Amy Richards

The testimony of Anita Hill at the Clarence Thomas Senate confirmation hearing in 1991 was a world-changing event, and I cannot express here how it affected me personally. A bit of anger still stirs when I think of how she was grilled and humiliated by the all-white male judiciary committee. The opportunity to look back at this event through this book was something I could not pass by. It has taken me months to get through it, and I'm glad for that, because it is a thoughtful and thought-provoking book, certainly not something to be rushed through.

The book is a collection of roughly 30 pieces, some recollections, some essays, other pieces creative. After an editor's note and a few introductory pieces, including excerpts from the hearing, it's divided into four sections. I've excluded my description of each section here for brevity's sake (I'm sure it can be found elsewhere). There is also a terrific Appendix which contains discussion questions, information on sexual harassment, resources...etc.

It's amazing that this book is only around 250 pages because of what is crammed into it. Through it I, not only revisited an event that so affected me and allowed me to reflect on my own experience of it and how it affected my life, but I learned a lot of new things about what was going on at the time (I was a very busy young, working mother of three in 1991), and explored and contemplated the sometimes very different experiences of others, which always enlarges my soul.… (mehr)