AOC

I really enjoyed listening to these essays! I've been inspired by AOC ever since first hearing about her but hearing about how she's inspired so many others was eye opening. Her impact and influence will grow through the years and these essays gave a wonderful window into the beginning of that.

AOC
The Fearless Rise and Powerful Resonance of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
by Lynda Lopez
Narrated by: Cary Hite; Marisa Blake
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Genre: Biographies & Memoirs | Politics
Release Date: August 11, 2020

AOC by Lynda Lopez is a collection of essays by people impacted and/or inspired by the work of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The majority of the narration was done by Marisa Blake, who did an incredible job conveying the message of each essay and made it feel that much more personal.

Before listening to the this audiobook, I did not know a lot about AOC, but admired her work as a young woman in Congress. This audiobook did include some background about her history and background, but focused primarily on how she is inspiring others.

Each essay includes personal stories and how the work of AOC has impacted or inspired someone. It was interesting hearing the personal experiences of the essayists and how each has overcome the obstacles created by racism and sexism.

I found this to be fascinating and inspiring. I thought it would be more about AOC specifically, but I enjoyed how this was put together.

There were some difficult topics discussed and could be triggering to some.

I'm so grateful to Lynda Lopez, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed listening to this book. Each chapter was written by a different person so there was some stuff said that seemed duplicitous but overall the audiobook was great and i loved how each chapter had a different viewpoint of AOC.

This book is a collection of testimonials about what AOC means to each writer and what her policies could mean for America. I expected it to be more fact-based and less opinion, but it was also nice to be able to read from multiple perspectives. I didn't agree with everything that was said, but I am inspired to learn more! This book taught me even more about who AOC is, where she comes from, what she stands for, and why she matters to so many people. Overall, a really inspiring read!

I'd alternatively call this book "A Love Letter to AOC". The first essay truly embodies that message, other essays describe her unconventional rise to politics, more detailed stories of political attacks made against her or what having a bilingual Latina in politics means to them. I really appreciated this book as it really goes to show just how impactful representation is and having a political figure that millions can look up to and relate to is so incredibly powerful and these essays describe that impact beautifully.
My only complaint is that the audio of this reading occasionally switches to a lower quality or further away microphone which can take you out of the zone every once in while. Other than that I c=absolutely loved listening to this and highly highly recommend it to anyone and everyone!

I really enjoyed this book! The audiobook was enjoyable and easy to understand! The only reason I will not incorporate it into my curriculum is the apparent political bias, which I do not mind, it is just not appropriate to push my political views onto my students

“AOC” is a short biography, authored by 17 journalists, authors, artists, community organizers and thought leaders. Each chapter introduces us to a different side of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (best known by her initials “AOC”).

For example, we learn that at age 29, AOC becomes the youngest woman ever to serve to the U.S. House of Representatives. We find out how this young Puerto Rican woman from the Bronx beats a 10-term incumbent in New York’s 14th district. We also learn how she is fiercely combating climate change. We see how she represents a new generation of Latinx politicians. And we hear how other people of color, namely young Latina girls, look up to her and say to themselves (and to their parents), “Wow. She looks like me. I can do big things, too!”

Like her or not, AOC is a force. She is well-known for her candor and influence on young people, especially millennials. Based on this biography, she appears to be “of the people,” often going back home to talk with and represent her constituency. (The 14th district includes the eastern part of the Bronx, portions of north-central Queens and Rikers Island in New York City).

The book “AOC: The Fearless Rise and Powerful Resonance of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez” is edited by Lynda Lopez, a popular New York journalist. The audiobook is narrated by Cary Hite and Marisa Blake. I listened to the audio while reading the ebook, and found the contest quick, easy-to-follow and interesting. Not having much opinion on AOC prior to today, I will definitely keep my eye on her. She seems real, imperfect and ballsy. And I have a feeling that she will have a long career in politics.

I really enjoyed this book, I loved hearing about AOC and her life, she is a great representation of millennials and hopefully how they can inspire hope and real change. I thought that this book was very informative, and sung the praises of AOC well.. I think my only thing I would have enjoyed was if it was more clear who each chapter was by, it took me a little bit into the bit to determine that these were separate essays by different authors. Overall it was a great read.

This is a collection of essays by people who were inspired by Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, and as such it will be a gift for her fans. For a wider, more neutral audience looking to learn more about her with an open mind and some healthy skepticism, it may be interesting to an extent with its bits and pieces of biography, but falls short of an actual biography, or a level of analysis beyond the surface level. It's mostly a book by her fans to her fans. As a latina, I found it interesting as a compendium of Latin voices, and as another way to have our many facets and points of view out there, giving those who may want to see us as a monolithic group a bit of insight into one many sides of our extremely diverse culture. As a woman, I find her strength admirable and this fortitude was well described in the book. As a citizen, I am looking forward to learning more about her ideas and policies with a more analytical approach.

This book was devotian of love and the feeling of being seen. Beautifully narrated in the distinct voices of the 17 different writers. I really understood what AOC meant to them and it felt more personal in audio form.

This is good book if you already know about AOC, as it isn’t a biography but a collection of essays written by people who have been inspired by her. I had already skimmed through this book on my own before getting approved for the Audiobook. Some essays are better than others for sure, so I didn’t feel the need to read every single one. Listening to the audiobook made it easier to listen to the ones I had to skipped in the book, originally, simply because the narrators were very good!

I recommend this book if you’re a fan of AOC - if you’re not, this probably isn’t the book for you (simple as that). Thanks to NetGalley & Dreamscape Media for providing me with the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I looooved this book! I listened within 24 hours, because I LOVE AOC! She is incredible, and this book only showed how impressive she really is. She is a beacon of hope to a young woman like me in these dark times. Thank you, Lynda, and thank you AOC!

My expectations were completely different for this book. I was hoping AOC would tell a bit more about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: her background, her rise in politics, her political stances, etc. Instead, this book is a series of testimonials about AOC. While informative in their own way, they were not as biographical as I was hoping. Because of this, I didn't like the book as much as I could have.

This is in no way saying anything negative about AOC. Although I don't agree with all of her policies - I don't agree with all of any politician's policies - I have much respect for the woman and what she has accomplished so far in her life. I can't wait to see what else she achieves.

Since I listened to the audio version, I should also mention briefly about the narrator. I thought she was quite good. Her voice was easy to listen to and she made the read enjoyable.

This relatively short audiobook contains essays about the phenom know as AOC. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is currently serving as the U.S. Representative for New York's 14th congressional district. The essays detail her rise to this position as a way to represent the people of her district and fight for their rights as well as the rights of all Americans, but particularly those who are marginalized and whose voices are often silenced. I was already a huge fan of Ocasio-Cortez and this book gave me even more insight into why she is exactly who American needs in the House.

Ok so first things first, this is not a biography of AOC. I thought it was, many people thought it was. It is not. This did not disappoint me anyways.

I think this book is very important because it shows how important her representation is to millions of Americans. Women, girls, future politicians, conservationists all, she is a beacon of hope and change for the future, and this is an ode to her presence. The fact that she is at the table means so much.

Recommend for fans of poli-sci, feminism, intersectionality, AOC, and uplifting role models of color.

Thank you to Netgalley audio for providing me a digital audiobook.

Loved this! I have admired Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and wanted to learn more about her, her background and politics. This audiobook did just that through essays from other woman sharing how AOC has inspired them, what they have learned from her. It was eye-opening and inspiring to hear these stories! Excellent. The narrator did an excellent job as well. Five stars.

AOC is a force, and this audiobook really brings her closer to you.

I'm not a New York resident, nor am an aspiring polician. I would NEVER think I'd so eagerly pick up a book about a Representative for a district that's not mine. But Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has sparked the world's interest as a young, democtratic, charismatic Latina polititian, so I was really curious to find out more about her.

Turns out this book was extremely motivational. This was my favorite thing about it - as a young female professional aspiring to reach the top in my field, I gained so much inspiration from AOC's story and resilience. Especially since I listened to the audiobook version of it, it hit even closer to home.

On the other hand, as I mentioned, as someone not so invested in politics, this was not quite the book for me. Classic example of it's not you it's me - it's well written, but just not about something I'm passionate about.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

AOC was a wonderful set of individual essays compiled all about the impact AOC has had on people. I enjoyed listening to this because it was not a biography. At first, I was disappointed because I wanted to hear more about her life and I thought this was going to be more of a biography. But after listening to a few essays, I realized how much more valuable this type of book is. Also, she is so young that I am afraid a biography about her would have been fairly short, as she is just getting started! I enjoyed how big of a difference AOC has already made in people's lives, and what she means to Latinx people. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about AOC!

It's rare that I gravitate toward a political book that isn't a memoir, but AOC herself is rare, and Lynda Lopez did a great job documenting that with this series of personal essays from various women. It was a bit hard to follow via audiobook, but I enjoyed it all the same. If you are a New Yorker, a Latina, a liberal, a woman — heck, any living person — there's a great message in here for you. I enjoyed it. And I'm going to really enjoy watching AOC's career develop.

Having read the description of the audiobook, I knew this was a collection of stories about ways AOC has inspired others. I loved the way the book moved through different perspectives and allowed you to see not only how she has inspired others, but how they plan to change the world too. This is a great book to here other peoples' stories, and really understand how different it can be from your own experience.
The only thing that I didn't like was the many mentions of the Netflix documentary about AOC, not that I'm mad there is one because I didn't know and now want to watch it, but because it was mentioned so often and summarized so much at first I thought I wouldn't need to watch it because most of it was going to be described to me in the book.
I do understand AOC is just starting out her career in politics so there wasn't much biographical information to share, but I felt some of the essays were repeating the same facts at first. However this didn't last too long and the later essays go into new areas. Also its probably hard to regulate what parts of someone's actions a person relates to or is inspired by, so there was bound to be overlap.
I loved the narrator, she did a great job of voicing everyone's different essays.

I decided to listen to this in order to learn more about AOC. As a millennial myself, I am in awe of her as she is unafraid to speak what she believes. Through this book, I can tell how she grew up definitely made her who she is today. I did enjoy listening to each of the contributors perspective on AOC, but some content was repetitive so it was difficult to differentiate each perspective. I think this book could have been improved by having somewhat of a biographical portion that lead into the devotional portion from each of the contributors.

Thank you for the free listen in return for an honest review!

This book is less a biography of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and is instead an incredibly moving collection of personal, politically charged essays about what her presence in the American political and public life means for people across the country. A large portion of this collection focuses specifically on the meaning of AOC’s representation of Latinx women, and Puerto Ricans specifically, with multiple contributors describing her “bright red lips and gold hoops.” I found myself emotionally moved dozens of times while listening to this audiobook, and the reader’s performance is incredibly stirring - she perfectly emphasizes every emotional punch. The essays in the collection cover political topics of poverty, environmental justice, immigration, and voter suppression. While I don't think this book will convince anyone who is not already a fan of AOC to switch sides, I believe this collection can reach through the people who support Democratic policies or AOC’s efforts in Congress but feel burnt out by all of the difficulties facing our country. I know this book inspired a lot of hope in me.

Listening to this book, at different times made me grin like an idiot (behind my mask), feel like I could do more, and challenged me to do so.

While I am not a Woman of Color, having come from a background of poverty hearing others speak about the importance of helping people. That we keep moving further and further away from those who are in need. Even assuming that these people can't be considered independent and hardworking if they also rely on any amount of help to ensure that they can survive in this world.

While this book is dedicated to AOC and the future she advocates for. I think a lot of these essays could be beneficial in showing the world why we need to make changes to the way the world is.

"What does a Just Society mean to you?" is what I took from this collection of essays but there are so many amazing works that touch on so much more.

It’s funny cause I just watched the Netflix documentary on her and Cori and I thought this book would be a wonderful way to continue that theme of powerful women making big changes in poltics. And I was thrilled by the insight on her. I did find a lot of repetition on knowledge that’s already out there and would have enjoyed learning something new but all-in-all this was a pleasant listen while commuting to and from work.

Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez-Cortez is certainly a woman who is on the rise in the political circles. I did not know much about her or her background in politics so I decided to request this short biography about her by Lynda Lopez. As I listened To the stories I felt honored and empowered. Honored because I have had the chance to meet her and see for myself the integrity and humbleness that she radiates. Empowered because as a woman, I know that that I can become anything I want to and at any age. We are told stories by 17 different people who range from journalists to community activists. Those stories are written not so much about her but for her. I was not disappointed in the fact that I did not learn much about her political views or issues even though I was hoping to. However, I learned much more than that. I learned that she is kind, humble, a strong advocate of what she believes in...ie climate control. This is more or less a let5er to AOC by those whom she has touched and helped. I have always been a strong republican woman but in the last 4 yrs I have decided to put my country before my party and it looks like I am not alone.


Thank you to netgalley as well as the author/publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you for much for this free review copy.

I loved this book so much. As an immigrant and a woman I am so inspired to hear AOC story and learn about why she matters and what she has accomplished already. I think the world needs more books like this where women of color have room to talk about one of their own and can empower each other. This book is an essay collection about different aspects of AOC from her background, to her social media presence, policies and impact on the country and much more. I loved that every essay was written by a different person of color and how they connected their own experiences with the story of AOC.
I felt so inspired by this book and AOC herself, I love how she stands up for what she believes and how by being bold she can start bringing change to this country.
I don't understand why some people don't like her and are so afraid of her since the things she stands for, are all for the benefit of the people and out world.
GO AOC, you inspire me to be a better person and to stand up for what I believe.

The narrator was wonderful too and I want everyone to read this book.

As a Cuban-American daughter of immigrants AOC has always been an inspiring person. This book really does add to that inspiration to me. I was very emotional reading about all the people who are like me that she has inspired. Being Hispanic you don't always see someone like you in high levels of government much less a woman that is so courageous and willing to speak out for others. Reading about others stories was also something that really spoke to me. I will definitely be saving this for my niece to one day read so that she too can feel as inspired by AOC as all of us. This is AN ABSOLUTE MUST READ!!!

In 2018, I was thrilled when so many women were elected to Congress. Then I learned about AOC. It meant so much to me that a young, millennial woman not much older than me was elected to Congress. Her victory made me feel like I could do that too. That anything I wanted to do was possible and that people shouldn’t write off young people.

This book is a collection of essays from writers, politicians, activists, and more about what AOC means to them. I learned so much about her (I had no idea she majored in IR like I did!) and my admiration for her grew.

I highly recommend this book if you’re a fan of AOC or if you just want to know why so many people are inspired by her. AOC gives me hope for our future.

This book was not what I had expected. I had anticipated a biography on AOC. Instead it was a collection of articles from people in the general public who admire AOC. Overall it was a really fascinating and quick read/listen. The audiobook narrator was fun to listen to and easy to understand.

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

In AOC, 17 writers reflect on what it has meant to them for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to be elected as one of the few Latina women in the United States Congress. Some facts of AOC's life are given but much time is also devoted to each author's personal life – how it matches with AOC's background, how what she has done has affected them, and so on.

I enjoyed listening to how AOC's election to Congress affected people, especially seeing themselves in her. Her political views are similar to my own, so I have been happy seeing someone in Washington trying to make changes for the better. However, listening to these stories gave me a better appreciation of how much more personal it is for other Americans to see AOC in her position of power. The main downside I saw to the book was that, as it has chapters written by 17 different people, and AOC has only been in Congress for 2 years, there was a fair amount of repetition of recounting the highlights of her campaign and career. I would be interested to see how such a book would look in another 10 or 20 years.

I like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as much as the next liberal millennial, so I was excited to get a chance to read this! That being said, I thought it would be more biographical. What it is, however, is a 240 page love letter. I am not a fan of fawning (I'm half German, that's not how we do) so you understand my rating is not a reflection of dislike for the woman on the cover, but the repetitive and slightly cringey content of the book. I kind of wonder what AOC would think of it? She doesn't seem like the kind of person who would much care to have people paint her a haloed hero. She seems too down to earth and self-aware for that. Of course, I understand that she and what she stands for means a lot to people, especially, perhaps, the Latinx community, and I don't want to diminish that, but I hoped for a deeper look at her rise and endeavors thus far. In any case, if you are an AOC superfan, you might like this, but I didn't feel it provided an especially balanced or nuanced look at the undeniably impressive, but human woman in question.

This audiobook was received as an ARC from Dreamscape Media in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I am very familiar of the bravery and inspiration of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez otherwise known as AOC and the courage she took to stand up for what is right and helped paved the way for many women to attend the school of their dreams, get the promotion they deserve and be heard for their rights and beliefs once and for all. Her determination to keep fighting and never give up was so inspiring that many young women will follow her lead. One part of the book that stood out to me was the mention that there are so many women that were vocal in some of our freedoms but we never know who they are or they never receive the honorable mention or credit they deserve. Even though discrimination is highly more aware during this time, it is still very disappointing to see the struggle women face each day and how undeserving they must feel. A lot of our students are picking AOC in their biography project and this is a perfect secondary source to add to the collection.

We will consider adding this title to our Audiobook collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

I got an ARC of this audiobook.

I will admit, I didn’t read the description of this book. I saw AOC and just knew I needed to read/listen. I thought it was going to be a memoir or a biography. It really isn’t either. Instead, it is a collection of essays about why AOC is important and what her being elected means for people.

The essays vary from more biography about AOC to a letter to AOC to descriptions of the issues with The Green New Deal. It was fascinating to hear these people who had such strong opinions and feelings about AOC, the current political climate, and how things are working in the country. Each chapter had a different author, which just felt like it was the best way to show just how important AOC to the US. The way AOC shows what is happening and what is wrong as well as the huge things she has already pushed for in her short career can only be shown through multiple lenses.

The narrator has the exact perfect voice for this book. The narrator is able to say AOC’s name correctly. She has the ability and the respect to say the names correctly. There was even an essay that mentioned that AOC has been called out for saying her name correctly and how republicans in particular have been trying to make her whiten her name. There are so many reasons why I love this narrator from the way she can convey emotions to the way that she doesn’t rush through things, even when I would have been reading the passage as quickly as possible.

Overall, this book was something that can be read one chapter at a time and a chapter can be skipped while still understanding the overall message. Each chapter is a wonderful read. I feel grateful that I was able to hear these stories and these essays. They are worth listening to.

I learned so much about politics in this book. It was accessible and it was something I needed to hear.

I enjoyed this "ode" to AOC. I personally look up to AOC a ton, so to hear from other voices that also look up to her is nice.

So many wonderful essays learning about AOC. She's truly a power to be reckoned with and seeing all the figures who she's inspired has been amazing. It's incredible learning more about her through another lens and how her upbringing and family has transformed her into the person she is today. I'm incredibly grateful for the chance to listen to this audiobook. Thank you NetGalley for this book in exchange for an honest review.

AOC is such a heroine of mine and I thoroughly enjoyed reading stories from Americans who have been inspired by her actions.

AOC was a great audiobook to listen to, in order to find out how her election and her time in congress have affected their lives and outlook on life. Her election has been monumental, and I am honored to have been given an audiobook version of this one. It was extremely enjoyable and I would love to see an AOC biography or memoir soon!!

3.5/5 stars.

Oops I should have read the synopsis a bit more. While I was looking for more of a biography of AOC, and to find out how and why she has become the powerful woman we see today, what I got was a bunch of fan love letters on how they relate to AOC, and support her rise to power. There is also a bit of self promo in many of the the essays to AOC.

It's an interesting listen, but nothing that is going to sway you to AOC's camp if you are on the fence.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

"So I'm a 50+ year old white woman from the rural midwest; AOC hasn't really been on my radar. I loved the cover and I thought that this would be a traditional autobiography and take me through the life of AOC. This was unique in that 20 or so folks provided their thoughts about AOC in relation to their lives and experiences. There was some overlap between thoughts provided. I thought it was a great way to learn about AOC. (At the end it details what each person is known for; I really wish that these details were incorporated at the beginning of each section instead of summarized at the end).

I feel like I learned quite about about social democracy in listening to this book; definitely more than what I knew before listening. I just want to yell ... YOU GO GIRL!

Thank you NetGalley and the author/Lynda Lopez for the opportunity to listen to this advance read copy of AOC!"

When I first saw this title, I began to consider how few Latinx voices I encounter in my usual reading/listening. Aside from Gabby Rivera's "Juliet Takes a Breath"--a YA novel about a young queer Puerto Rican woman from the Bronx--I can't think of a single title I've read by or about Latinx people. I was excited to open myself up to more Latinx voices, and especially excited because AOC is awesome.

I love how the various contributors analyze and reflect on AOC's embodiment of intersectional politics, and on how her unflinching Latinx pride pushes them to shine on in spite of the haters. They also don't shy away from being critical of AOC's decision to walk-back some of her previous progressive assertions. Yes, in some ways this book could be called "A Love Letter to AOC" in the many ways it lifts her up, but it also feels nuanced, sufficiently critical, and grounded with an acknowledgement of the limits of electoral politics as a force for real, meaningful change.

There are several instances where the content risks becoming repetitive, such as when multiple contributors describe the same biographical elements of AOC's life and when referencing the 2019 documentary "Knock Down the House". But rather than feeling redundant, these moments actually serve to knit the essays into a smoothly cohesive whole. Overall, I loved it!

If I was rating this book based on the subject I would hands down give this book 5 great big stars. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is one hell of a woman doing great things for the country she loves. She unapologetically stands up for how all women should be treated. Her hard-working and humble background has made her relatable and inspiring to so many Americans. Hence this book. This book is a collection of essays about all the ways Ocasio-Cortez has touched people’s lives. The audio version is narrated by Marisa Blake and she did an amazing job portraying each person’s story. The pace wasn’t too slow so it was very enjoyable to listen to. My issues with this book were the repetitiveness of facts about AOC and the fact that more time was spent on how amazing her red lipstick and earrings were than the actual policies and lasting change she works tirelessly everyday to bring to fruition. This is a fun, inspiring book but if you’re looking for a more detailed education on who she is as a person and a politician, look elsewhere.


Thank you @netgalley and @dreamscape_media for the gifted audio copy of this book!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. I'll be posting my review on Goodreads and Amazon

I absolutely love AOC. I was really excited for this book, but it didn't live up to the same hype I was expecting.

This book is a collection of essays- some more powerful than others. The information in each essay sometimes ended up redundant. Still enjoyed the book, just not as great as expected.

A book that is a compilation of essays from a variety of writers about their perspective and how AOC being elected changed their view on politics and elections. While reading it as an ebook and having Lynda Lopez narrate all the essays at times felt confusing, I still enjoyed the read.

It was an interesting way to look at someone who has made history through the lens of people who support her and admire her and are inspired to do big things by her.

I liked this book, but I would like to wait to hear straight from AOC's mouth, her life story, but maybe not until she has lived a bit more life!