carliethompsonwriting 's review for:

Men Have Called Her Crazy by Anna Marie Tendler
4.0
Men Have Called Her Crazy is undeniably beautiful. I finished the book in three days, curled in a ball on the couch with a warm tea in my hand. Tendler is an evocative writer, and does not shy aware from brutal honesty. She writes about her struggles without fear, and a candidness I immediately admired. I cried, and nearly threw the book in frustration at the people who have wronged her.

Admittedly, I first heard of Tendler through her relationship with her ex-husband. After following her, I came to admire her art, and her craft. If you’re looking for a tell-all about her divorce, this is not the case. Her ex-husband is not mentioned by name, and is only mentioned in the context that he exists, and that they were separating during this period of her life. This felt like a deliberate and powerful choice by Tendler. This is her story, and he will not overshadow her.

I feel uncomfortable adding critique on a memoir detailing something so personal. I will note In many of the anecdotes that Tendler shares, she is denied closure by those who wronged her. As a reader, you are denied that same closure, and at first I was frustrated. Then I realized that, just as she had written, you must learn to accept it and make peace. Life is not packaged in a neat little bow.

I would highly recommend this memoir. I would check the trigger warnings, because Annamarie Tendler dives deep into her experiences with several traumatic situations and experiences.
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