Synopsis from Goodreads: She was known to the world as Emily Doe when she stunned millions with a letter. Brock Turner had been sentenced to just six months in county jail after he was found sexually assaulting her on Stanford’s campus. Her victim impact statement was posted on BuzzFeed, where it instantly went viral–viewed by eleven million people within four days, it was translated globally and read on the floor of Congress; it inspired changes in California law and the recall of the judge in the case. Thousands wrote to say that she had given them the courage to share their own experiences of assault for the first time.
Now she reclaims her identity to tell her story of trauma, transcendence, and the power of words. It was the perfect case, in many ways–there were eyewitnesses, Turner ran away, physical evidence was immediately secured. But her struggles with isolation and shame during the aftermath and the trial reveal the oppression victims face in even the best-case scenarios. Her story illuminates a culture biased to protect perpetrators, indicts a criminal justice system designed to fail the most vulnerable, and, ultimately, shines with the courage required to move through suffering and live a full and beautiful life.
Know My Name will forever transform the way we think about sexual assault, challenging our beliefs about what is acceptable and speaking truth to the tumultuous reality of healing. It also introduces readers to an extraordinary writer, one whose words have already changed our world. Entwining pain, resilience, and humor, this memoir will stand as a modern classic.
Genre? Non-fiction.
Backlist? Yes. Published September 24, 2019.
New to me Author? Yes
Why I rated it 5 stars?
This book is not my first non-fiction five star read of the year! However, this one may be the one that sticks with me the longest.
We all heard the story of the Brock Turner rape. Many were outraged by the "consequences" he faced afterwards (though we aren't getting into all of that here). What a lot of people may not have thought of is - What happened to the girl? Well, that girl has a name, Chanel Miller, and after going through the trial as Emily Doe, she decided to write this memoir and share her story with the world.
Chanel's bravery in sharing this story is a huge step towards hearing and healing survivors. She has many brilliant quotes throughout and her writing and I HIGHLY recommend reading this book. Of course, I'll issue a trigger warning of sexual assault/rape. But if you're able, this memoir was spectacular.
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