Wednesday, October 25, 2017

#BookReview: WE'RE GOING TO NEED MORE WINE by Gabrielle Union

Summary: One month before the release of the highly anticipated film The Birth of a Nation, actress Gabrielle Union shook the world with a vulnerable and impassioned editorial in which she urged our society to have compassion for victims of sexual violence. In the wake of rape allegations made against director and actor Nate Parker, Union—a forty-four-year-old actress who launched her career with roles in iconic ’90s movies—instantly became the insightful, outspoken actress that Hollywood has been desperately awaiting. With honesty and heartbreaking wisdom she revealed her own trauma as a victim of sexual assault: “It is for you that I am speaking. This is real. We are real.”

In this moving collection of thought provoking essays infused with her unique wisdom and deep humor, Union uses that same fearlessness to tell astonishingly personal and true stories about power, color, gender, feminism, and fame. Union tackles a range of experiences, including bullying, beauty standards, and competition between women in Hollywood, growing up in white California suburbia and then spending summers with her black relatives in Nebraska, coping with crushes, puberty, and the divorce of her parents. Genuine and perceptive, Union bravely lays herself bare, uncovering a complex and courageous life of self-doubt and self-discovery with incredible poise and brutal honesty. Throughout, she compels us to be ethical and empathetic, and reminds us of the importance of confidence, self-awareness, and the power of sharing truth, laughter, and support.

Review: Early on in her book, Gabrielle Union encourages you to grab a seat, get comfortable and grab a glass of wine because she has a lot to say, and she's not kidding. We're Going to Need More Wine is a thoughtful, honest and sometimes funny portrayal of the life and times of the ageless actress and activist.

Union tackles subjects that others might shy away from with tact and grace. Her willingness to share not only the highs of her life, but also the lows, is refreshing. Rape and the aftermath, the anxiety that comes with raising black boys, and growing up as an only (as in one of the few black people in her area, not an only child), are just some of the lows that she shares with us. She celebrates the sisterhood of black women in Hollywood, marrying her best friend, and reconnecting with her roots by spending summers in Nebraska (I know, right?).

We're Going to Need More Wine gives you an up close and personal, unflinching view of Gabrielle Union and I love it. I kind of want to be her best friend now. I don't really drink wine, but I'd curl up on the couch for a session of girl chat with her with a mai tai in hand. I'm willing to bet you would too.

272 p.
Published: October 2017
Disclaimer: Copy of book received from publisher; opinions are my own.

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