Speaking Truth to Power [Paperback]

Anita Hill (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 20, 1998

After her astonishing testimony in the Clarence Thomas hearings, Anita Hill ceased to be a private citizen and became a public figure at the white-hot center of an intense national debate on how men and women relate to each other in the workplace. That debate led to ground-breaking court decisions and major shifts in corporate policies that have had a profound effect on our lives--and on Anita Hill's life. Now, with remarkable insight and total candor, Anita Hill reflects on events before, during, and after the hearings, offering for the first time a complete account that sheds startling new light on this watershed event.

Only after reading her moving recollection of her childhood on her family's Oklahoma farm can we fully appreciate the values that enabled her to withstand the harsh scrutiny she endured during the hearings and for years afterward. Only after reading her detailed narrative of the Senate Judiciary proceedings do we reach a new understanding of how Washington--and the media--rush to judgment. And only after discovering the personal toll of this wrenching ordeal, and how Hill copes, do we gain new respect for this extraordinary woman.

Here is a vitally important work that allows us to understand why Anita Hill did what she did, and thereby brings resolution to one of the most controversial episodes in our nation's history.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In 1991, Anita Hill, a law professor, dropped a bombshell into the middle of Senate Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Clarence Thomas: Thomas had, Hill alleged, harassed and embarrassed her with repeated requests for dates and discussions about pornography while supervising her at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Hill's allegations introduced a volatile mix of sex, race, and scandal into the proceedings, deeply dividing both the Senate and the entire country. The aftermath of the Thomas hearings saw plenty of books about Anita Hill--some supporting her, others attacking--but Hill remained silent... until now. In Speaking Truth to Power, Anita Hill finally sets the record straight.

Though much of the book details her side of the story and her professional relationship with Clarence Thomas, Speaking Truth to Power also provides interesting glimpses into Anita Hill, the person. From her early life as the youngest of 13 children on a farm in Oklahoma to her current position as a law professor, Hill offers details about her personal life and her motivations. Hill writes with forthright conviction; in this case of he said/she said, Speaking Truth to Power tilts the scales a little more heavily in Anita Hill's favor. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

A former faculty member of the University of Oklahoma College of Law and the chief witness against Clarence Thomas on charges of sexual harassment during his Supreme Court confirmation hearings in 1991, Hill is finally having her say. While dealing with those momentous events and the impact they had on her life, she goes well beyond them to give a picture of her upbringing and career.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Anchor (October 20, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385476272
• ISBN-13: 978-0385476270
• Product Dimensions: 0.9 x 5.2 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #613,678 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Anita F. Hill, the author of "Reimagining Equality: Stories of Gender, Race, and Finding Home" (Beacon Press, 2012), is a professor of social policy, law, and women's studies at Brandeis University, where she teaches courses on Race and the Law and Gender Equality. After receiving her JD from Yale Law School in 1980, she worked as the attorney-advisor to Clarence Thomas at the U.S. Department of Education. In 1991, she testified at the Senate confirmation hearings of Clarence Thomas. She gained national exposure when her allegations of sexual harassment were made public. She is the author of "Speaking Truth to Power", in which she wrote about her experience as a witness in the Thomas hearings. Hill has written widely on issues of race and gender in publications such as the New York Times, Newsweek, the Boston Globe, Critical Race Feminism, and others. She has appeared on Today, 60 Minutes, Meet the Press, and Face the Nation.

Photographer Copyright Credit Name: Jack White, 2012.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 37 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A lady of class and integrity. July 28, 2000

By Cathleen M. Walker VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

What a lovely, lovely woman and with what class does she tell her story! How unfortunate that we live in a country where sexual harassment is so difficult for men to understand, and yet so pervasively cruel and persistent! And how very unfortunate that such a man as Clarence Thomas now has so much power in our government, power that we know he can not be trusted with. But how surprising is that really, today? Respect for women is hardly a qualification for office in the US Government, and it may never be if we don't all work together to make that difference -- and it's going to be a lot harder than it should be.

Anita Hill is a clear, calm, concise writer with a powerful story to tell. It is not easy to speak Truth to Power, but it is an essential element of making a difference. I honor all those who take the risk. I know how difficult it can be. I also know how very important it is. Anita Hill did not choose to be harassed, and she did not choose to be a weapon, but when called, she responed, and she told the truth, as awkward as it was for her. For those who would ridicule her ordeal, I can only say that no one should have to tolerate the inappropriate sexual behavior that exists in the workplace. We know it exists on the highest level. We know better than to say it couldn't be true. And we know Anita Hill got no pleasure from answering such personal, humiliating questions. She did what was expected of her, and it was *her* integrity that suffered, *her* career that wobbled while Clarence Thomas triumphed. His judgement leaves a lot to be desired, IMHO. I honor the efforts of Ms. Hill to honor the truth of her experience.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read for all those seeking justice and equality May 6, 2012

By Taylor Piperson

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Anita Hill's recount of the events that transpired in 1991 is nothing short of remarkable. She is a role model to all those who've faced scrutiny after coming forward as a victim of sexual harassment. It disappoints me to no end that our elected officials not only treated Ms. Hill as if she were on trial, but then went on to confirm a likely perjurer to the nation's highest court. The saving grace in all of it is that her experience has brought much-needed awareness to the issue of sexual harassment.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Speaking Truth to Power May 15, 2012

By Shirley U Jest

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I watched the hearings on TV and this brought back a lot of memories. Anita Hill really went through a lot to Speak Truth to Power.