With a list of contributors as awesome as the one above, I knew I’d have to give this one a read. While How I Resist is definitely aimed at a teenage audience, I think there’s parts of it that are perfect for adults too.

One thing that I think is super important in anthologies is the order of the pieces. Reading How I Resist, it was clear that Johnson put a lot of time into thinking about the order of the pieces and it really works. The first few pieces were definitely riveting and more on the creative side, with a few interviews interspersed. The placement of the pieces worked super well, and I really liked Karuna Riazi’s ending.

While I do recommend it, the length of the entire anthology is so much shorter than I expected. With an all-star contributor list like that, I think that some pieces could’ve been longer. A few of the pieces were only a page in length and I definitely skimmed over the more practical stuff like “how to call your reps” or Johnny Sun’s piece on how to read media (since that’s stuff I already know how to do). I think that stuff passed me by only because I am not the target age audience, which I understand is more of a personal thing vs. a problem with the collection itself.

Overall, if you’re looking for an inspiring collection with bits of informational necessities in it, then I highly recommend How I Resist.

A series of essays, poems, comics, in depth interviews and even a song aim to encourage a continuation of resistance in today's(chiefly the U.S.) political climate. Many big name writers, activists, and actors lend their voices in this collection.My reluctance in awarding it with high stars is that despite the amount of eloquent and carefully crafted selections, I am curious as to whether it would appeal to the actual targeted audience which is our youth. Especially those that are not living in the United States.

I like what this book is trying to do and it has some fantastic content, but unfortunately it fell a bit short of what I was hoping for. How I Resist is a collection of essays and other content (songs, poems, illustrations, interviews etc.) from a variety of authors, activists, celebrities, and more, all aimed at discussing various facets of political resistance (particularly in the Trump era) and how teenagers can get involved in political action. Which is awesome, but I think some blind spots made this book less than it could have been.

The biggest issue I had with the collection (and really, this is more of an editorial issue) is with representation. Now, in some ways, there is a lot of representation here in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality etc. Which is wonderful. However, for a book that is intended to be about political activism for American youth writ large, it very much lacks representation in terms of geography. The vast majority of the contributors are from New York or other coastal areas with almost no representation from middle America. And honestly, I think it shows. 

While many of the individual contributors had helpful, meaningful, and inspiring things to say about the potential of the next generation, different ways to resist, and the need for change in issues like racism, gender equality, and LGBTQ rights, they mostly spoke from a very radical, urban, coastal brand of liberalism. And while I think those voices are important and needed, I think there was a missed opportunity here to also curate voices who could speak to what political action and liberal thought might look like in the South or the Midwest. We are living in a time where more people are getting involved politically than in a very long time, and that is taking place all over the country. Including young people in that is so important and while this book has lofty goals and some wonderful contributors, I was a little disappointed by the overall execution. 

I received an e-arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I watched this book become a thing on Twitter.

I don't know if you remember because honestly, I blocked it out, but 2016/17 was a dumpster fire. After then election Maureen Johnson put out a call to action asking people how they resisted in a world that didn't seem to want to listen. She got an overwhelming response, and a book was born. I think that this moment is the exact right moment for a book geared to teens about activism to come out.

I read this book in two sittings because I started it at 10 pm and I have to go to work, so I have to sleep. It's a quick read because it's essays and the essays are all about 5 pages or so. There is also art, and music, poems, and interviews. Each one is personal and important and from different points of view.

There's an interview with Javier Munoz which includes a bit about when Mike Pence went to see Hamilton. Jason Reynolds discusses what it was like growing up as him and getting a tattoo at 16 and who that impacted his life. There's an interview with Dylan Marron that discusses fandom in activism a little bit. Actors, activist, journalist, and creators of all kinds fill this book with advice and personal stories. I walked away feeling energized and ready to lead the fight.

With the political climate right now, with the teenagers in Parkland fighting, with all of us finding our voices and wanted to march and fight, this book is perfect. This book gives us a place to start. We don't have to go out and plan huge rallies. All we have to do is, as Rosie O'Donnell put it so poignantly in her section, is 5 things:

 "Learn everything {you} can.
Find Like-Minded Folks
Use {Your} voice
Twitter {your} ass off
Show up" - page 127
If you are ready to change the world and don't know where to start, this book is this place to begin. This is the moment, find your movement.

Lately I have been feeling so drained. So tired of fighting. So tired of explaining and late night poster making. I know more than ever, that it's what we need to do. It's what the country needs. But in some ways I've felt like my life has been little acts of resistance, of breathing, of speaking. How I Resist was not only a book I wish I read as a younger adult - as someone who wanted to be an activist, but is also something that has resonated with me now.

This is a very important book, at a pivotal time in American political history. A few things would have made this book better for me however: Slightly less specific details. The personal narratives were excellent, but the specific details on how to resist (referring to specific politicians in office currently) make this book something that will very quickly lose its relevance.

In the time after the last presidential election there has been a lot of talk and a lot of planning. This book is a great resource for teenagers and young adults on how to turn that talk and planning into actual actions. Written in a variety of styles from essays, to poetry, to comics, to music. I found this to be a great anthology that was a quick read and gave great tips and ideas on how to take action in a world that seems to be stacked against you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for access to an ARC eBook of How I Resist in exchange for an honest review. 

This non-fiction YA title showcases essays, poetry, instructions and commentary from various celebrities and authors on the topic of resistance. Some of the content is directly inspired by feelings associated with Trump's election, while others are more broadly focused on civic engagement and social issues. 

This book is a quick read, and the people featured were engaging and had interesting stories/information to share. I think this book will be a fun read for teens interested in social topics. It seemed to be a very visually compelling and browse-able book.

This book is a collection of mini essays by diverse voices of what resistance means to each one of them. The essays are about a lot of different topics but there is a big focus on what resistance means in the age of Trump (quite understandable), how can a young person voice their opinions about the issues they care about, how creating stuff whether it's artworks or music or anything can be an act of resistance and how essentially activism can be done in many different ways if being a public speaker for instance isn't your thing.
This book seems to be catered to a younger audience and even more so if you're a teen living in America. Although I think everyone living elsewhere can still find a few essays in there to relate to.
This is the type of book that I wish I read in middle grade or high school when I basically gave no shit about anything and didn't know anything as well. I think the message behind the book would have affected me more during that time and would have maybe sparked something and made my journey of learning a bit quicker. But as is it stands now, I love what the book is conveying but I felt I wanted more out of it. I wanted more depth, more articulate thoughts and comics (there were a couple in there), more research, more realistic and actionable advice and I guess more of a good ending to each of the essays. 
This collection was a refresher to what I've read thus far and to what I've learned and I guess it's always nice to read something to refresh your mind. If you're someone who's young or you're new to the topics this book is conveying, then this is definitely for you. But if you consume a lot of books about this then I guess I would skip this.

We all know about Time Federle’s allegations by now, and I wondered if I should read this book. However, one person’s (alleged) act does not — and should not — minimize the importance of this book. I loved these essays and, while short, they provide heart, soul and insight into the Resist movement. I wish the essays were longer, but I nevertheless enjoyed them and would recommend this as required reading for high school and college students.

My favorite contributors were the actual young adults; my favorite section of this is the suggested titles from librarians. Worth the read!

I found it to be worth reading and would hand it over to any interested teen. I thought many of the essays were too short, but I'm sure there were constraints based on the number of total pages.

Since the allegations towards a contributor in this collection, I have decided that it's best that I don't read it.

This book feels like group therapy - healing and affirming. Diverse voices speak out, letting readers know that it's ok to feel tired, scared, angry, and fired up. The pieces are short, yet thought-provoking springboards for further discussion. I am happy that this book exists.

I requested this title prior to learning about the allegations of sexual harassment against Tim Federle, one of the editors. This saddens me, as I love so many of the people featured in this collection, but I cannot in good conscience support this person and publicize their work on my blog. Therefore, I will not be posting a review. Thanks in advance for your understanding.

I might be in overload at this point with the amount of short story or compilations I've read recently, but if I try to remain as objective as possible it was a perfect mix of voices to talk about how they resist, hope, dream, stay sane in an unstable world-- they touch on technology and politics, speaking their minds, and keeping on living as a form of resistance. 

But I guess I'm questioning an audience-- because it's not necessarily there to spark activism necessarily like others I've read, it's more of an instructional guide for feeling okay about your feelings on current politics knowing how others make it okay for themselves. It's for comfort. 

Yet, there's a whole swath of kids that exist-- I'm looking to reach those that are not interested, disinterested, or who wholly don't care about politics and likely don't have an opinion. How many of our kids aren't paying attention because they're off doing other things?

How I Resist is a collection of political writings for teenagers, written by popular authors, celebrities, and people involved in politics. While I really enjoyed many of the pieces, I'm not sure that I have the reviews yet to support buying this for the school library. Ultimately the main idea of getting involved in standing up for marginalized groups is well supported, and some students will really love this book.

Loved the variety of accounts and diverse contributors!

Hey Guys! Recently, I've been going off the beaten track with books I'm reviewing. Am I encouraging you all to be rebels? Probably. Am I an authority on the matter? Meh...

Today, we're talking about a different type of rebellion. If you have any strong political opinions, especially if you're young, you have probably come across the disheartening message that individual activism can't make a difference. I've been on a philosophy kick recently, and, as Seneca says, if life hasn't gifted you with media coverage and a seat in the senate, "stand your ground anyhow and help with the shouting."

How I Resist is a series of essays and interviews about activism, dotted with pithy observations, poetry, and lighthearted humor. It showcases an astoundingly diverse cast of voices from Rosie O'Donnell to Javier Munoz (A Hamilton Actor who played... Hamilton)  to Dylan Marron (Carlos from the inimitable Welcome to Night Vale). If you watch the news, it will probably make you sad. If you go to a protest, it will probably make you angry. But reading cool essays about how your voice matters is never a negative thing to add to your life.

This book is a five-star read. I would recommend it to anyone young, to anyone old, to anyone marginalized, to anyone interested in politics, and to my little sisters. I wish you all a happy season of feeling like your voice matters.

Happy Reading!

ARC Review: How I Resist
An Anthology edited by Maureen Johnson and Tim Federle 

Release date: May 1, 2018

Regardless of whether you are an American citizen, you're going to want to get your hands on a copy of How I Resist. This incredibly important anthology includes stories, interviews, comics, instructional articles and so much more that are geared towards young people who want to make a difference. With names like Libba Bray, Hamilton star Javier Muñoz, and Jodi Picoult, this anthology really is star-studded and full of voices ready to help you, the reader, make a difference.

In the wake of the 2016 election, the United States (and the world!) has been caught up in turmoil. How I Resist encourages its readers to take action. And let me tell you--it works. After reading this anthology, I was angry. Angry at the injustices done to people for no reason other than their place of birth, their skin colour, their orientation. But I also felt empowered. How I Resist gives readers the tools they need to take action, and fuels the fire for them to do so--particularly in a world that is driven by social media.

We as humans need to be better at communicating. At taking action. At pointing out injustices when we see them. So next time I encounter whitewashing in a fancast for a book series, or I come across someone claiming that 'representation in books doesn't matter'--I will speak out.

That's how I resist.