Why Sinéad O'Connor Matters by Allyson McCabe

This is the book her admirers and defenders have been waiting for. In an era when popular understanding of mental health has improved and the public eagerly celebrates feminist struggles of the past, it can be easy to forget how O’Connor suffered for being herself. You can find Allyson's book Why Sinad O'Connor Matters here. Here's where to find Allyson online here. A journalist herself, McCabe exposes how the media distorts not only how we see O’Connor but how we see ourselves, and she weighs the risks of telling a story that hits close to home. This week, we fight the real enemy with Allyson McCabe. Fiery singer-songwriter Sinéad OConnor became a star in the MTV era, rewriting the rules while courting controversy.

She compares O’Connor to Madonna, another superstar who challenged the Catholic Church, and Prince, who wrote her biggest hit and allegedly assaulted her. McCabe details O’Connor’s childhood abuse, her initial success, and the backlash against her radical politics without shying away from the difficult issues her career raises. Addressing triumph and struggle, sound and story, Why Sinéad O’Connor Matters argues that its subject has been repeatedly manipulated and misunderstood by a culture that is often hostile to women who speak their minds (in O’Connor’s case, by shaving her head, championing rappers, and tearing up a picture of the pope on live television). A stirring defense of Sinéad O’Connor’s music and activism, and an indictment of the culture that cancelled her.

Why Sinéad O'Connor Matters by Allyson McCabe