Available as Hardback, eBook
13 August 2026
A powerful, patriarchy-defying manifesto that will transform your relationship to saying ‘no’ – from the award-winning writer, co-founder of Jezebel and former New York Times advice columnist
When was the last time you said ‘no’? Not, I don’t think so, or maybe, or let me think about it – but a full-throated ‘NO’? How often do you agree to do things you don’t want to do? Most of us – especially those who don’t wield traditional modes of power or wield less of it – often find ourselves landing on okay or sure instead.
The Power of No releases us from our white-knuckled grip on agreeability. In this eclectic and empowering book, Anna Holmes explores why it’s difficult to utter that two-letter word. Playfully tracing how ‘no’ shapes our lives, Holmes shows how, if exercised properly, it can radically change our world.
Equal parts heartfelt meditation and fiery manifesto, The Power of No is a call to embrace the invigorating truth that ‘no’ is a complete sentence.
“Anna Holmes is sharp-eyed and inquisitive in this accessible meditation on the act of refusal; in The Power of No, she takes readers on an open-hearted stroll through the personal, cultural and political implications of women simply saying “no.” Holmes conveys both her admiration for those willing to upend expectations for feminine amenability, and her compassion for those of us who still find even this small act of defiance a hurdle”
Rebecca Traister, Author Of Good And Mad
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“I cannot imagine a more vital book for mothers to share with their daughters than The Power of No. I loved the juicy quotes, the feminist insight and the occasional helpful hand-holding, but as a person who has an admittedly hard time with refusal, I most took to heart Holmes’ life-affirming, soul-saving message that standing firm in a “no” is one of the most profound ways a woman can say yes to herself”
Peggy Orenstein, Author Of Girls & Sex
Anna Holmes
Anna Holmes is a writer and editor living in Los Angeles. She is the author of Hell Hath No Fury and The Book of Jezebel. In 2007 she founded online magazine Jezebel, which went on to become one of the most influential websites on the internet, spawning dozens of imitators and upending conversations about gender, race, culture and power in mainstream and traditional media. She has written essays, criticism and columns for such publications as the New Yorker and the New York Times and is currently a contributing writer for the Atlantic.
annaholmes.com