A review by chriswolak
All That Is Bitter and Sweet by Ashley Judd

5.0

Autobiographies by "stars" are not my cup of tea, but I've always admired the work of Ashely Judd--both her film work and her advocacy of feminism, but I didn't know the extent of her feminist social justice work until reading this memoir (she's on the board of directors of Population Services International and recently graduated from the Harvard Kennedy School). Judd (and her co-author Maryanne Vollers) writes beautifully about the pain and beauty of her childhood and young adult years--the anger, the isolation, the dysfunction, the depression, and her road to recovery. Her description of going through a treatment program and her on-going daily practice is helpful for others on their own journey toward healing and health. If you're the type who ONLY believes in pulling yourself up by your bootstraps, this book might not be for you. But if you're working a program, on a spiritual path, or have come to question whether you can truly do it all by yourself, this book might be helpful. I was slightly worried about reading about her experiences of visiting brothels around the world where young girls and women are enslaved in the sex trade, but Judd writes about her visits and activism with such a sense of hope for real change through the implementation of practical programs to raise women out of poverty (one of the main reasons for sexual slavery) that I was left with a sense of hope for the world. I'm glad I own a copy because this is one book I'll go back to for encouragement when I need some. And I have a list of names and organizations to learn about, too. I hope Ashley Judd keeps writing and publishing.