in the internet age who have been marginalized, made to feel invisible, but remain standing despite the onslaught. Truly inspiring. Glad I made the investment and will recommend friends of all genders and persuasions read this milestone of our current culture. Because of women like her, I know tiny girls will one day read this book in terms of history and say, "Wow... that's what the internet was really like for you back then, Auntie?? DAAAAAAMN."

Lindy's memoir shows a deeply personal window to her own life. I was especially moved by what she wrote about her dad and her husband Aham. I also think the experience she relates about standing up to Dan Savage about his fat-phobic remarks was an interesting look in how to negotiate these issues with one's own boss. Also, it's damn funny and entertaining to read. If you ever wanted to know what was going through Lindy West's head during certain important moments of her life, this would be the book to buy.

The first disc is a wonderful, thoughtful collection of essays on fat discrimination that will provide therapy/healing/EFT tapping material for higher weight people (women especially) who seek support to love themselves as they are and fight against fat bigotry. If I could have paid $10 for the first disk with that understanding I would be writing a 5-star review. However I bought and listened to all the disks (they come as a set) hoping the quality and sensibility of the first disk would resurface. Instead I was left drowning in the acoustically whiney, race and class privileged fingernails on the chalk board name dropping and self-aggrandizement. Though Ms. West denounces unearned privilege in the first disk she speaks from her privilege in the rest. Blogging is her thing...memoir is not. She does a lot of name dropping and (feels like) bragging about marrying a man of color. I became increasingly angry as I listened the rest of the disks feeling that not only did I want my money back... I wanted the time back that I spent listening to her complain, in poor form, about her unremarkable other parts of her life. I was looking for something funny to ease the commute to and from a painful work situation. We are not amused and I hate that I loved her work after the first disc but didn't like or respect her by the last.

This book is radical truth telling, and it is balming to a soul that has been harmed by all those telling it to shrivel, be quiet, and sit down. To exist unapologetically when the world has expressed loudly that you don't deserve positive experiences because of your weight or gender is the greatest revenge. Lindy is a hero, and her voice gives others permission to use theirs. I hope writing always brings you joy, Lindy, because I hope you never stop.

This book isn't for everyone. You'll see a lot of one star reviews of people this book isn't meant for. This book is divisive. But it's also important. This book is for women who suffer the onslaught; it's for women who need an ally.

Makes me want to hand this book to my younger self, and every woman I've ever considered a friend, a loved one, a peer. SHRILL is not only hilarious, redefining wit as something that requires intelligence and compassion, but it touches nerves: those pain points of society we don't like to abrade. We do diminish women who do not ascribe to a uniformity of beauty, we do carry prejudices against those who demand our attention. What Lindy West--such a marvelous writer!--does better than I've seen before is capture in print the poignancy of wanting to stand up, speak out, and revolt against what we should not tolerate, and the fear that "standing out" can make us stand apart. Revel in the sheer excitement of discovering a writer whose voice is SHRILL and thrilling. Hurrah for Lindy West. I hope someone calls me Shrill soon. I'll preen.

I can see Lindy's trolls have already infiltrated the reviews for this book! Good for them. However, if they took the time to read the book, they would know that it's actually completely wonderful. It's funny enough that it had me laughing out loud during the first few pages, but like most of Lindy's writing, it swerves from hilarious to heartbreaking sometimes in the space of one paragraph. In "Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman," Lindy chronicles her journey from being a shy child to a loud woman who took on rape jokes, Dan Savage's fatphobia, internet trolls, anti-abortion activists, and more. For a book about so many heady topics, it's a very easy and enjoyable read. It feels a lot like Lindy's other work (yes, there are ALL CAPS and fart jokes) but more polished and thoughtful. It's a terrific book. Really, it is. Take those one-star reviews with a grain of salt, because they come from sad little internet men who have not bothered to read it. (And you know what? She takes on those trolls in her book, with a surprising amount of compassion.)

My only complaint is that the essays can feel a little disjointed and the book could have been structured better to make the themes flow together better. But it's a very small complaint.

I had read a few articles by Lindy West but not many, and probably skimmed at least half of them because I'm not a big fan of the Stranger or Jezebel, but I really enjoyed this book. I also really didn't enjoy the other reviews. This is a book written from a specific point of view. I find her a very interesting, nuanced person that has grown and lived through similar trials as I have. Maybe we didn't make the same choices in every case but this isn't a self-help book.

Added: Note how few of the one-star reviews are verified purchases... and the hate really serves to verify a lot of the content of this book.

Shrill by Lindy West at points made me literally laugh out loud, question my own language, and at times made me think about some of the things that I have accepted when it comes to being fat.

This is a collection of essays by West dealing with a wide variety of issues. The bulk of the essays are about what it is like being a fat woman (her words, not mine) and the way people treat her in life and on the internet. Other essays deal with comments she has gotten as she has blogged and a debate over rape jokes she had with Jim Norton.

The essays read like blog posts which is not a bad thing, in fact it made the book a quick and easy read. Her use of humor is incredible. She is funny! I learned so many new terms for the "vagina" for instance. She pulls no punches and just comes out and gets to the point. I appreciated that in her writing.

There were essays that I deeply connected with, since I am a fat guy. Her essay on getting on an airplane and the stares and comments that come along with being a bigger person for instance, hit the mark. Her humor is often self-effacing, which at times contradicts the point that she was trying to make in a different essay, but it works. Overall though, her essays on being a bigger woman and being comfortable with oneself were quite powerful. I especially thought her essay where she stands up to her boss, who went on a "obesity is killing the world" kick was worth reading for anyone who struggles with weight.

The only difficulty I had with the book was how the stories were sometimes told. For example, her essay on debating rape jokes with Jim Norton had a lot of incredible points. She told what it was like for her and the comments she was getting from internet trolls, which many comedians didn't acknowledge would happen. The essay was great. Where the difficulty was is she wrote is as a "I said, then he said" type of essay. This is especially difficult when one is only getting one side of the narrative, while the opposite point is quickly glossed over. Even though I agreed with West, I would have liked to know more what Norton's responses were to her. She told the story as a neighbor gossiping about a neighbor trying to make the other look as bad as possible. This happened in a few essays. There was lots of drama in almost all of her essays.

As a whole, I did really enjoy this book and my streak with Book of the Month continues. I think it is very empowering and lots of people who struggle with their weight will get a lot out of the essays. I rated this one 4 stars.

Candid and honest. Regardless of if you agree with all points or can relate to each experience of the author, the message is compelling and raw. This is a brave write and all women (and men) can gain something from this read. Lindy West is a voice for those women who are to afraid to speak their truth and proves that one voice can make real change, no matter how small.

Rarely have I read a book that I liked and disliked as much as this one. The early essays were enough to make me want to put the book down forever, so much did I not enjoy her extended riff on menstruation, which contains abundant vulgar images on her way to making some excellent points. (Think I'm super-sensitive? How about the image of "hot brown blood just glops and glops" and comparisons of tampons to "severed toes," or calling them "diaper nuggets" and "stuffin' corks.") Her essay on her abortion is so polarizing that when I described it to a friend it led to a nasty argument -- and we're both pro-choice. (Despite --again-- some excellent points, the crux of the problem appears to be how you react to the comparison of an abortion to oral surgery.)

Her essays on the perception of fat people in the media are perceptive and on point, and her battle to win her boss over to her perspective makes fascinating reading. Also excellent were essays on dealing with internet trolls, fighting against misogyny in general and rape jokes in particular in comedy, and dealing with her father's death.

It's clear that the author is sure she is 100% right about 99% of the time. Occasionally I found myself wondering whether she ever tried to look at life through someone else's eyes (or ears), as when she gets a note from her apartment manager about her neighbor's complaints about being bothered by loud sex noises at 3 a.m.. I would suggest this is a time when good, old-fashioned guilt would compel most of us to feel bad about bothering the neighbor trapped on the other side of our orgy. Her response? "Whatever, old dude next door, you're just jealous." (No. He wants to sleep.)

Readers who have a problem with strong profanity should probably avoid this book, as they will read a lot of it.

The very first thing I did as I prepared to write this review was to look at the one star reviews. To a person, the reviewers whined about Lindy's "whining." I kid you not, they all said, she needs to get over herself.

Way to miss the point, people.  Seriously, why did you even bother?  Did you just skim it just to be able to slag her? Because you are totally proving her point, and the point of a bazillion other women, fat or otherwise, about how we're told to sit down, shut up, and quit whining all the damn time, and by other women (shame on them!) as well as men.  And that is why we need voices like Lindy's, voices that are informed and unafraid.  And as she quite rightly points out: 

"They talk to you this way until you make them stop."

That's what she's doing.  She's working at making them stop, not just for herself for for every person who has ever been insulted or victimized for what they are, female, fat, black, brown, gay, trans, for those who have been raped or physically abused, or verbally abused.  You have to make them stop because they won't on their own.  

"As a woman, my body is scrutinized, policed, and treated as a public commodity. As a fat woman, my body is also lampooned, openly reviled, and associated with moral and intellectual failure. My body limits my job prospects, access to medical care and fair trials, and—the one thing Hollywood movies and Internet trolls most agree on—my ability to be loved."

In the process of reading, I shared a couple of dozen quotes, many of which I don't think my friends even bothered to read, or if they did, they said nothing.  And if my friends, who are smart and political, allow these things to fall into the void, then you can bet there's a lot of painful truth here that they find hard to assimilate.  As a fat woman myself, I can vouch for everything she says about the attitude that gets tossed in our faces.  I can vouch for worse, for physical assault simply because someone didn't like the way I looked.  

Unlike Roxane Gay, Lindy has not (at least not as far as I know) been a rape victim, but she has worked hard to bring an awareness of how the subject of rape has been abused in comedy.  She discusses the concept of punching up, and how it's the only way you can make acceptable jokes about horrible things.  Punch up, satirize the rapist, the abuser, those entitled sociopaths who commit the crimes.  Satirize the people at the top who create inequality or hostile culture.  But never, ever go after the poor, the abused, the victims because the moment you even imply that violence is deserved, that rape is amusing, that poor people are poor because they're lazy, then you're punching down.  And that makes you a jerk

I didn't find Shrill as laugh-out-loud funny as Furiously Happy, nor did it make me break down in tears as did Hunger.  It made me furious, it helped me -- here's that word again -- assimilate a lot of the experiences I'd had in my life and understand how they'd shaped my attitudes.  It helped me to forgive the unintentional hurts and view the intentional ones with a resolve never again to let anyone make me feel like a bug to be squashed.  

Let me close with an important point that she makes late in the book:

"A straight, cis, able-bodied white man is the only person on this planet who can travel almost anywhere (and, as the famous Louis CK bit goes, to almost any time in history), unless they’re literally dropping into a war zone, and feel fairly comfortable and safe (and, often, in charge). To the rest of us, horrors aren’t a thought experiment to be mined—they’re horrors."

Lindy, if you ever read this, you rock.

My husband and I came across this book at BookCon Chicago this year. We were both already weighed down with dozens of pounds of books, but Andrew insisted that it looked good (and thought he remembered good things being said about it) and we should pick up a copy. It’s really never hard to convince me to pick up a book, so we did and I am so glad we did, because this is one of my all-time favorite reads this year. Shrill is Lindy West’s memoir, told in a collection of short essays/stories that are somewhat linked, but are easily taken a piece at a time. She writes about big events in her life, especially focusing on the way she’s been treated because she’s an overweight female. It’s a feminist masterpiece.

What I love about this collection is that Lindy puts herself out there and shares the reality of what she faces as an overweight woman in society, and then goes on to explain how our current societal outlook and culture is to blame for the s****y behavior of people. I feel like we see a lot of theories behind why women are treated so poorly by men (e.g. they are seen as objects rather than people, so they are catcalled more often, etc.), but what we need are brave women to be like: this happened to me, this is how it made me feel, and this is why it needs to change. I think a lot of people reading this book are going to realize that they have experienced similar situations and are going to better understand how we can go about dealing with those situations in order to affect change in our culture. And what’s wonderful about this book is that Lindy calls people out in such a way that left me both angry and ready to take action, yet also amused and laughing at the ridiculous situations life puts us in. I don’t know how she does it, but she does, and it is inspiring.

I devoured this book. I love how it’s written in short chapters that I can very much put down when I need to get to work or help make dinner, but it’s a joy to pick back up again and read more about what Lindy has to say. I’ve already recommended it to pretty much everyone I know (I keep begging Andrew to read it NOW), so I’ll recommend it to anyone who’s reading this right now. It’s intelligent, funny, thought-provoking, and simply wonderful. Read it. Now. And then we can talk about it.

I really wanted to like this book after seeing some of the praise that it received publicly. However, I didn't find the author to be relatable at all - and more often than not her writing was on the verge of whiny. Also, the ebook version is extremely annoying to read as every third page there is an * to reference a joke that forces you to flip back and forth throughout the book.

What I Liked

It’s funny. This memoir had me chuckling to myself at times, and then at other times even literally laughing out loud. Rather than write a paragraph about how funny the book was, I thought I’d just leave a few quotes here for your enjoyment.

“Feminism is really just the long slow realization that the things you love hate you.”

“Every human being is a wet, gassy katamari of triumphs, traumas, scars, coping mechanisms, parental baggage, weird stuff you saw on the Internet too young, pressure from your grandma to take over the bodega when what you really want to do is dance, and all the other fertilizer that makes a smear of DNA grow into a fully formed toxic avenger.”

“If you’re the very luckiest kind of astronaut ever, your big payoff is that you get to visit a barren airless wasteland for five minutes, do some more math, and then go home—ice cream not guaranteed.”

It’s relatable. When West is able to connect her life experiences successfully with a more theoretical discussion of the sexism, fatphobia, and bullying she’s experienced as a woman in her life, her writing provides a very lucid view of what’s wrong with the way in which women are still treated in our society today. As a woman myself who has experienced many of the same social pressures, acts of subtle and not so subtle discrimination and impossible standards of perfection to which women are subjected, I often felt like yelling out AMEN after each of West’s most poignant passages. West has a knack for phrasing the injustices that women have to deal with in a very clear and satisfying manner, making the average woman feel that she’s speaking for all of us. This is West’s writing at its best, when she’s able to effectively tap into that wider current of discontent and frustration to which all women can also feel connected. An example below of a passage that made me feel like West was hitting the nail on the head.

“When you raise every woman to believe that we are insignificant, that we are broken, that we are sick, that the only cure is starvation and restraint and smallness; when you pit women against one another, keep us shackled by shame and hunger, obsessing over our flaws rather than our power and potential; when you leverage all of that to sap our money and our time—that moves the rudder of the world. It steers humanity toward conservatism and walls and the narrow interests of men, and it keeps us adrift in waters where women’s safety and humanity are secondary to men’s pleasure and convenience.”

What I Didn’t Like

It lacked structure and sometimes felt preachy. West is first of all a journalist, and her memoir feels like a set of essays or articles more than a cohesive narrative. Some of the chapters of the book are not consecutive in chronology and it felt disjointed to have to jump back and forth both through time and very different topics. I also felt that sometimes West claimed the moral high ground in her stories without reflecting on her own often inappropriate or misguided actions that definitely contributed to some of the questionable situations in which she found herself. I’m not trying to victim-blame – West was absolutely the victim of sexism, bullying and online trolling – but she’s also far from a perfect human being in her actions and doesn’t seem to have any valid perspective on that. The book tends to feel like a collection of funny or sad or disturbing stories from someone’s life that the author sometimes is able to really successfully connect to a larger discourse and sometimes is not.

Final Verdict

Funny, thought-provoking memoir about a specific kind of female experience that often effectively reconnects to larger themes of sexism, fat-shaming and violence against women experienced by all women alike.

Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman is an exceptional, funny, vulnerable memoir by Lindy West. Fans of the author will recognize her work from her column in The Guardian, and for #ShoutYourAbortion. The memoir chronicles chapters on her childhood, friendships, trolling, relationships, misogynists, and my favorite, a chapter on periods. What woman hasn't been made to feel shame for having her period?

The blood is the same -- the only difference is where it's coming from. The disgust is at women's natural bodies, not at blood itself.

Readers might feel uncomfortable at reading some of her words. Good, I say! Her memoir makes no apologies for who she is, and how she got there. I hate using words like real and authentic but Lindy writes with such candor in these pages, and it only deepens as the memoir goes on. I love the intimacy in her words. By the end of it, when she is writing about her father dying and his death, and her relationship, I was overcome with emotion and wanted more.

Part of her memoir also covers fat-shaming, about fat people flying on planes and how she took her boss to task on his writing about fat people.

"Only women. Show us your bones, they say. If only you were nothing but bones.

It also covers a chapter on comedians and rape jokes. In it, she tackles "comedians" like Daniel Tosh and how a slew of famous male comedians, including Patton Oswalt, defended him because, you know, it's just jokes. She also writes about her sit-down interview with Jim Norton, another veteran comedian that defended him. I have the utmost respect for her on how she dealt with the backlash, the intense criticism from trolls. In fact, one of her closing chapters tackles a trolling situation where a man pretended to be her dead father, going so far as to set-up an identify on social media for him.

There are some powerful essays in this pack - I gave it four stars (I would have done four and a half but I don't believe in the half-star method because there's no half star option) because at times I thought that the work itself was a little uneven. Some of the essays felt stronger to me than others but overall, it was a great, interesting read. She's incredibly perceptive with a great wit that is really evident.

I heard about this in the F-word book club on Goodreads and just renewed my Audible membership so got it. I'm so happy I did. What an amazing book! What an incredibly sharp, witty, talented writer that argues concisely, follows a logical thread like a person trying to save their soul from the devil. She is my new hero. I got the ebook because her chapter on the 'debate' she had against rape jokes and criticizing comedy alone is worth it. I am going to be highlighting so much in this book. Also giving it to my kid.

The intro has her reeling from the 2016 election and for good reason. We did something in America that year. I heard a wonderful woman speak and now I choose to look at it as birth pangs rather than just plain old pain. She bemoaned Clinton's loss and I know women don't want to hear this but (paraphrasing the titan Marilyn French) - no woman in power has significantly changed the status of women for the better, few even try.

Book borrowed from my public library.

I remember the name Lindy West from Jezebel, back when I was a fan of the site. This was before the writers got into the fine art of Kardashian-shaming and Lena Dunham-worshipping. I recalled Lindy’s pieces on fat shaming and was thrilled to hear she had written a memoir touching on these subjects and more. Shrill gives a look at feminism from a fat woman’s perspective.

From body positivity to the acceptance of rape culture, Shrill is a look into the mind of a writer, a lover, an abortion recipient, a dumped lover, a comedienne, and a good friend – all wrapped into one awesome package. Since I’m busy writing a book of my own, I listened to the audiobook. It gave me a closer feel to West and her trials than I think I would have gotten from the book. Either way, grab it. If you’re a feminist, fat, survived the death of a parent, or have ever been trolled online, I promise that you’ll gain something from this read.

The recommendations I received for this book had me a bit wary: memoir of a fat, pop-culture writer for Jezebel. I didn’t realize she’d written my favorite piece on Jezebel (“How to Make a Rape Joke“). I didn’t realize she’d stood up to Dan Savage and his anti-fat rhetoric (though I’d read about the entire situation). I read it because, when you recommend books to people all the time, you are obligated to take their recommendations in return on occasion.
And I am so glad I did. Lindy West writes in such an approachable way. You don’t have to be exactly like her to a) empathize with her naturally and b) feel like she just gets you. She writes about her reactions to misogyny in comedy, and how confronting it has soured her on comedy (“Comedy, you broke my heart” hit me hard, because my life-long love, academia, recently broke mine, too). She wrote about the death of her father and all the recriminations she had for herself and all the false parallels to death she’d made before she confronted it. She writes about growing up fat, with all the fear of being worthless that comes with it. But I grew up thin–thinking I was just as worthless because my body wasn’t “right,” and trying hard to figure out how to do just that. The parallels are so common and so relatable.
The acceptance and love and humor and grace she shows her own body are kindnesses I hope to be able to show my own–and others’. I want that kindness to be something I can feel, too. I can say that about all her stories: despite the despicable way she is treated daily, AFK (away from keyboard) and online, she has built a philosophy and persona and heart strong enough to take trolls head on, to confront a beloved institution (comedy) about an insidious problem is has (rape jokes), and even speak up to her boss. I think when many of us try to say we are hoping to find our voice, this is what we are hoping to find.
Also, while this book is hilarious, it is also chock full of potential triggers. Rape, death, disillusionment, abortion, and screwy periods are all covered frankly. They are all considered in a broader context, often through a very clear feminist lens, and with such a matter-of-fact way that seems foreign when talking about “women’s issues.” But she is helping to normalize them, to help by giving a script to women who are seeking ways of saying “Yes, it is possible to make a joke out of this, but you are making fun of me, not the topic, and you’re doing so in a way that hurts me–which I don’t think you want to do. Please stop” to so many aspects of their lives.
Lindy West is giving an excellent voice to the youngish feminists (3rd wave? Is that what we are now?) who want to be allowed to be in their bodies without constant threat or ridicule, and who want that for others, too. She recognizes her privilege often, and makes it a point to use that privilege to make changes that can help us all.

WOW! What an incredible book! I just finished it and I had no idea I would like it this much when I started it. I started it because I love Aidy Bryant and she's doing a show based on it. And I am SO GLAD I read it! I think not having read this book, someone would have no idea the tremendous impact Lindy has had on our culture.I am so grateful for that impact! She's helped pushed several movements to the forefront of the social conscious, the way we treat fat people, rape jokes, women in comedy, and trolls. It as so maddening and heartbreaking that she was forced by trolls to leave twitter. I like Lindy also because I want to be friends with her! I also read Tamora Pierce and DEARLY wish dragons were real! I'm not an eloquent enough person to articulate all the reasons I enjoyed the book, and enjoyed Lindy through it. I think if you like women, and care about them, or you like comedy, you would benefit from reading this book. Maybe it would teach you something or maybe its just an incredible and honest and good story about a person who has done a lot of good for people in exchange for a lot of bad in response. MORE PEOPLE SHOULD BE LIKE LINDY! She is kind and smart and funny and she thinks deeply.

Tried to like the book but chapter after chapter I felt like West was complaining and feeling like a victim. Perhaps the tone in which i read it was not correct but I really couldn't stand the long prose of complaints.

I listened to the audiobook version which was read by the author. Linda West unbelievably brave and awesome as she takes on the hidden misogyny (both hidden and overt) in our society as well as challenges the "rape culture". This book is not for everyone as there are many swear words and strong imagery. Also there is very frank discussion and experience shared in regards to reproductive rights. But Lindy uses the language and the images to get her point across. The book is very funny. I mean stop-my-walk-while-listening to it funny and start laughing hysterically. Her wit is exceptional. This is a very important book Lindy has given us.

After hearing Lindy West kick ass and take no guff on Fresh Air, I immediately reserved Shrill at my library. It's so good I need to buy a copy- here is the hero I need right now, when I can barely see Hillary through all the gender bias we all project on her (and I'm a woman too! Ugh!). And West is so on target, I feel like she's exactly providing the perfect launching points for me to talk to my kid about things like how our culture sees women and bodies, and how power and politics play out at work, on the interwebs, from childhood through adulthood and in relationships. I started reading to DD the part about periods, and she was hooked! So thank you Lindy West, your book is now going to be a cornerstone in my improvised curricula for navigating my daughter through puberty, body image, and social media & her desire to get on Instagram & Snapchat. And I hope it helps plant critical thinking and feminism in her noggin too. Such a great and timely read. You (and Ally Wong) are providing me the best kind of funnies.

Before this book, I had never read any of Lindy West’s writing. I had never even heard of Lindy West. Goodreads and the store kept insisting that I would love this book. OK! OK! I give in! Yeah! The library has it!

I believe this book is a compilation of writings she has done for Jezebel and other media outlets. Some are autobiographical while others are more issue-based like fat-shaming and internet trolls. Personally I preferred the issue-based essays.

The writing was good and the issues were timely. Alas, they did not appeal to this 47-year old who hasn’t had to deal with internet trolls (only real life ones) and has never been fat-shamed (except by my parents). I think this book would appeal to younger people who tend to spend more time on the internet and have read the Harry Potter books (there are a lot of Harry Potter references).

I wish Ms. West the best and hope this book does well.

Fantastic. There are so many passages in this book I want to memorize and commit to my DNA so I can respond with them in the appropriate moment. West’s heart is filled with fire and love and feminism and fat acceptance — the pages burn with them. There were maybe two chapters that don’t move as fast as the others — the ones about her father’s death and her initially rocky relationship with her now-husband — but they set up devastating follow-up chapters, such as West’s interactions with a troll who, shortly after her dad’s death, created a fake Twitter account with her dad’s name saying mean things to her. There’s also a kind but firm takedown of Dan Savage’s rampant fat-shaming. Through it all, West is very very funny. Grade: A+

P.S. West reads the audiobook version. It's especially good because she comes across naturally funny and so very kind. Unfortunately, I had to also get the book version so I could underline my favorite parts.

This book captured me. I read it cover-to-cover in one sitting. West, even though not writing for me, nonetheless spoke to me strongly, clearly, and made me feel understood in a way I didn’t know I needed.

West and I share some things in common that have hurt both of us. Her strength in dealing with these things can do nothing but help most anyone dealing with most any personal issue. She learns strength and happiness in these pages, and to journey along with her is a powerful trip.

I will note that West is known for a kind of informal, conversational writing style and it shines here. If you expect your book-writing to be completely divorced from online-writing, you will be disappointed. Written in the style of West’s online work, readers will feel her fear, wit, anger and strength, exude from these pages.

For my part, my new personal anthem is simple:
“Wear a crop top until you forget you’re wearing a crop top.”

Lindi West is fat, a brilliant writer, and gifted humorist. (She really, really wants to impress those things on you) You may have learned about her weight from the picture on the cover. If you got the audiobook, you’ll learn about the author’s size in the first chapter about West’s lack of fat female role models growing up. If you decide to skip the next few chapters, you’ll learn about it when West writes about her time at The Stranger. Dan Savage said some seriously unwoke things (10 years ago) about fat people but, thank god, Lindi West was there to straighten him out! If you suffer from severe short-term memory loss, don’t worry, you will have truly gotten the message in West’s chapter “Fat on a Plane!” No, it’s actually called “The Day I Didn’t Fit.” An earlier form of the essay was published in Jezebel. (Note to West: if the liberal, feminist website you co-founded is skeptical of your first-person account, maybe rethink things)

I am a feminist (I understand if people are doubting this since the book received mostly positive reviews). Fat is definitely a feminist issue. But this book is repetitive and not very funny. Example: “I’m no butt scientist. Just two credits away though!” Her strongest essay, in which West confronts the truly disgusting man who posed as her dead father to harass her online ,can be found on This American Life. Roxane Gay’s “Bad Feminist” is a much stronger work.

I read this for book club, completing it only because I wanted to find something redeeming. The one positive take away is that is a conversation starter. Lindy is obviously well educated and intelligent. This book would have been much better if she had written it that way. One does not need to fall to the lowest common denominator of word usage to make a point. The book was repetitive and disjointed. There were perhaps 6 well written sentences that summed up the whole book. I would not recommend it. I applaud her self confidence, resolve, and desire to improve our understanding of each other. Unfortunately, there are many who will never listen or care, no matter how shrill the argument. Sometimes less “shrill” accomplishes more.

Three stars may be a little low, it's more a three and a half. I really have no beef with the message of the book. Lindy is a strong voice for Feminism and body accepted. I just didn't love the style. It's a memoir, and it's a bit fluffy on content. When it's good it's great, there's just not much here. Your mileage may vary.

Lindy West is simply an amazing writer with the talent to make you think she is inside of your head. I've discussed this book with faT and thin women alike and we all feel like lindy wrote directly to us. She isn't just writing about being fat, she's worrying about being a smart woman in America. If you read this and haven't increased in your empathy for the struggles of others then there's no hope!

A masterful mix that tackles some really serious subjects while offering so many moments of laugh-out-loud funny. I was crying from laughing as I read the first chapter (I thought I'd sip my morning coffee whilst I read; NOPE; the pages would have been sopping from all the spit takes) and then wanting to hug her for all she'd been through by the end. Brava, Lindy! Here's to all the good reviews and well-deserved praise blotting out all the crap you've endured from the small-minded and hateful.

This book is a GEM. Lindy West is so smart and so hilarious, and is brilliantly able to articulate so many of the experiences and emotions that women have to endure as they navigate life. She is a FANTASTIC writer (and I say this as a writer myself, and don't throw this effusion around easily). I recommend this book to everyone -- men and women -- who want a thought-provoking, entertaining, hilarious AND powerful read. Lindy -- I NEED your next book! Let's go!

This was a quick read and a real treat. I laughed out loud repeatedly, which was rather embarrassing as I was on an airplane, at the beach, etc. Yes, it was that funny. A book has never made me laugh out loud before. I am a fan of West's and had been following her career as of about 2013, so it was really interesting to get the behind the scenes on some of her controversies and achievements. She is a hero of mine and I sincerely enjoyed reading powerful words from a contemporary. Like her, I am also an early 80s baby and navigating the difficult world of online/public feminist advocacy. This book is an act of solidarity. I am considering assigning this to my students for an easy-to-read and enjoyable introduction to rape culture, sizeism, and other gender issues. I highly recommend this book for some smart takes on cutting issues that for once is actually entertaining to read and not your typical drag-you-down doom-and-gloom feminist theory which we all need a break from sometimes :)

I listened to this book through Audible and I found it delightful. I started listening because I heard her two pieces on This American Life and enjoyed both. I found myself finding words to describe many feelings I have had in my own life that I have never been able to describe before. I found her relateable and funny.

I hope this book makes me more mindful of the way I treat the people in my life and help give me power to call out the crap I see happening around me.

Thanks Lindy!

Loved this book. Makes important and hard topics not just easy to understand, but also funny and endearing. Overall smart, witty, well thought out and personal without being self-absorbed. I listened to the audiobook version, which was great being that Lindy read it herself. Can’t wait to read her next book (hint, hint Lindy!). Recommend.

I'm all for young women who are feminists and aren't afraid to say so. That's Lindy West all over. She thinks women should be treated fairly and not stigmatized for being women. Or for being fat. No arguments there. But I should have read the book in smaller chunks because it's a lot of anger to take in at one time. The humor is pointed and often self-directed, but there's always a dose of anger, and while it's completely understandable, it's just a bit exhausting after a bit. And I wouldn't mind if she knocked off using "menopausal" as an insult either.

One of the best books EVER! My favorite quote (among many) from it: "Denying people access to value is an incredibly insidious form of emotional violence, one that our culture wields aggressively and liberally to keep marginalized groups small and quiet." Thanks a billion for writing this and for your art, Ms. West; keep writing!

I hadn’t heard of Lindy West until I discovered that this book was coming out, and the description of the book was so intriguing that I had to pre-order it on Audible. And it lived up to that high expectation — especially as she narrates her debut book herself.

West, a zaftig feminist and award-winning writer, explores society’s innate discomfort with women’s bodies — especially, although not limited to, the heavy ones in this book of essays with a dollop of memoir thrown in for good measure. Menstrual blood, abortion, death, feminism, female friendship, some ridiculous New Age stuff, Internet trolls, and, of course, fat shaming come in for scrutiny. Now, as a fat girl myself, I find it very difficult — even at age 58 — to be comfortable in my own skin. Thanks for the help, Lindy.

This book us absolutely brilliant, and truly shifted my thinking in such a compassionate yet powerful way that I feel changed. Mind-opening, heart-expanding, stereo-shattering, radical acceptance. I heard Lindy speak in SLC a few days after I read her book (twist of fate), and she was so warm and brilliant and clever and funny IRL, I definitely recommend hearing her speak if you get a chance.
-Miriam Tribe

One of the best books EVER! My favorite quote (among many) from it: "Denying people access to value is an incredibly insidious form of emotional violence, one that our culture wields aggressively and liberally to keep marginalized groups small and quiet." Thanks a billion for writing this and for your art, Ms. West; keep writing!

I hadn’t heard of Lindy West until I discovered that this book was coming out, and the description of the book was so intriguing that I had to pre-order it on Audible. And it lived up to that high expectation — especially as she narrates her debut book herself.

West, a zaftig feminist and award-winning writer, explores society’s innate discomfort with women’s bodies — especially, although not limited to, the heavy ones in this book of essays with a dollop of memoir thrown in for good measure. Menstrual blood, abortion, death, feminism, female friendship, some ridiculous New Age stuff, Internet trolls, and, of course, fat shaming come in for scrutiny. Now, as a fat girl myself, I find it very difficult — even at age 58 — to be comfortable in my own skin. Thanks for the help, Lindy.

This book us absolutely brilliant, and truly shifted my thinking in such a compassionate yet powerful way that I feel changed. Mind-opening, heart-expanding, stereo-shattering, radical acceptance. I heard Lindy speak in SLC a few days after I read her book (twist of fate), and she was so warm and brilliant and clever and funny IRL, I definitely recommend hearing her speak if you get a chance.
-Miriam Tribe

I'm one of the few who didn't know who Lindy West was before reading this, and now I'm so glad I do. She is funny, she is smart, she is important. She addresses issues straight on without being preachy or whiny. I lurve her.

I enjoyed reading this book very much. I'd never heard of her before a few weeks ago, caught an interview on WGBH in Boston and knew I needed to read this, she's got charisma and spunk. Our society does not want to face what we do to plus sized women, the book is about so much more than that, but it's nice to see some intelligent thoughts on the subject. There were spots in the book that could have been edited a bit more, but still very worthwhile. I look forward to reading more from this great talent.

I was not impressed with this book or Lindy West. She seems very angry and bitter, so it's unsurprising that she encounters a lot of difficult people every day online and in actual life. I was mostly feeling pity and annoyance as I trudged through the pages of this book.

Wince. Laugh. Cry. Repeat. That was the order of emotions that took place while audiobook reading Lindy West’s Shrill. Her raw experiences told in graphic detail leaves those of us capable of empathy, going for a disheartening yet inspiring walk in her shoes. It’s a life I know nothing about—being a fat girl and feeling shamed for it and because of her book, I am so enlightened and move forward a better person. Thank you Lindy West for your story. I am grateful to have listened to Audible’s You’ll grow out of it” by Jessi Klein, who then recommended that I next listen to Shrill by Lindy West and due to Lena Dunhams review on it, took the recco.

I loved every line of this book. "I laughed, I cried" may be overused, but it was literally true while reading this - sometimes within a single paragraph. If you are familiar with Lindy West, or are interested in feminism or the experience of being fat you need to read this book!

Lindy West's voice comes through as it always does in "Shrill," sharp and singular, as she recounts her path toward becoming a public intellectual. I highly recommend "Shrill" to anyone who wants to laugh, cry, and revel in West's sharp-witted insights into a culture where not all voices are valued. Her writing defies her critics. Her voice demands to be heard.

All I can say is, "Wow." Read this book, and then buy it for all of your friends and make them read it too. West speaks honestly and forthrightly about all the things that 51% of us experience on a regular basis (which is radical exactly HOW???) with a hefty dose of humor, humility, and grace. She is brave and inspiring and this book buoyed me into the new year on a little pillow of hope for the future. Thank you, Lindy West, for being you and leading the way so that the rest of us can find our courage, too.

With this funny and poignant work, Lindy West joins Tina Fey and Amy Poehler in battling misogyny with the power of the pen. Her wit is biting and intelligent; she makes insightful comments and then makes you laugh. She is irreverent and joyful, even kind. If you can't identify with her on some level I don't want to know you, because I identify with her on EVERY level. (Yeah, I said it!)

I assumed it would read essentially like her columns do. It does not. It's both funnier and more heartbreaking. Shrill is easily one of the most important books I've read in the last five years, maybe ten. Because of books like Shrill, I am improved. All truly great writing makes you a better person. I can feel Lindy’s writing working a change in me. It’s slow, and it’s small—don’t expect me to be noticeably less of a jerk the next time we meet—but this change is real, and I am grateful for it.

Hilarious! I was not familiar with West's writing specifically before picking this book up but I'm so glad I gave it a shot. There were so many literally laugh out loud moments (I have a soft spot for humorous footnotes, which the galley I read provided) as well as identifiable. Most likely if you're a woman, you'll easily identify with some of the passages about appearance regardless of size. If you're not a woman but you are a human who likes comedy, you'll also probably find some parts that relate to your life experience. Definitely worth checking out!

Lindy West's memoir is a very interesting and powerful read. Anyone who have ever felt inadequate or ugly will delight in her relatability and unapologetic yet intelligent raging against the dominant culture of weight and female shaming. I wish I had had this book ten years ago. Love ya, Lindy.

I truly enjoyed the way Lindy was blatantly honest about her life, her feelings, and her experiences in the world. It requires a lot of courageto open up that much of the world. I hope I could do the same.

This book is definitely what I needed right now, this week, at this point in time in the US. If you need to hear from someone who won't "be quiet" and "stop being angry" then this is the book for you. Also, she's funny. Thank you for writing it.

Lindy West is a powerful voice for all of us who have been marginalized and then criticized for having the audacity to try to demand better. Even if you're familiar with her work and parts of her story, these essays are a must read. She makes me proud to identify as a feminist.

I wasn't familiar with Lindy West before reading this book, but, wow, what an intense first impression! West is crazy outspoken--definitely to the point of being abrasive (and even obnoxious) at times. She is shockingly honest and relentlessly blunt about her opinions, her feelings, her experiences. Reading this book is like being slapped in the face. Over and over and over again. There is nothing gentle about it.

Initially, I wasn't even sure I was going to enjoy the book. The first essay, "Are You There, Margaret? It's Me, a Person Who Is Not a Complete Freak," is the least powerful one in the bunch, in my opinion. It feels forced, more of a showboat piece, like "Look how gross I can be! Girls can be gross, too!" Truthfully, I was mentally writing her off after that one.

But I kept reading--because I am a faithful reader--and once I got to "Bones" and then especially to "How to Stop Being Shy in Eighteen Easy Steps" and then especially-especially to "Hello, I Am Fat," well, holy smokes. I was hooked.

Because beyond all the sass and attitude, beyond the snarky, slightly pretentious "We, as a society, need to..." comments, there is also plenty of good, insightful, powerful, and heartfelt writing in here. For example:

"It's flattering to believe that we transform ourselves through a set of personal tangibles: Steely resolve and the gentle forbearance of a mysterious young widow who wandered in off the moor, but reality is almost always more mundane. Necessity. Luck. Boredom. Exhaustion. Time. Willpower is real, but it needs the right conditions to thrive."

Or "It was no kind of relationship, but, at age twenty-seven, it was still the best relationship I'd ever had, so I set my jaw and attempted to sculpt myself into the kind of golem who was fascinated by the 10k finishing times of someone who still called me his 'friend' when he talked to his mom... I thought, at the time, that love was perseverance."

I mean, she's got a way with words. And she puts it all out there. When she talks about "being fat" in "Hello, I Am Fat," I felt like I understood something--someone--that I didn't before. It's powerful stuff, even if it isn't the most pleasant.

Bottom line, West has a strong perspective--and a presence--and, though she can be over-the-top at times, I think the world is a better place for having her in it. I'm glad I read this book, and I'll be interested to hear what West has to say next. I'm going to steal (slash modify) her words and say, "Write, little soldier. Write." We're listening.

I only bought this book for my book club, but I'm so glad I did. It was SO GOOD. I finished it in one night and spent equal parts laughing, horrified, and inspired. I've been harassing everybody (women and men) in my life to read it.

Wonderful book about owning one's identity and challenging any cultural traditions that are disrespectful to our larger community including internet trolls and comedians who endorse rape culture - I found Ms. West's book thoughtfully written, at times a bit too personal but also touching and very very brave.

Lindy West is the change she wants to see in the world. I liked her conclusion and how she tied it all together. She's funny (read the footnotes!) and descriptive, raw and inspiring. I would highly recommend this book--though, beware of discussions of rape, abortion, abuse, and trolling.

Thank you Lindy West for writing a book that spoke to me as loudly as promised. I have shared this book with everyone that will listen. I laughed and cried and learned so much along the way. I am inspired by your bravery.

Want to know what I loved most about Shrill? I loved how relatable her experiences are, and how by page two, she had me laughing out loud about the outrageous notions of puberty. Mostly, I just loved how while I was reading West's stories and experiences, I often found myself nodding in agreement. Shrill is short and sweet, and defiantly boundless.

I had not expected this book to be so insightful and thoughtful. It was anything but shrill. The honesty and bravery in tackling issues of obesity, abortion, rape jokes in a way that changes the reader is impressive. I will never look at a fat person the same way again. Thank you Lindy West.

Real, honest, and soooo funny... I devoured it. It spoke so many truths about growing up female and bravely claiming womanhood, however it may look on you. I loved it! Lindy is a superstar and I love sharing a city with her.

This should be required reading for all humans. Her writing is encouraging me to think about how I could stand to be more outspoken and protective of my rights, my dignity and those of other women. Definitely recommending this to everyone I know.

Amazingly well written, engaging and interesting. All women should read this book. Fat-shaming, rape culture and misogyny are dealt with in a straight-forward, sometimes funny, always engaging manner.

So brave. And so important. And at the same time a fun and easy read. I am greatful this book exists. So much of it was about MY experiences as a fat person. Reading it was one of the most impowering experiences I have had in a while. Lindy West also writes about the cruelty and brutality she encounters on line so I wish she reads this comment too. Lindy: you are important. Thank you. Thank you.

I read this book free from the library, but bought a copy afterward to support the author. Not only is the book well-written and funny, but Lindy is also the woman I always hoped to be (not her career achievements). She's a brave advocate for compassion and kindness. Highly recommend this book.

Lindy West is all of us. Smart, loud, brash, and unapologetic because why the hell shouldn't we be? She's our fearless leader through the minefields of misogyny. She never gets too self-serious and she doesn't stray from logic. Her words roll easily with an insightful grasp of modern womanhood and flourish into serious LULZ. I love her. She is me. I am her. I love myself more because she exists.

This book is about being courageous. Yes, it is very funny and insightful, but overall it helped another writer (me) to feel brave too. Thank you for paving the way in so many areas. Thank you for speaking up about important topics that many women are afraid to broach, for the reasons you addressed. You are an inspiration.

It took a couple chapters for me to get "into" this book, but once I got used to West's writing style- it was a fantastic read. I stole a lot of quotes to remind myself of my power in the future. West really is an inspiration for women.

Starts off seeming like a serious of short stories about Lindys experience but quickly weaves in a powerful narrative about how Lindy has used her experiences to question beliefs and make small changes. Her story about how we talk about rape and comedy was memorable and inspiring to stand up for what you know is right.

I have mixed feelings about this... I laughed. I cringed (often when I wasn't supposed to, I think). I was moved. I was annoyed. I was engaged.

There's definitely a lot to enjoy here, but I'm not sure I can recommend it. If you're looking for something laugh out loud funny from a strong and vibrant woman, just wait until Luvvie Ajayi's I'm Judging You comes out. I'm confident it'll be a better choice.

Lindy slays trolls, misogynists, body shamers, and rape apologists with humor, sadness, righteous anger, and thoughtful arguments grounded in the reality and resilience of her own life as an unapologetic fat feminist.

Lindy is hilarious and her words couldn't be more timely and necessary. Essential reading for women, parents, people who like women, people who hate women, and anyone who wants to have a good laugh at some fabulous turns of phrase. Brilliant!

I bought this book because it made me laugh out loud when I was scanning through it in the book store. Worth every penny. Kind of want to buy it for everyone I know so Lindy get get super rich and take over the world :)

I really enjoyed this book. It's well written and manages to be both thought provoking and "light" enough to actually enjoy on a beach or on audiobook while driving. She has an entertaining, breezy style of writing, and the things she says are empowering and brave.

Lindy delivers hope to people who feel hopeless. She inspires confidence and pride. She reminded me that being fat isn't the worst crime, being cruel and insensitive to other humans is. Thanks, Lindy.

I'm probably out of the demographic for this writer--I'm in my 50's and I had never read anything by her until this book of essays. Shrill is a good word to describe her writing, although it's very empowering for feminist fat people. I personally did not find it laugh-out-loud funny like many of her other readers.

Funny and insightful.

I had read some of these pieces before, or slightly different forms so I was interested in reading more of her work. So many authors shy away from having a real point of view, not West. She has opinions and a distinctive voice on the page. She takes on topics that will immediately open her up to a great deal of criticism.

Note that the subtitle indicates " a" woman , not all women. She is writing about her life from her perspective, not claiming to represent all women, or even all feminists.

As with any book of essays, some are stronger than others, and they don't make for a completely cohesive book. But I was never bored, and enjoyed even the pieces that weren't as strong or contained opinions I didn't agree with.

Of course a woman having opinions ( or just being a woman)opens her up to
" critics" that are not interested in actual thought out criticism , but only taking down someone who doesn't adhere to their specific point of view. Too bad so many people here are choosing to review the author or just rant rather than reviewing the book. Funny how internet trolling is a topic in this book, and these people just reinforce her points.

I loved this book. Witty, engaging, and thought provoking. It offers a much different life perspective for most people. I would recommend that everyone read this book. All could use a look into someone else's life and have a chance to step into their shoes.

Lindy West is crude, rude, loud and loads of laughs. This was an enjoyable, fairly fast read on the subjects that most women will identify with. Granted, she's snarky, but she speaks the truth on many subjects. However, if you are sensitive to crude language and off color humor, you will not enjoy this book. If, like me, you are a bit off center and crude yourself, you'll find yourself nodding frequently throughout.

I started reading Shrill thinking that Lindy West was extremely funny. However, as I continued to read, I quickly determined that her type of humor was too crude for me and probably appealed most to her loyal fans. There are truly some funny essays in this book. Many reviews indicate that Shrill is a five-star read. I just can't stand behind that, knowing that many of my friends would find her humor offensive. I didn't totally dislike Shrill, but readers should be aware of what they are getting themselves in for when they begin reading.

Lindy West is literally the funniest writer in the world. So happy she wrote a book! I laughed, I cried, got pissed off at the world, and felt hopeful for the world all at the same time. Well done, Lindy.

I had never heard of Lindy West prior to reading this book. I was moved to read it after the UK-based "Guardian" published a few chapters from it. Lindy West is a really good writer. "Voice of a generation" is tossed down so much these days it's nearly meaningless, but West offers a voice of her generation that is entertaining, relevant, and funny. She talks about issues that most women can relate to-body image, self-doubt, and trying to fit in a world that values perfection. Her chapter on being a fat woman should be required reading for everyone regardless of gender or size. I tried and failed to get through Lena Dunham's much hyped memoir, but West's was so entertaining. I was sad when I finished it! I sincerely hope that in the future, she releases a book of essays or a follow-up.

Like many girls in the eighties, I read Judy Blume's menstruation masterpiece: "Are You There God, It's Me Margaret," but until I read "Shrill" by Lindy West I wasn't aware that I wasn't the only one who found the characters' eagerness to get their periods bizarre. Learning that I was not alone was reassuring and though I found the style of "Shrill" sometimes off-puttingly well, vulgar, I stuck with it and was very glad that I did.

The daughter of a jazz musician and a mother who preferred narratives about "strong people braving the elements," Lindy West also grew up in the eighties. A fantasy fan, she imagined a future full of magic and slaying trolls, the latter of which would come true. Belatedly realizing that "veterinarian" did not mean "professional animal patter," she began as an online film critic, as well as dabbling in the stand-up comedy world. In the pre-social network era, she notes, she had the luxury of being judged on her opinions, not her physical appearance, especially since she had an androgynous first name. After West took a job at the online publication "The Stranger," however, she found herself tangling with her then boss on the subject of the "obesity epidemic," arguing among other things that the real blame should be assigned to America's flawed health care system, and that shaming overweight people is hardly a new concept. (And eventually, her boss came around to her viewpoint.) She also discusses how she challenged comedians who believed that defending rape jokes is just a matter of free speech. When West blogged about those topics, she came under fire from many who preferred to send slurs and death threats, rather than engage in discussion in a rational manner. Undaunted, West continued to challenge the status quo, and eventually did receive a real life apology from a troll.

The narrative can be divided into roughly three topics: body image, trolling on the Internet, and West's journey from a self-conscious college student who believed she'd never have a boyfriend to a committed, happy marriage. At first, it seems like West is trying too hard to shock, but then she admits that covering a story on a menses celebration made her want to be honest and complimentary, not snarky and edgy - and she's at her best when at the former. Dissecting everything from airline travel as a fat person (the term she prefers) to how Western society is a no-win game for women, West writes with humor and heart. Growing up, she may have found a distinct lack of role models in pop culture for overweight girls, but hopefully, her work is helping to alleviate this problem.

The first chapters of this book had me laughing out loud harder than I have in a long time. Then I started to wince, while reading some of the later chapters. West is a self-described "disobedient woman" and has a take-no-prisoners approach. It was fun to read about how she went toe-to-toe with Dan Savage on fat issues, with him being the one to blink first (sort of). And her comments on how to handle internet trolls are a classic. Shrill? I guess so, but this is writing that needs to be read..

This book has so many good reviews. But unfortunately I can't give more than two stars. Maybe it is just not up my allay.
This book is about... period. Period. ( no pun intended). At least the first part. I didn't find it funny and I really was forcing myself to read it.
I respect the author to be brave and show her point of view, but this book is just not what I have expected.

As a semi-regular Jezebel reader, Lindy West is a feminist author whose work I've read many times in the past, so I was interested in what this book might have to say. It's kind of a mixed bag, but I don't necessarily mean that in a negative way. It's more that, while I think her essays are well-done and thought-provoking, what really grabbed me were the later sections of the book. Some spoilers to follow.

The initial two thirds or so of the book consist of a loose collection of essays that reminded me quite a bit of Roxane Gay's Bad Feminist, in that West riffs on a variety of topics related to feminism. She tackles rape culture, misogyny in comedy, body acceptance, abortion, and other topics. She is unapologetic in her work, which is brutally, viciously funny at times. If you've read feminist work before, as I have, her take is interesting, but what she describes is, sadly, not anything new. Frankly it can be exhausting at times, because I can't help but wonder how many similarly well-done and articulate thought pieces need to happen before women's humanity (and the humanity of minorities, the disabled, fat people, LGBTQ people, etc.) is acknowledged. That West can write about this stuff on a regular basis and still retain her edge is something. I'm glad to know she refuses to back down.

Yet as personal as some of this stuff is--and I think her writing about body acceptance is very personal--I still felt sort of detached from it. This is through no fault of West's, but more my own weariness that these are conversations we have to keep having over and over ad nauseam.

Then the book executes what felt sort of like a 180 degree turn to me. Suddenly, it turns into a very personal memoir, with West writing about her breakup and her father's death. I was spellbound. There is such raw, tangible grief and anger and loss when she writes about her relationship problems and her father dying that I felt like the book was grabbing me and pulling me into its pages. These sections capture so many basic human feelings that I don't know if I could name them all, and they made for a very intense, visceral reading experience.

Also fascinating is her description of her encounter with an Internet troll who set up a nasty Twitter account using a mocking version of her recently deceased father's name. I had listened to the story on NPR's This American Life, and if you haven't heard it, I recommend it. This is some very real stuff, as West pokes into the reasons behind her troll's actions. What results is entirely unexpected, and not something I'd spoil in a review because it's an astonishingly humane story that West does an amazing job of telling, both in the book and on This American Life.

This is a book I'd recommend to anyone interested in feminism, especially those who have an irreverent sense of humor.

I have been weighing my thoughts on how I wanted to review this book for a couple of weeks now. I see that this is quite the polarizing book – either loved or hated. I'm going to take the middle of the road stance on this. First, I have never read any of Lindy West's work before Shrill, and as the title indicates, the content is rather shrill.

There are several things going on here and I can see why some people hated it. While the author is a good writer and seems to have "craft" down, she's extremely rude, comes off as incapable of acknowledging other people's right to have a different opinion and is just a mean girl, in general. That said, I think her book is specifically for her fans and regular followers. I think this is a book that belongs to a niche readership and not to a wider audience.

A good part of this book is funny (I laughed in places, sometimes reluctantly) but the humor is always at someone else's (or thing's) expense. Another reviewer (Debra, who made many good points about this book) mentioned the issue of abortion and how Lindy compares it to oral surgery while others may view it as a moral issue. I want to extend that by saying that the reality is that rarely does ANY woman take abortion lightly, regardless of whether she sees it as a moral/religious issue or a choice that affects only her body. There are lots of things that go along with abortion that affect women such as depression (hormonal or otherwise), guilt and all of the philosophical questions that may follow a woman for her entire life. It's not as simple as just having a procedure and moving on. Feminist rants should include support for the choices ALL women make for their own personal circumstances.

She seems also to ridicule a woman's CHOICE to be a stay-at-home mom. Any woman has the right to make that choice. Some women enjoy it and frankly, it's hard work. I don’t like that she seems to want to dictate the rights and wrongs of women's choices. What may be right for her doesn't have to be right for others.

I think the sheer level of vulgarity (seemingly for nothing more than shock value) hurt her more than it was funny. I think I might have identified with more of what she was ranting about had it not been for the intentional "in your face" offensiveness. Although I do relate to a lot of what she says about society and its obsession with looks. I just wish she could say it differently.

Most of this book is West's manifesto of her personal life journey. Fans will love it. Other readers will hate it. And others – like me – will accept it for what it is and move on.

I think the only thing I can recommend is that a potential buyer read all of the reviews and decide at that point whether or not to have a crack at it. I think the reviews on this page do a good job of divvying up the lovers vs. the haters.

What Does Make Women Shrill?

Whether you are fat, skinny OR just right, there are things and feelings that make you feel "less than". There are media, people that mean well and those who do care that remind you that you somehow do not measure up. The struggle to find oneself in the midst of the negative messages is a hellacious journey, one well worth it and worth becoming SHRILL, to at times to stand up for yourself in the face of negativity rather than succumbing to the endless put downs.

Lindy West had me laughing,and screaming remembering the genesis that molded me into a loud, cussing, SHRILL female in the technical workplace, life and this world. Learning to weather the storms and standing up for oneself on the endless trip to person-hood is different/same/similar for each of us. Reading Lindy's journey reminds me that we sometimes need to fight to have the chance at life to do a good job and make a contribution using our talent, gifts and abilities. When we don't, SHRILL is the last thing the world will be worrying about.

We'll encounter generous, gracious and cruel people along the way and need to pick our battles wisely. Battle we must by any means necessary to become a member of the world; not the perfect, cuss-free one some envision. Take the time to delve into this fast, easy read to discover your shrillness or wimping out default.

I just finished reading "Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman," by Lindy West. Phenomenal.

As a journalist and blogger, her writing has played a huge part in making the Internet a better place for women, and she has taken torrents of abuse in doing so. But first and foremost - before being a feminist, before being a writer, before being an activist and taking it on the chin for the rest of us -- Lindy West is a comedian. This book is *hilarious* as much as it is equal parts moving, motivating, and enraging. Read it!!!

Lindy's an amazing writer and that has not changed with Shrill. She writes with the kind of conversational style most people should envy. Vulgar? Sure, if you're the f$#%ing mother superior; un-pinch your nose, snobs, and grow up. They're just words. This isn't Sunday school.

If you like funny feminists, this is the book for you. If you don't like funny feminists... I'm sorry. I'm sure half the former GOP nominees are signing their book deals soon. Maybe that's more your speed, precious.

Shrill: Women Are Funny, It’s Okay to Be Fat, and Feminists Don’t Have to Be Nice by Lindy West is a book that I did not even know I wanted to read until I had the option to read it. I’ve been a fan of West’s writing since she was a writer for Jezebel, a site that I follow with a bit of religious fervor. However, I had no idea that Lindy West was coming out with a book. Straight up this was one of the best surprises I’ve had in a long time. I devoured Shrill with as much enthusiasm as with West’s articles. While some of the material tread in the book is familiar, there’s a lot of new stuff here too and some behind the scenes bits as well.

Shrill is the second memoir I’ve read, or well sort of memoir – with different essays around different topics within the author’s life, in a row. I guess I am on a bit of a kick with them now. Anyways, so Shrill is a book of Lindy West’s experiences with internet trolls, how she stopped being so shy, feminism, airplane seats, love, fat acceptance and much more. If you have not read a lot of feminist books, Shrill is such a superb introduction. I mean, it is not like a textbook or anything remotely like that, just a book with a strong feminist bent and I LOVED IT.

I love how West engages with feminism in her writing. I love how she is such a straight shooter and how this book really lacks bull. She calls things as she sees them. As a woman, this means that trolls tend to flock to Lindy and say really horrific things to her. She writes about how after feeling fed up with the acceptance of rape jokes in comedy, she responds with an excellent essay on Jezebel and ends up drawing the ire of male comedians and their fans. She then receives heaps of abuse via twitter and email, among other things. I remember reading that essay when it first came out and just nodding my head as I read it because it so accurately put into words things that I was feeling. At the time, I was working as a prevention educator for a intimate partner violence victims program. So, of course I loved her essay because I was immersed in that field. There’s plenty more examples of her feminism and of her standing strong and up to everyday misogyny that I’ve not written about, but for real, read Shrill.

Hand in hand with the feminism that characterizes West’s writing is the fat acceptance movement. She writes about being fat, about how she is dehumanized because of it, and also learning to love and accept her body due to stumbling upon the movement via Tumblr and seeing all kinds of fat women via photo, thus normalizing it. She talks about working with Dan Savage who had an obesity crisis obsession and wrote some awful things about fat people, and how she really took him to task for that and how eventually he came around. I thought this was really eye opening – there’s a lot I do not know about fat acceptance and I rarely read books about fat people except for Dumplin’ and well, I want more.

Readers who want to increase their exposure to feminist writing — especially a feminist writer who professes to love reading fantasy and who grew up reading young adult books and even gives Tamora Pierce audiobooks a shoutout in the acknowledgements– should live their best lives and treat themselves with Lindy West’s Shrill. Chances are, you’ll find something you can connect with and relate to with this book. I’m in awe of West after reading this book, at how her speaking out really has generated actual change.

Lindy is one smart cookie.

She never bought into the 'it's great to grow up' fantasy that most children have, as a matter of fact she cas been complaining about it ever since.
She hilariously is 'callin' it OUT'!

I read this with a smile and shouts of 'tell it Girl!'

As a full figured woman, I've faced some of the same situations. Her take on airline travel is spot on/

Often foul mouthed, you can almost hear the shrillness as you read, but very funny.

Lindy West is a talented writer with some keen observations on life. But while I was aware of the crude nature of her humor, in Shrill she needlessly ups the ante in her vulgarity. I did not find the incessant explicit language empowering and her intolerance for anyone who disagrees with her is the opposite of what she is supposed to be promoting - respect and inclusiveness for all.
If you are already a fan of West, you will love this.
For everyone else, I think it will be hard to see her talent through all the vulgarity.

Yeah, this is funny enough. However, the vulgarity got to me. I felt it completely unnecessary. In fact, the author's continued vulgarity gives, in my mind, a distorted view of feminism. Feminists can be civil in their language and doing so paints feminism in a better light.

A quick read. The author is funny, but simply too (unnecessarily) vulgar/crude. Since I think that she could easily enough have written a book that was just as funny, and shrill, while being a lot less crude, I experienced the author's vulgarity to be gratuitous as well as....well....really in your face.

Wasn't informative enough on feminism. Was hoping to learn a little more about modern day feminism through this book, but it wasn't particularly well written so didn't get much out of it. Writing was confusing and lacked direction. Also, didn't get the endless swearing. I wanted to read something a little more mature than that.

I have an interest in the FA movement and this "Healthy at Every Size" thing going on. I think it is misguided but I try to increase my awareness and understanding regarding why these people think the things they do.

I just finished reading this book and tried to be as objective as possible. That being said:

Sweet baby Jesus this book is terrible.

The writer attempts edginess and only comes off as offensive and stupid. The structure is all over the place and confused. Her anecdotes are poorly written and her humor misses the mark almost every time.

"coming of age in a popular culture that is hostile to women (especially fat, funny women)" - From the stores own description. If this does not tell you how completely out of touch this books writer is, I don't know what will. Hint: our "society" is not hostile to women! West seems really pissed off about something but she can't really ever get to the bottom of it to cohesively and directly tell you what exactly it is.

Not recommended.

Perhaps one of the worst books I've ever read - no wonder feminism is failing in the modern age. This lady Lindy has done a huge disservice to feminism by writing this book. I should know - I'm a transgender woman.

Absolute drivel. Poor Lindy, how oppressed she is! The struggle for equality a middle-class white woman born and raised in Seattle faces must be heroic. Move over BLM- the new, doughy face of the oppressed is here.

Absolute tripe. A fraud on the reading public. Full of wrong conclusions, flawed assumptions and narcissism. Plodding, muddy. Author has blocked POTENTIAL critics on Twitter -- sure sign she knows her work is a joke and is desperately trying to sell a few copies before it becomes common knowledge.

I was actually really interested in reading this, even though we disagree on some things, because I always like to get other people's point of view. I had never heard of Lindy West before. I went to her twitter to see more about what she was about and realized I was blocked. Since I had literally just found out about her, I was confused, but decided that someone who decided to mass block random people she has never had interactions with doesn't deserve any of my money or time.

Embrace the way West tells her truths in an uncompromising, unapologetic way. She stands up for women, for humanity, really, and should be applauded. Her eloquence in what it really looks like to stand up and speak up against rape culture, against body shamers, is biting at the same time as it is beautiful. This is an author/speaker whose other works I look forward to reading and listening to. If there's a thing as a pro-humanity movement, she's one of ones in the forefront of it. Keep being loud, Lindy West, keep being truthful. What you say matters.

The author is hilarious! She speaks from a place of raw vulnerability which creates a space for the reader to connect and relate to on issues that are otherwise uncomfortable. She is a voice for those who can't find their voices. Well done.

Lindy West is a talented writer with some keen observations on life. But while I was aware of the crude nature of her humor, in Shrill she needlessly ups the ante in her vulgarity. I did not find the incessant explicit language empowering and her intolerance for anyone who disagrees with her is the opposite of what she is supposed to be promoting - respect and inclusiveness for all.
If you are already a fan of West, you will love this.
For everyone else, I think it will be hard to see her talent through all the vulgarity.