She Said

Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement

By: Jodi Kantor, Megan Twohey

Narrated by: Rebecca Lowman, Jodi Kantor, Megan Twohey

Length: 9 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

From the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporters who broke the news of Harvey Weinstein's sexual harassment and abuse for the New York Times, Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, the thrilling untold story of their investigation and its consequences for the #MeToo movement

On October 5, 2017, the New York Times published an article by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey - and then the world changed. For months, Kantor and Twohey had been having confidential discussions with top actresses, former Weinstein employees, and other sources, learning of disturbing long-buried allegations, some of which had been covered up by onerous legal settlements. The journalists meticulously picked their way through a web of decades-old secret payouts and nondisclosure agreements, pressed some of the most famous women in the world - and some unknown ones - to risk going on the record, and faced down Weinstein, his team of high-priced defenders, and even his private investigators.

But nothing could have prepared them for what followed the publication of their Weinstein story. Within days, a veritable Pandora's box of sexual harassment and abuse was opened, and women who had suffered in silence for generations began coming forward, trusting that the world would understand their stories. Over the next 12 months, hundreds of men from every walk of life and industry would be outed for mistreating their colleagues. But did too much change - or not enough? Those questions plunged the two journalists into a new phase of reporting and some of their most startling findings yet.

With superlative detail, insight, and journalistic expertise, Kantor and Twohey take us for the first time into the very heart of this social shift, reliving in real time what it took to get the story and giving an up-close portrait of the forces that hindered and spurred change. They describe the surprising journeys of those who spoke up - for the sake of other women, for future generations, and for themselves - and so changed us all.

Includes a bonus PDF of the notes from the book.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2019 Jodi Kantor, Megan Twohey (P)2019 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“A binge-read of a book, propelled, for the most part, by a clear, adrenaline-spiking ticktock of how their stories came together, and studded with all manner of new astonishing details.... This is Kantor and Twohey’s story and one everyone should read for a panoply of reasons. By simply recounting their reporting, the two offer a masterful explanation of how a man like Weinstein is allowed to abuse his power and many women for so long in something approaching plain sight.... In many ways, 'She Said' is more significant than 'All the President’s Men,' and not just because journalism is currently under siege, financially and politically, in a way it was not in the 1970s. There was a finite number of people responsible for the crimes of the Nixon administration; the alleged crimes of Harvey Weinstein are also the crimes of our culture, and they continue to be committed every day by many men all around the world. Although now, one hopes, without as much silence, secrecy and cultural complacency.” (Los Angeles Times Review)

“'She Said,' a new book detailing the astonishing behind-the-scenes of the New York Times’s bombshell Harvey Weinstein exposé, is an instant classic of investigative journalism. If your jaw dropped at the newspaper’s original allegations against the predatory movie mogul, prepare for it to hit the floor as authors Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey recount how they uncovered the story: secret meetings, harrowing phone calls, private text exchanges with A-list actresses agonizing over whether to go on the record. Ashley Judd plays the stoic warrior; Gwyneth Paltrow, the circumspect liaison who tries to help the reporters find other sources.” (Monica Hesse, The Washington Post)

“She Said, the journalists’ clear-eyed record of that effort, reads at some moments as a thriller, and at others as an indictment of a system full of rot. But it is ultimately about the women, bonded in their pain, who refused to be silent any longer.” (The Atlantic)

Comprehensive

Gets too bogged down in the details at times but tells the story of the Harvey Weinstein investigation quite well as well as touching on Trump, Cosby, and several others. It was particularly a good point that if they were able to get a few women to go "on the record" and they were able to get the story out it would bring an avalanche of other women saying "me too;" this was exactly what happened to the longtime serial abuser. It also pulled back the cloak of attorney's Gloria Allred and Lisa Bloom who have made a killing protecting men like Bill O'Reilly, by crafting non disclosure agreements that protected the abusers and muzzled the abused. This is the story that brings hope to women by chronicling the number of powerful men who finally had to pay the price. It also points out how far is left to go with Donald Trump in the White House and Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court.

Inhale/ exhale... SHE SAID

Message was and is so significant.
I hung on every word and felt everyone’s inhale/ anxiety and some level of relief/ exhale, as much as one could thru hearing their stories.

Empowering, Infuriating, and Extremely Interesting

I thought this story would only depress me and I would be lying if I said there weren’t some parts that depressed and angered me. Change often comes too slowly and parts of this account demonstrate that. Nevertheless, the overall feeling I get from this book is empowerment And hope for the future.

Amazing journalism work

The audible version is in soothing nice voice and the the whole account of getting everyone to come forward is gripping. These two women have done so much for the women of the world and we are truly thankful to them as well as all the ladies that came forward even years later.

Excellent story, very well written

Not only is this an excellent story about the women who survived abuse by Harvey Weinstein, but also about a systemic routine of shaming and hush money that allows abuse to continue. Finally, a suspenseful description of investigative journalism.

Outlaw buying silence!!

The practice of wealthy wrong-doers paying witnesses large sums ('large' to the witness only) to stay quiet should be outlawed. Call it what it is -- witness tampering!

Thank you!

Great book! Gave an incredible look into life of an investigative journalist. Also, the woman who read book was fabulous, simply engaging. Clearly have to applaud NY Times, not fake news but the absolute friend of the people. Thank God for the Editors and reporters for making us aware of the truth! Authors did a wonderful job of painting a correct portrait of this disgusting human being. Creepy, simply creepy man.

Echoed my own experiences

Well written and a great listening experience.
I have been sexually assaulted by three different adult men before I reached puberty. The first was my grandfather, then a neighbor, and finally, my adoptive father. I am 66 years old and have always felt, and remain feeling, guilty that I have not accused these men publicly. By not speaking out, I feel that I have enabled these men to continue their predatory acts. This feeling of guilt is just another way they have assaulted me throughout my life.
This is the first time I have publicly spoken out. The women in this book, including the authors, have given me the courage to tell my story.

“If the story was not told, nothing would change”

“If the story was not told, nothing would change.”

This powerful quote at the end of She Said had me tearing up. In She Said, Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey reveal the research and grit that went into breaking the now infamous story of the Harvey Weinstein allegations, a catalyst for the #MeToo movement that freed and empowered women everywhere to speak their truths. We follow the journalists’ on and off-the-record interactions with actresses, assistants and board members, legal advisors and New York Times editors as they put their livelihoods, careers, and personal privacy on the line to bring down a sexual predator. Throughout Megan and Jodi’s journey to print the story, the reader shares in every triumph and hardship, from convincing a woman to bravely speak her truth on the record to sympathizing with others silenced by their non-disclosure agreements. The audiobook reader was excellent. I was captivated from the very first chapter.

Important and fascinating story

As a survivor of teen sexual assault over 30 years ago, to say that I can identify with the women's stories in She Said is a huge understatement.

I remain in awe of the tenacity of Jodi & Megan in pursuing this story as they did, with the utmost passion and integrity.

You are changing the world. Our stories are changing the world.

Proud to be just one of the senders of over 175,000 pieces of support letters for CBF. You are all Heroes.