Becca Andrews

No Choice, by Becca Andrews, is one of the best big picture looks at abortion in the United States from our early history to our new battle for the future.

Many of the books I've read have largely been about specific aspects of the abortion issue. Most recently I have read about those people who escorted women into clinics through the violent and abusive "pro-life" crowds and a book about the Shout Your Abortion movement. This book, however, includes a nice historical view, sociological perspectives on some debates, and of course the political battles (under the guise of religion and morality). Yet the power is not just in the telling but in keeping the human beings front and center. This is not an abstract work and it isn't primarily about numbers (though many of them are staggering). It is about the human lives, the women's lives, that are affected by laws and theology largely founded by and in support of men and their perceived rights to rule all that is. By keeping the personal in the story, we never lose sight of the actual human cost of outlawing safe abortions.

I would recommend this to anyone who wants to know more than just the soundbites we hear all the time. I would also recommend this to those who have read widely and been active in fighting for reproductive justice. For those, this serves to remind us of the bigger picture since it is easy to be so focused that we forget some facts that might help us to work with those open to considering the issue.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.… (mehr)