What Do We Need Men For?

A Modest Proposal

By: E. Jean Carroll

Narrated by: E. Jean Carroll

"In narrating her own audiobook, Carroll shows her sense of humor with her inflections. Sometimes laugh-out-loud funny but often deeply uncomfortable, Carroll's audiobook never shies away from what she wants to say when she wants to say it." -- AudioFile Magazine

This program is read by the author.

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As seen on the cover of New York Magazine and in the breaking news story about Donald Trump, America's longest running advice columnist goes on the road to speak to women about hideous men and whether we need them.

“Darkly humorous and deadly serious.” –Sibbie O'Sullivan, Washington Post

“A compulsively interesting feminist memoir.” –Virginia Heffernan, Slate

"Somehow hilarious, in the way that only E. Jean could have written it" –Leigh Haber, Oprah Magazine

“Roving, curious, compassionate, whimsical.” –Megan Garber, The Atlantic


When E. Jean Carroll—possibly the liveliest woman in the world and author of the “Ask E. Jean” advice column in Elle Magazine, realized that her eight million readers and question-writers all seemed to have one thing in common—problems caused by men—she hit the road. Crisscrossing the country with her blue-haired poodle, Lewis Carroll, E. Jean stopped in every town named after a woman between Eden, Vermont and Tallulah, Louisiana to ask women the crucial question: What Do We Need Men For?

E. Jean gave her rollicking road trip a sly, stylish turn when she deepened the story, creating a list called “The Most Hideous Men of My Life,” and began to reflect on her own sometimes very dark history with the opposite sex. What advice would she have given to her past selves—as Miss Cheerleader USA and Miss Indiana University? Or as the fearless journalist, television host, and eventual advice columnist she became? E. Jean intertwines the stories of the fascinating people she meets on her road trip with her “horrible history with the male sex” (including mafia bosses, media titans, boyfriends, husbands, a serial killer, and a president), creating a decidedly dark yet hopeful, hilarious, and thrilling narrative. Her answer to the question What Do We Need Men For? will shock men and delight women.

Critic reviews

"In narrating her own audiobook, Carroll shows her sense of humor with her inflections. Sometimes laugh-out-loud funny but often deeply uncomfortable, Carroll's audiobook never shies away from what she wants to say when she wants to say it." -AudioFile

“Politically and socially urgent.” —Cristina Arreola, Bustle

“Quirky” —Kim Hubbard, People

“ELLE's own agony aunt, the incomparable E. Jean Carroll, went on a road trip to ask women a very simple question... Perfection.” —Estelle Tang, ELLE

“Explosive” —Elena Nicolau, Refinery 29

"A memoir by way of an old-fashioned American road trip...No reader of Carroll’s column will be surprised to find that such violent moments are interspersed with huge helpings of levity." —Keziah Weir, Vanity Fair

“What [the book] offers, though, is a kind of literary impressionism, based on 75 years of lived experience—a sense of what it feels like to have pulsing veins and fiery nerves and a teeming mind and be caught within the cold infrastructures of sexism.” —Megan Garber, The Atlantic

“The writing… is just riveting. But it’s also journalistically very powerful, very precise, very careful” —Lawrence O’Donnell

"E. Jean is a terrific writer; she has mastered the difficult task of making her words sound like they're delivered in person, over a cocktail. " —Monica Hesse, The Washington Post

"Very funny” —The Brian Lehrer Show

"Fantastically written but so friendly to follow...Carroll’s book is readable in a way the Great Thinkers are not and can never be." —B. David Zarley, Paste Magazine

“Thoughtful, powerful” —Adam Rathe, Town and Country

“The most bitterly funny, fantastically furious book to explode out of the #metoo moment.” —Dani Shapiro, bestselling author of Family History

“Buy this book.” —Ed Kosner, former Editor-in-Chief of Newsweek, New York, and Esquire

“There isn’t another voice out there like E Jean’s.” —Lorraine Candy, Editor-in-Chief, London Sunday Times

“E. Jean is a know it all.” —Jane Smiley

"E. Jean Carroll is a force of nature, whose natural vibrancy has held readers in rapture for decades." —Nina Garcia, Editor-in-Chief, ELLE

Hilarious

Very funny story. Would recommend it to anyone, especially other women. Does not disappoint.

Told like stories around the campfire

Some books I read the hard copy at home or walking on the beach and listen to the Audible version while driving; this is one. She has a point. A reader will either get it or not. I don't expect to see much middle ground. I've always thought E. Jean's never been afraid to put herself out there. But talking about her personal experiences out there hasn't been so easy. Loved meeting so many interesting characters along the way. Thank you, E. Jean Carroll.

A tour de force

Fortunately I live at the end of a dead end road with the nearest neighbor about a half mile away. So as I walked the countryside listening to Why Do We Need Men, I did not have to concern myself with passersby looking at me askance because as I walked and listened to Why Do We Need Men, I laughed aloud, I guffawed, I chortled, and occasionally wiped a tear from my eye. I am sure the printed book is outstanding, but in the audio book, Ms. E. Jean puts on a performance for the ages. I am a man and, consequently, part of the butt of this book, but I don’t mind, I was able to take what criticism I deserved and listen on. So ladies and gents treat yourselves to an interesting experience and take a listen to Why Do We Need Men.

E. Jean is fabulous.

I didn’t know E. Jean was so funny. I had never read her columns etc. Thank you E. Jean for a terrific read and for presenting a view of the universe aligned with my own. Blessings to your darling poodle, Lewis C.

E. Jean’s courage in pursuit of a query for the ages

The question needs to be put to all members of the human race! The answer has baffled the female members for eons.