I’ll admit it: I first picked this one up because of the title 🫣. But what I found was a powerful story about Annie Besant’s fight for reproductive rights in the 19th century.

The opening words could just as well be written today:

“I believe that the discussion will be put down if Knowledge is suppressed by force… Come what may, this battle must be won.”

It’s striking (and a little sad) how current those words still feel.

What stood out to me was how central communication was to her story. Besant defended herself in the King’s Court (one of the first women ever to do so) and became a prolific public speaker. The courage to speak up, to keep speaking even when the cost is high, is what carried her cause forward.

Her closing words say it best:

“I risk my name, I risk my liberty… it is not without deep and earnest thought that I have entered into this struggle.”

A reminder that words can be more than conversation; they can be action.

Sometimes doing something a little different (picking up an unexpected book, following a thread of curiosity) sparks insights you didn’t expect. That’s how growth begins: in small, human shifts.

This connects closely to a framework I’ve been developing on small communication habits, I’ll be sharing more about that in the coming weeks!

👉 Have you read a book recently that surprised you and stayed with you?

#Communication #AnnieBesant #BookReview #LearningAndDevelopment #SmallShifts