Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches

Crossing Press Feminist Series, Book 1

By: Audre Lorde

Narrated by: Robin Eller

Presenting the essential writings of black lesbian poet and feminist writer Audre Lorde, Sister Outsider celebrates an influential voice in 20th-century literature. In this charged collection of 15 essays and speeches, Lorde takes on sexism, racism, ageism, homophobia, and class and propounds social difference as a vehicle for action and change. Her prose is incisive, unflinching, and lyrical, reflecting struggle but ultimately offering messages of hope.

This commemorative edition includes a new foreword by Lorde scholar and poet Cheryl Clarke, who celebrates the ways in which Lorde's philosophies resonate more than 20 years after they were first published.

©2007 Audre Lorde (P)2016 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Still powerful." ( Library Journal)

Narration Weak, Just Get a Physical Copt

Audre Lorde was an incredible writer, speaker, and poet. I was horribly disappointed to find that the robotic narration watered down the passion of Lorde’s theory. I would finish chapter after chapter realizing I wasn’t able to engage and had therefore forgotten what was said. It is also ironic a text about Black struggle was read by a person who couldn’t be bothered to learn the proper pronunciation of several African cities, gods, names, and even the name of the author herself. Just get a physical copy. You might absorb more.

WOW... JUST WOW

This was great. I absolutely loved her words. Her ideas are timeless. So much to chew on.

Book is wonderful narrator is terrible

The narrator sounds robotic and disinterested they really need to RE-record this. The book itself is excellent

Good book but weak performance

The performance lacks the strength and emotion needed to narrate such powerful and important essays by Audre Lorde.

The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house

Audre Lorde’s seminal work including several essays and speeches. I’ve seen a lot of quotes before and am happy to read them in context. Charmed by Lorde and her powerful words.

Audre Lorde is important

While I skipped through a couple of these essays where dated political commentary wasn’t of immediate interest to me (though it might well be to someone else), the clarity and depth of her shrewd observations of the world are still very relevant today. Where things have changed, I learned about American history from the Black female perspective that’s not what we usually hear, but more often her word still ring true today. She was a poetic visionary planted many seeds that have grown into full view today. More people should read these essays.

Sounds robotic...

The stories are great, Ms. Lorde is magnificent but the narrator sounds very robotic. Buy the book and read it yourself...

So good!

Audre Lorde should be required reading-she was an incredible writer and her words are as useful and prescient now as when they were first written.

Thought-provoking

I had never heard of Audre Lorde before this book of essays, speeches, and an interview. She writes about being black, lesbian, and a woman - all things that open her to pain and anger as they are classes that do not hold the power in America. The pieces in this book will, or should, make the reader think. The saddest thing to me is that things in the US do not seem to have progressed much since this book was first published in 1984 - more than 30 years ago. The book remains extremely timely. “Audible 20 Review Sweepstakes Entry”

Critical read

The depth and breadth of topics is remarkable. Reading this in 2023 is at times encouraging and disheartening- so much has changed, yet so very much is the same.