Reviews - Make Trouble: Standing Up, Speaking Out, and Finding the Courage to Lead--My Life Story

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184 reviews for:

Make Trouble: Standing Up, Speaking Out, and Finding the Courage to Lead--My Life Story

Cecile Richards

4.31 AVERAGE

starnosedmole's review

5.0

An inspiring call to action from one of Planned Parenthood's longtime leaders. A must-read for anyone drained from the current political climate.

The author is the daughter of an abolute ICON: progressive, former one-term Texas governor Ann Richards. So basically I read it for that and the author's own stories of organizing unions, and skimmed the last quarter of the book. Pretty interesting but not sure it would resonate as much for readers who are not Texas ex-pats.

rowanelise's review

4.75

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

Content Warnings

rnsbushell's review against another edition

4.0

hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

Inspiring book about fighting the good fight and getting into good trouble for the betterment of society

celiacullom's review

4.0

hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

madisonwreads's review against another edition

5.0

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

An incredibly powerful read that gave me hope during these difficult times. Decided to read this after seeing that Cecile passed earlier this year. She is humble and passionate. Outside of her 12 years leading planned parenthood she worked hard for the labor and environmental movements. She often noted those who helped her along the way and inspired her journey. She regularly noted the struggles that working class women and people of color deal with regularly. It was wonderful seeing her journey of “making trouble” starting at the age of 12 protesting the Vietnam war. To her intense activism within the labor movement in her 20s. Was wonderful to hear about her mother the first woman governor of Texas and what she learned through her journey. Amazing amazing amazing. I listened to it as an audiobook which I would recommend was great to hear her voice. Truly an inspiring read that’s leading me to think how can I take more action? She also included real actionable tips for organizing and leading.

“We get only what we’re willing to fight for”
“I look forward to the day when men can empathize with an experience they’ve never had”
“The world can be tough, unjust or even cruel but you have the power to do something about it. At any age. We all do.”
“I believe it’s women not democrats or republicans who are our best hope at rebuilding our democracy.”

bookbabe1129's review against another edition

3.75

informative inspiring medium-paced

nicksmithstanley's review

3.0

So I'm not a native Texan and didn't really know much about Cecile other than her role as PP chief. We saw her at the Texas Book Festival and she was funny and told great stories. The book however was a struggle. Her life, to put it plainly, is not that interesting. I did perk up every time she mention her mom, who was clearly the star of the family. But Cecile's story was kind of boring. The second half of the book really saved it for me. Her chapters on how to raise activist children and what would Ann Richards do were humorous and real. Definitely the highlights of the book