She also illustrates the many ways that American society shuns angry women, convincing them that their rage is impolite, unattractive, or even unhealthy. She writes in the introduction that her goal is to explore 'the specific nexus of women's anger and American politics, about how the particular dissatisfactions and resentments of America's women have often ignited movements for social change and progress.'īut there's much more here than that. Good and Mad is one of a few new releases taking on the formidable task of exploring the intersection of politics and anger.Īnd Traister is trying to do a lot in her 250 pages. It hardly even needs saying that women's anger (more from one party than the other) has been roiling since the 2016 election. Which is to say - it's easy to imagine that now is an even more fitting moment for Good and Mad than Traister herself may have imagined when she wrote it. A close friend started an email thread to our circle of female college buddies with the subject line 'Angry Anger with Anger on Top.'

Shortly thereafter, an acquaintance took to Facebook to furiously spill out the brutal details of her own rape. A couple of them resurfaced with blisteringly tone-deaf essays in (ostensibly) respected publications.Īs I sat writing this review, the TV on my desk was tuned to Christine Blasey Ford's testimony accusing Brett Kavanaugh of assault. 'Oh, definitely about this,' I thought, as multiple men accused of sexual misconduct mulled their comebacks. Your purchase helps support NPR programming. Close overlay Buy Featured Book Title Good and Mad Subtitle The Revolutionary Power of Women's Anger Author Rebecca Traister

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