A short nonfiction collection by Rebecca Solnit. Most of the contents originally appeared online between 2017 and 2019. The pieces fell roughly into three categories. Some focused relatively directly on the theme described by the book’s title, the relationship between power and stories. The second category, which overlapped with the first, included a range of pieces on various feminist topics – abortion, sexual harassment and assault, sexism in US electoral politics, the gendered character of places, and so on. And the third were what you might call proper essays – which is not to denigrate the shorter and more pointedly political articles that made up most of this collection, but just to indicate that they are closer to the longer and more self-consciously literary end of Solnit’s work where I think her craft truly shines. All three categories were useful to me – the first because I’m doing some sort-of related work and I wanted to see what Solnit had to say, the second because it is always good to be brought back into direct relation with core feminist insights, and the third because I just enjoy her essays. Not a must-read by any stretch, but a quick and energizing one if you like her work or are interested in these topics.
Originally posted by Scott on Goodreads.