Empathy and Eyebrows: A Survivalist's Stories on Reviving Your Spirit After Soul-Crushing Sh*tstorms

Between her time as a radio host, television figure, and social media personality, Danni Starr has never been afraid of sharing her opinion. In this book, she takes you on a whirlwind tour of her own life and beyond, with plenty of personal perspective and #BlackGirlMagic to go around.

From her struggles with workplace discrimination to the wild Rumspringa of her post-divorce months, from postpartum depression to the joys of friendship, Danni tells her story with honesty, humor, and moxie to spare. Despite its lows, life has given her plenty of joys—good friends, an empathetic gift, lovely daughters, and a great pair of eyebrows. They’re unorthodox weapons to be sure, but with them she’s faced down everything that’s been thrown at her and forged a wicked set of survival skills in the process!

Let Danni take you on an entertaining, enlightening, and engaging tour through her life. All you need to join is some empathy—and, with any luck, the brows to match.

The first section begins with a piece by Dave Morice and one by Allan Kornblum which include their recollections of the day Darrell Gray created the Actualist Manifesto, followed by pieces that give somewhat of an overview of Actualism in Iowa City and the San Francisco Bay Area.

The second section includes the individual biographies, poems and publications of the Actualists and the community that inspired them. Some began in Iowa City and migrated to the Bay Area and elsewhere. It was a magical mix of poets and writers, artists, actors and playwrights, teachers, musicians, publishers, translators and booksellers.

The third section covers the Actualist events and antics in Iowa City and the Bay Area.

The fourth focuses on the stories of two of the publishers closely associated with this group of writers: The Toothpaste / Coffee House Presses, and The Spirit That Moves Us Press.