Any Man: A Novel - Softcover

In this electric and provocative debut novel, Amber Tamblyn blends genres of poetry and prose with elements of suspense to give shape to the shocking narratives of victims of sexual violence, and maps the destructive ways in which society perpetuates rape culture.

A violent serial rapist, who goes by the name Maude, is on the loose. She hunts for men at bars and online—the place doesn’t matter, neither does the man. Her victims then must grapple with the aftermath of their assault—doubts from the police, feelings of shame and alienation from their friends and family, and the haunting of a horrible woman who becomes the phantom on which society pro-jects its greatest fears, fascinations, and even misogyny. All the while, the police are without leads, and the media hounds the victims, publicly dissecting the details of their attack.

As the years pass, these men learn to heal by banding together and finding a space to raise their voices. Told in alternating viewpoints, signature to each voice and experience of the victim, these pages crackle with emotion ranging from horror to breathtaking empathy.

As bold as it is timely, Any Man is a tribute to those who have lived through the nightmare of sexual assault and asserts how the power of speaking out can change not only the life of survivors, but so too the world around them.

Amber Tamblyn is an author, actress and director. She's been nominated for an Emmy, Golden Globe and Independent Spirit Award for her work in television and film. She is the author of three books of poetry including the critically acclaimed best seller, Dark Sparkler.

Her debut novel Any Man will be released in June of 2018 on Harper Perennial and a book of non-fiction essays for Crown in 2019. Most recently she wrote and directed the feature film, “Paint it Black”, based on the novel by Janet Fitch, starring Alia Shawkat, Janet McTeer and Alfred Molina, currently on Netflix. She reviews books of poetry by women for Bust Magazine, is a contributing writer for The New York Times and is a founding member of Time’s Up. She lives in New York.