Make It Scream, Make It Burn by Leslie Jamison

Make It Scream, Make It Burn

by Leslie Jamison

'Intelligent, compassionate, and so fiercely, prodigiously brave. This is the essay at its creative, philosophical best' Eleanor Catton, author of The Luminaries on THE EMPATHY EXAMS

A profound exploration of the oceanic depths of longing and obsession, Make It Scream, Make It Burn is a book about why and how we tell stories. It takes the reader deep into the lives of strangers - from a woman healed by the song of 'the loneliest whale in the world' to a family convinced their child is a reincarnation of a lost pilot - and asks how we can bear witness to the changing truths of other's lives while striving to find a deeper connection to the complexities of our own.

Reviewed by merryfaith on

4 of 5 stars

Share
I wasn't familiar with Leslie Jamison's work before. She is a phenomenal writer, so I've been missing out. I will say some of her essays are (admittedly, beautifully) long winded for the point she is trying to make, though that could be in part because I was listening to the audiobook while driving and working and probably would have enjoyed chewing on them in written form more. The last third, the most focused on her personal life, were the highlight of the collection for me.

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 1 March, 2020: Finished reading
  • 1 March, 2020: Reviewed