Memoir Spotlight (7/15/20)

Today’s memoir spotlight features a deep-dive into one author’s relationship to reading through the works of Jane Austen + a provocative telling of one woman’s rape and recovery.

AUSTEN YEARS: A Memoir in Five Novels by Rachel Cohen

“The deep knowledge of and respect for Austen’s novels will equally impress Austenites and readers less versed in her works, and all will appreciate the information found in Cohen’s notes and bibliography. As readers absorb these pages, personal notes will be made and quotes shared.”–Booklist, starred review

IS RAPE A CRIME?: A Memoir, an Investigation, and a Manifesto by Michelle Bowdler

“Exhaustive research adds veracity to Bowdler’s powerful account of rape’s devastating aftermath. This is a brilliant study of how society views rape…The argument that fuels social justice advocate Bowdler’s provocative debut lies in its title: American society doesn’t regard rape seriously, as evinced by its few investigations, scant prosecutions, and minuscule conviction rates.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review

AUSTEN YEARS: A Memoir in Five Novels by Rachel Cohen; 9780374107031; available 7/21/20.
IS RAPE A CRIME?: A Memoir, an Investigation, and a Manifesto by Michelle Bowdler; 9781250255631; available 7/28/20.