the big m - 13 writers take back the story of menopause
Edited by Lidia Yuknavitch, with a forward by Dr. Jen Gunter, out January 27th, 2026.
Includes work from a diverse group of influential writers, including: Roxane Gay, Cheryl Strayed, Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, Reyna Grande, Joey Soloway, Nana-Ama Danquah, Gina Frangello, Monica Drake, Lan Samantha Chang, Julia Alvarez, Darcey Steinke, and Pam Houston.
This is narrative medicine at its finest: Lidia Yuknavitch and 12 of today’s sharpest, most daring writers break the silence. They are here to reclaim the story of menopause—for all of us and those on the way, because we are not the story they made of us. This is a new story, told on our own terms—a long overdue reckoning.
Exploring themes of freedom and mortality, sexuality and the patriarchy, The Big M is a chorus of voices, each writer navigating the profound changes in their bodies and lives in their own fiercely individual way. Funny, subversive, insightful, and deeply human, these stories form a living constellation—one you might take into your life in times of duress, transformation, or awakening.
PRE-ORDER HERE
Advanced Praise for THE BIG M:
“As varied in experience as it is refreshingly and (yes) brutally honest, The Big M offers a chorus of voices to enlighten, guide, and buoy any woman through the joys, the trials, and the ultimate awakening/redefining that occurs in midlife.” —Cathi Hanauer, editor of New York Times bestseller Bitch in the House
"These penetrating and lyrical reflections bring serious cultural analysis to a historically taboo subject. Readers experiencing menopause will find solidarity and hope."
—Publishers Weekly
"The Big M feels like a heartfelt conversation with a trusted friend. It reminds us that we are not alone. By sharing our stories, we can reshape the menopause experience together. With warmth and wisdom, this book leaves you feeling informed, empowered, and more connected to yourself and others on the journey." —Nedra Glover Tawwab, New York Times bestselling author of Set Boundaries, Find Peace and Drama Free
"Not so much a map as an invitation to explore fearlessly one’s own unique experience, the book provides a chorus of generally calm, comforting, and often surprisingly humorous voices." —Kirkus Reviews
AVAILABLE NOW WHEREVER BOOKS ARE SOLD :: The frank and revealing memoir of a writer who draws from her own creativity to heal ::
Drawing from her complex past — her father's abuse, her relationship with her disabled mother, the loss of her child, and her sexual relationships with men and women — Lidia Yuknavitch has harnessed the power of literature and storytelling to reframe her memories. As an author and teacher, she uses this creative insight to transform her wounds into a source of emotional growth and restoration.
By turns candid and lyrical, stoic and forgiving, blunt and evocative, Reading the Waves reframes memory to show how crucial this process can be to gaining a deeper understanding of ourselves.
Praise for READING THE WAVES
“What makes us return to Yuknavitch again and again is her searing honesty, wide-open compassion, and sensual engagement with this earthly realm. Reading the Waves is brilliant storytelling by one of our most adventurous creatives. It is an investigation into how our stories must shift to accommodate each age, each generation, even as they remain mythically rooted in the ancient archetypal shapes of human transformation. This is a book you will return to again and again for the wild astuteness of its wisdom.”—Joy Harjo, 23rd U.S. Poet Laureate
“Full of the messy, moving, in-your-face inspiration and storytelling for which Yuknavitch is beloved.” —Kirkus Reviews
“But it’s not what Yuknavitch discusses this time around that makes this memoir both so provocative and expansive (though who doesn’t want more gritty sex scenes or gorgeous sentences describing how grief settles underneath the skin?). It’s the way she uses her experiences to blow up the concept of a personal identity that’s fixed in time or place and replace it with a volatile, contradictory, fluid self that’s always capable of growing, shrinking and changing no matter the circumstances.” —San Francisco Chronicle
