Across time and location, women were raised to be agreeable and "good." Hyper-visible as sexual objects but invisible as full people. Living in a physical world created by men for men. Taking on the ultimate role of birth-giver and caretaker, yet seeing it remain an unsung act, even as it's a God-like creation. Only in midlife did Nolan begin to realize she was capable of living outside these cages of conditioning so slyly insidious that they're nearly invisible.

 Good Woman elegantly probes the knotty conditions themselves, the costs of adhering to them, and what happens when one refuses to comply. The twelve stunning and unforgettable essays blend memoir, reportage, and history to create a collection that is alternately bold, brash, and explosive, and ravishingly tender, sensual, and joyous. Nolan takes aim at big and old ideas, and she does not miss. Hers is a testimony to witness and to savour.

About the Author

Savala Nolan is the author of Don't Let It Get You Down and director of the Thelton E. Henderson Center for Social Justice at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law.

She has been featured in Vogue, Time, Harper's Magazine, The New York Times Book Review, NPR and more. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.