The title of this anthology riffs on Teddy Roosevelt's phallocentric motto: "Speak softly, and carry a big stick." Few American women today are interested in cultivating a Teddy-esque machismo--but in Roar Softly... contemporary women writers recount their own mano a mano encounters with lingering sexism, Superwoman schedules, marital mess-ups, and a passel of other anti-female forces. Not only do their stories offer reassurance that our own egregious experiences are not unique, but they also suggest better battle strategies—-more womanly battle strategies, if you will--for those who shrink from the bald "muscle your way through" approach. As each essay is intended to demonstrate, we can overcome the sex-specific challenges of our lives not only with strength ("Roar Softly" ), but also with grace ("Great Lipstick").