Format: Paperback
Release Date: July 4th, 2019
Age: Adult
Genre: Non-Fiction – Essays
Goodreads
Rating: 5/5 Stars
It goes without saying but I am going to say it anyway – this is a difficult book. Edited by Roxane Gay, this book is a collection of essays about various experiences of people impacted by rape culture. The essays show a wide range of experiences, are told in a variety of different styles, and paradoxically show the commonalities in harassment, abuse, sexism (and more) while also demonstrating how these stories are so particularly unique to those telling them.
It is infuriating. It is also beautiful and raw and emotional and so many other things. It’s a book that if you have experienced any level of misogyny, abuse, etc, etc you will feel both comforted and upset by. Comforted in knowing you are not alone in your experiences, and upset by, well, the fact this has happened to others. It’s heart-breaking. I found myself connecting deeply to what so many of these essays had to say, while feeling like maybe two or three reflected what actually happened to me personally.
It’s not the kind of book you can read a lot of in one go. If you pick this up, I highly recommend building in breaks for yourself and switching between this and something lighter (like a favourite reread or something in a genre you particularly enjoy). I stuck to reading two essays at a time, every other night. You need room not just to give yourself some space, but to really digest what is being said here, too.
There are different styles here, too, including one that reads as a comic, and as mentioned above they touch on various elements of rape culture. There’s no obvious answers here, but I think for those who maybe haven’t experienced the kind of things many endure daily, this book would be highly enlightening. There’s plenty of questions here, and the book itself shows the importance in everyone being able to tell their own stories, in their own way, and how doing so can empower others to do the same.
This book came out in 2018, and now in 2023 it really feels like we’re moving backwards, not forwards. There’s been so much relentless misogyny, not to mention the way some are so focused on what they perceive as a threat, they are allying with those who are actually real threats to women. Books like Not That Bad are so incredibly important, now more than ever, and I would urge everyone to read this (if you feel able to – I wouldn’t blame anyone for skipping over this due to the triggering content) as I really feel it can help deepen an understanding of what people go through regularly, and for the rest of us it can shine a light on the fact we are not alone, and none of us are fighting these battles – internal and external – alone, either.
Reading Challenge
2023 Tarot Reading Challenge
Prompt: The Hermit – a book that caused you to contemplate something in your reality
Progress: 12/164 Completed
Netflix Movies & TV Shows
Prompt: Don’t Look Up – Involves current issues
Progress: 11/24 Completed
Unwrapping Words 