Happening

By: Annie Ernaux

Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert

In 1963, Annie Ernaux, 23 and unattached, realizes she is pregnant. Shame arises in her like a plague: Understanding that her pregnancy will mark her and her family as social failures, she knows she cannot keep the child. In a France where abortion was illegal, she attempted, in vain, to self-administer the abortion with a knitting needle. Fearful and desperate, she finally located an abortionist and ended up in a hospital emergency ward where she nearly died.

In Happening, Ernaux sifts through her memories and her journal entries dating from those days. Clearly, cleanly, she gleans the meanings of her experience.

©2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC (P)2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Well-written important documentation of history

Well, written memoir of important documentation of history. We should not forget what women went through, and could again.

Brave and authentic

I read this story with an open and non-judgemental attitude to better understand what a young girl goes through when faced with an unwanted pregnancy, in this case, while pursuing higher education.

The author’s words came across as a sincere and vivid description of her emotions and thinking, her dilemmas, convictions and the way others responded to her situation.

The writing is rich in images and the author’s inner life comes through clearly manifesting the trauma.

The narrator’s voice conveys a clarity, respect and kindness that aligns beautifully with the story.

Haunting

No wonder she got the Nobel for her work. She writes beautifully, and in such detail I can see the scenes. I’m horrified that the US has tragically taken a miss step back 50 years. This book should be mandatory reading.

Heartbreaking

Devastating account of a young unmarried woman finding herself pregnant at a time when abortion in France is illegal. The boyfriend is indifferent, the male friends titillated, the (male) doctors callus and cruel. The details are vivid, the self-examination unsparing. That we should return to such desperation and barbarism in the US is appalling.

Hit Home

Parallels my experience nearly exact .
Only I was in Ohio in the USA, came close to bleeding out. Now women face the same dilemma, sadly.

Personal

We are invited into the author's private thoughts and experiences of a very difficult decision that she made while she was still practically a kid. An important read, at least for me.

Spectacular

Breathtaking account of a very illegal abortion in 1963 by this brilliant writer. As 1 in 3 American women are now stripped of their right to abortion because of the GOP
Supreme Court, it is more timely than ever. France recently enshrined abortion in their constitution while the GOP returns millions of women to the dark ages.

Poor vocal performance

The narrator’s voice was so breathy and monotonous that it distracted me from listening to the story.

A bit disappointing, at least it’s short

Not sure if it’s the translation or if I’m missing something, but I didn’t find this to be a particularly interesting read.