Julie's Reviews > Notes on a Silencing: A Memoir

Notes on a Silencing by Lacy Crawford is a 2020 Little Brown & Co. publication.

This is a raw, searing memoir chronicling Lacy Crawford time attending St. Paul’s Academy and the all too familiar story of a horrifying sexual assault that resulted in physical illness and psychological damage, but was also covered up by a school that protected its reputation and male students at all cost.

Lacy finds her voice years later when the school finds itself under investigation... Finally.

An elite school with powerful allies manages to silence Crawford… or so they thought. This memoir holds nothing back and paints an appalling picture of crime, double standards, bullying and blackmail. It is also a tale of lost innocence, of a time when even parents failed to see obvious signs of distress, leaving a young girl to cope in a viscous world of harassment and entitlement.

This is not an easy book to read, and it goes without saying it is one long trigger- so prepare yourself. Still, it’s an important book- one that needs more attention now that some of the fire from the “Me Too” movement has cooled down. We still need a reminder, as we can’t be so naïve that we believe all that toxicity has magically cleared up now. Today, as we speak, there’s a Lacy Crawford out there somewhere… and she needs us to keep up the pressure, to insist on accountability, to protect these young people from abuse, coverups, harassment and years of unnecessary pain and heartbreak.

There were a couple of quibbles- I understand the author has the absolute right to tell her story, her way. But this is not a blog. It’s a professional book- published by a respected publishing house and as such, I would have preferred the use of more professional language - which would have left a deeper impression, I think.

The only other issue: Because this is a harrowing story and no matter how mentally healthy one is, it is emotionally draining, which made me feel it might have been a bit overlong. By the end, I was exhausted.

But other than that, this is a powerful memoir, that if you can handle the subject matter, it is well worth the emotional toll it takes. Lacy has endured much, and I’m glad she found the courage to step forward and tell her story. I think I’ll remember this one for a very long time to come.