It Was the Way She Said It, Terry McMillan
It Was the Way She Said It, Terry McMillan
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It Was the Way She Said It
Short Stories, Essays, and Wisdom

Author: Terry McMillan, Kristine Bell

Narrator: Robin Miles, Christopher Grant

Unabridged: 7 hr 29 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/09/2025


Synopsis

“This stunning collection from one of the great writers on Black culture covers the gamut: aging, love, poverty, trauma and plenty of lightness in between.”—People

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Waiting to Exhale comes a remarkable, career-spanning collection of previously published short fiction and nonfiction pieces, as well as never-before-seen works.

Before Terry McMillan found success as a novelist in the early 1990s, she published provocative, boundary-pushing short stories, capturing the struggles and triumphs of Black life in America with vitality and honesty, from the workaday factory man’s malaise in “The End” to the cast-aside lover’s resolve in “Touching” to the elderly woman’s wiles in “Ma’Dear.” McMillan’s inimitable voice bravely explores the dark corners of human relationships with compassion, humor, and nuance. This collection also features five unpublished stories that reveal how she wrestled with controversial topics rarely addressed in short fiction, from domestic abuse in “Mama, Take Another Step” to extreme poverty in “Can’t Close My Eyes to It.”

Whether she’s revealing life lessons, pontificating about aging, recalling her sources of inspiration, or laying bare the beginnings of her life as a writer, McMillan approaches every piece with enduring candor, wit, and fearlessness.

Devoted fans and new readers alike will be delighted to discover these treasures spanning McMillan’s long, groundbreaking career. Indeed, it wasn’t only what Terry McMillan has said that made her so beloved . . . it was the way she said it.

Reviews

Goodreads review by January on September 14, 2025

It Was the Way She Said It: Short Stories, Essays, and Wisdom by Terry McMillan, with a Foreword by Ishmael Reed, and an Editor’s Note by Kristine Bell (2025) 7h 29m narrated by Robin Miles and Christopher Grant, 256 pages Genre: African-American Fiction, Short Stories, Domestic Fiction, Nonfiction,......more

Goodreads review by LaPrea on August 16, 2025

Thank you Ballantine Books for the early copy! Pub date: Sept 9 2025 “But I also never liked that they was the ones who decided it. Just like they was the one who decided we would be slaves and when we should be free. I always wondered, what made them think they was better than us just because they w......more

Goodreads review by cori's chapters on September 10, 2025

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. Terry McMillan has a way of pulling you into her stories. I have read at least four books by her and have loved each one. “It Was the Way She Said It” is a wonderful collection of short storie......more

Goodreads review by Anniee on May 26, 2025

Terry McMillan's It Was the Way She Said It offers a broad look into her extensive career, compiling both familiar and new pieces that touch on themes of love, aging, and cultural identity. Her distinctive voice and candid storytelling are evident throughout the collection. While the anthology provid......more


Quotes

Praise for It Was the Way She Said It

“This stunning collection from one of the great writers on Black culture covers the gamut: aging, love, poverty, trauma and plenty of lightness in between.”People

“Terry McMillan . . . has assembled a collection of short stories and essays that portray candid vignettes of Black American life. With unflinching honesty and verve, McMillan writes stories that suck readers in from start to finish.”—Harper’s Bazaar

“Decades after Stella got her groove back, Terry Mcmillan just gets better. . . . McMillan's new book shows the author at the top of her game. . . . This collection contains a multitude of truths.”—The Washington Post

“The best part of reading this entertaining collection of published and unpublished fiction, sketches, and nonfiction is the sheer delight of immersing yourself in the works of a writer who has plenty to say and has never been afraid to say it. . . . An entertaining reminder of McMillan’s storytelling abilities and unflinching honesty.”Kirkus Review, starred review

“McMillan is a sharp writer who never fails to give readers memorable, richly developed characters and powerful insights.”Library Journal


Praise for It’s Not All Downhill From Here

“A wise and wisecracking novel of aging, heartbreak, and the quest to ‘pump up the volume’ in late midlife.”—O: The Oprah Magazine

“[A] baldly honest, laugh-out-loud story.”—Good Housekeeping

“A hopeful and hilarious novel.”—Travel & Leisure

“I couldn’t put this book down.”BuzzFeed

“This is a story of the power of women and the inspiring lives they lead.”—She Reads

“McMillan proves once again that she is a skilled master.”Associated Press

“Lively, perceptive . . . Terry McMillan writes with a staggering depth of feeling, credibly capturing the characters’ emotions as she unpacks their interpersonal conflicts. This delightful novel balances inspiration for renewal with the hard facts of aging.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review