Gloria Steinem's newest book, My Life on the Road, is part traveling memoir, grassroots activism how-to, and part personal reflection. It's also informative, riveting, and beautifully written.

I must admit, I'm a definite Gloria Steinem fangirl, so I'm certainly biased. I'm constantly in awe of her unapologetic voicing of her beliefs, and her tireless activism after almost 5 decades. Plus, I agree with many of the causes for which she fights: not just equality for men and women and reproductive rights, but civil rights for other marginalized groups such as Native Americans, African Americans, and the LGBTQ community. I will say, Gloria (I just feel like I have to call her Gloria...Steinem sounds so formal for one of my idols!) is not neutral on any of her perspectives in this book, so if you don't think you can stomach her viewpoints on the above issues, you may not be able to get through the book.

That would be a shame, however, because what sets this book apart and, I'd argue, above Gloria's other books, are two very universal and important narratives on traveling and listening.

The traveling memoir has been a staple of the literary cannon since the beginning of time, and with good reason. They offer both the escapism and curiosity of exotic locales as well as the unique self reflection that comes with travel. Travel is simultaneously unifying and alienating. We travel to make the world a little smaller, to understand those around us more and feel closer to them. At the same time, there's something quite lonely about travel, being out of place physically and culturally. That loneliness is not necessarily a bad thing, however, as it allows us the freedom to step outside ourselves and self-reflect through our journeys. Gloria hits that space between unity, intimacy, and loneliness in her narrative on a life spent traveling through the US. As someone who has traveled abroad a decent amount but not very much in the US, her writings on the familiarities and surprises of traveling through her own home were achingly poignant and had me ready to pack a bag and get moving. As a urban girl, I particularly like her dedication to public transport--the way it can drop you right in the middle of and provide a crash course on the local culture.

The other major thread which struck a chord with me was on the simple power of listening. Gloria talks of her time as a young woman in India, and how the Gandhian strategy of walking around to different villages, listening, was her first taste of grassroots organizing. The simple strategy of listening, Gloria found both then and throughout her career, is the key to grassroots organizing, and probably the most effective way to build a movement. It's really obvious, when you think about it--listen to what people want and then offer solutions around their needs. "Active listening" is a buzz phrase in so much business, leadership, and self-help literature, but how many of us truly listen on a daily basis? Being reminded of yet another sphere in which success boils down to listening was really a reminder for myself to be better about listening in my day-to-day life.

All of the life lessons in My Life on The Road are great, and the end chapters on Native American history were eye-opening (for me, at least). But honestly, none of this would work if the memoir was not also beautifully and honestly written. If, at the very least, you enjoy a poetic narrative about a fascinating life, you should read My Life on the Road.