Know My Name
Ratings214
Average rating4.7
honestly my review of this book is less about the quality of the text/content more like my friend recommended it to me and said it wasn't really about what happened but then i listened to it and was like ??? it's only about what happened, and what happened after what happened, which is actually part of what happened don't you see??
i started screaming and having nightmares for months after reading this (i think i read several books on the same subject around the same time). thanks for sharing your story, i am so, so, sorry this happened. unfortunately reading this, for me, was a (self-inflicted) punishment. IYKYK i suppose ♥️
I heard the audiobook. Chanel's story read in her own words. Her voice breaking in places where she struggled to maintain composure. I felt sad, angry, violent. I admired her strength and self-awareness in the face of a society that stripped her of her privacy, her dignity and even tried to strip her of her words. What I didn't feel at any point of reading this book somehow, to my surprise, was helplessness. Even when I was bawling, my t-shirt soaked with my tears and mucus, I drew strength from her words. Because words are powerful and Chanel's story moves you, not only because of its dark, poignant nature but also because her writing is spectacular.
Read this book, even if it triggers you. Know her name, because she's so many of us.
I saw a lot of reviews that were like EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK and they activated a defiant little button in my brain that was like “don't tell me what to do.” Like I read the Buzzfeed thing and I'm already like...opposed to rape, so what's here for me
anyway it is really great though, really beautiful writing with humor throughout to keep it from being totally overwhelming (although like, rape culture is still overwhelming and infuriating). An emotional read but a valuable one–I think it would be very powerful for teen boys in particular to read and engage with this content.
Easy 5 stars and should be required reading. Chanel Miller is an excellent author and unflinchingly confronted and examined her rape and everything that happened after. I thought I knew a decent amount about how sexual assaults are handled by the police and the judicial system, but having to listen to Chanel navigate the entire process from start to finish brought out so many details that I have never thought about. People wonder why women and men don't report their sexual assaults, well, read this book and you will understand exactly why.
This book is centered on Chanel's particular case and experience, but unfortunately, her situation is not unique which means there are many takeaways on how we can apply the knowledge that we gained from this memoir to our own lives and how we approach the topics of rape, sexual assault, consent, victims, survivors, and the laws surrounding these issues.
I'm saddened and angry that Chanel Miller and other rape and sexual assault victims are treated like crap in the American law enforcement system. I hope that these kinds of cases are taken much seriously in the future. Thank you Chanel Miller for bringing this into light. You clearly deserve better than this.
This is an amazing book. It handles so much more than just what happened to her- it focused mostly on what happened after, it focuses on victim blaming, on how the system failed Miller and countless others, about the impact on her family and friends, about her battle to regain a sense of peace, about reclaiming your voice.
It's a stellar book and a must-read. If you don't have time to read it, at the very least take some time to read her viral letter:
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/katiejmbaker/heres-the-powerful-letter-the-stanford-victim-read-to-her-ra
"Each time a survivor resurfaced, people were quick to say what does she want, why did it take her so long, why now, why not then, why not faster. But damage does not stick to deadlines. If she emerges, why don't we ask her how it was possible she lived with that hurt for so long, ask who taught her to never uncover it."
this was a very emotional read for me. as a victim, there have been times where trauma is minimized and internalized, and chanel very eloquently described these deep-seated emotions that are hard to express. i am forever thankful for this book, for giving survivors a voice and validating the injustices they face. thank you chanel, i am so grateful for your courage <3
The story that the whole world knows is finally being spoken from the victims side of the story, the most important side of the story. Chanel Miller is a survivor but also a hero, I cant imagine how many lives she will save with her words in this book and in her statement.
Dont click on the one star reviews for this book if you don't want to lose hope in humanity. Just a bunch of trump supports and Brock turner supporters wetting themselves over the fact that the victim has an opinion and a voice.
One sentence synopsis... A memoir by Chanel Miller reflecting on the devastating aftermath of her sexual assault and the subsequent court proceedings. .
Read it if you liked... Miller's succinct and gut-punching Victim Statement (which was published by Buzzfeed anonymously during the trial). All the poise and strength suggested in her statement are given room to breathe in this full length memoir. .
Further reading... ‘Not That Bad' by Roxanne Gay, ‘Asking For It' by Kate Harding, ‘Speaking Truth To Power' by Anita Hill
“My pain was never more valuable than his potential.”
This is not only an important book but so well written. Her voice lingers around me, even now, a good while after I finished the last page. It feels like I was there, next to her, experiencing everything. So powerful.
Knowing what this book is about, and having read Miller's Emily Doe statement when it came out on Buzzfeed, I didn't know if I would be able to get through it. These are heavy times to read a book centered on sexual assault, but Know My Name is so well done, so achingly honest, that I felt part of a raw conversation between friends. I shook with anger, cried, and laughed (Miller is also a comedian). I hope to read more from her soon (maybe fiction? I do kind of need an escape after this).
A gut-wrenching, timely, f*cking beautiful memoir. A new fierce icon. ♥️
“When I listened to her, I understood: You have to hold out to see how your life unfolds, because it is most likely to be beyond what you can imagine. It is not a question of if you will survive this, but what beautiful things await you when you do.”
“This book does not have a happy ending. The happy part is there is no ending, because I'll always find a way to keep going.”
This book was everything I thought it would be a more. In the beginning I only read 20 pages a day and was waiting for the time when I could read 20 pages and not cry - which took over 100 pages to reach (and didn't happen often). You will feel the full range of motions when reading this. This is a must read for everyone and would love to see it taught in high school with a teacher that can guide the students thru processing their thoughts and emotions.
Truly upsetting and also beautifully written. Highly recommend the audiobook which is read by the author.
Chanel is extremely eloquent and a beautiful writer. I have a lot of respect and admiration for her, and will look forward to her future works.
I did have technical issues with the book. This may have been intentional, but things got pedantic in the last few chapters. While I thoroughly enjoyed how she weaved in her memoir, I was not convinced by the events she described which didn't personally happen to her. I get how they affected her, but it came off as too much of a push to align with her views and statements.
She did dot the book with meaningful quotes, which made me stop reading to take a breather - just as much as the traumatic events did. The maturity in her voice is impactful, and I'd consider this to be one of my top reads.
This is an incredible and emotional book that everyone should read. The way she is treated by the justice system and Brock Turner's advocates and fans is horrifyingly unsurprising. But Chanel handles it all with grace and poise and tears and messiness and humanity. She's a fantastic writer; she says something about the “warm envelope of her mother's hands” and I can't stop thinking of that image among others.