573 ratings | 36 reviews | avg rating:4.09

Allison’s Year In Books

Allison’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at Allison’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

Go to Allison’s 2025 Year in Books

Allison McCarthy’s Followers (32)

Allison’s Bookshelves

to-read (193)
currently-reading (25)
read (585)
did-not-finish (0)

Allison’s Friends (246)

Roxane

4,445 books | 9,743 friends

Laura

1,298 books | 60 friends

Jen Michalski

654 books | 2,217 friends

Philip Kahn-Pauli

801 books | 79 friends

Serena

4,816 books | 715 friends

Mouska Mousekewitz

2,290 books | 332 friends

ATXauthor

561 books | 32 friends

Samantha Irby

704 books | 1,970 friends

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Allison McCarthy

Goodreads Author

Born

in The United States

Website

http://allisonmccarthy.net

Twitter

allison_writes

Genre

Memoir, Nonfiction

Influences

Dorothy Allison, Ariel Gore, Janet Fitch, Roxane Gay, Michelle Tea, Ch ...more

Member Since

October 2008

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/allisonmcc221

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Allison McCarthy is a writer with a focus on personal essays, intersectional feminism and social justice. Her work has been featured in print and online publications such as The Washington Post, The Guardian (U.K.), AlterNet, The Establishment, Vox, Time.com, Argot, xoJane, DAME, Autostraddle, Ravishly, The Frisky, Medium.com (“Human Parts” series), Bitch, make/shift, Ms., Girlistic, Shabby Doll House, YourTango, Hip Mama, Bustle, Global Comment, Role/Reboot, Shameless, The Feminist Wire, ColorsNW, The Baltimore Review and Hoax.

Her work has also been published in several anthologies, including Robot Hearts: True and Twisted Tales of Seeking Love in the Digital Age (Pinchback Press), Dear Sister: Letters From Survivors of Sexual Violence (AK ...more

6 posts
Allison McCarthy's Blog

It Took a Long Time

Some essays come together in a flurry of draft writing. Others take a bit longer to conceive.

My new essay, “And She Was” (Argot), took about two years to write, re-write, submit, face a few rejections, re-write some more, pitch a query, clean up the prose before hitting send… and finally find a home. It is one of the essays I’m most proud of putting out into the world.

After a few months of fussing

Combine Editions
Allison McCarthy’s books

Average rating: 4.33 · 268 ratings · 34 reviews · 4 distinct works

	Dear Sister: Letters From Survivors of Sexual Violence by Lisa Factora-Borchers (editor), Aishah Shahidah Simmons (Goodreads Author) (Introduction), Allison McCarthy (Goodreads Author) (Contributor) 4.33 avg rating — 253 ratings — published 2013 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Robot Hearts: True and Twisted Tales of Seeking Love in the Digital Age by Cara Bruce (Editor), Shawna Kenney (Editor), Slash Coleman (Goodreads Author) (Contributor) 4.14 avg rating — 7 ratings — published 2010 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Places Like Home by Ariel Gore (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Meg Weber (Goodreads Author) (Contributor), Allison McCarthy (Goodreads Author) (Contributor) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2020	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Queer Around the World: A LGBTQ+ True Stories Anthology by Curry Kalmus (Editor), Sage Kalmus (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Allison McCarthy (Goodreads Author) (Contributor) 3.60 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2018 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

Allison is Currently Reading

Allison is currently reading

Disney Adults: Exploring (and Falling in Love with) a Magical Subculture

by AJ Wolfe

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Sep 13, 2025 01:50PM

Allison is currently reading

I Can Fix Her

by Rae Wilde (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Jul 27, 2025 07:33PM

Allison is currently reading

The Dry Season: A Memoir of Pleasure in a Year Without Sex

by Melissa Febos (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Apr 26, 2025 05:59PM

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Allison’s Recent Updates

Allison wants to read Are You Mine? by Abby Frucht (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 29, 2026 01:49PM · like
Allison and 1 other person liked Jacquelyn’s status update Jacquelyn Mitchard is currently reading Odd Type Writers: From Joyce and Dickens to Wharton and Welty, the Obsessive Habits and Quirky Techniques of Great Authors
Jun 26, 2026 08:27PM · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Odd Type Writers by Celia Blue Johnson. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Odd Type Writers by Celia Blue Johnson <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Allison liked Sarah’s status update Sarah Jaffe started reading Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women
Jun 26, 2026 08:27PM · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Backlash by Susan Faludi. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Backlash by Susan Faludi <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Allison rated a book did not like it Shy Girl by Mia Ballard (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
AI prose and an underdeveloped plot.
Jun 26, 2026 05:06PM · like · see review
Allison is now following Mia Ballard Author of Shy Girl
Jun 23, 2026 08:43PM · like
Allison and 6 other people liked Kevin's review of Legs Get Led Astray: "This is from the introduction that I gave Chloe at her book release party in Portland recently... Chloe Caldwell came to me nearly two years ago (in March of 2010). She asked if I was taking submissions and said she felt a specific connection to the w" Read more of this review »
Jun 18, 2026 09:33PM · see review
Allison wants to read Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 17, 2026 07:33PM · like
Allison wants to read Inheritocracy by Eliza Filby	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 17, 2026 07:32PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Inheritocracy by Eliza Filby. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Inheritocracy by Eliza Filby <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Allison rated a book really liked it Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 02, 2026 06:56PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Allison rated a book it was amazing Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 02, 2026 06:53PM · like

More of Allison's books…

Allison’s Quotes

“But no, I came by these feelings honestly. And I don’t accept bitter. Wounded, yes. Traumatized, sure. Grieving, okay. Anything other than bitter. I put too much work in to be callously tossed aside as bitter. Bitter is for someone who hasn’t earned it.”
― Samantha Irby, Meaty

28 likes

“Do you know why we have the sunflowers? It’s not because Vincent van Gogh suffered. It’s because Vincent van Gogh had a brother who loved him. Through all the pain, he had a tether, a connection to the world. And that is the focus of the story we need – connection.”
― Hannah Gadsby

tags: art, art-saves, artists-life, artists-quotes, brother, connection, depression, pain, painting, van-gogh

111 likes

“Let your intention be freedom from useless suffering. Then, let go. Watch the heat of day pass into the cool night. Let go. When the karma of a relationship is done, only love remains. It’s safe. Let go. When the past has passed from you at last, let go. Then climb down and begin the rest of your life. With great joy.”
― Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

1 likes