The book that I will be talking about in this post are Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson.
Then to lighten it back up a bit, I have some Book Mail and a couple of fun stories attached to that!
But first, in all seriousness, this post was particularly difficult to write. This is an extremely personal post, but one that I feel is important to talk about. I hope that I found the right words, and the intention and respect behind them comes across clearly.
If you are a survivor of assault or prefer not to read about harassment and assault, I invite you to skip this post. I will completely understand and respect you if you do.
In my review for Shout, I will be talking about some things that happened to me a few years ago, as well as the book itself. If you are still interested in the rest of this post, but just want to skip that review, there will be a larger version this photo to signify that the review is over:
I didn't really start feeling uncomfortable, or really making mental note of everything, until he started taking it a step too far...
I was in the front of the store, and I was restocking the table, fixing the display. I was standing in the same spot for sometime, focused on my job. When I finally stepped back, I bumped into the security guy, who was standing mere inches behind me. I had not noticed him there, he had succeeded in being sneaky. I apologized for getting in his way, not knowing the full situation.
Apparently he had been there for some time. He mentioned wondering how long it was going to take me to notice him there. I am usually pretty aware of my surroundings, so this unnerved me, especially given just how physically close he was to me.
A side note to this, worthy of concern and note was that my co-worker saw all of this. And when I asked him if he saw what had just happened. He said that he had. I followed up by asking why he didn't step in, he didn't think that it was his place to step in. It was.
Some time passed by before the next notable incident took place. There used to be an open break place for all of the various employees in the building. (That area has since been remodeled, and the break area no longer exists.)
I walked into the area, ready to tune out the world for the next 20 minutes, when I am greeted by the security guy, who was also on break with one of his co-workers. He proceeded to invite me to join them , by sitting on his lap. I awkwardly laughed it off and kept walking. By then I had become sufficiently creeped out by this guy. But, I had yet to say anything to anyone. Because I didn't want to get him in trouble. Because I wanted to believe that he was really a nice guy, just unaware of what he was doing.
Then, on New Years Eve, I was on the phone, in the same break area, his break must have been ending and he was coming from the opposite side of the area, then walked past me. Didn't think anything of it, until he once again snuck up behind me, this time placing his hand on my back and whispering into my ear "Happy New Year". I froze. This one left me uncomfortable for quite some time. That day. That week. Some time.
I definitely started changing up where I had my breaks. I would eat my food, sitting on the ground in the hallway.
But still, I didn't say anything to anyone at work. Because I didn't want him to get in trouble. I didn't want to create trouble. Because... because.
It wasn't until finally when I was on break one day at the same time as two of my female coworkers. They witnessed him coming up to me and putting his hand on my back. Witnessed me freezing in that moment. The sheer panic and discomfort on my face.
It wasn't until I finally had witnesses, peers reminding me that what he was doing was not okay, that I finally started to feel ready speak up. They walked with me to the head of security so I could report this. Offering to stay in the hallway as I went in. They were my support system in that moment. And finally, I spoke up. I had strength in my voice. I am forever grateful for them.
That was the last time that the security guy did anything to me. I saw him once after I reported him, and he looked at me from across the hall with this wounded expression. I admit, I felt guilty.
While it didn't faze me before, I now tend to ever so slightly freeze up when people come up and grab me from behind - even if I know and trust them. I still struggle with trying to explain, why I don't like it when people do that. It's not as bad as it was for quite some time, but that's partially because people are finally respecting my space and my body.
I was lucky. Lucky that it wasn't more. It wasn't worse. Because for so many, too many, this is nothing in comparison to what they have endured. Survived. From strangers, to people I know and love. We all deserve so much better.
Written in poetic verse, Shout is a follow-up, an answer, and a companion to Speak, which just celebrated it's 20th anniversary of it's initial publication. Author, Laurie Halse Anderson has spoken about how writing Speak became a way for her to talk about and healing from when she was assaulted as a teenager.
I wrote a bit about how important Speak is to me in a January review post.
In Shout, She talks about how different types of abuse were normalized either through small actions, that one learns to shrug off, or by larger societal expectations. How flawed out world is. How flawed, it has been. Shout is Laurie Halse Anderson's memoir, her complex and complicated and layered story of survival. She also talks about being a teenager, a human being. Trying to make sense of it all.
In the back of the book she provides a list of some resources. I also included some links just below for a few of those same resources.
📢📢📢Then to lighten it back up a bit, I have some Book Mail and a couple of fun stories attached to that!
But first, in all seriousness, this post was particularly difficult to write. This is an extremely personal post, but one that I feel is important to talk about. I hope that I found the right words, and the intention and respect behind them comes across clearly.
If you are a survivor of assault or prefer not to read about harassment and assault, I invite you to skip this post. I will completely understand and respect you if you do.
In my review for Shout, I will be talking about some things that happened to me a few years ago, as well as the book itself. If you are still interested in the rest of this post, but just want to skip that review, there will be a larger version this photo to signify that the review is over:
📢📢📢
It is tough speaking up for oneself, whenever, but it seems especially difficult in incidences of harassment. Of any kind. Some times, it feels impossible to bring voice to the experience. I consider myself very lucky that I was able to be supported and given a safe space to talk about my experience.
Please be patient with me. Given the subject matter, I want to be respectful - of myself and others. I am aware of the power of my words.
Please be patient with me. Given the subject matter, I want to be respectful - of myself and others. I am aware of the power of my words.
Here is my story.
A few years ago at my old job, there was a security person who had taken a liking to me. I believed it to be innocent enough for quite some time. And it was... until it wasn't. He would always smile and say hi to me, complimenting me... even noticed when I got a simple haircut.
I didn't really start feeling uncomfortable, or really making mental note of everything, until he started taking it a step too far...
I was in the front of the store, and I was restocking the table, fixing the display. I was standing in the same spot for sometime, focused on my job. When I finally stepped back, I bumped into the security guy, who was standing mere inches behind me. I had not noticed him there, he had succeeded in being sneaky. I apologized for getting in his way, not knowing the full situation.
Apparently he had been there for some time. He mentioned wondering how long it was going to take me to notice him there. I am usually pretty aware of my surroundings, so this unnerved me, especially given just how physically close he was to me.
A side note to this, worthy of concern and note was that my co-worker saw all of this. And when I asked him if he saw what had just happened. He said that he had. I followed up by asking why he didn't step in, he didn't think that it was his place to step in. It was.
Some time passed by before the next notable incident took place. There used to be an open break place for all of the various employees in the building. (That area has since been remodeled, and the break area no longer exists.)
I walked into the area, ready to tune out the world for the next 20 minutes, when I am greeted by the security guy, who was also on break with one of his co-workers. He proceeded to invite me to join them , by sitting on his lap. I awkwardly laughed it off and kept walking. By then I had become sufficiently creeped out by this guy. But, I had yet to say anything to anyone. Because I didn't want to get him in trouble. Because I wanted to believe that he was really a nice guy, just unaware of what he was doing.
Then, on New Years Eve, I was on the phone, in the same break area, his break must have been ending and he was coming from the opposite side of the area, then walked past me. Didn't think anything of it, until he once again snuck up behind me, this time placing his hand on my back and whispering into my ear "Happy New Year". I froze. This one left me uncomfortable for quite some time. That day. That week. Some time.
I definitely started changing up where I had my breaks. I would eat my food, sitting on the ground in the hallway.
But still, I didn't say anything to anyone at work. Because I didn't want him to get in trouble. I didn't want to create trouble. Because... because.
It wasn't until finally when I was on break one day at the same time as two of my female coworkers. They witnessed him coming up to me and putting his hand on my back. Witnessed me freezing in that moment. The sheer panic and discomfort on my face.
It wasn't until I finally had witnesses, peers reminding me that what he was doing was not okay, that I finally started to feel ready speak up. They walked with me to the head of security so I could report this. Offering to stay in the hallway as I went in. They were my support system in that moment. And finally, I spoke up. I had strength in my voice. I am forever grateful for them.
That was the last time that the security guy did anything to me. I saw him once after I reported him, and he looked at me from across the hall with this wounded expression. I admit, I felt guilty.
While it didn't faze me before, I now tend to ever so slightly freeze up when people come up and grab me from behind - even if I know and trust them. I still struggle with trying to explain, why I don't like it when people do that. It's not as bad as it was for quite some time, but that's partially because people are finally respecting my space and my body.
I was lucky. Lucky that it wasn't more. It wasn't worse. Because for so many, too many, this is nothing in comparison to what they have endured. Survived. From strangers, to people I know and love. We all deserve so much better.
(My Copy of Shout, sans post-it notes marking pages and lines that I connected with)
I wrote a bit about how important Speak is to me in a January review post.
In Shout, She talks about how different types of abuse were normalized either through small actions, that one learns to shrug off, or by larger societal expectations. How flawed out world is. How flawed, it has been. Shout is Laurie Halse Anderson's memoir, her complex and complicated and layered story of survival. She also talks about being a teenager, a human being. Trying to make sense of it all.
In the back of the book she provides a list of some resources. I also included some links just below for a few of those same resources.
A Few Important Resources:
For More Laurie Halse Anderson:
On A Lighter Note, I Have Book Mail!
Started last fall, Life's Library is a book club created and curated by author John Green and his business partner in crime, Rosianna Rojas. Intended to only last a year, I wouldn't be surprised if they extended it beyond that time frame.
What's really cool is that the proceeds from the subscriptions to the club go to the non-profit Partners In Health.
What's really cool is that the proceeds from the subscriptions to the club go to the non-profit Partners In Health.
I have actually had the great opportunity of meeting John Green a few years ago, and seeing him speak on a few different occasions. He has to be one of the nicest guys out there. He also came into the bookstore that I used to work in a couple of time. Unfortunately I was never there when he did. But I have some fun stories anyway.
The first time, was back in 2013, and if I remember correctly, he had missed his flight by five or so minutes, and ended up being next to my store. So, he stopped in and signed everything we had in stock. Lucky for us, we have a huge display for his books, seeing as The Fault In Our Stars was at the peak of its popularity. (The book was still in hardcover, and I think that the movie had just been announced at that point.) Known for using social media to communicate with his readers, he tweeted that he had signed all of the books. I saw those tweets, and was quite bummed. Because, like I said, I missed meeting him.
(My signed copy, from when he stopped in to the store)
Here is where I provide the information that I used to work in the bookstores at the airport. Over the phone orders and Shipping books, was not really a thing. In fact, they don't offer that anymore. Not for free, like we used to. Regardless, thanks to that tweet, we sold our entire stock of his books within a matter of hours! ...Then continued to get phone calls for weeks.
What makes the story even greater is that a few years later, I was working when two teenage girls came into the store, and were browsing the young adult section, and chatting, wondering if this was the airport bookstore that John Green had signed all the books in. I joined in the conversation, telling them of the dad in California. Then one girl starts laughing. That was her dad!
The second time he came through, I think I had missed him by like 40 minutes! My coworkers told him how I was a big fan, and so he wrote me a really nice note on the back of a receipt. I still have it, keeping it tucked into my copy of Turtles All The Way Down.
(my copy of Turtles All The Way Down & My note from John Green)
The latest pick, I admit I don't know too much about yet. The book is We Crossed A Bridge And It Trembled, by Wendy Pearlman. I have seen the book at work, but for whatever reason, I had yet to give it a closer look. Well, now is my chance!
For More Life's Library:
Life's Library Book Club Website
Life's Library Twitter
Life's Library Instagram
For More John Green:
Website
For More Rosianna Rojas
For Partners In Health:
Website
Don't Forget To Be Awesome:
Website
For More Wendy Pearlman:
Website
📢📢📢
Here Are Some Other Books That Came Out This Week!
The Trial of Lizzie Borden by Cara Robertson (Hardcover, $28.00)*
The Catalogue of Shipwrecked Books by Edward Wilson-Lee (Hardcover, $30.00 )*
If, Then by Kate Hope Day (Hardcover, $26.00)*
The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab (Hardcover, $19.99)*
Izzy & Tristan by Shannon Dunlap (Hardcover, $17.99)*
A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramee (Hardcover, $16.99)*
📢📢📢The Catalogue of Shipwrecked Books by Edward Wilson-Lee (Hardcover, $30.00 )*
If, Then by Kate Hope Day (Hardcover, $26.00)*
The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab (Hardcover, $19.99)*
Izzy & Tristan by Shannon Dunlap (Hardcover, $17.99)*
A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramee (Hardcover, $16.99)*
And Remember:
Physical books are available to order from Moon Palace Books , or your favourite indie bookstore
Prefer E-Books? Check out Kobo
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