Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West

The Locale: Jana's

The Book:  Coming of age in a culture that demands women be as small, quiet, and compliant as possible--like a porcelain dove that will also have sex with you--writer and humorist Lindy West quickly discovered that she was anything but. 

From a painfully shy childhood in which she tried, unsuccessfully, to hide her big body and even bigger opinions; to her public war with stand-up comedians over rape jokes; to her struggle to convince herself, and then the world, that fat people have value; to her accidental activism and never-ending battle royale with Internet trolls, Lindy narrates her life with a blend of humor and pathos that manages to make a trip to the abortion clinic funny and wring tears out of a story about diarrhea.

With inimitable good humor, vulnerability, and boundless charm, Lindy boldly shares how to survive in a world where not all stories are created equal and not all bodies are treated with equal respect, and how to weather hatred, loneliness, harassment, and loss--and walk away laughing. Shrill provocatively dissects what it means to become self-aware the hard way, to go from wanting to be silent and invisible to earning a living defending the silenced in all caps.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29340182-shrill 


Susan's Summary: Hmmm...it's November and so I'm having to use my failing memory to fill in the summary of this meeting.  Sarah was not in attendance and I, nor anyone else, neglected to send out a summary other than and FYI about what won.

As I recall, the food was yummy; par for the course with all hostess.  Jana served a breakfast brunch cassserole which I was a bit hesitant about because it included kale.  Not a fan.  It was, however, super yummy.  In my opinion, the hit of the day was BREAD.  Homemade from a baker at the Saturday market held downtown.  Soft fluffy center enhanced with soft butter and herb crust.  So glad Jana chose that loaf over the olive loaf.  Again, not a fan.

Some ladies didn't make it through the book, some didn't like it, and some like some of it, which was me.  As we often find, a book that isn't popular often leads to deep conversations, and this one was not different.  Conversation revolved around women's rights and prejudices that come with being a woman and being judged.

Jana topped off the meeting with a beautiful and fresh dessert--pound cake, fruit, and cream--individual trifles.  Wish I had taken a picture; it was so pretty. And just as yummy.

The Vote: Sarah presented... 

• Waiting for Snow in Havana: Confessions of a Cuban Boy by Carlos Eire WINS!!  
• The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
• Burial Rites by Hannah Kent  

Up Next: Elin Hildebrand‘s Summer of ‘69. @ Susan H.'s on October 27.

Next to Present: Jessica

Then: 

• Kristine
• Holly
• Tassy
• Jolynda
• Brenda
• Susan
• Gina
• Jana
• Susan H.
• Sarah