Not exaggerating when I say the future depends on this catching on en masse. Kids, adults. Book clubs, silent reading groups. For the past twenty-five years tech has corroded our attention, intelligence and basic pleasure in living, and books are the key to winning them back.
A little girl wearing a princess dress was behind me so I held the door open for her as i did a little curtsy and said “After you, your royal highness!” and the dad was so happy he could not stop giggling. Super cute.
She was a 25 year old lawyer in Ayacucho, Peru when her boyfriend attacked her in a hotel in July 2015. The security cameras captured everything. Him chasing her. Dragging her by the hair. Her screaming for help while hotel staff tried to intervene. The court watched the footage.
Then sentenced him to one year suspended for minor injuries. The more serious charges - dropped. She refused to accept it. She went public. Put her name and her face to everything. Took the fight to the media, to the courts, to the streets. On August 13 2016 half a million Peruvians marched through Lima. The largest demonstration in the history of Peru. Led by her.
The appeals court threw out the original verdict. He was retried. Convicted of attempted f3micide. Sentenced to 11 years in prison. She went on to become a member of Congress. Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Her name is Arlette Contreras. And she was just getting started.