This poetry memoir by the author of Speak follows her from childhood through her adult life as a successful YA author. Part I introduces the reader to Anderson’s parents and family life in the 1970s. Raped at age 13, Anderson’s poems consider the culture of silence surrounding women and their bodies in addition to her experiences during that time. The traumatic event was followed by a downward spiral of drug and alcohol use before Anderson found solace in competitive swimming and, especially, a pivotal year as an exchange student in Denmark. In Part 2, the author reflects on her experience as a National Book Award finalist and her profound encounters with readers, many of them victims of sexual assault with whom Speak resonated. The memoir concludes with part 3, a meditation on Anderson’s name and forebears, and a recounting of her parents’ deaths. Anderson’s voice is personal and powerful, her poetry simultaneously informal and elegant in this singular addition to the body of literature exploring the strength and resilience of survivors of sexual assault. (Age 13 and older)

A New York Times bestseller and one of 2019's best-reviewed books, a poetic memoir and call to action from the award-winning author of Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson!

Bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson is known for the unflinching way she writes about, and advocates for, survivors of sexual assault. Now, inspired by her fans and enraged by how little in our culture has changed since her groundbreaking novel Speak was first published twenty years ago, she has written a poetry memoir that is as vulnerable as it is rallying, as timely as it is timeless. In free verse, Anderson shares reflections, rants, and calls to action woven between deeply personal stories from her life that she's never written about before. Described as "powerful," "captivating," and "essential" in the nine starred reviews it's received, this must-read memoir is being hailed as one of 2019's best books for teens and adults. A denouncement of our society's failures and a love letter to all the people with the courage to say #MeToo and #TimesUp, whether aloud, online, or only in their own hearts, SHOUT speaks truth to power in a loud, clear voice-- and once you hear it, it is impossible to ignore.