Reviews for Loud and Clear

The average rating for Loud and Clear based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2014-07-21 00:00:00 Jared Nagel 3.5 Two things I know about Anna Quindlen: She is an opinionated New York liberal / feminist. She writes her opinions eloquently with logic and statistics to prove her points. These stories are from her many years of writing a back page column for Newsweek magazine, and I remember always turning to the back first whenever I received my issue. Maybe that's what started my habit of reading magazines from the back to the front. I am not saying I agree with all her opinions, or to the same extent.  But she patiently reads us her op-eds with calm and assurance -- occasionally preachy, some might say -- but usually just very heart felt.  As a woman, she cares about many issues very deeply and gives us females some things to think about, both deep (prejudice and bigotry) and not so deep  (hairstyles and exfoliating). Although these columns are old, I kept thinking we are still dealing with the same social and political issues a decade and a half later. She says too that The great issues are the same as they were when 15 year old Anne Frank ... wrote in her shabby plaid diary...." Seems change is hard to come by. But the first and last columns were the most profound. She begins with Sept. 11, 2001, her son's birthday, and ends with 9/11, the tragedy, as she prefers to make the distinction between the terminologies so as not to spoil his birthdays from 2001 on. It was worth a listen just to hear her thoughts on that day and it's aftermath.

Review # 2 was written on 2007-08-15 00:00:00 Bill Burrell I adore Anna Quindlen. My favorite books are her compilations of columns, such as this one. (The only novel of hers I've thought was spectacular is Black and Blue.) She writes very well, thoughtfully and often with humor about everything personal, cultural, political, etc. in such a way that it's easy for (so many, not just me) to feel as though she'd be a wonderful friend. I highly recommend these columns to all except those who are extremely conservative perhaps.