RaveThe New Statesman (UK)Throughout, the book deftly combines the personal and the political ... Intersectionality runs through this book like a quiet but mighty river. I particularly enjoyed the stories about the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s, including the underground queer subculture. These are all influences that have shaped the course of Evaristo’s life and the depth of her literary vision ... Diversity is treasured in this book but there is an equal emphasis on equality and inclusion...She does not shy away from difficult debates on who has the right to tell which story ... a beautiful, thoughtful and honest book about never giving up, even when it feels like you are \'writing into a void\'. It is also a meditation on personal transformation, cultural inequalities, activism, belonging, love and friendships – and above all, the power of creativity.
Siri Hustvedt
PositiveThe GuardianAmong the best essays are the ones in which Hustvedt skilfully weaves her personal stories (about her mother, her daughter, her own childhood) with the state of the world, academia and technology ... I found her criticism of several thinkers, such as Harvard cognitive psychologist Steven Pinker, rather unbalanced and unfair ... Hustvedt’s voice fluctuates as she moves between different subjects of interest and you might find yourself disagreeing with a few of her conclusions but it is obvious that hers is a great mind that is constantly exploring, searching, 'becoming' ... Hustvedt has provided us with an impressive collection that celebrates critical thinking.
