0
    • Elementary Secondary Higher Ed Common Reads
    0 0
    Download high-resolution image

    The Power of No

    A Celebration

    Author Anna Holmes
    Audiobook Download
    Audio | Random House Audio
    On sale Sep 01, 2026 | 3 Hours and 0 Minutes | 9798217406975
    Grades 9-12
    Add to cart Add to list Exam Copies

    See Additional Formats
    A powerful, patriarchy-defying manifesto that will transform your relationship to saying “no”—from the award-winning writer, founder of Jezebel, and former New York Times "Work Friend" advice columnist

    When was the last time you said “no”? Not, I don’t think so, or maybe, or let me think about it; but a full-throated “NO”? And how often do you agree to do things you don’t want to do? Most of us—especially those who don’t wield traditional modes of power, or, at least, not as much relative to others—often find ourselves navigating around “no” and landing on “okay” or “sure” instead.

    The Power of No releases us from our white-knuckled grip on agreeability. In this eclectic yet empowering book, Atlantic contributing writer Anna Holmes explores why it’s difficult for many of us to utter that two-letter word on its own, through an idiosyncratic mix of searing analysis, expert-led research, and stirring insights from the likes of Charlotte Brontë to Shonda Rhimes. From the linguistic, to the societal, to the psychological—from our impressionable childhood to the revelations of middle age—to sex, desire, and bodily autonomy, Holmes playfully traces how “no” shapes our lives and, if exercised properly, can radically change the way we carry ourselves and move about the world.

    Equal parts heartfelt meditation and fiery manifesto, The Power of No is a call to embrace the invigorating truth that “no” is a complete sentence.
    © Nancy Schwartzman
    ANNA HOLMES is an award-winning writer, editor and creative executive whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post and The New Yorker. She is currently a contributing writer for The Atlantic and is the editor of Hell Hath No Fury and author of The Book of Jezebel. She lives in Los Angeles. View titles by Anna Holmes
    Advance Praise for The Power of No

    “Anna Holmes is sharp-eyed and inquisitive in this accessible meditation on the act of refusal; in The Power of No, she takes readers on an open-hearted stroll through the personal, cultural, and political implications of women simply saying ‘no.’ Holmes conveys both her admiration for those willing to upend expectations for feminine amenability, and her compassion for those of us who still find even this small act of defiance a hurdle.”—Rebecca Traister, author of Good and Mad

    “I cannot imagine a more vital book for mothers to share with their daughters than The Power of No. I loved the juicy quotes, the feminist insight, and the occasional helpful hand-holding, but as a person who has an admittedly hard time with refusal, I most took to heart Holmes’ life-affirming, soul-saving message that standing firm in a ‘no’ is one of the most profound ways a woman can say yes to herself.”—Peggy Orenstein, author of Girls & Sex


    Advance Practice of The Power of No

    “As much as I want to blurb, I am on book deadline so I can’t add this to my queue!”—Roxane Gay, author of Bad Feminist

    “Oh Anna, I’m sorry but I can’t blurb. Neal and I have our own book coming out and I just can’t take on anything else. I am sending you warm wishes and great good luck.”—Anne Lamott, author of Somehow

    About

    A powerful, patriarchy-defying manifesto that will transform your relationship to saying “no”—from the award-winning writer, founder of Jezebel, and former New York Times "Work Friend" advice columnist

    When was the last time you said “no”? Not, I don’t think so, or maybe, or let me think about it; but a full-throated “NO”? And how often do you agree to do things you don’t want to do? Most of us—especially those who don’t wield traditional modes of power, or, at least, not as much relative to others—often find ourselves navigating around “no” and landing on “okay” or “sure” instead.

    The Power of No releases us from our white-knuckled grip on agreeability. In this eclectic yet empowering book, Atlantic contributing writer Anna Holmes explores why it’s difficult for many of us to utter that two-letter word on its own, through an idiosyncratic mix of searing analysis, expert-led research, and stirring insights from the likes of Charlotte Brontë to Shonda Rhimes. From the linguistic, to the societal, to the psychological—from our impressionable childhood to the revelations of middle age—to sex, desire, and bodily autonomy, Holmes playfully traces how “no” shapes our lives and, if exercised properly, can radically change the way we carry ourselves and move about the world.

    Equal parts heartfelt meditation and fiery manifesto, The Power of No is a call to embrace the invigorating truth that “no” is a complete sentence.

    Author

    © Nancy Schwartzman
    ANNA HOLMES is an award-winning writer, editor and creative executive whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post and The New Yorker. She is currently a contributing writer for The Atlantic and is the editor of Hell Hath No Fury and author of The Book of Jezebel. She lives in Los Angeles. View titles by Anna Holmes

    Praise

    Advance Praise for The Power of No

    “Anna Holmes is sharp-eyed and inquisitive in this accessible meditation on the act of refusal; in The Power of No, she takes readers on an open-hearted stroll through the personal, cultural, and political implications of women simply saying ‘no.’ Holmes conveys both her admiration for those willing to upend expectations for feminine amenability, and her compassion for those of us who still find even this small act of defiance a hurdle.”—Rebecca Traister, author of Good and Mad

    “I cannot imagine a more vital book for mothers to share with their daughters than The Power of No. I loved the juicy quotes, the feminist insight, and the occasional helpful hand-holding, but as a person who has an admittedly hard time with refusal, I most took to heart Holmes’ life-affirming, soul-saving message that standing firm in a ‘no’ is one of the most profound ways a woman can say yes to herself.”—Peggy Orenstein, author of Girls & Sex


    Advance Practice of The Power of No

    “As much as I want to blurb, I am on book deadline so I can’t add this to my queue!”—Roxane Gay, author of Bad Feminist

    “Oh Anna, I’m sorry but I can’t blurb. Neal and I have our own book coming out and I just can’t take on anything else. I am sending you warm wishes and great good luck.”—Anne Lamott, author of Somehow

    Additional formats

    Related Articles

    Penguin Random House Secondary Education

    © 2026 Penguin Random House

    Back to Top
    0
    Wish List (0)