The Shame: A Novel

Written by Makenna Goodman

Narrated by Eliana Marianes

Alma and her family live a life close to the land. Then, one night, she abruptly leaves it all behind. This is a propulsive, funny, and thought-provoking debut about a woman in isolation, whose mind—fueled by capitalism, motherhood, and the search for meaningful art—attempts to betray her.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Everand Productions
• Release date: Jun 22, 2021
• ISBN: 9781094418858

Makenna Goodman

Makenna Goodman is the author of The Shame, which was named a Harvard Review Favorite Book of 2020, a White Review Recommended Read, a Refinery29 Best New Book, a Literary Hub Recommended Read, a Bustle Most Anticipated Book, a Boston.com Book Club Pick, and more. Interviews, words, and work have been featured in the Los Angeles Review of Books, the Paris Review, Electric Literature, Guernica, Literary Hub, Catapult, The Rumpus, the Adroit Journal, and Commonplace Podcast, and are forthcoming in the Harvard Review, BOMB, the White Review, and the New York Review of Books. Based in Vermont, Goodman is a former editor of books on agriculture and food who writes about, among other things, the intersection of land stewardship and capitalism.

Reviews for The Shame

[Lezlie Hollowell · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved her style, and wit. She paints an honest and poignant picture!

[Mary · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Never have I been more grateful to get to the end of a book. Her descriptive powers are good but she self indulges in minutiae without meaning.
As a character she’s pretty entitled and loathsome….ever heard of therapy? Her family of origin is ignored; it’s just so tiresome to be in her head.

[Catherine Penrod · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

It was interesting but went nowhere. I will say there were very interesting turns of phrases & comedic discussions with herself that I did enjoy. The unanswered questions and abrupt ending made this like an unfinished short story

[Leah Barton Tew · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book made me think about our present day obsession with “influencers” and the façade they sell. (They’ve always been around, but before social media their presence was limited to celebrities for the most part.)