Era of Ignition

By: Amber Tamblyn

Narrated by: Amber Tamblyn, Airea D. Matthews, Meredith Talusan

Length: 6 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's Summary

A passionate and deeply personal exploration of feminism during divisive times by actor, filmmaker, and activist Amber Tamblyn.

In her late 20s, Amber Tamblyn experienced a crisis of character while trying to break out of the confines of the acting career she'd forged as a child in order to become the writer and director she dreamed of being as an adult. After a particularly low period fueled by rejection and disillusionment, she grabbed hold of her own destiny and entered into what she calls an "Era of Ignition" - namely, the time of self-reflection that follows in the wake of personal upheaval and leads to a call to action and positive change. 

In the process of undergoing this metaphysical metamorphosis, she realized that our country was going through an era of ignition of its own. She writes: "No longer stuck in a past we can't outrun and a future we must outgrow, we are a nation that is actively confronting our values and agitating for change. We are in an age when activism becomes direct action, when disagreement becomes dissension, when dissatisfaction becomes protest, when accusations become accountability, and when revolts become revolutions." 

Through her fierce op-eds and tireless work as one of the founders of the Time's Up organization, Amber has emerged as a bold, outspoken, and respected advocate for women's rights. In Era of Ignition, she addresses gender inequality and the judgment paradigm, misogyny and discrimination, trauma and the veiled complexities of consent, white feminism and pay parity, reproductive rights and sexual assault - all told through the very personal lens of her own experiences, as well as those of her sisters in solidarity. At once an intimate meditation and public reckoning, Era of Ignition is a galvanizing feminist manifesto that is required listening for everyone attempting to understand the world we live in and help change it for the better.

©2019 Amber Tamblyn (P)2019 Random House Audio

Critic Reviews

“In Era of Ignition, Amber Tamblyn tackles crucial questions of this period, as a white feminist thinking about issues of gender and racial inequality, white supremacy, misogyny, economic and professional injustice and power abuses in her own industry and beyond. Acknowledging the fury and complicity that make social activism both catalytic and precarious, Tamblyn’s book is a work of personal upheaval and political reckoning.” (Rebecca Traister, New York Times best-selling author of Good and Mad)

“A personal look at big picture questions, Era of Ignition reminds us how powerful, exhausting, and confusing it can be to go through life as a human woman. A mad, frank, tender, and very good read, written with love by a writer who loves you.” (Amy Poehler, New York Times best-selling author of Yes, Please)

“Blazing and wise, Tamblyn’s foray into nonfiction is required reading for the resistance, and nothing short of sensational.” (Booklist) 

Cherry no more

I had a work roadtrip planned and figured I’d listen to this book on and off as I received phone calls, gassed up, stopped for snacks or lunch/dinner.

I ended up laughing out loud in the car by myself, wiping tears away with my sleeves and parking at my final destination not wanting to get out until I completed the audible book. I declined every call and never stopped to eat.

I am a very standard human woman, a mom, a friend and sales woman. A woman who sees and hears all of the important conversations happening as if it is background noise with barely recognizable words. Before this book, i focused on my circle of life, my circle of days, my core le of conversations. After this book I hear it all. I have this want and need to make a change. I have not been against the movement, but I have not been for it either. I have just been.

You held my head to face the movement and you held my eyelids open to actually see. I can’t unsee it anymore. Thank you.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Ignited.

This book touches an array of subjects such as feminism, the ME TOO movement, politics, 2016 US presidential elections, personal experiences of the author such as being a mom and a woman in this reality, our present.

I was glad to experience how Tamblyn did not just jam some facts together about stuff other people said or told her, she invited those voices that need to be heard to speak for themselves. It is very educational to hear Airea D. Matthews and Meredith Talusan on being a black feminist and trans feminist, respectively. Both these ladies are very talented and while writing this I found myself at Talusan's website reading most of her articles, the branching tendencies of this brain of mine cannot be helped.

A trip down memory lane, reliving some events of 2016 is certainly hard but it is equally important not to forget what happened and how things have changed since more and more people realize the importance of their rights and voices.

This is a short but valuable read.

#fourwordbookreview Sincere, Jarring, Educational, Female.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

phenomenal

loved it, already bought multiple hard copies for myself and gifts, and send kindle and audible copies to others. a new must read or listen, so proud of her for finding her voice and her calling. love. no other words

The Letter

I was especially touched by your letter to your daughter: thoughtful, honest, hopeful. Your book, as well as the play Gloria: A Life, has inspired me to commit to taking action. Thank you.

Smart overview

An intelligent and very readable survey of the state of women today. Inclusive bring in women of color and trans women to speak their own truths. Although clear and insistent on changes needed she does not venture into the trap of anger and blame which make many feminist writings unpalatable to those who have yet to take on the label of feminist. This is a perfect gift for a daughter niece mom or friend who is dismayed by the state of affairs in our world but at a loss as to causes and courses of action.

Read it!

the truths and time and love put into this book is life changing and thought provoking. This book is the start for many peoples Era and it is a GREAT start!