"No Contact: Writers on Estrangement" edited by Jenny Bartoy

This collection has 30+ contributions from writers talking about being estranged from family members. Most are essays, although there's a bit of experimental writing and poetry as well. I'm happy that there's more material coming out for people who have gone no contact with their family. I still think it's fairly taboo to speak about, but there are more online spaces and books to be found than ever before. They've been essential for my coping. As soon as I saw this collection appear on LitHub, I picked it up. The book is a mixed bag, but I don't mind. There's something for everyone. Most contributions are about taking a step back from abusive parents and how difficult that can be. To my surprise, there were also a few essays by people who have had someone else deliberately estrange them. One of those rubbed me the wrong way, but it is what it is. The collection is truly diverse and can't be accused of giving a one-sided perspective that feeds into some kind of estrangement 'trend'.…