Jackie's Reviews > Necessary Trouble: Growing Up at Midcentury

Oof - I have a lot to say about this one, and have been stewing on my review for a few days now.

The book itself: I felt this one was slow, but had little nuggets of interesting information. It seemed to gloss over a lot of time, while not really taking the time to look inward and really see why things fell into place that way. It felt more like blips of a story that a relative would tell you over drinks one night. Just high level things that make you realize that person had a life you may not have acknowledged or been aware of before.

The title: I know that in the notes after, Faust takes time to explain why the book is titled in the way that it is, and shares that the blessing was given. However, it made me really look at this book and the story it tells and wonder - what trouble does she think she actually found? What times did she risk literally anything to be where she was? She risked a bad grade on one paper. She risked being woken up by a security guard on a campus. But beyond that, was she aware of the risks she took, or did she do it blindly because she felt drawn, and never really understood the true potential costs? After all, courage without wisdom is foolishness.

Overall, when I finished the book, I felt a bit icky. Although this is obviously her story to tell, I can’t help but feel like it’s a grab to secure her place in the history of the movement, and I’m not sure who this book was aimed at.

I do believe it is a perspective of someone who lived through it, but I’m just not sure this perspective should be the frontrunner here.

2.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.