Out of Line

What happens when women step out of line and take control of their own stories? Big fears, small frustrations, and the power of hope collide as seven award-winning authors explore the possibilities. From demanding equal pay to resisting a genetically engineered future, this collection offers up visions that are grimly funny, deeply touching, and chillingly conceivable.

THIS TELLING, by Cheryl Strayed, read by Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars)

A genealogy test sparks a woman’s reflection on the two accounts of her life—the real one and the one she’s always told the world—in this poignant short story by the bestselling author of Wild.

GRACEFUL BURDENS, by Roxane Gay, read by Samira Wiley (The Handmaid’s Tale)

From the New York Times bestselling author of Bad Feminist comes an unforgettable tale of nightmarish bureaucracy in which genetic profiling has redefined the “unfit mother.”

SWEET VIRGINIA, by Caroline Kepnes, read by Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars)

What’s a woman to do when she fails to live up to feminine ideals? It depends on what she’s willing to give up in this dark rom-com dream by the bestselling author of You.

THE CONTRACTORS, by Lisa Ko, read by Lea Salonga (Aladdin)

A split-screen view of the tech industry’s underbelly—and the unifying campaign of two distant women seeking to expose their employer—from the award-winning author of The Leavers.

HALFWAY TO FREE, by Emma Donoghue, read by Samira Wiley (The Handmaid’s Tale)

Raising a family is the ultimate luxury as the human race teeters on the brink of extinction in this modern nightmare by Emma Donoghue, the bestselling author of Room.

BEAR WITNESS, by Mary Gaitskill, read by Margo Martindale (Mrs. America)

In the wake of a brutal crime, three people cross paths in this unflinching deconstruction of moral uncertainty, shifting perceptions, and sexual violence, from the critically acclaimed author of Bad Behavior.

SHINE, PAMELA! SHINE!, by Kate Atkinson, read by Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones)

Thoroughly divorced but ever the optimist, Pamela faces the realities of aging and the leaps of faith required to put a “sparkle” on her daily life in this small miracle of a short story by the bestselling author of Life After Life.