Letter to My Rage: An Evolution

Written by Lidia Yuknavitch

Narrated by Nan McNamara

Lidia Yuknavitch has described a writer as “a locus through which intensities pass.” The passions Yuknavitch has brought to bear in her bestselling novels The Book of Joan and The Small Backs of Children and in her searing memoir The Chronology of Water are a testament not only to her outsize powers as a writer but to her daring, a readiness to upend the status quo and the expectations people have of her as a woman, artist, and citizen. And now, when it’s become undeniable that our societal norms are not merely unjust but, for too many Americans, deadly, when public anger is at an all-time high, who better than Yuknavitch to help us acknowledge this moment—in all its horror, absurdity, and pain? She does so here in a direct address to her rage.

Letter to My Rage opens in a clinic where the author is waiting to be tested for COVID-19 antibodies. A sighting of the unmasked face of the president on the clinic TV makes her travel “beyond anger” to seethe at an administration ill-prepared to battle a pandemic or confront the racial and economic disparities that ensure vulnerability not just to disease but to a host of human brutalities. And she doesn’t stop there—she can’t. Throughout her life, rage, rather than destroying her, has transformed and compelled her: It was rage that forced her to claim her body: its blood, heat, and power; that ushered her into a world of ideas; and that would show her that where the political and the personal intersect, art flourishes, community and solidarity are found, and change begins. With the murder of George Floyd, her rage reaches an apotheosis. She joins the protests and asks that if men’s anger is frequently used to reinforce an unequal system—as in the grotesque spectacle of a white man’s knee on a Black man’s neck—how can women’s be used? How can her own? Can it be as constructive as it is destructive? Can it create something that was not there before and not just for her? As she sits in that waiting room, she knows the answer is in the body that’s contained her rage for so long, in her very blood; it can offer protection, fuel for others’ activism, a chance for a cure.

This incendiary, cathartic account from one of our most fearless writers urges us to reassess and reclaim one of our most intense emotions during unrelentingly intense and troubling times.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Everand Originals
• Release date: Aug 25, 2020
• ISBN: 9781094411156

Lidia Yuknavitch

Lidia Yuknavitch is the author of the National Bestselling novel The Small Backs of Children, winner of the 2016 Oregon Book Award's Ken Kesey Award for Fiction as well as the Reader's Choice Award, the novel Dora: A Headcase, and three books of short stories. Her widely acclaimed memoir The Chronology of Water was a finalist for a PEN Center USA award for creative nonfiction and winner of a PNBA Award and the Oregon Book Award Reader's Choice. She founded the workshop series Corporeal Writing in Portland Oregon, where she also teaches Women's Studies, Film Studies, Writing, and Literature. She received her doctorate in Literature from the University of Oregon. She lives in Oregon with her husband Andy Mingo and their renaissance man son, Miles. She is a very good swimmer.

Reviews for Letter to My Rage

[Cristian Diaz Basualto · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

very powerful stuff I never heard before, she is very strong and brave.

[dominic.spies.3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Awesome app really good reading material.. Best so dar.. Thank you

[Kathryn Arnold · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

OMG. Ms. Yakovitch captures my own 50 years of debating, marching & now in 2023, crushing despair.

[Patricia Delfin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow, this is an X-Ray of every woman's rage journey. From the moment we first bleed into the Earth to the moment we come into power. Thank you for putting this into words.

[Wendy Dewit · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

short yet so impactful, she manages to catch my rage that I feel as well

[Josie Moore · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Beautifully written and gut-renchingly true and honest. It is also very sad.

[Bryana · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent book, deep, insightful and would highly recommend to anyone seeking a resemblance of understanding when it comes to their rage.

[BRUTALLY HONEST · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It’s interesting and uplifting in a way but largely performative meaning no actual solutions are mentioned.

[d-fbuser-560210784 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Maybe the folks crying about this read should try something more tailored for their simple minds; I suggest Hop on Pop!

[Nadja · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

A bit empty to be honest. Seemed more pretentious than anything else, but I believe the original idea was good.

[Kate Doherty · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

There's some excellent parts to this piece. But if we want to stop having to rage against sexism, racism and the horrors of the current system we're going to need liberation, not just some women in politics. We should all be as angry as the author about all the atrocities of capitalism.

[Geeta Mehta · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great article! It resonates with the ‘now’! I would have loved to read more!

[Mary Feaster · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Just what I needed to hear. I didn’t know how to articulate how I felt about what is going on in our world today until I listened to this book. Perfectly said

[Chris · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Imagine being upset about a book you don’t have to read lol

[Reading Makciks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

She was definitely filled with rage alright. Good read, I guess.

[shana-gay · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love the book I enjoyed listening to it. Keep on writing and sharing. Recommended read

[Miso · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'm angry at those who tried to silence us. I'm angry at the patriarchal system that put their feet around our necks. I'm angry at the societal limitations. I'm angry at everything that takes women down. I'm angry at those who are racists toward minorities and people of colour. I'm angry at islamophobes, homophobes and any sort of segregation. I angry at those who work with dishonesty and exploit others. I'm angry at everyone and everything that ruin people and take their rights by force. Women must be wise, knowledgeable and empowered. Raising awareness is the most important thing ??

[David Black · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wonderful call to action. Extreme kudos to her directed anger. Angry people need to unite against deeply embedded racism, bigotry of American society. Only by MAINTAINING FOCUS can we succeed. UNfocussed anger will ONLY DETRACT from our goals. We must not become distracted as MAGA is doing. "Don't burn down barn to get rid of rats."

[david · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Mmm?? chill a little …… that’s all I take away

[Dax · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Oh please now self indulgent whining claptrap is considered good writing?

[krystal tiger · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked this.
Written in the form of letters. Letters written to one’s own rage. Asking the tough questions.. questions I’ve asked. Where does this rage come from? What am I supposed to do with it?

[bruce robichaud · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Just a rant blaming everything on Trump. Not interesting the least

[Joelle · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this. It was lyrical and short.
I don’t know if it’s just me or if everyone these days suffers from attention span deficiency, but I feel like most books go on long past the point of being effective. Actually, some books go on long enough to convince me of the opposite of whatever it is they’re saying. This book didn’t.

[Ženija Minka · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

At the very least, this has definitely made me interested in reading her memoir, The Chronology of Water.

[Martin Farrell · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Starts out with a pro BLM rant. This author is psychotic.

[S.D. Honeycutt · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Get Over It. I am tired of this kind of anti cop. Anti Trump. BS that I get from every talking head and so called comedians 24/7.