Brilliant. Who ever thought a book about periods would be interesting? Still, every woman has her story and the overlap is astounding. The persistent message not to discuss our normal physiology is a travesty and kudos to Rachel Kauder Nalebuff and her storytellers for putting it all out there.

This book was very interesting. It is not for the squeamish or faint of heart as the title is aptly named and it is all about periods.

It was very eye opening to learn about womens' experiences all around the world and how the mere act of talking about periods is taboo in so many families.

I also didn't learn how big a role politics play in menses and how much this impacts trans people.

While I did cringe at one particular story (a lady stating she drank her urine), which as an infectious diseases pharmacist I will always recommend against that, the book was overall very informative and I highly recommend it.

Phenomenal. This is the book I wish I'd had 30 years ago. These stories need to be told and shared and embraced. Absolutely wonderful!

What a fantastic collection of stories, poetry, art and more! I appreciate that Nalebuff strived to make inclusion and representation as large a portion of her collection as possible, while still noting that the experiences shared could not possibly represent that full range of every menstruating person's own experience. By including Own Voices in this collection, the conversation around menstruation naturally expanded to encompass not just the biological process and the impact on each person, but the ways in which menstruation is tied to the ramifications of colonialism, misogyny, racism, classism, capitalism, trauma, and environmentalism. Though I am no expert on how something qualifies for the term intersectional feminism, this collection strikes me as one of the closest works I've read to the term, which is fitting considering the subject matter and it's impact on any person, no matter their gender identity, race, or whether or not they physically menstruate.

I straight up feel like an Earth Mother Goddess after reading this. No, I don't know what that is exactly, but I feel powerful, like I've gained essential knowledge.

Our editor, Rachel Kauder Nalebuff has brought together an incredibly diverse group of stories about periods. They're the kind of stories we tell with our friends, laughing or crying or picking our jaws up off the floor. The stories are "taboo" but they always felt so freeing to talk about them out loud with our inner circles. Reading an entire book about it feels like tapping into this gorgeous, important set of collective knowledge.

This book has got to be one of the most comprehensive period books ever written. We've got menstruation experiences from Holocaust survivors, grandmothers talking with their granddaughters, teenage activists fighting to make period products more accessible, transgender and non binary folks, JUDY BLUME for crying out loud, women who were enslaved, indigenous people, scientists, poets, writers, the runner who famously free-bled while running the marathon, and 11 year olds all the way to 91 year olds. Just WOW.

I felt seen in so many ways while reading this and found myself highlighting lines that really resonated with me. I especially enjoyed the multi-generational interviews.

What a fantastic book!!

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book should be a gift to all girls when they start their periods or get close to starting. It is poignant and real

Thank you Simon & Schuster, NetGalley, and Rachel Kauder Nalebuff for granting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Essay collections are no simple task. They can leave a reader with a dense collection of work that is emotionally connected adjacent, slightly disconnected from the reader, feeling like a clinical take on the human experience. However, Nalebuff had the perfect formula.

This book tells the stories of various people and their connection to their menstrual cycle—an investigation into a historically taboo subject: periods, menstrual cycles, and menopause through an intersectional lens. Nalebuff is tackling questions about various parts of these topics such as: first periods, connection to queerness, cultural experiences, and what a period means to you. Drawing on people from all backgrounds, perhaps even ones you might not expect to hear from regarding a book on menstruating, without leaving the reader feeling overwhelmed. Within this novel, there is a story that is bound to resonate with each reader in some way, shape, or form.

I also particularly enjoyed the mixing of mediums that Nalebuff employed. From poetry to classic essays to visual comics to conversations, the diverse means of storytelling mirrors the diverse stories beings told. The placement of a story conveyed in a form other than prose broke up the story well, allowing for a digestible format creating a story that is not only easy but enjoyable to read.