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Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches Paperback – August 1, 2007

4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 2,023 ratings

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Presenting the essential writings of black lesbian poet and feminist writer Audre Lorde, Sister Outsider celebrates an influential voice in twentieth-century literature.

“[Lorde's] works will be important to those truly interested in growing up sensitive, intelligent, and aware.”—The New York Times 

In this charged collection of fifteen essays and speeches, Lorde takes on sexism, racism, ageism, homophobia, and class, and propounds social difference as a vehicle for action and change. Her prose is incisive, unflinching, and lyrical, reflecting struggle but ultimately offering messages of hope. This commemorative edition includes a new foreword by Lorde-scholar and poet Cheryl Clarke, who celebrates the ways in which Lorde's philosophies resonate more than twenty years after they were first published.

These landmark writings are, in Lorde's own words, a call to “never close our eyes to the terror, to the chaos which is Black which is creative which is female which is dark which is rejected which is messy which is . . . ”
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“An eye-opener”—Publishers Weekly

“[Sister Outsider is] another indication of the depth of analysis that black women writers are contributing to feminist thought.”—Barbara Christian, PhD, author of Black Feminist Criticism: Perspectives on Black Women Writers

From the Publisher

* The classic collection of 15 essays and speeches by the prominent black lesbian feminist writer Audre Lorde, reissued with a new foreword by Cheryl Clarke. * Required reading in many cultural theory, literary criticism, gay/lesbian studies, and women's studies programs at universities. * Includes landmark essays such as "Uses of the Erotic" and "Poetry Is Not a Luxury" and a seminal dialogue between Lorde and poet Adrienne Rich.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crossing Press (August 1, 2007)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 192 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1580911862
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1580911863
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.57 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 2,023 ratings

About the author

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Audre Lorde
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Poet, novelist, activist, and mother of two, AUDRE LORDE grew up Harlem in the 1930s. She earned a master's degree in library science from Columbia University and received a National Endowment for the Arts grant. She is the author of 12 books. She died in 1992.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
2,023 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written and worth reading. They find the writings thought-provoking, inspiring, and uplifting. Readers describe the collection as relevant and a necessary addition to their library. The material quality is described as strong and passionate. Overall, customers describe the book collection as beautiful and in great shape.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

48 customers mention "Readability"45 positive3 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and worth reading. They say it's a staple for learning about feminist issues and a great text to memorize and quote at will. The writing is potent and necessary, and it speaks to everyone.

"...block, its efficacy perpetually debated, it would be a great text to memorize and quote at will when needed. It is often needed...." Read more

"...on me, it details a horror story of a life lived with incomparable insight into humanity as well as with courage which faces that horror every day...." Read more

"...The work is relevant because we see today the repercussions that she witnessed and foresaw with the economic fiasco ushered in by the Reagan..." Read more

"...It's all worth reading, truly. You will not regret picking up anything this woman has written." Read more

45 customers mention "Thought provoking"44 positive1 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking and valuable. They describe it as an eloquent collection of feminist writings from the experience of a Black woman. Readers praise the writing as gorgeous, visceral, and truthful.

"...Aside from being intellectually brilliant and unassailable in terms of the airtight arguments Lorde presents, Sister Outsider is somewhat harsh and..." Read more

"This is much more than a book, a collection of writings...." Read more

"...I recommend this book because it's an essay collection that gives a great overview of her thoughts and writings...." Read more

"...She is laying down the wisdom and she does not sugar coat the truth. We need to hear it and I am here to be educated...." Read more

16 customers mention "Enlightenedness"16 positive0 negative

Customers find the book inspiring, thought-provoking, and moving. They describe it as a spiritual rebirth, with fresh insights and understanding of oppression. The author is passionate and sensitive, offering fresh perspectives and solitude. Readers praise the courageous and thoughtful exploration of people facing inequality.

"...However, her analysis of historical precedents and her willingness to expose the rotten teeth of the US technomilitary complex as it relates to a..." Read more

"...It may well be the greatest book of psychological insight and advice ever written. Only Dostoevsky's works compare...." Read more

"...is honestly a book I will return to again and again for advice, encouragement or if I need a little tough love from Mother Audre Lorde...." Read more

"...That being said, Lorde’s writing is gorgeous, visceral, and still holds so much truth even close to 40 years after “Sister Outsider” was originally..." Read more

9 customers mention "Relevance"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book relevant and a valuable addition to their libraries. They describe it as more than just a book, but a collection of writings.

"...It is surprisingly fresh and completely relevant. This could be one of those timeless essays that will never become passé...." Read more

"This is much more than a book, a collection of writings...." Read more

"...This book is beautiful, but it is also important, and worthwhile." Read more

"...Still so relevant, inspiring, devastating, and uplifting." Read more

6 customers mention "Beauty"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's beauty. They find it a real and eloquent collection of feminist writings.

"...one with the line drawing - mine has a portrait of Lorde which is beautiful. Regarding the content, these essays slapped me in the face...." Read more

"...Audre Lorde is a beautiful human and writer with the ability to rip your heart out and then rub honey on it; she will help you grow...." Read more

"These are beautiful, empowering, and thoughtful essays. Love them." Read more

"This made a perfect gift for my girlfriend. Beautiful and powerful poetry." Read more

5 customers mention "Material quality"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's material quality. They find the writing strong and passionate, well-organized, and great for learning more about intersectionality.

"...Aside from being intellectually brilliant and unassailable in terms of the airtight arguments Lorde presents, Sister Outsider is somewhat harsh and..." Read more

"...Well put together with her iconic works. Shipment was fast and easy." Read more

"Required for a class. Great material if you want to learn more about intersectionality, womanism, and Lorde in general...." Read more

"Strong, passionate writing..." Read more

4 customers mention "Book collection"4 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book collection. They say it's a must-have for their libraries, thought-provoking, and their favorite book of all time.

"I cannot offer high enough praise for this work. It is an amazing collection...." Read more

"Love this collection and would say this is a must have for your library, Audre Lorde speaks volumes of truth that will resonate to just about anyone..." Read more

"My favorite book of ALL TIME." Read more

"Great Collection..." Read more

3 customers mention "Looks"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's appearance. They find it well-written and in good condition.

"This book was in really great shape. I was..." Read more

"looks good!..." Read more

"Beautifully Written..." Read more

Amazing book; I got a different (better) cover
5 out of 5 stars
Amazing book; I got a different (better) cover
I was surprised and pleased that this book came with a different cover than the green one with the line drawing - mine has a portrait of Lorde which is beautiful. Regarding the content, these essays slapped me in the face. I have read very little feminist thought and this was a wake up call that I need to educate myself more on that front. I loved Lorde's writing style, her astute observations, and I plan to read more from her in the future.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2023
    Audre Lorde’s Sister Outsider, perhaps her most seminal work, contains essays and speeches recorded at the height of her powers.

    As a Black Lesbian feminist poet, mother, and person in a biracial relationship, she had a lot to say about a lot of things. Her honesty and eloquence were unparalleled. Her poetry was fearless. She served as a spokesperson on behalf of oppressed people, and was much beloved—and often feared. She held herself up to the same high standards of scrutiny that she did her contemporaries. Her untimely death to breast cancer (which she chronicled in her book «Cancel Journals ») created torrential grief in her communities and far beyond. A street near Hunter college in New York City now bears her name.

    Sister Outsider, however, is not an easy book to read. Aside from being intellectually brilliant and unassailable in terms of the airtight arguments Lorde presents, Sister Outsider is somewhat harsh and relentless. It is easier read piecemeal in small portions because it is presented at such a pitch that the reader can quickly be overwhelmed.

    Of course, her essay « Poetry is Not a Luxury » first published in 1977 in Chrysalis, despite its seriousness, is a joy to read.
    It is surprisingly fresh and completely relevant. This could be one of those timeless essays that will never become passé. As art is always on the chopping block, its efficacy perpetually debated, it would be a great text to memorize and quote at will when needed. It is often needed.

    Another highlight for me in this book is her « Open Letter to Mary Daly, » criticizing the radical feminist’s book, Gyn/Ecology for its treatment of female circumcision, which did not recognize or consult the black feminist perspective. This microaggressive erasure was further aggravated by the fact that Daly never replied to Lorde’s letter voicing her objections, before it even became an open letter. Despite the letter’s friendly tone and patina of graciousness, Lorde basically « tore Daly a new one. »

    The classic interview between Audre and her good friend Adrienne Rich is a total gem. Their repartee rings authentic and neither of them skirt around uncomfortable issues, but rather face them head on in a noncombatant, pacific manner.

    Equally brilliant are the essays on the erotic in poetry, citing the creation of poetry as a primal force; and « The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House, » of which title speaks for itself.

    The final essay involves the US invasion of Grenada, the birthplace and home of Audrey Lord’s mother. This essay is so moving probably because of personal connection to it. However, her analysis of historical precedents and her willingness to expose the rotten teeth of the US technomilitary complex as it relates to a history rife with racist, is stunningly courageous. In this last essay, she never misses a beat, connecting the dots between the US’s paternalistic involvement (and financial entanglements) in South America and its island possessions. Grenada, prior to the invasion of American and British forces, was an independent entity, governed by an all black leadership. The carnage left behind after said invasion was brutal, unnecessary and totally racist.

    And that’s what makes Audre Lorde’s work, so hard to take at times because of its blatant and unrelenting insistence on telling the truth, a blueprint for students of the peace and justice movement, scholars, and revolutionaries to this day.
    9 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2010
    This is much more than a book, a collection of writings. It's an experience more like surviving a traumatic event, seeing a deep and distressing movie or having a long and difficult talk with someone who has been oppressed from all sides. It accomplishes that which no other book I have ever read has done. Aside from the profound personal impact it has had on me, it details a horror story of a life lived with incomparable insight into humanity as well as with courage which faces that horror every day. I bought and read the book based on the other reviews above. They are all correct, but the praise this book deserves is understated. It may well be the greatest book of psychological insight and advice ever written. Only Dostoevsky's works compare. Lorde defies all the labels she and others use to describe her. This is the most human of all books because it stares the weaknesses we all share right in the face and finds ways to fight if not conquer them as well as pointing out strategies that are counterproductive. Lorde allows the reader to get inside her skin like no other writer, and for the first time ever, made me feel the anger, terror, fear, helplessness I have sensed in many if not all black people. And yet her greatest criticisms are not of whites, but especially of her black sisters and then her brothers. She clearly does not set herself apart because she knows she has had "my boot on a sister's face". Richard Adams wrote a story called "The Hole in the Sky". Most people never see it, but this book describes best of all what makes up that hole and what it feels like to see it.
    24 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2023
    I'd been wanting to read Audre Lorde. I recommend this book because it's an essay collection that gives a great overview of her thoughts and writings. The work is relevant because we see today the repercussions that she witnessed and foresaw with the economic fiasco ushered in by the Reagan administration. Don't skip the last chapter about Grenada. It's a textbook lesson on U S foreign policy.
    3 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2022
    This is honestly a book I will return to again and again for advice, encouragement or if I need a little tough love from Mother Audre Lorde. She is laying down the wisdom and she does not sugar coat the truth. We need to hear it and I am here to be educated. I am grateful to have found this book as well as her poetry. It's all worth reading, truly. You will not regret picking up anything this woman has written.
    8 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2020
    I was surprised and pleased that this book came with a different cover than the green one with the line drawing - mine has a portrait of Lorde which is beautiful. Regarding the content, these essays slapped me in the face. I have read very little feminist thought and this was a wake up call that I need to educate myself more on that front. I loved Lorde's writing style, her astute observations, and I plan to read more from her in the future.
    Customer image
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book; I got a different (better) cover
    Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2020
    I was surprised and pleased that this book came with a different cover than the green one with the line drawing - mine has a portrait of Lorde which is beautiful. Regarding the content, these essays slapped me in the face. I have read very little feminist thought and this was a wake up call that I need to educate myself more on that front. I loved Lorde's writing style, her astute observations, and I plan to read more from her in the future.
    Images in this review
    Customer image
    Customer image
    17 people found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

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  • JMR
    5.0 out of 5 stars Una joya, como era de esperarse
    Reviewed in Mexico on January 4, 2022
    Audre Lorde es una brutal autora de teoría feminista. Definitivamente, si te interesa esta parte teórica, cualquier libro de ella es recomendable. La edición está linda, fácil de leer, es un libro ligero (de peso.. lo que lo hace fácil para llevarlo en la bolsa o mochila).
  • Mathilde
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great
    Reviewed in France on March 12, 2021
    Un livre à lire, il nous fait nous interroger, entrer en discussion avec nous-mêmes et avec l'auteur à travers ses écrits.
  • LoveLoveLove
    5.0 out of 5 stars Mother Audre lorde
    Reviewed in Canada on December 6, 2019
    What not to love about it? Don't we all wish she was still alive? She is the Mother of all Mothers. I love every inch, corner, of it. It's a book that you refer to numerous times, again and again. Because it's just one of those books and everyone who loves Audre or wants to learn more about civil rights or whatever, I recommend it highly! it was one of my first books as i was coming to understand my self and identity, power and Black Feminism is really all about, tenderness with each other, i fail at these at times, to many times then i would like to admit but i am quite happy to that is always my reference. Reading her works gives me the vibes of love. I am young with feminist, who still has a lot to learn but has learn so much and grown so much already. Audre is my to go to, if and only if white women would stop taking her work out of context..kmt... anyhow!
  • PAULO CESAR SILVA DE OLIVEIRA
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente entrega, produto ótimo.
    Reviewed in Brazil on July 22, 2020
    Excelente entrega, produto ótimo.
  • EB J.
    5.0 out of 5 stars A book every woman should own and read religiously
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 18, 2019
    I'm ashamed that this was never presented to me as a growing woman. Nonetheless, I've found it on my own and can say that the writings of Audre Lorde are truly transformative. Every woman, regardless of their orientation or color, should read this collection of essays and thoughts from this talented feminist and poet.