Oh wow. I laughed, I cried, I learned. I admire Union and feel deeply grateful she has shared so much personal insight with us.

I really enjoyed listening to Union's essays. She covers the gamut, from her struggles with IVR and surrogacy to her epic dance battle with Bruno Mars to the appropriation of Black culture, lives, and bodies for entertainment. I especially liked the chapter she did exploring her approach to Isis in Bring It On. There were many moments when I was laughing out loud while walking alone down the street. My eyes were opened to some important topics, like the use of Black Face in current pop culture. 

Title: You Got Anything Stronger?: Stories
Author: Gabrielle Union
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: September 14, 2021

T H R E E • W O R D S

Vulnerable • Empowering • Witty

📖 S Y N O P S I S

A lot has changed in the four years since Gabrielle Union published her first book We're Going to Need More Wine, so she's back with all new stories to inspire, encourage, empower, and to offer hope to those who struggle. She shares about her journey with surrogacy and on becoming a mom, and delves into tackling racist institutions and practices in the entertainment industry.

💭 T H O U G H T S

After reading We're Going to Need More Wine, I knew I needed to pick up Gabrielle Union's second book You Got Anything Stronger? to see what else she had to say. These new stories and conversations go even deeper touching on suicidal thoughts, becoming a mom via surrogacy, being a working mom, raising a LGBTQIA+ child, aging as a Black woman, racism within the industry, among other things.

I commend Union for digging deep and exposing the most vulnerable aspects of her life with the hope of making others experiencing similar things feel less alone. Knowing you are not alone can be one of the most healing ways to move through life's most difficult moments. Written with both humour and sincerity, this book isn't all heavy. She mixes in some lighthearted stories to create a nice balance. It's great on audio, read by the author herself which makes the experience that more genuine.

Again with this one, I struggled with the normalization of drinking culture and the references of turning to alcohol when things get hard. I do think the titles of both her books were chosen with distaste. And yet, these books open up some much needed dialogue on important topics, so I had to look past the titles.

Both books are worth reading, but I would definitely recommend reading her earlier publication first simply for context as some topics are a continuation while others are completely new. There's a little something for everyone in each, although I think I gravitated towards this one a tad more. For me, it just hit harder.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers who want to be empowered
• Gabrielle Union fans

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"The right thing to do is, as usual, the hard thing to do."

"I let her tell me who she was. I listened to her, even before she had words."

 

You Got Anything Stronger by Gabrielle Union was a fast and insightful read. I read the e-book along with the audiobook and it was a great combination. Union is an amazing storyteller and does not shy away from difficult subjects. She is brutally honest about her marriage, motherhood, and the joys AND barriers she experiences as a Black woman navigating a world that continues to uphold white supremacy.