{"product_id":"9781250255631","title":"Is Rape a Crime? : A Memoir, an Investigation, and a Manifesto","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eIs Rape a Crime?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor(s): Michelle Bowdler\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLonglisted for the 2020 National Book Award for Nonfiction\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eTIME\u003c\/i\u003e's 100 Must-Read Books of 2020\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e, Best Books of 2020\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003eNew \u0026amp; Noteworthy Audiobooks\u003cbr\u003eLit Hubs Most Anticipated Books of 2020\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eStarred Review \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eStarred Review \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eShelf Awareness\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eIs Rape a Crime?\u003c\/i\u003e is beautifully written and compellingly told. In 2020, we were all looking for solutions and this book was right on time. It is one we should all be reading.\" \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Anita Hill\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"This standout memoir marks a crucial moment in the discussion of what constitutes a violent crime.\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e, Best Books of 2020   \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eShe Said\u003c\/i\u003e meets \u003ci\u003eKnow My Name\u003c\/i\u003e in Michelle Bowdler's provocative debut, telling the story of her rape and recovery while interrogating why one of society's most serious crimes goes largely uninvestigated.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe crime of rape sizzles like a lightning strike. It pounces, flattens, destroys. A person stands whole, and in a moment of unexpected violence, that life, that body is gone.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAward-winning writer and public health executive Michelle Bowdler's memoir indicts how sexual violence has been addressed for decades in our society, asking whether rape is a crime given that it is the least reported major felony, least successfully prosecuted, and fewer than 3% of reported rapes result in conviction. Cases are closed before they are investigated and DNA evidence sits for years untested and disregarded\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRape in this country is not treated as a crime of brutal violence but as a parlor game of he said \/ she said. It might be laughable if it didn’t work so much of the time.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGiven all this, it seems fair to ask whether rape is actually a crime.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn 1984, the Boston Sexual Assault Unit was formed as a result of a series of break-ins and rapes that terrorized the city, of which Michelle’s own horrific rape was the last. Twenty years later, after a career of working with victims like herself, Michelle decides to find out what happened to her case and why she never heard from the police again after one brief interview. \u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIs Rape a Crime?\u003c\/i\u003e is an expert blend of memoir and cultural investigation, and Michelle's story is a rallying cry to reclaim our power and right our world.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview(s):\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNational Book Award Longlist\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eTIME\u003c\/i\u003e's 100 Must-Read Books of 2020\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBookPage\u003c\/i\u003e Best Books 2020\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e, Best Books of 2020 \u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003eNew \u0026amp; Noteworthy Audiobooks\u003cbr\u003eLit Hubs Most Anticipated Books of 2020\u003cbr\u003eStarred Review \u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003eStarred Review \u003ci\u003eShelf Awareness\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003eA \u003ci\u003eBoston Globe\u003c\/i\u003e Best Book of 2020  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eIs Rape a Crime?\u003c\/i\u003e is beautifully written and compellingly told. In 2020, we were all looking for solutions and this book was right on time. It is one we should all be reading.\" \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Anita Hill\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eMichelle Bowdler's remarkable, beautifully constructed book is essential reading.\u003c\/b\u003e It forces us to confront both the reality of sexual assault and the repeated brutalities of a system that treats survivors of rape with disdain and neglect. And yet Bowdler is no victim. This book is not only a memoir but a call to action, one that will inspire and galvanize every reader.\"\u003cbr\u003e—Ayelet Waldman, executive producer and co-creator of Netflix's Unbelievable and author of \u003ci\u003eA Really Good Day\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"In her stellar, unsettling book, Bowdler, now a public health executive, seeks answers—about why her own case disappeared, but also why America seems so comfortable continuously, systemically failing survivors.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eTIME\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eMagazine\u003c\/i\u003e, The 100 Must-Read Books of 2020\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"This \u003cb\u003estandout memoir\u003c\/b\u003e marks a crucial moment in the discussion of what constitutes a violent crime.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e, Best Books of 2020   \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Urgent...\u003cb\u003ean indictment of one of the most glaring contradictions\u003c\/b\u003e of the US criminal justice system.\" —\u003ci\u003eThe Boston Globe\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eIs Rape a Crime?\u003c\/i\u003e is a unique intervention in the memoir and social justice genres. \u003cb\u003eBowdler is an uncommonly gifted writer.\u003c\/b\u003e She is thoughtful even when describing horrible wrongs; lucid and captivating even when describing the sort of psychic pain that typically eludes words.\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eMoira Donegan\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Guardian\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Michelle Bowdler has cre­at­ed a sear­ing mem­oir-meets-man­i­festo... [arguing] that soci­ety needs to rad­i­cal­ly reframe the crime of rape and how we think about survival.\" \u003cbr\u003e—Gabrielle Korn, author of \u003ci\u003eEverybody (Else) Is Perfect\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Michelle Bowdler’s book \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eIs Rape a Crime\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e will be one that defines the field.\"\u003cbr\u003e—Dr. Ann Olivarius, Women’s Rights Lawyer\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A brilliant study of how society views rape.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e—\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003cb\u003estarred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"A searing condemnation of rape culture that firmly places the onus on law enforcement and legislators to reform broken systems...\u003cb\u003eIt will move readers \u003c\/b\u003eto demand change.\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003eShelf Awareness\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003cb\u003estarred review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eProvocative and illuminating\u003c\/b\u003e...Bowdler’s memoir is a thought-provoking, personal account of violence and its long-lasting ripples.\"\u003cbr\u003e—Laura Chanoux, \u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eIntimate, powerful.\u003c\/b\u003e..An urgent, necessary, stark exploration of 'one of the most horrific violations that can happen to a human being.'\"  \u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003eKirkus\u003c\/i\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A damning testimony to the many ways in which our institutions fail survivors of sexual assault. \u003cb\u003eBowdler turns an investigative eye to her own life, recounting the story of her assault and the reactions by police and the legal system that fell short of what she needed in the aftermath. \u003c\/b\u003eThis account stands alongside her historical analysis of these systems, a criticism of their structure, and her ideas on how our society can better serve survivors. —Corinne Segal,\u003ci\u003e LitHub\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A brave, illuminating book that’s difficult to read and impossible to put down.”\u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003eBrandeis Magazine\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eAmong the horde of books about assault in America, \u003ci\u003eIs Rape a Crime?\u003c\/i\u003e stands apart\u003c\/b\u003e. Bowdler’s candid recounting of her own mishandled legal case swells into a stinging indictment of the criminal justice system’s failure to treat sexual violence as a crime.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eBookPage\u003c\/i\u003e, Best Books 2020\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"I promise you, this is the most important book you will read this year. \u003c\/b\u003eWith searing clarity and unflinching honesty, Bowdler’s account of her rape and law enforcement’s repeated failure to investigate it, will enrage you, shock you, inspire you, and ultimately change you forever. Bowdler is fighting for all of us, recovering all our stories—this is indeed our manifesto.\"\u003cbr\u003e—Alison Smith, author of \u003ci\u003eName All the Animals\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eA devastating, necessary, and compelling account of one woman's experience combined with astute analysis of our country's troubling relationship to sexual violence.\u003c\/b\u003e Bowdler's book should be required reading for all who live here.\"\u003cbr\u003e—Melissa Febos, author of \u003ci\u003eWhip Smart\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eAbandon Me\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Beyond Michelle Bowdler’s lucid prose, what I find most remarkable here is this: even when the stakes are personally overwhelming and she feels as if she cannot go one step further, Bowdler constantly thinks of others—her roommates, her mother, her wife, her children, and, as she discovers how many rapes go uninvestigated, her fellow survivors. Smack in the middle of a story filled with headlines, \u003cb\u003ethe uncanny humanity with which Bowdler tells her story is moving, urgent, and necessary. In this she shows us a way toward repair.\"\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—Kenny Fries, award-winning author of \u003ci\u003eIn the Province of the Gods\u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Is Rape a Crime?\u003c\/i\u003e filled me with equal parts rage and awe: rage at the grave failures and chronic indifference of our 'justice' system, rage that the question can be asked at all. I am in awe of Michelle Bowdler’s resilience, her activism, and the devastating matter-of-factness with which she tells her story and makes her case. \u003cb\u003eThis book is a must-read for every human.\"\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—Christopher Castellani, bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eLeading Men\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Michelle Bowdler’s memoir is a powerful testimony and eloquent plea to rethink how rape is handled in America and around the world.\u003cb\u003e Bowdler's writing is beautiful, compelling, and urgent. This book is a knockout.\u003c\/b\u003e\"\u003cbr\u003e—Alysia Abbott, author of \u003ci\u003eFairyland\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"As a fellow survivor, I am in awe of what Michelle Bowdler has achieved with this \u003cb\u003emasterful, suspenseful, and impeccably researched book\u003c\/b\u003e. Bowdler courageously searches for an answer to her central question even when it seems the answer is devastating: It’s not that we don’t believe victims; it's that we don’t particularly care. But this is not a book about despair. Arming the reader with knowledge and the power of storytelling, \u003ci\u003eIs Rape a Crime?\u003c\/i\u003e is essential reading for a better, more just society.\"\u003cbr\u003e—Grace Talusan, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Body Papers\u003c\/i\u003e, winner of the Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing in Nonfiction\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003cb\u003eA deeply personal look at the experiences of one rape survivor combined with the systemic and shocking societal brokenness that multiplies that harm\u003c\/b\u003e, Michelle's book should be on the ‘important reads list’ for everyone over the age of eighteen living in the United States; for survivors, for those who care about and for them, for medical and criminal justice professionals, psychotherapists, and social activists who insist on dignity for all. Michelle Bowdler reminds us, 'sustained change takes time and persistence and it is never only about one person.' It is about all of us and our everyday actions both small and large.\"\u003cbr\u003e—Janet Yassen, LICSW, Co-Founder of the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003cb\u003eRaw, visceral, urgently researched, and impeccably argued\u003c\/b\u003e, Michelle Bowdler’s \u003ci\u003eIs Rape a Crime?\u003c\/i\u003e is a book for our times. From the horrific crime she suffered—one familiar to too many women—she extracts a public call to action, forcing us not to turn away from a message at once vitally personal and publicly searing. I felt honored to read this book, and changed by it. \u003cb\u003eBowdler’s voice is one we need.\u003c\/b\u003e”\u003cbr\u003e—Alex Marzano-Lesnevich, Lambda-award winning author of \u003ci\u003eThe Fact of a Body\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003cb\u003eTracking police inaction on her own case, Michelle Bowdler wields memory as a weapon then a banner to urge an end to this most wretched and devastating of crimes against women.\u003c\/b\u003e Take this book in hand and join her. Rape is a crime! \u003cb\u003eHere is our manifesto!\u003c\/b\u003e”\u003cbr\u003e—Honor Moore, the author of the National Book Critics Circle Award finalist\u003ci\u003e The Bishop’s Daughter\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"Is Rape a Crime?\u003c\/i\u003e is a powerful account--\u003cb\u003ea compelling read that is literally hard to put down.\u003c\/b\u003e The book combines an inside view of what psychologist Jennifer Freyd refers to as institutional betrayal (by the police in this case), as well as a deep and long term account of the aftermath of rape. That every generation since the 1960s has had to retell versions of these multiple traumas is deeply disturbing. Yet with careful nuance, Bowdler both undercuts progressive narratives of change and balances her account of trauma within the context of a redemptive family and work life. \u003cb\u003eThis book makes “survival” concrete in all its complexities.\u003c\/b\u003e\"   —  Professor Estelle B. Freedman, Stanford University, author \u003ci\u003eRedefining Rape: Sexual Violence in the Era of Suffrage and Segregation\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"Michelle Bowdler provided a gift when she attended my History of #MeToo class at Miami University (OH). The students were wowed by her bold and brilliant book \u003ci\u003eIs Rape a Crime? \u003c\/i\u003eand by our time with Michelle. In our post-meeting discussion, several of the students were moved to tears -- some out of sadness, some out of happiness, some out of relief. Michelle's book and our conversation with her inspired hope within the students for change. It was a book and an event we will not soon forget.\" — Kimberly Hamlin, Professor of History, Miami University (OH).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLong-listed Time Magazine Best Books of the Year (2020)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN:  9781250255631\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ","brand":"Flatiron Books","offers":[{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":40717500874958,"sku":"9781250255631","price":27.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0600\/7029\/7806\/products\/getimage_cf0707ce-1896-484a-b0cf-0f012f009c92.jpg?v=1644850341","url":"https:\/\/pickwickbookshop.com\/products\/9781250255631","provider":"Pickwick Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}