BookBrowse Reviews Loud and Clear by Anna Quindlen

'A valiant writer ..... Quindlen is a tonic for mind and soul.' Essays

From the book jacket: The essays in this collection were first written for Newsweek and  the New York Times, and cover topics ranging from social change to raising children,  from the political and emotional aftermath of September 11 to personal values.

Comment: I don't always agree with Quindlen but I do appreciate her point of view and admire her courage in raising issues, sometimes at times when others would rather she kept quiet .  This series of essays cover a range of subjects from youth culture to gun control, from overscheduled children to homeless children, personality and polities, women's health issues, Barbie and, of course, arguably her most famous, or notorious (depending on your viewpoint) essays about Iraq.  

"Quindlen divides the essays by theme—heart, mind, soul, voice and body—and while the individual pieces shine, the overviews of each topic provide thin explanations for why they are grouped this way. Overall, however, this is not a matter of great concern. Quindlen's columns speak for themselves, loud and clear." -- Publishers Weekly.

This review first ran in the March 16, 2005 issue of BookBrowse Recommends.