On lies, secrets, and silence

In this collection of prose writings, one of America's foremost poets and feminist theorists reflects upon themes that have shaped her life and work. At issue are the politics of language; the uses of scholarship; and the topics of racism, history, and motherhood among others called forth by Rich as "part of the effort to define a female consciousness which is political, aesthetic, and erotic, and which refuses to be included or contained in the culture of passivity." This impressive book is a collection of prose essays which analyze the major ideas and problems that have concerned Adrienne Rich over the last dozen years. Although most of the pieces have been previously published, their combination reveals subtle interconnections and mutual implications that would otherwise be difficult to notice. In addition, Rich has added introductions to most of the pieces which clarify, and sometimes quarrel with, various points she has made.