Audiobook Review: Know My Name by Chanel Miller
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
Narrator: Chanel Miller
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Publication Date: September 24, 2019)
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Publisher’s Description:
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.
Chanel Miller is the woman that Brock Turner raped behind a dumpster while she was unconscious. The case sparked a national outcry when Turner was sentenced to just six months in the county jail. Chanel’s eloquent victim statement went viral, eventually leading to the recall of the judge that presided over the case.
Chanel reads the audiobook herself, which made listening to it just that much more heartbreaking and personal. Before I started, I wondered how she could get a whole book out of what happened – I was thinking there would maybe be enough material for a long magazine article. Boy, was I wrong. I was truly stunned by the amount of time she had to take out of her life to prepare for trial. It took over three years. During that time, she was also dealing with the trauma of the rape itself. There was no way she could hold down a job. I found myself wondering how any victim carries through with a rape trial – it takes a lot of time and energy.
One thing that surprised me was that Chanel became an amateur stand-up comedian as part of her healing journey. I looked for a clip online but I couldn’t find one – I’m really interested in seeing her act. I wonder if she’s still performing. I did watch a clip of her being interviewed by Trevor Noah on The Daily Show and was impressed with her sense of humor.
Chanel does a great job of pointing out how prevalent rape culture is. For instance, the focus of most “unbiased” news articles was on how Turner’s life would be impacted and wasn’t it a shame. Very little was about the impact on Chanel’s life. And Turner’s father said something like, “Brock shouldn’t be punished for the rest of his life for 20 minutes.” That made my stomach turn. No wonder Turner was so entitled as to think he could have his way with someone just because she was passed out.
Know My Name is an unflinchingly honest, important memoir. Highly recommended.
