If you hear a report about domestic violence and think, “That could never happen to me,” Goodbye, Sweet Girl will convince you otherwise. In it, Kelly Sundberg shows how easily romance can morph into an abusive relationship, and how hard it is to leave.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence:
- On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During one year, this equates to more than 10 million women and men.
- 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have been victims of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
Despite what you may think, you very likely know someone who is being abused. This book will help you know the warning signs. And if you’re wondering about your own situation, this book will help clarify what’s going on as well as give you the encouragement to get away if you need to.
You may think that this sounds like the worst possible summer reading. But instead of being depressing, the story is exhilarating and empowering. Sundberg is a great writer (her essay on this topic was included in Best American Essays 2015), and the way she describes the quotidian details of her life with Caleb—and her eventual escape—are what gives this memoir its strong appeal.
If you liked this, try Blackout by Sarah Hepola. Although it’s about a different topic, it’s similar in style and the potential helpfulness to others in the same situation.
