LOUD WOMAN

A women’s guide to empowerment and building self-esteem.

In this self-help book, marketing coach Celeste, the author of That First Client (2016) encourages women to assert themselves in their personal and professional lives, and to set and achieve goals that matter deeply to them. In a series of chapters, organized by theme—addressing such concepts as feminism, boundaries, and trust, among others—the author offers insights derived from her own personal and work experiences, and those of her friends. Along the way, she shows how women can improve their lives by valuing their own desires as much as those of others, and by challenging their own fears and preconceptions. Throughout the book, Celeste frequently addresses the reader directly (“As a Loud Woman, it’s time to value your time and boundaries”). The stories tell of life-changing events, such as leaving an abusive relationship, as well as mundane happenings, such as when an Instagram video of Celeste with messy hair and workout clothes became her most popular post. In an essay about why she didn’t participate in the 2017 Women’s March, she addresses her experience as a liberal feminist in a predominantly conservative region near Tampa, Florida, and how women across the political spectrum can and should embrace feminism. She also looks at how her privilege as a White woman contributed to her philosophy of being “Loud,” and how she’s become aware of how White women can amplify Black women’s voices as well as their own. The book ends with a credo that offers a summary of what it means to be “Loud” in the context of the book.

Celeste is a strong writer with an eye for evocative anecdotes, which makes this an engaging read. The stories about her high-risk pregnancy, her satisfaction at getting a medal after running a race, and her surprisingly supportive boss in an early job are especially compelling. The book also does a good job of providing specific advice, as when she provides a bulleted list of questions for readers to ask themselves in preparation for setting and strengthening boundaries in all aspects of their lives. Readers looking for inspiration to start their own businesses, end toxic friendships, or claim an hour each day for themselves will find plenty of examples and encouragement in these pages. The book is weaker in some of its assertions of fact, as when the author claims that “personal branding” was an uncommon term in 2013, when it was actually widespread by then, and when she repeatedly suggests that certain traits are “innate” to women without citing any evidence. The book’s capitalization of terms such as “Loud” and “Divine Gifts” can be grating, although this is a minor annoyance. Overall, the book effectively blends career advice, motivational speeches, personal development plans, a touch of spirituality, and solid storytelling, resulting in a book that will appeal to readers looking for a combination of Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In (2013) and Oprah Winfrey’s What I Know for Sure (2014).

A generally solid self-help work that aims to teach readers to assert themselves.