What I admired most about the collection was that, far from being the kind of shiny 'aren't we marvellous' text that usually emerges from conventions as souvenir books, many of the pieces in the book are designed to ask the uncomfortable questions, or to point out some of the failings and inadequacies of previous panels or discussions at various Wiscons. These kinds of criticisms online can turn so easily into vicious and circular flamewars in which people end up spending more time shouting in defence of friends 'under attack' than actually discussing the important issues raised.

In the context of the book, however, the discussion seems far more productive and far less accusatory - indeed, the overall vibe is not 'what we did wrong' but 'look what we did wrong so we can talk about how to do it better in the future'. No one feels the need to defend their perspective as perfect or all-encompassing, as often happens online. Instead, we have considered and constructive criticism of issues that still haven't been resolved at Wiscon, let alone other conventions: gender or race balance on panels, for example, and how concentrating on one inequality or minority can make others feel closed off or unheard. Another issue is that of the assumptions of panelists, sometimes having conflicting ideas about what the panels are about. Personal experiences are shared and valued without ego or public face being a priority… I came away from this first volume feeling like I had participated in something special, even from half a world and three years away.

In addition to capturing the proceedings, [Duchamp] also was interested in exploring hot-button issues that emerged from the discussions. Homing in on those areas of discomfort fits with the convention's reputation as an event that goes beyond Feminism 101.

In its mix of writing levels, range of expertise of the interviewers, interviewees, panel transcripts and shorter pieces, this work demonstrates that knowledge can be transmitted at various levels of discourse, underlining the value of events like WisCon and chronicles of those events like this text.
. . . I can recommend this book, especially as the chronicle of an event that cannot be repeated: a weekend in time that is also destined to be timeless. While it is neither a fanzine nor a critical work, it is a source document for future scholars of both fandom and the developmental states of feminism and science fiction.