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She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement

Jodi Kantor,

Megan Twohey

4.38 · Rating details · 25,160 ratings · 2,744 reviews

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

For many years, reporters had tried to get to the truth about Harvey Weinstein’s treatment of women. Rumors of w 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

For many years, reporters had tried to get to the truth about Harvey Weinstein’s treatment of women. Rumors of wrongdoing had long circulated. But in 2017, when Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey began their investigation into the prominent Hollywood producer for the New York Times, his name was still synonymous with power. During months of confidential interviews with top actresses, former Weinstein employees, and other sources, many disturbing and long-buried allegations were unearthed, and a web of onerous secret payouts and nondisclosure agreements was revealed. These shadowy settlements had long been used to hide sexual harassment and abuse, but with a breakthrough reporting technique Kantor and Twohey helped to expose it. But Weinstein had evaded scrutiny in the past, and he was not going down without a fight; he employed a team of high-profile lawyers, private investigators, and other allies to thwart the investigation. When Kantor and Twohey were finally able to convince some sources to go on the record, a dramatic final showdown between Weinstein and the New York Times was set in motion.

Nothing could have prepared Kantor and Twohey for what followed the publication of their initial Weinstein story on October 5, 2017. Within days, a veritable Pandora’s box of sexual harassment and abuse was opened. Women all over the world came forward with their own traumatic stories. Over the next twelve months, hundreds of men from every walk of life and industry were outed following allegations of wrongdoing. But did too much change—or not enough? Those questions hung in the air months later as Brett Kavanaugh was nominated to the Supreme Court, and Christine Blasey Ford came forward to testify that he had assaulted her decades earlier. Kantor and Twohey, who had unique access to Ford and her team, bring to light the odyssey that led her to come forward, the overwhelming forces that came to bear on her, and what happened after she shared her allegation with the world.

In the tradition of great investigative journalism, She Said tells a thrilling story about the power of truth, with shocking new information from hidden sources. Kantor and Twohey describe not only the consequences of their reporting for the #MeToo movement, but the inspiring and affecting journeys of the women who spoke up—for the sake of other women, for future generations, and for themselves. ...more

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Published September 10th 2019 by Penguin Press

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Oct 03, 2020 Mario the lone bookwolf rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 0-social-progress, 0-social-criticism

Downplaying very serious topics, ignoring the protests of half of the population, and educating girls to be silent, obedient, and submissive possibly isn´t what so called emancipated democracies should stand for in the 21st century.

Everyone forgets history and repeats it, any kind of social movements, anti slavery, women's rights, gay rights,… have been ridiculed with stupid, inhumane, conservative arguments, and it´s the same with race, gender, and all kinds of structural violence nowadays. It´ ...more

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Sep 16, 2019 Lex Kent rated it really liked it

Shelves: nonfiction

I really am a fiction girl, but every once in a while a true story or biography will catch my attention. She Said, is written by the two women NYT reporters that helped to take Harvey Weinstein down and poured gasoline on the #Me Too movement. This is the inside story of all the witnesses, sexual assault survivors, and enablers of Weinstein. Since this was one of the biggest stories of the decade, I thought it was important enough to take the time to read.

I want to mention the big stars first. I really am a fiction girl, but every once in a while a true story or biography will catch my attention. She Said, is written by the two women NYT reporters that helped to take Harvey Weinstein down and poured gasoline on the #Me Too movement. This is the inside story of all the witnesses, sexual assault survivors, and enablers of Weinstein. Since this was one of the biggest stories of the decade, I thought it was important enough to take the time to read.

I want to mention the big stars first. I knew before reading this that Ashley Judd and Rose McGowan were a couple of badasses, but truthfully Judd is way more impressive than I ever realized. Also, I have to give a little shout out to Brad Pitt. Not many people ever confronted Harvey about his behavior but Brad went right after him and told him to never touch his girlfriend again. His girlfriend at the time was Gwyneth Paltrow. There are other actresses that Harvey abused but these three are the main ones the book centers on.

I did hear a lot about the stars the Harvey assaulted and raped but I didn’t realize the extent of just normal every day employees that he terrorized. He assaulted women for close to 30 years. Heck it may even be longer, almost 30 years is just what they have information on.

While hearing accounts of all the sexual harassment, assault, and rape was not easy on my stomach, what bothered me even more were all the people that enabled him. The people that helped silence the women and cared more about the Weinstein Company or what Harvey could do for their career, than cared about the women being attacked. And I have to say a big Fuck You to Lisa Bloom, Judas to women everywhere.

When it came to reading the book I was hooked. The story draws you in and you don’t want to stop reading. I have a lot of respect for the two investigative journalists that worked on this piece for years before they went public. I can’t imagine taking that long to write one story, it’s pretty damn impressive.

I do have to admit I didn’t care for a few of the last chapters. After the Harvey story is over, the book switches to an abbreviated account of how the Ford/Kavanaugh complaint and hearing went. While I did find out some information I did not know previously, the whole thing felt depressing to read. It’s not like slaying the giant Harvey, we all know how the Ford and Kavanugh story ends and I just would rather not be reminded to be honest. This is why my overall rating is a 4 instead of 5 stars.

This was a good and often times gripping read. I personally thought this book was important for me to read and I feel like I have the whole story now. If you are interested in the fall of Weinstein, I don’t think you can find a better account than from the women who took him down.

...more

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Nov 04, 2019 Alok Mishra rated it liked it · review of another edition

This is a brave book - no doubt. This is a timely book aptly extended to the public. It certainly inspires the readers by letting them learn that how breaking the silence and pointing the finger at a pervert can be the best thing to do - when there is nothing else to be done. However, from a neutral perspective, the perspective of a reader, the book is written in a wayward manner that can pull the inappropriate strings of boredom at times. I think only the readers who can cope with an intellectu ...more

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Sep 14, 2019 Sahitya rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2019-read, favorites, non-fiction, politics-feminism-religion, 5-star

I will not presume to be in any way capable of reviewing this brilliant book because it’s an extremely well written true account of the investigation and brings to light some systemic truths that we probably are well aware of, but haven’t seen discussed openly a lot. Instead, I think I’ll just share how I felt while reading it.

I’ve only lived in the US for less than a decade now and while I have a seen a Hollywood movie or two since childhood, I’ve never been much knowledgeable about the industr I will not presume to be in any way capable of reviewing this brilliant book because it’s an extremely well written true account of the investigation and brings to light some systemic truths that we probably are well aware of, but haven’t seen discussed openly a lot. Instead, I think I’ll just share how I felt while reading it.

I’ve only lived in the US for less than a decade now and while I have a seen a Hollywood movie or two since childhood, I’ve never been much knowledgeable about the industry or its major players. So, when the Harvey Weinstein scandal broke out, all the names associated with it didn’t mean anything to me. The significance for me was mostly about the movement it created and the outpouring of stories we got to hear after that. It reinforced the fact that sexual harassment is rampant in the world, regardless of the industry or field you are in and what age you are. It’s all about power, and those who have it will exercise it in whatever way they can without fear of consequences because they know that the whole system is behind them. And while this book goes into a lot of detail about the investigation and the many women Kantor and Twohey spoke to, it also shows us the blatant disregard shown by so many other people towards these women and how all the sexual predation was just treated as matter of fact.

My singular emotion while reading this book was anger. And helplessness. Maybe some hope too, but I won’t say it was a lot. The way that Weinstein used his power, bullying tactics and promises of helping their career to harass and assault and overpower so many young women is appalling to read about. I would never judge the women for not coming out and sharing their stories because it’s always them who had a lot to lose and they have their right to self-preservation. It’s the other people I find fault with - those around Weinstein who helped him cover up all the incidents by forcing the women with watertight settlements and NDAs, who thought his behavior was okay as long as it wasn’t a liability to the company, who decided that it must be the women coming onto him for a chance to go ahead in their careers, the high profile lawyers like David Boies, Gloria Allred and Lisa Bloom who feel completely justified in the way they defended Weinstein and shamed and blamed the women and the journalists covering the story. These are people even I have admired, watched documentaries about their work on marriage equality and women’s rights, and now to realize that powerful people always seem to support those in power - I just can’t describe the horror I’m feeling. If you’ve followed any of the twitter trends on the day of this book’s release, you must have seen the very enlightening (and loathsome) memo that Lisa Bloom wrote to Weinstein about how they can frame a narrative to victim blame and showcase him as an old man trying to understand the ever changing social mores. It really was an eye opener and I don’t think I will ever implicitly trust any “popular” activist again, especially lawyers.

The last section of the book also goes into some detail about the Kavanaugh hearings and Dr. Ford’s testimony, particularly how she felt in the weeks leading up to the day and how her life has irrevocably changed since then. It just makes me furious that nothing fundamental has really has changed since the years after Anita Hill and women have to still weigh their safety and career prospects vs the possibility of telling their story and maybe getting some vindication and justice. And I’m currently feeling even more hopeless because between the few hours when I finished this book and I’m writing this review, the New York Times published excerpts from another book with corroborating evidence for other allegations against Kavanaugh. And it’s really exhausting to see that while Dr. Ford has to deal with death threats, this man will be on the Supreme Court for most of our lifetime.

To conclude, I just wanna say thank you to all the women who came forward to tell their story, putting their livelihoods and privacy on the line, Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey for their incessant desire to bring this story to light in its entirety while facing off the whole bully machine of Weinstein, and everyone else at NYT who made this possible. I highly recommend this book to everyone who wants to know more about this brilliant piece of investigative journalism and support women in their fight for equality and right to work without being harassed. ...more

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Sep 20, 2019 Tessa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I have slightly mixed feelings about “She Said,” not due to the subject matter or message, but just with the way the book is formatted. The Weinstein investigation section, which takes up the bulk of the book, is thrilling, an account of investigative journalism at its finest. Secret meetings with sources, computer systems meant to keep developing stories accessible to only a handful of writers and editors, the delicate phrasing needed to get a source to talk or to go on record, the difficult ch I have slightly mixed feelings about “She Said,” not due to the subject matter or message, but just with the way the book is formatted. The Weinstein investigation section, which takes up the bulk of the book, is thrilling, an account of investigative journalism at its finest. Secret meetings with sources, computer systems meant to keep developing stories accessible to only a handful of writers and editors, the delicate phrasing needed to get a source to talk or to go on record, the difficult choice of when to publish the story - I love that stuff, and this book is full of it. I love reading about the disturbing and bizarre details that come out about Weinstein and the level of his corruption. And the tense moments of verbal sparring and legal threats as the Times prepares to publish - so gripping.

My issue is with the latter part of the book which centers on Christine Blasey Ford and the Kavanaugh accusation and hearing. A fascinating story in its own right, and I did sort of enjoy reading behind the scenes as Ford decided what to do and prepared to testify. But I didn’t understand it’s place in the book. Yes, it was a dramatic culmination of the #MeToo movement that would not have taken place without the women coming forward in the wake of the Weinstein news and the research and reporting on Weinstein and other offenders.

But where the first part of the book is a meticulously detailed account of how the Weinstein story came to be, the Ford section is much more about her personal deliberations on whether to come forward and what happened surrounding that. I didn’t see how the authors of “She Said” were involved in that story aside from being allowed to sit in on the preparations for Ford’s testimony. They were even given a tip about Ford, from her own lawyer, but Ford declined to contact them to discuss the story. In fact she mostly spoke to another reporter at a different publication.

I wanted to continue reading about journalism and the uncovering of these accounts of abuse by powerful men. Rather than exclusively focusing on the Ford story, I believe that the book would have been stronger if it followed a variety of the post-Weinstein revelations more closely instead of just briefly touching on them. Also, what happened to Weinstein himself and the company? The book does not really speak to that.

At the end the journalists describe a sort of retreat/mass interview of several of the women who were instrumental in the #MeToo movement. At this meeting, the women, including Ford shared how coming forward publicly changed their lives. I think I would have enjoyed the book more if it cut to this meeting sooner after the Weinstein story broke (which is the dramatic climax of the book even though it happens relatively early in the book).

The Ford/Kavanaugh stuff is interesting and I am glad I read about it. It just felt like the authors were trying to jam two different stories together into one book and I didn’t quite get the reasoning behind that. To me it felt like a distraction from the Weinstein reporting, which I found much more interesting. It also downplayed the importance of the #MeToo movement - feeling like a huge anticlimax and letdown after the thrill of the Weinstein story breaking and the beginning of the movement.

Despite my complaint this really was an excellent book and well worth reading. The best part was reading about all of the female reporters, editors, lawyers, sources, and survivors (and secondarily, male allies). They were all so intelligent and clever, all operating in fields historically dominated by men, excelling and bringing light to something that our society has tried to stuff down for so long. In a time when I’ve never felt less proud to be an American, where I’m daily so discouraged by politics and current events, this book was actually a glimmer of hope and a reminder that while some things have gone downhill, other causes have found greater success than ever and give some hope to the future. ...more

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Nov 15, 2019 Tatiana rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019, non-fiction

I thought I understood how high the risks were for women to stand up publicly against their powerful abusers. But I didn't, really.

A must read for every person who responded to an accusation by a woman with a question "But why didn't she go to the police right away?" ...more

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Sep 27, 2019 Elyse Walters rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Audiobook...read by the two co-authors, Jodi Kantor, Megan Twohey and Rebecca Lowman. (known herself in the Audiobook world).

This professional memoir reads like a true crime thriller... with outstanding top-notch-in-depth-investigating and reporting.

How does an Hollywood ‘outsider’ get Angelina Jolie‘s phone number? Fascinating explosive details of the unfolding of the biggest sexual scandal in Hollywood.

Isn’t it just a ‘little’ tempting to except $100,000 a month to keep quiet?

The two New Y ...more

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Feb 07, 2020 Gabby rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2020, 4-star-books, memoir-or-nonfiction, audiobooks-i-listened-to, reviewed

This was incredible. I listened to the audiobook and it was really hard to listen to at times, but it was also so informative about the start of the #MeToo movement, and I want to punch Harvey Weinstein and Brett Kavanaugh in the face.

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Nov 06, 2019 Mara rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook-owned, audio

For those wondering if you should read both this book and CATCH AND KILL, I would say the answer is yes. While CAK is more focused on the drama of the reporting, this incorporates the story of getting the story within the broader context of how the Weinstein reporting fit into the cultural moment that allowed it to kick "me too" into high gear. This account also has a lot more build out of the Weinstein organization & detailing how his predation was a part of toxic pattern within a corporation w ...more

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Sep 11, 2019 Kathleen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Kantor and Twohey are the two New York Times investigative reporters that broke the story about Harvey Weinstein’s habitual sexual harassment towards women. [More than 80 women have come forward to-date.] The two journalists had to wade through a flood of bullying tactics Weinstein used to keep these women’s stories silent for so long. Weinstein used his wealth to hire top-tier attorneys to craft airtight confidentiality agreements that his accusers had to sign in order to receive compensation. ...more

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Jan 20, 2020 Corina rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

Ever since reading Bad Blood and watching Spotlight I have been in awe of great journalism. She Said was a wonderful addition, and a must read book, especially since, like Bad Blood, the article that started it all, was only recently published, October 5th 2017. Interestingly enough, there was another journalist that worked on the same topic, Ronan Farrow, who wrote for The New Yorker, and published his article a few days later, on October 10th 2017. I haven’t read his article yet, but I’m inten Ever since reading Bad Blood and watching Spotlight I have been in awe of great journalism. She Said was a wonderful addition, and a must read book, especially since, like Bad Blood, the article that started it all, was only recently published, October 5th 2017. Interestingly enough, there was another journalist that worked on the same topic, Ronan Farrow, who wrote for The New Yorker, and published his article a few days later, on October 10th 2017. I haven’t read his article yet, but I’m intending to read his book Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators this year. Both Jodi Kantor, Megan Twohey as well as Ronan Farrow won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for their journalism about Weinstein.
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Ever since publication on September 10th 2019 I’ve seen SHE SAID all over Bookstagram, and later that year it was a Best Nonfiction nominee at the GR choice awards. Moreover every review I read so far has been glowing, and ended with “You have to read this book!”.

Following the news, the topic of She Said was known to me. I’ve seen daily news articles about Weinstein in the last quarter of 2017. There was no escaping him. BUT I had no idea about everything that came before the article, and how much time and effort went into it, much less how hard it was for the victims to come forward.

Reading about the journalistic research that both, Jodi and Meagan spent hours on, was fascinating. It boggled my mind how much double checking, calling people, rechecking and calling some more went into each step they took. Just finding ONE person willing to talk to them was an ordeal. Finding and talking to all these women that were willing to go on record, willing to speak about something that happened to them but also at the same to so many others, was heart-breaking.

The saying “You are not Alone” couldn’t have been more fitting in this case. The pattern of what Weinstein did became so obvious when the victims finally started talking. He isolated and violated women from all stations in life over three decades and in two different countries. And he did it in the same way, again and again. And most astounding, he actually thought he could get away with anything, because money bought silence.

But it became obvious pretty quickly that there was much more going on then just what Weinstein did to the women. The many lawyers and their casual attitude towards hush money. The typical old boy club. Nepotism. Promises and threats. And the many young women that were just too scared to speak up.

And the worst of all is that Weinstein is only one of these predators. There are so many more out there who believe that they can do anything they please, because money means power. I just hope they are getting their own reckoning soon. ...more

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Jan 04, 2020 Julie Christine rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2019, best-of-2019, social-political-commentary

I devoured this in a day. No matter how familiar the headlines, the journey of a news story from idea, rumor, tip, to the front page is fascinating, particularly when that headline launches one of the biggest sociopolitical movements of the decade. My race to the finish of She Saidmade me think of how much I love watching All The President's Men. I never tire of that movie. It doesn't matter that you know the ending— not just to the movie, but all these years later, the political legacy left by I devoured this in a day. No matter how familiar the headlines, the journey of a news story from idea, rumor, tip, to the front page is fascinating, particularly when that headline launches one of the biggest sociopolitical movements of the decade. My race to the finish of She Saidmade me think of how much I love watching All The President's Men. I never tire of that movie. It doesn't matter that you know the ending— not just to the movie, but all these years later, the political legacy left by Nixon's impeachment — it's the chase for the truth these reporters undertake when they aren't certain what that truth is, how big, who else is involved. A deep bow and grateful embrace to Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey for their tireless work, and to The New York Times for continuing to support their reporters.

On a deeply personal level, I know too that I was searching for clues. How did so many powerful, confident, successful, self-aware women withstand the abuse of the shitslime that is Harvey Weinstein and remain silent for so long? It wasn't clues I found in She Said, it was answers. Weinstein was aided and abetted by an army of sycophants, including defense legal teams and prosecutors erring on the side of famous powerful man over frightened, angry women, Weinstein's family, his corporation board members, even the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. And most egregiously, Gloria Allred and her daughter Lisa Bloom, lawyers who portrayed themselves as feminist legal champions for victims of sexual harassment and abuse. These two women have some epically bad Karma to contend with in lifetimes to come. It takes a village to shield a monster.

And yet, these two reporters, with no "in" to the worlds of celebrity, and a nearly impenetrable wall of silence between them and their story, burned that village to the ground. To date, more than eighty women have made allegations of sexual misconduct against the former movie producer. There has been a multimillion dollar settlement of a class action lawsuit with over twenty of his victims, and he's set to go on trial next week for raping two other women. Multiple rape allegation investiagations are underway in at least two states.

She Said concludes with a brief look at Christine Blasey Ford, her allegations of rape against then Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, and what Ford endured in her decision and action to take her accusations public. Despite Ford's compelling testimony and the outpouring of public support for her, the outcome —Kavanaugh's ascension to the Court — felt like so many steps back for a movement that is generations-old. It's a reminder that Weinstein's fall was but one battle won in an enormous war for truth and justice.

I feel such despair for the world, but investigative journalism remains a beacon of hope for me. Say what you will about the quality of the Fourth Estate in the internet age. I believe there are good people and organizations out there doing the work of avenging angels, and that the truths they uncover will set us free. Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey deservedly won a Pulitzer for their reporting, and became sheroes in a movement that gave so many women a voice.

An unputdownable read. One of the year's best. ...more

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Apr 16, 2020 Kelli rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audio

I listened to this book even though I had the hardcopy from my library. The audio was perfection and expertly read, but I had to change the edition in order to display this cover with the red S and all other letters in black. I didn't see that cover until after I finished the book (on mine all the letters were red). That cover gives me chills. It's brilliant...simultaneously subtle and lurid. I can't look away.

This book is everything: a salute to the truthtellers; a long-overdue spotlight on tho ...more

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Jan 30, 2020 Natasha Niezgoda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audible, top-picks, non-fiction, buddy-read

✨IMPORTANT✨

I read a lot of nonfiction/true crime/social movements books. But there are VERY FEW that I can say “yeah, that happened to me” to. She Said is a different story. It was an eerily relatable story. And at times, it was my story.

It’s taken me a while to write this review because of how much it stirred up raw emotion. How much it made me mad at young Natasha for not knowing how to assert the word “NO”. How much I excused because I was “female”.

And thank god I’m not that same young girl.

Q ...more

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Nov 22, 2019 Candie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites-of-2019

Loved this! The writing is amazing, filled with so many details but it still flows great and is very readable. You can definitely tell it is written by two professional journalists.

This book made me so angry and just breaks my heart how so many people knew about some of these things and it still went on for so many years, and happened to so many women. These men are disgusting. And even after they came forward how can so many people actually blame the women? I can't even comprehend how this play ...more

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Oct 07, 2019 Malia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

This was a truly gripping book about the origins of the Me Too movement and in particular, the way a small team of dedicated journalists uncovered the Harvey Weinstein abuse scandal. Of course, much of this has already been in the media, but the behind-the-scenes look at how the story came together, the work and time and emotional tribulations that went into it make it an absolutely worthwhile read. Recommended!

Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com ...more

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Oct 28, 2019 Emmkay rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: book-club-2, 2019-reads, justice-system, eye-opening, gender-stuff, non-fiction

The first part was fascinating, about how the journalist authors pursued the story of Harvey Weinstein's sexual harassment of both actors and workers at his company. The details of the mechanics of the journalism involved were especially interested (e.g. the formal process of obtaining a response from Weinstein, timing considerations, which stories to run with). The view of the impact of civil settlements and accompanying non-disclosure agreements was also thought-provoking. Then the book petere ...more

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Oct 12, 2019 John rated it liked it

I was fully prepared to give this 5 stars and declare it my non-fiction book of the year. Had it ended at 184 pages, I would absolutely be doing that. I'll explain.

First, you should know that the book is 422 pages long, but nearly 160 of those pages are notes (thus, putting to rest all the comments on book review forums claiming this to be a baseless cash grab), an index, and acknowledgements. That leaves 265 pages for actual prose.

The first 184 pages detail two young journalists from the NY Tim I was fully prepared to give this 5 stars and declare it my non-fiction book of the year. Had it ended at 184 pages, I would absolutely be doing that. I'll explain.

First, you should know that the book is 422 pages long, but nearly 160 of those pages are notes (thus, putting to rest all the comments on book review forums claiming this to be a baseless cash grab), an index, and acknowledgements. That leaves 265 pages for actual prose.

The first 184 pages detail two young journalists from the NY Times (the co-authors of "She Said") as they chase down the decades-long story of how world famous mega-producer Harvey Weinstein abused his position of power by harassing and coercing scores of young women into sexual favors, and his history of litigating them into silence afterwards. For those of us who are already familiar with Weinstein (meaning, if you've been alive since 2017) the Weinstein story is not really the point; it's the big blob of cheese on top of the bowl of French Onion soup, but the good stuff is beneath.

The soup here is in how this story is told. It's in how these women manage to cull together leads long thought to be dead by other media, and how they uncover and come up against multiple systems (some by the Weinstein Company, some from legal firms, some from governmental agencies) that seem designed to punish victims while allowing their abusers the privacy and opportunity to abuse others. It's also in how they slowly gain trust from people who, by their own admission, should have had no reason to speak with them. It's in how, during this time when "fake news" frequently means "news I don't like," sources, redundancy, fact checking, method, and, ultimately, integrity matter. It's in their tenacity and success in getting people to finally take notice of how we can be better (although no real solutions are discussed). Through it all, Kantor and Twohey share their frustration over stonewalling, their nervousness at knocking on the doors of people who they know would rather forget their past, their thrill when someone unexpectedly says "yes, I'll tell you what I know," and their love of journalism. It's a terrific read, one that will only get better as future generations come across it.

That said, there are those final 80 pages to deal with. Here's where the book loses its way, as we leave the Times' newsroom and find ourselves a few weeks prior to the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, as most of us know, recognizes him as the drunken teenager who forced himself upon her at a party. Her story is certainly relevant in the telling of a #MeToo history, but this book isn't that, and neither Kantor nor Twohey had anything to do with breaking or researching Ford's story (although Kantor inserts herself into room the night before Ford's testimony). As a result this part of the book reads like an extended article. It's dry and oddly emotionless when compared to the excitement of the Weinstein story, and it offers nothing previously unreported except how indecisive Ford was about testifying (due to her fear of the cameras, not the strength of her accusation). I suspect this section of "She Said" will age the best, as those of us who witnessed the events as they unfolded die off.

The book ends with Kantor and Twohey gathering together several of the women swept up in the initial #MeToo current into one room in order to connect them and have a discussion about where proclaiming their accusers has led them emotionally. Included are Weinstein victims Ashley Judd and Gwyneth Paltrow, Ford, Rachel Crooks (a Trump accuser), and Kim Lawson, a McDonalds worker who led a campaign forcing the corporation to address sexual harassment. (As Lawson was furthest removed from the glam and resources of both Washington and Hollywood where the other stories took place, I would have loved to read more about her. Unfortunately, despite being a $10/hr worker who took on an entire corporation, she gets barely a mention.) This might have been the most poignant part of the book, but it's not; no real discussion is offered about the broken systems that allowed this type of abuse to propagate, no real conversation takes place regarding how class system affects victims or enables predators (this is hinted at in a couple of places throughout the book, which is why I expected it to lead somewhere). There is the subtle undertone that healing can now take place for some of these women, but I wanted to learn more about how they thought that would happen; I wanted to feel their strength, their faith, their thoughts of the future. I did learn that Gwyneth Paltrow enjoys collecting gilded teacups, though.

The bottom line is that "She Said" is important, if only as proof that fair journalism still exists in America. I just wish the authors had either limited their focus to the Weinstein story, or broadened their range to really discuss the #MeToo movement, as the book seems to want to do. As long as you go into it knowing that the deep analysis hinted at never goes anywhere, then those first 184 pages are 5 star all the way.

(A final note, on notes: I read the Kindle version, in which notes appear at the end of the book, numbered according to each chapter. Unfortunately, none of these notes are linked within the actual chapters, making looking them up after reading too tedious a chore. As I have not seen a copy of the physical book, this might be a publishing decision, but it's something readers might want to be aware of.) ...more

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May 20, 2020 Elizabeth rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction, true-crime

From the embers of lone cries from outspoken activitists and disturbing hotel room encounters implicating Harvey Weinstein, a horrific pattern of sexual predation was unearthed to spark a raging flame. The Me Too movement was founded back in 2006 by Tarana Burke, but it was New York Times journalists Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey who poured the gasoline to ignite the movement in 2017. She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement is an explosive and impactful accoun From the embers of lone cries from outspoken activitists and disturbing hotel room encounters implicating Harvey Weinstein, a horrific pattern of sexual predation was unearthed to spark a raging flame. The Me Too movement was founded back in 2006 by Tarana Burke, but it was New York Times journalists Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey who poured the gasoline to ignite the movement in 2017. She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement is an explosive and impactful account of the reportorial fact-checking, corroboration, and investigation of allegations against Harvey Weinstein, only made possible by the brave women—actresses, executives, assistants, and company staff⁠—who came forward.

The book follows Kantor and Twohey's assiduous crafting of a full-bodied story, uncovering the atrocious frequency and degree of sexual assault that Harvey Weinstein had been committing for decades upon decades. Vocal advocates like Ashley Judd and Rose McGowan were just the tip of the iceberg. Unsuspecting high-profile actresses and career-hopeful ingénues alike, it was disturbing to learn about countless women being called to impromptu hotel room meetings, meant for "work" purposes only for Weinstein to be dressed in a bathrobe and requesting a massage or worse. Ugh.

I have a newfound respect for just how difficult it is for women to expose themselves and share their story. In a system mired with little recourse for reported sexual harassment and defaults to secret settlements, the culprits, lawyers, and companies had gone to extraordinary lengths to suffocate and silence women's voices. She Said details the challenges that Kantor and Twohey had "working in the blank spaces between the words," to find the story in the silence.

We now know it was Harvey Weinstein who committed the heinous acts of harassment and assault, but his enormous circle of influence and power enabled him to continue unpunished for so long. Be it lawyers (Lisa Bloom and David Boies are new on my hit-list for greedy, unscrupulous, and scheming people) who deliberately covered up Weinstein's tracks or witnesses who'd rather turn a blind eye, I walk away with a renewed respect for the enormous power and responsibility carried by journalists.

This is heavy and upsetting reading. It is a gripping and powerful behind-the-scenes account that will rile you up—as it should. There's briefer mention of other cases, including Brock Turner, Bill O'Reilly, and Brett Kavanaugh. These are important stories, though I found them not as detailed and tightly presented in comparison to the rest of the book. If nothing else, Kantor and Twohey bring you to realize the sheer burden of difficulty and cost for victims to speak up, to be the ones on which we put the label: "she said." ...more

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Sep 10, 2019 Marion rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Excellent. I read it in one sitting. Ultimately it was unbelievable, all too real, enraging, and hopeful. Highly recommended for those who have been following the #metoo movement.

Update 2/23/20
I am so proud of the women who spoke up in this book and congrats to the reporters who helped reveal the predator and the system who kept him one. I feel like some justice was served. But we still have a long way to go.

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Feb 29, 2020 Jennifer Blankfein rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Fascinating what happened behind the scenes during investigations of Trump and his treatment of women, Weinstein and sexual abuse and Christine Blasey Ford’s sexual assault accusation of Brett Kavanaugh. Jodi and Megan are relentless rockstars! Read in one day!

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Jan 07, 2020 Suzanne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A powerful memoir about Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey’s wall breaking sexual harassment coverage that is so gripping and informative readers will have trouble putting it down. It is so empowering and I am so glad that I read it. This is a subject matter that may be a trigger but needs to be discussed and handled regardless. I highly recommend this book to both females and males.

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Oct 14, 2019 Jessica rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019, non-fiction, usa, contemporary, i-own-these-books

I'm a sucker for investigative journalism stories, so I was prepared to like this book. However, I didn't realize how much it would hit me emotionally. I mean, I knew the outcome of the New York Times reporters' diligent research and subsequent charges against Weinstein, I had read every article and followed the story and movement (partaking in the hashtag like many women did)—but it's still a book full of tension that had me turning its pages rapidly. This is the craft of true journalism and th ...more

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Mar 18, 2020 Puck rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, important, nonfiction

“There isn’t ever going to be an end,” she said. “The point is that people have to continue always speaking up and not being afraid.”

#MeToo has been one of the most discussed social topics of the last five years, and so it is important and good to see how it began.

She Said describes the intense research-process Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey – aided by their New York Times colleagues – to accuse Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment and abuse. Just speaking out isn’t enough: this book drives ...more

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Dec 21, 2019 Jaclyn Crupi rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I devoured this in a single sitting. I love a good investigative journalism breaking story story and this really delivered. Seeing the extent of Weinstein’s power and reach and his willingness to do anything to silence these women all come tumbling down is pretty satisfying. This book was less successful in the Christine Blasey Ford sections and perhaps should have focussed solely on Weinstein’s accusers.

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Sep 19, 2019 Stacy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Highly recommend

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Dec 20, 2019 BookOfCinz rated it really liked it

This book deserves to be read. Jodi and Megan did such an amazing job of telling a story that will you leave you enraged and vindicated. I strongly recommend you give it a read.

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Jul 15, 2020 Ashley rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: americana, true-crime, non-fiction, behind-the-scenes, class-gender-race, books-about-writers

Everybody said this was a good read, and it was. I love journalism books, and this was one of the truest to that form. In many ways, Kantor and Twohey had to make sure it was, that they crossed every ‘T’ and dotted every ‘I’ just so they didn’t leave themselves open to legal action, or worse, from the subjects of their investigation.

This isn’t a long book, but it packs a big punch. Twohey and Kantor are extremely detailed in documenting their investigation, how they tracked down sources and secu Everybody said this was a good read, and it was. I love journalism books, and this was one of the truest to that form. In many ways, Kantor and Twohey had to make sure it was, that they crossed every ‘T’ and dotted every ‘I’ just so they didn’t leave themselves open to legal action, or worse, from the subjects of their investigation.

This isn’t a long book, but it packs a big punch. Twohey and Kantor are extremely detailed in documenting their investigation, how they tracked down sources and secured them, and how they ultimately broke the story of Harvey Weinstein’s trash behavior, his power trips and corruption, and the power he and those around him wielded in order to cover it up and keep the money machine going.

I read this book back in mid-July, but I actually just started reading Catch and Kill last night, so that’s providing a very strange comparison in my head right now. They are nominally about the same subject, but are very different. This book is very straightforward and journalistic, and it is very focused on the sources, humanizing them, and talking about how the two authors managed to get so many of the women to talk, even breaking NDA’s and payoffs in the process. They certainly experienced some of Weinstein’s skullduggery and weird threatening behavior, but they also were very careful, and had the support of the NY Times in their efforts.

One of the things that I enjoyed most about this book was the feeling of release and catharsis experienced by the women as they finally break their silence, and the sense of empathy you have for them, from low-level assistants all the way up to Gwyneth Paltrow, who takes a lot of hits in pop culture media for her privilege and her GOOPness, but who ultimately I think is a good person. Twohey and Kantor bring up the infamous jade vagina egg incident, and Paltrow’s reaction was genuine distress at being so slagged. When I heard about this product, I guess I assumed it was a cynical ploy on her part, but I don’t think it actually was. She was also so kind and empathetic as portrayed here, especially in the last chapter when she hosts a gathering of many of the survivors in her home. No matter how many times she is in a movie with Sebastian Stan but doesn’t know who he is (how could you not????), I think I will still like her.

Definitely check this one out if you have been waiting on it for some reason. ...more

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Jan 02, 2020 Laura Noggle rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020, women-nonfiction, true-crime

Definitely liked this one more than Ronan Farrow's Catch and Kill, but still ... perhaps a tad bloated. Was kind of surprised that the end of the book had such extensive coverage on Christine Blasey Ford.

Extremely well-researched and documented.

"The United States had a system for muting sexual harassment claims, which often enabled the harassers instead of stopping them. Women routinely signed away the right to talk about their own experiences. Harassers often continued onward, finding fresh g ...more

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Jan 26, 2020 Robert Sheard rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I had no idea a story about the research leading to a newspaper story could be as compelling, suspenseful, and powerful as this book has been. I can't tell you the number of times it made me furious about our society, and especially our elected "leaders." (We currently have a president and two Supreme Court justices who come with a history of sexual harassment and/or assault allegations?) This is essential reading. ...more

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About Jodi Kantor

Jodi Kantor

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Jodi Kantor has covered the world of Barack and Michelle Obama since the beginning of 2007, also writing about Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Sarah Palin, Richard Holbrooke, Eric Holder and many others along the way.

Ms. Kantor graduated from Columbia and attended Harvard Law School. But soon after she arrived, she caught the journalism bug, took time off to work at Slate.com, and never looked back. ...more

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“There isn't ever going to be an end," she said. "The point is that people have to continue always speaking up. And not being afraid.” — 4 likes

“Jodi cut to the point: The United States had a system for muting sexual harassment claims, which often enabled the harassers instead of stopping them. Women routinely signed away the right to talk about their own experiences. Harassers often continued onward, finding fresh ground on which to commit the same offenses. The settlements and confidentiality agreements were almost never examined in law school classrooms or open court. This was why the public had never really understood that this was happening. Even those in the room with long histories of covering gender issues had never fully registered what was going on.” — 3 likes

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