Catch and Kill is My Favorite Book of 2019
The end of 2019 brings a lot of top 10 lists to the internet. Though I thought about doing a book “Year in Review” for you, I realized that there is one book that really stood out for me. This book, Ronan Farrow’s Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators, was really a revelation for me and I think you will love it. So, let me tell you why.
Full disclosure, I listened to this book before I read the paper version and I really think that was a wonderful way to experience it. Farrow’s voice, the music accompaniment, and the moments of suspense add something profound—you definitely don’t want to miss the audio version of this book.
What made this book wonderful was also what made the information horrifying. The book tells the story of Ronan Farrow’s journey to research and break the stories of Harvey Weinstein and Matt Lauer. The story itself, which has been in the news enough that I won’t summarize it here, is riveting. But the backstory is even more engaging, as Farrow narrates his adventures being tailed by members of a black ops team, actively discouraged from research by NBC, and finally, shopping his story to other publications. Throughout the entire book, Farrow maintains a clear voice and his impeccable fact checking, even at times when it would have been easy to fall into hyperbole or sensationalization.
One of the reasons that I decided to review this book for the blog was the incredible kindness, respect, and grace that Farrow uses when discussing the women who came forward to share their stories. Many of these women had been maligned in the media, insulted by pundits, and had their professional and personal lives threatened or destroyed. It would be easy for Farrow to include these harsh criticisms of the women or to center himself as the story, as the one breaking the story. But throughout the book, Farrow is intentional about bringing the courage of these women to the main narrative and continuously honoring their sacrifices and bravery in coming forward to participate in holding these powerful men accountable. In a world where the voices of sexual assault survivors are regularly marginalized, it was inspiring to read a book, especially one written by a man, that honored the strength of women in this way.
This is a difficult book to read, to be sure. It will make you angry and sad, especially when you see how many people worked so hard to bury the stories of these women. But the overall tone of the book is not one of anger or sadness. Rather, the tone is one of hope and of speaking truth to power and demanding accountability from those who have done terrible things. In a time when things can seem hopeless, Farrow brings a voice of hope and reminds us why we are staying in the fight. There are stories to tell, stories to be heard, and changes to be made. And I finished the book feeling ready to engage in that essential work.
-Amy