SHOUT

In "SHOUT," Laurie Halse Anderson inspires courage to find the power of our own voices.

In 1999, Laurie Halse Anderson published "Speak," an award-winning classic that helped countless trauma survivors feel understood. Twenty years later in the #MeToo era, Anderson released "SHOUT," a poetry memoir telling her own story of finding her voice after sexual assault.

But don’t let the poetry aspect scare you away; the book is written in casual, accessible free verse and is very direct — often, startlingly direct. As a younger woman, reading this book felt like hearing an older, more self-assured friend tell me her story and encourage me to find my own voice, too. It is a powerful gift borne from heart-wrenching places — the type of courageous art so desperately needed.

"SHOUT" may appeal to fans of slam poetry or accessible free verse poets like Mary Oliver or Rupi Kaur. It also may be meaningful to survivors, those curious about #MeToo, and anyone working to find their own voice.