Press for Madonna & Me.

_Features & Reviews:

  • Book review by Avital Normal Nathman at MamaFesto: "The essays span various themes, looking at identity (both sexual and religious)... I found myself nodding my head in agreement throughout many of them. One of the essays, Kelly Keenan Trumpbour‘s In The Name of a Mother, explores Madonna’s connections to motherhood while also looking at the author’s own struggles [to become] a mother."
  • Book review by Judy Clement Walls at Ugly Furniture Review: "I was captivated by this book. In the very first line of the forward, Jessica Valenti writes, “There’s something about Madonna,” and I agree — although, for me, I think that something is the 39 writers who chose to tackle the subject in such thoughtful, provocative, and sometimes hilarious ways."
  • Book review by Lindsey Silken, HelloGiggles: "What I learned from Madonna & Me is that Madonna had a truly profound impact on a lot of women, and was a beacon of hope, a role model, an icon and an inspiration, regardless of whether one agrees with everything she does."
  • Book review by Maria Elena Buszek, BUST: "The theme of Madonna’s motherhood reoccurs throughout Madonna & Me, with all the conflicting messages that entails... Many contributors first look to Madonna as a (sexual, spiritual, professional) 'mother,' only to grow frustrated or disappointed with, and ultimately apart from her over the years. Yet, they suggest, we still seek her out, almost despite ourselves, as a touchstone of ideal femininity."
  • NEWS SEGMENT: "Writers Strike A Prose With "Madonna And Me" Anthology," by Stephanie Simon, NY1
  • "Mad About Madge," ELLE magazine (March 2012): "In Madonna & Me, 39 female essayists, including ELLE contributor Cintra Wilson and New Yorker TV critic Emily Nussbaum, reflect on the Madonna phenom, from one writer's pre-K hunt for the perfect cone bra to another's Madonna-inspired dedication to fitness."
  • "Me, Myself, and Madonna"  by Cathy Alter, The Atlantic: "It's pretty fun and amazing to see how both [editor Laura Barcella] and Madonna have succeeded in uniting a bunch of very different women—from the brainy and always wonderful Emily Nussbaum ... to the heartbreaking story of Bee Lavender, who, just into her teenaged years, copes with multiple forms of body-mutilating cancer by taking cover in Madonna."
  • "Madonna and You" by Lori Kozlowski, Ms. Magazine: "A collection of smart, witty and sometimes revelatory essays, the book takes for granted the idea that Madonna has had a profound effect on all of our lives, not just those of the contributors."
  • Book review by Carol J. Binkowski, Library Journal: "This distinctive collection explores Madonna’s enduring impact on contemporary culture...with more than three dozen original essays in which women reveal—with intelligence, wit, and honesty—how the pop icon influenced them...to gain personal confidence, develop an increased awareness of life’s nuances, sort through questions ranging from religious to sexual, define everything from womanhood to personal style, cope with loss, take risks, and discover how to live life on their own terms."
  • Madonna & Me feature by Marisa Meltzer, Capital New York: "Until now, there has never been an anthology devoted exclusively to women writing about [Madonna].... In the introduction there’s a striking phrase that sums up what that attachment to Madonna feels like to Barcella and many of the writers: 'Her freedom is our freedom.'"
  • "How the Queen of Pop Saved Me From Choosing the Wrong Guy" by Laura Barcella (modified version of essay from Madonna & Me); Huffington Post Women
  • Nonfiction book review, Publishers Weekly: "These essays... amplify the influence [Madonna] had on a generation. ... [They] reveal that Madonna’s mix of spirituality and raw sensuality had a considerable impact in shaping attitudes."
  • "The Official Flavorpill Bookshelf: March Staff Reading Picks" by Judy Berman, Flavorwire: "It’s been fascinating to read the stories of women writers who grew up imitating her style, questioning religion as a result of her music, and asking themselves, ‘What would Madonna do?’ when faced with major life decisions.”
  • "Feminist Writers on Madonna" by Patrick Folliard, The Washington Blade: "The anthology focuses on how Madonna has influenced the essayists’ lives. The entries run the gamut from funny to intense."
  • Book review by Sarah Erdreich, Feminists For Choice: "Many of these essays pull off the difficult trick of being both critical and loving, gracious and sharp... [managing] to reveal just as much about the writer as the subject."
  • "Crave: Madonna & Me," by Ami Angelowicz, The Frisky: "The new anthology Madonna & Me... is a compelling exploration on topics every woman can relate to, from sex to spandex."
  • Book review by Tara Hanks, For Books' Sake: "This is a lively, provocative collection, highlighting Madonna’s enduring influence."
  • "Madonna Fan," Shelf Unbound magazine: "[The essays in Madonna & Me] are revealing snapshots of becoming and being a woman in the era of the Material Girl."
  • "Touched for the Very First Time" by Tiffanie Gabrielse, ENCORE (Wilmington, NC alt-weekly): "The confessions and writers featured are just as barefaced, enterprising and courageous as Madge herself."

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