Do The Work: A guide to understanding power and creating change.

by Megan Pillow, Roxane Gay

Challenge your biases and broaden your understanding of power and how we wield it with this essential guide.
 
Power is complex. But Do The Work is a guide to navigating those complexities. From ancient theories of power to contemporary examples, from cultural patterns to personal insights, this guide provides a foundation for examining hierarchies and inequalities and establishes a framework for understanding power and how it shapes our lives and communities.
 
Between these pages, theory, commentary, and analysis create an engaging, creative, and mindful reading experience. This guide features approachable overviews of complex topics, thought-provoking questions, evocative illustrations, pages for your reflections, and steps we can all take to reframe our relationship to power and reinvigorate our desire to empower the people around us.
 
Thanks to the work of writer and scholar Megan Pillow, educator and New York Times bestselling author Roxane Gay, and New York Times bestselling illustrator Aurélia Durand, Do The Work is a must-read for a more just future—and a more equitable now.
 

Do The Work

• What can we learn about power from history and from our current moment?
• Who are the powerful, and who are the people denied power?
• Where are our own sources of power?
• How do we recognize our mistakes and become more self-aware?
• What does it mean to reclaim our power and to build community?


Do The Work

• How theorists from Aristotle to Hannah Arendt have shaped our understanding of power
• Why Kimberlé Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality is at the heart of power discussions
• What Laura Mulvey and Audre Lorde can teach us about power and gender
• How poverty, redlining, and The Voting Rights Act all illustrate power imbalances
• What the Stonewall Riots showed us about resistance and community
• How to train ourselves in collective thinking, and what it means to “choose the margins”


 

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Social Justice, Anti Racist, How To

112 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 18, 2024

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a really concise primer for anyone who is interested in social justice and wants to dip their toes in. While I would love for it to be the kind of book that would change who my boomer relatives are as people, this is not that. I think there are certain things about it that do bode well for convincing people or making people see things in a different light, such as grounding everything in research and scholarly discourse, but generally speaking, I would say this book is for people who at least know that things in our society are messed up and very unfair for many different groups of people. It provides really nice explanations and spaces for reflection on the topics of what power is and where people and communities derive power from, intersectionality, privilege, and different communities that are impacted by power discrepancies, such as the disabled community, people who are women, trans, or non-binary, and people of color. I think it would be a great book for a young person in high school or college to get them started on their journey to start making positive changes in our world!

[Hector · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good primer and quick read for those looking to start the new year reflecting on ways in which we (individually and collectively) can contribute to the bettering of society. As an added bonus, Do The Work has reflective exercises and engaging questions for consideration that make social justice more tangible.

[ahmad zaid · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like opinionated books.

Compared to opinionated people, opinionated books are easier to pick up, browse, process and put away for the time being. No worries about how your facial expressions give away your initial reactions. No worries about offence given or taken on any side. No worries if you walk away mid-argument.

So if you can’t deal with opinionated people, pick up an opinionated book. Do The Work is a good one to start with for a few reasons:

- It is what it says. The authors are unapologetic and sincere about their beliefs. No hidden agendas and meanings here.

- No pandering. Ideological books can take two extremes - preaching to the choir while excluding critics, and distorting views to get approval. Do The Work serves supporters, skeptics and fence-sitters fairly.

- Impact & influence of the ideology (woke, social justice, intersectionalism or whatever you wanna call it) on both society and individuals is significant. The authors have done a service putting this together as a solid starting point for anyone seeking to understand.

Fellow opinionated people! If nothing else, this book is a great example of clear writing, well-sourced references and solid structure. Whatever our opinions, if we can present and publish them in this way, I believe we’re doing the world a service.

But what if you read this book and disagree strongly?

That’s okay. The world will keep spinning.

Are you super offended? I’m sorry but you’ll have to learn by now that living in this world means dealing with fellow humans amongst us living everyday, breathing the same air but with different cultures and convictions. Practice being okay with this by reading more from people you disagree with and realising that they can hold their views, and you can hold yours.

And if you’re not offended but still agree, then at least you now understand an entire group of people better than before. Isn’t that beautiful? Isn’t that what we want, to understand and be understood?

We read to seek truth - not necessarily in the books we read themselves, but through the greater understanding each conversation with minds different from our own brings us. Thanks Megan & Roxanne for a great conversation.

16 May 2025
Kajang

[Neil Basing · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Do the Work' is a must-read for anyone & everyone.
- If you're an everyday person wanting to understand why it's important to show up for marginalised groups on a local & global level
- If you're working in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion & want to broaden your understanding of power & privilege
- If you're intrigued by history, sociology, psychology, culture
- If you are on a journey of allyship & want to know how you can help to make the world a more inclusive, aware place - and what actions to take

This is a comprehensive, accessible & meaningful read for all and there's so many insights, take-aways & moments of enlightenment. You can tell how much thought, consideration & passion has gone into writing this book by both Megan Pillow & Roxane Gay. It showcases theories past to present, modern day cultural references & powerful data, historical events & stories. There's space to reflect as you go through the work & make notes too to accompany & support your learning journey through the book. Plus it's visually stunning with bold colours & beautiful illustrations by Aurélia Durand. Loved it & highly recommend!

[Edie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books are rarely read in a vacuum. My reading of Do The Work was greatly impacted by Starling House by Alix E. Harrow - a book about small town secrets and generational trauma. Do The Work informed the way I processed the power dynamics in Starling House, and Starling House was the case study fresh in my mind as I read Do The Work. Although not it's primary purpose, the workbook works surprisingly well as a book club discussion guide. Thank you to the authors, Quarto, and NetGalley for the eARC.

Do The Work is an extremely compact exploration of power: what it is, how it impacts our lives, and what we can do about it. It provides the reader plenty of inspiration for further study with an excellent bibliography. And it asks thoughtful questions. This slim volume would work great in both small group and large conference settings. While it can be read and answered privately, I believe this work is best done in community. I hope every reader is left better informed and challenged to action.

[Suzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is ideal for introducing folks to a complex and often abstract idea that impacts each of us on a very personal and visceral way: power. As an educator, I think this book offers a simple yet respectfully rich discussion about the definition of power and all its intersections. The book includes reflective exercises for the reader to take inventory of their own conception of power and how it plays out in their own life. Additionally, the writers use thoughtful and current sources to support their argument about power and how people can understand and wield it for themselves, and they explicitly ask readers to use those sources to deepen their own knowledge and understanding of power in our world today. I’ve decided to adopt this book for an introductory composition course and as a starting point for students to conduct their own research on various socio-political, and/or environmental movements and how those movements are responding to and addressing power. Thank you, Roxanne Gay and Megan Pillow, for such a timely and accessible book on power.

[Ryan Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do the Work

14/2025.

This is a short, easy to use guidebook for those beginning to look at power structures and activism. I like the interactive nature of the questions it asks you to respond to on paper. But it gets at the heart of what power is, in a more tangible way, than (for example) Greene’s 48 Laws of Power. It then refocuses racism, sexism, ableism, and financial and political hierarchies as expressions of power and control. It asks very pertinent questions and provides space to answer.

It also points to a lot of useful follow-on material for studying the nature of power dynamics, intersectionality, and the social forces conserving and deploying power.

While it’s a bit basic for anyone who’s been studying these issues for a while, it’s a great door-opener for conversations in a small group (in fact, I wish I had done this one in a discussion group, I think I would have gotten more impact from it).

[Lavender · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good introduction to a better understanding of power - what it means, who holds it, who is prevented from having it, and how you can empower others. It begins with defining power and then contextualizes it with real-world events, both from American history and more recent examples. There are certain concepts presented that aren't easy to understand right away, especially if you are unfamiliar with the specific style of academic writing, which takes some extra effort and reading of the referenced text in its entirety to completely grasp.

The book is accompanied by questions at the end of each section that were helpful in being introspective and thinking through the information presented and what I thought about it. The text by itself would have provided plenty to think about, but it's with encouraging reflection with specific questions that this guide really works and why I would recommend it to anyone who wants to gain a better understanding of power in the modern world and in communities.

Thank you Netgalley for providing the eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Kira K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a really good book that encourages us all to check our own privilege and think about how power is used for and against others. I appreciated that the book also considered intersectionality and disability which I hadn’t expected going into this book as they aren’t too often covered in mainstream books on power, instead favouring race and gender. I liked the black and white illustrations throughout which gave a contemporary feel as this is still such a contemporary issue, regardless of some people’s beliefs. I also really appreciated the interrogate and reflect sections as it encourages us to apply our learning straight away and things like the check your privilege table will really help put things into perspective for a lot of people.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would first like to thank the author for letting me read an advanced copy of this book.

I will fully admit to not reading the description of the book when I first requested it from NetGalley. The subtitle is what really drew me in and I was surprised when the power I thought I was going to read about was not the power that was being discussed. This short in length read was extremely fascinating and eye opening to looking at power in a different light when it comes to marginalized populations. I especially liked the reflection questions that followed each section which allowed me to think about the text in relation to myself and my own experiences. This was definitely a good exposure piece into this topic and it has opened the door for me to learn more.

[Becky Robison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I’m friends with Meg Pillow. And I’m so proud of her for co-writing this necessary text with the legendary Roxane Gay. Seriously—if you’re worried about the current state of the U.S., this is the book you need to read. The authors do an excellent job explaining various academic and philosophical concepts in a simple way, and each chapter ends with a workbook section so you can examine your own biases and understandings to better prepare yourself to fight back against the current administration and build a more equitable world.

This review was originally published on my blog.

[Luca Nicoletti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do The Work is an accessible workbook-style intro to power structures and social justice. Think of it less as a manifesto or theoretical deep dive, and more as a personal trainer for your politics — guiding you through reps of reflection, with a light coating of theory to keep things grounded.
The lens is American through and through. That’s fine if you’re in the U.S., but for readers elsewhere (e.g. UK, Europe), it can feel narrow or misaligned.
It’s marketed as interactive, but sometimes the prompts are surface-level or repetitive. “Think about a time when…” gets old quick. Not every question lands.

[B.S. Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do the Work is a beautifully presented exploration into the dynamics of power within modern society and how it can oppress or help depending on how its wielded. Make no mistake, this is heavy and talks about violence, murder and prejudice but still does so in such a welcoming, accessible voice that was easy to follow and clear to understand.

This is a book of intersectional protest - covering race, disability, sexuality, class, gender and prompting the reader to *do the work* and think about it all while providing research, context and history.

[Cheyenne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group –Leaping Hare | Leaping Hare Press for this advanced reader's copy. This was a fantastic little workbook that speaks about power, inequalities, and who holds power. The book is broken up into sections with questions at the end of each section where you can answer and reflect on the power in your life- the power you hold and others around you and how it affects your life. Some things I was aware of, but it definitely opened my eyes to other ways I have privilege.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

1. I love anything that Roxane Gay writes
2. I love workbooks.
3. I love shareable bite-sized social justice learning.
4. I love books that combine art and text.

But I didn't love this book. I enjoyed it and I liked the organization, but I think it was a bit content-heavy for this accessible style of book (I prefer deeper explanations). Though, this is where we want content on power. So I recommend it; it just wasn't for me. One takeaway for me was the community privilege assessment and I look forward to working through those questions.

[Caylie Ratzlaff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this. 4/5 stars.

This is a really good introductory book for elements of power, oppression, and intersectionality. It had all the necessary information, was beautiful, and included elements of it being a reflective workbook. It definitely is more meant for people starting "the work" but I still found it a nice refresher of information that is the basis for any social justice work.

[Stroop · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clear, accessible, and beautifully illustrated guide that explores and reflects on power and who has it and doesn't have it (and how to tap into and reclaim power).

It is a quick and informative read with suggestions for additional reading and space to jot down your reflections on the complex questions posed throughout.

[Lecy Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wasn't what I expected ... it was better. I loved the workbook style of this book and it was the first I've ever seen in this genre. The book gave me a lot to think about when it comes to power and how to use what power I do have for good. What a great reference and workbook. *Advance copy provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

[Samantha Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal! Must read for anyone passionate about social justice work and taking true initiative towards creating change. I especially appreciate that there are a variety of actionable items & examples included for ways to enact change.

[T · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great place to start if you’re on the path to decolonize yourself. The bibliography and additional reading sections will have your Mount TBR full.

[Emily Feldman · Rating 4 out of 5]

not much content but good reflection questions

[Deedee Cummings · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read.

[Emily Thirion · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise primer for those who want to begin exploring the social justice space. Breaks down complex power structures in a way that anyone can relate to their own lives and communities.

[Lauryn Burkhalter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Basic

[Peter Andrus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very fast read. It almost felt too short, but then I started digging into the bibliography. That’s where the true value of this book comes out! Nice work

[Joan H]

After reading the ebook, I’m definitely getting the physical copy. The prompts are good for self reflecting!

[Bri Wyss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do The Work is a great introduction to the variety of power structures that exist in our world and thoughtfully invites readers to think about how power is at play in their personal lives and communities. The book is concisely describing complex and wide ranging issues, a difficult balance to strike. I almost consider this a mix between a zine and book. The discussion questions at the end of each chapter are thoughtful and would lead to great conversation!