A review by shelby1994
You Got Anything Stronger?: Stories by Gabrielle Union

dark inspiring fast-paced

4.0

 TW: Rape 

If you haven’t already read Union’s first book, “We’re Going to Need More Wine,” I’m sorry for you and life you’re only half living. 4 years after the SMASH success of that memoir, Union came back with this collection of short essays and life-stories that filled a memoir-sized hole in my heart. 

While some (read: me) may question why any person needs TWO memoirs, I would say that this book is much less of a chronological life-story as compared to the first book. Instead, Union hops from point-to-point, taking us back to her teen years in the aftermath of her rape at gunpoint, through the highs and lows and laughs of her career, to her struggle with feeling worthy in the midst of infertility.  

I love a good marriage story, but beyond that, I love a woman who isn’t caught up in making her marriage “look good” on paper. Anyone can throw in a few unflattering anecdotes about their spouse, and wrap it up in a neat bow saying “we worked through it and are #STRONGERTHANEVER.” But Union has always been ceaselessly blunt when it comes to the imbalance that exists within her marriage to Dwayne Wade, and the grace they both have to commit to in order to accept that sometimes shit just sucks. 

My only reservation about this book is that it veers into career advice a little too often. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s not a topic that I find myself very engaged with, especially if I’m picking up a book outside of work hours. 

Read if: 

1.       You think Bruno Mars doesn’t get the respect he deserves 
2.       You’re thinking about starting a family – in whatever form that takes for you 
3.       You can’t handle your lemoncello  

 

 

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