Men Have Called Her Crazy: A Memoir

As a feminist and mental health advocate- this is a hard review to write.

In “Men Have Called Her Crazy,” Anna Marie Tendler dives into her rocky relationships with men, but I found the story to be a bit disconnected. While her anger towards men is extremely intense, it often feels out of place. For someone who claims to hate men, she completely relies on them financially and emotionally. Even after her hospital stay and divorce, she seems to fall into the same patterns, which makes it hard to see any real growth in the memoir. I was also left wondering if her feelings stem more from her past and with her relationships with WOMEN, especially her complicated relationship with her mother, rather than just her experiences with men.

Tendler shares some tough dating stories, but I couldn't help but question what she brought to the table in those relationships. (No there is no excuse for a 30 year old to date a 16 year old — she also justifies this and is only starting to see that something “might” be weird about it... ick). She tends to lean on men for financial support and often jumps ship on careers at the first sign of trouble, which makes it difficult to view her struggles as purely the fault of others. It would have been great to see her take more accountability for her part in these dynamics.

That said, there are definitely relatable moments throughout, especially for white women navigating dating in today's world. Still, I felt like she left out some big pieces of her life—like her marriage/divorce and extremely privileged lifestyle—which made her story feel a bit incomplete. Overall, while she offers some great insights, the book could use a little more self-reflection and nuance about her relationships.

I don't even know where to begin with the eating disorder. Someone noted this as a memoir of someone who is completely unhealed and not ready to be writing these experiences and I feel that.