Nothing Compares to You: What Sinead O'Connor Means to Us

by Sonya Huber (Editor), Martha Bayne (Editor), Sharbari Zohra Ahmed

An intimate and evocative celebration of the life and legacy of music and political icon Sinéad O’Connor, featuring writers including Neko Case, Sinéad Gleeson, Rayne Fisher-Quann, Porochista Khakpour, and more.

More than thirty years ago, Sinéad O’Connor shocked the world by tearing up a photo of Pope John Paul II in an act of protest against the violence perpetrated by the Catholic Church. This single act cemented O’Connor’s place as a fearless voice and activist that would later push even further as Sinead became an advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness, the LGBTQ+ community, and abortion rights. Here in Nothing Compares to You, a renowned and multi-generational group of women and non-binary authors come together to pay tribute to O’Connor’s impact on our world and in their own lives and development as humans and artists.

Nothing Compares to You is a loving and accessible reconsideration and entry point for understanding the Irish icon. Exploring themes such as gender identity, spirituality, artistic expression, and personal transformation, this collection shows that Sinead’s voice continues to ring on even after her death and brilliantly illustrates the power of creative expression to inspire far beyond any presumed lines of age, culture, or class.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Music, Memoir, Essays

251 pages, Hardcover

Published July 22, 2025

About the author

Sonya Huber is an associate professor of creative writing at Fairfield University. Her work has appeared in literary journals including Creative Nonfiction, Fourth Genre, Topic, Passages North, Main Street Rag, Literary Mama, Kaleidoscope, Hotel Amerika, Sports Literate, and other; in anthologies including Learning to Glow (University of Arizona Press), Young Wives' Tales (Seal Press), Bare Your Soul (Seal Press), Reading for the Maternally Inclined: The Best of Literary Mama (Seal Press), Mama Ph.D. (Rutgers University Press), and Campus, Inc. (Prometheus Books); in periodicals including The Chronicle of Higher Education, Psychology Today, In These Times, Sojourner, and Earth Island Journal; and elsewhere.

Reviews

[Jenn the Readaholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading the influence that Sinead O’Connor had on so many lives is a tad bittersweet. I remember the bald woman with the huge, melancholy eyes from my childhood. I remember the outrage over her SNL appearance and her true statements about the Pope. I remember her voice, her bravery, her struggles with the cruelty of this world, and her ever-present refusal to simply bend the knee. And based on these essays, I am far from the only one.

Knowing that others see far more than the one big hit. Seeing how her music and her politics and her humanity saw these people through good times and bad, tragedy and triumph, and so many other mundane things in between? It reminds me just what we lost when she died. And it also reminds me just how much we could still learn from her music and her life and her love.

[Skylar Miklus · Rating 3 out of 5]

This anthology was kind of hit-or-miss for me. Though I admire Sinead O'Connor I didn't know a ton about her music, and so I felt like many references were going over my head. Maybe I'm a little young compared to the target audience, or maybe some of the writers got a bit "inside baseball." I did really like the more personal essays where the writers connected their own significant life events or traumas to Sinead. Issues of Catholic systems, colonialism, and patriarchy impacted Sinead's life as well as many of these contributors. Sonya Huber's essay about escaping an abusive marriage felt like the cornerstone and the one real standout of this collection; I almost wish I was reading that book instead. Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha also had a particularly strong piece, and Myriam Gurba is always eloquent. Maybe I struggled with the arrangement/theming of the anthology, I would've liked to see some of the stronger pieces up front, and maybe they could've cut one or two essays. I don't think each piece needed to center around a specific song so rigidly, as I liked the pieces that broke away more from that structure. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria/One for the review copy.

[Jennifer Spiegel]

I read a book even though I got a new puppy!

Okay, I admit it! I wish I got to write a chapter in this book! Sinead O'Connor meant A LOT to me! Alas, my rigid puritanical ways would likely make me a poor fit for this anthology of women talking about Sinead's unorthodox positions--though, Dear Lord, I loved her. I loved her. And I loved her.
I mean, one thing I might assert about this collection of very different women (I'm not sure this is fair, but I think it is: women with strong scholarly voices--who are artistes too--it's an academic crowd?) is that Sinead meant different things to different people.

I think she meant something different to me. I can't put my finger on it. THE LION AND THE COBRA came out in 1987, and I was seventeen. I had it on cassette. My bestie and I saw her on May 28, 1990 at Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium in Tempe, AZ. In my memory, she was magnetic, a live-wire, a beautiful woman who was bald, and "I Want Your (Hands on Me)" was the stand-out performance--which is odd for me to say because I've always loved "Troy" and "Just Like You Said It Would Be" best off that stunning debut. She was so much of a woman. Her voice was angelic.

I don't know. She was just a woman to me, an artist. I felt sad for her often, but her pain felt real and true.

Over the years, I did slip away--not following her. When she tore up the pope's picture, I wasn't weirded out or anything. I remember the hotel breakdown (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuK_u...) of 2017. I remember her conversion to Islam in 2018. I remember hearing about her son's suicide in 2022.

So much pain.

And, as weird as it is to say it, I was watching the Sinead O'Connor documentary, NOTHING COMPARES, with my daughter when I heard the news that she was dead. Like, AT THAT MOMENT.
I only read her book, REMEMBERINGS (2021), then.

I don't think I fully knew how much of her songs revolved around her crazy mother and not her fierce desire for some horrible man--which fit my narrative better.

What she meant to me, really: she was an authentic representation of a beautiful woman seeking true meaning. A downed butterfly. Yes, drowned. Her voice pounding, echoing, never ever ever ugly.

[Anna Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Sinead died, a DJ at my favorite radio station cried on the air and said we didn’t deserve her. I agree with him. Nothing compares to you, Sinead.

[Sherrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very well-meaning set of essays; every contributor found resilience and hope in the form of O'Connor's music, struggles and triumphs... but if you picked this volume because you too wanted to be closer to Sinead, you might have found it lacking. These essays are the ripples of her influence, which I am not demeaning in any regard; the writers of these essays frequently give her credit for inspiring them to express themselves and break free of past traumas. I just found it hard to feel satisfied after reading this because what I obviously wanted was a proper biography of her. I wanted to stand closer to the flame.

[Jbondandrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this book 3.5 stars. I found most of the essays to be quite interesting. It is certainly a different style of writing and I found it to be better than the book of a collection of interviews given by Sinead.

[Julie Maleski (juliereads_alot) · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚 ARC BOOK REVIEW 📚

Nothing Compares To You: What Sinead O'Connor Means To Us
Edited By Sonya Huber and Martha Bayne
Publication Date: July 22, 2025
Publisher: One Signal Publishers | Atria Books

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
(Rounded Up To 5⭐)

Big thanks to One Signal Publishers and Atria Books #partner for sending a #gifted copy of this incredible book as a part of the #AtriaInfluencers program. I'm so honored to be a part of this influencer group -- and this is my honest review!

📚MY REVIEW:

Nothing Compares To You: What Sinead O'Connor Means To Us is a gorgeous compilation of essays about the profound and deeply meaningful impacts that Sinead O'Connor had on each of the writers who penned one of the chapters. This book is a deeply faceted exploration of just how much Sinead O'Connor and her music meant to so many people.

Each chapter was centered around one of the myriad of songs from Sinead's musical catalogue, written from a different person's perspective about their experience and connection to that particular song. This very often carried an emotional significance to a time in their lives, and there were many times I was moved to tears as I read the deeply personal sentiments attached to Sinead's music.

As I read each chapter, I listened to the song featured in that essay on repeat. This was such an immersive and enjoyable way to experience the book, because not only was I reminded of old favorites, but I got to hear new songs for the first time too.

This was a beautiful tribute to the artist and woman that Sinead was, as well as a painful reminder of the brilliant talent the world lost when she died in July 2023. Sinead meant so much to so many, and the impacts of both her music and her life will reverberate for years to come. This was a unique look into what her music meant to us - and I think any fans of Sinead or music history in general will really appreciate this read.

#NothingComparesToYou #WhatSineadOConnorMeansToUs #SonyaHuber #MarthaBayne #OneSignalPublishers #AtriaBooks #AtriaPartner #AtriaInfluencers #music #musicicons #SineadOConnor #bookreviews #bookrecs #booklover #bookaddict

[Erin Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing Compares to You: What Sinead O'Connor Means to Us

by Sonya Huber (Editor), Martha Bayne (Editor)

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)

(Received an ARC from Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.)



This collection of essays offers a deeply personal and reflective tribute to the legacy of Sinéad O’Connor. Each piece explores the intersection of her music, activism, and unapologetic presence through the lens of individual contributors, some well-known, others less familiar. The format is more of a conversation than a biography, and the emotional weight often comes through strongest in the form of admiration, grief, and gratitude.



That said, your enjoyment of this book will depend heavily on your familiarity with O’Connor’s catalog and your interest in personal essay as a format. Each chapter centers on a song, but the writing often branches into memoir and cultural commentary. Readers looking for focused musical analysis or biographical insight may find it uneven. For fans of O’Connor, there is meaning here, but it may feel fragmented or repetitive at times.



TROPES / THEMES:

• Tribute through personal narrative

• Feminist reflection and identity

• Legacy of art and protest

• Grief, reverence, and creative influence



Minor Drawbacks:

• The collection lacks consistency in tone and focus

• Readers unfamiliar with the artists or tracks may feel unmoored

• Several essays rely heavily on the SNL incident rather than deeper cuts



Nothing Compares to You is not a definitive work on Sinéad O’Connor, nor does it try to be. It’s a meditative group chorus about what it means to be moved by an artist who refused to play by the rules. An engaging, if uneven, collection for those who want to reflect on the voice, spirit, and contradictions of an icon.

[Amy M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Collection of essays, each one analyzing one song by Sinead. The foreword is by Neko Case, the only writer in this collection who I was familiar with, but even reading strangers' reactions to Sinead's lyrics was moving. I think I own every album and single and guest appearance she ever did, so I have my own thoughts about each song, but reading these reflections was enriching and touching.

If you're a Sinead superfan, this is like meeting up with a group of new friends to really nerd out about your favorite songs. If you don't know all of her music, it's an interesting set of essays about feminism, the impact music can have upon us, and small windows into strangers' lives. It's not a biography, nor a history, but it is interesting.

Received as an advanced reader copy.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mind blown!
Phenomenal. This is chock full of female rage and female reflection and I loved it all! Sinead was a prophet ahead of her time and it is really inspiring to see the array of kinds of lives her music touched.
Rarely do I read a book of essays by different writers and actually like them all. Honestly, I don’t know when or if I’ve done that before. But these were all really well done. Maybe my favorite essay was Nothing Compares to You—but I honestly thought they were all good.
I even appreciated the book’s format. Each author takes one of Sinead’s songs and talks about the role that song played in her life. Very powerful format.
It helps to have read Sinead’s autobiography beforehand, but it’s not required.
An excellent collection; an amazing artist.

[Kim Gray · Rating 2 out of 5]

Received as an ARC from GoodReads. Series of essays from writers about the impact Sinead O'Connor had on them. Each essay focused on a song. Issue for me is I did not recognize any of the writers and maybe just a handful of songs. Many of the essays focused on her death OR the famous SNL picture tearing incident. Just ok for me. I think I would have preferred a biography instead.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to this collection of essays on audio. Given that there were so many writers, some essays really resonated and some didn’t land. But that’s all okay! Appreciated all the different t experiences of Sinead O’Connor’s music. And I have been listening to my favorites and finding music of hers that I missed when deep in grad school and early motherhood.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great essays that highlight who and what Sinead O'Connor was to those of us in the 90's with her songs on repeat. She was a force. Reading these essays while listening to the songs they reference was a highly emotional experience for me.

[Brianna · Rating 2 out of 5]

these essays were pretty hard to get through... the thrown around tidbits about Sinead were the only enjoyable parts.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 A series of essays from female writers who use her songs as introductions both to Sinead and their own lives/world views. Interesting reading.

[The Sass Man · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting and insightful. Good Book.

[Verity O'Connell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have potentially never cried more in my life. Beyond thankful that she was never afraid to say the truth. Fight the real enemy <3

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading a dozen-ish, brilliant Gen X women's work on the impact Sinead O'Connor has had on their lives? A fabulous idea that was extremely well executed.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 if you ever loved Sinead’s music. This one is only for the fans

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful collection of personal essays and a real labor of love from so many different individuals who were impacted by Sinead’s life, music, and activism. I am a millennial and knew very little about Sinead before reading this book and I loved it. As a self proclaimed fangirl, I strongly related many of the essays and enjoyed reading about each author’s love and admiration for Sinead. It is beautiful learning how different aspects of Sinead’s life and career (music, activism, conversion to Islam, etc.) reached so many people and allowed them to see themselves in Sinead. I think that is one of the most beautiful things about the relationship between artists and fans - feeling seen and understood and accepted. What a beautiful tribute to a legend!

Thank you, Atria Books and NetGalley, for the eARC!