Osa Atoe reviewed Coal to diamonds by Beth Ditto
Review of 'Coal to diamonds' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
This book is worth the read for any fan of Gossip, punk rock, riot grrrl, for anyone queer who came up in a small, Southern town, for abuse survivors, for feminists and those who believe art can play a part in creating a more just world.
The writing itself is so-so but in the spirit of punk rock, skill and technique aren’t the most important thing here. My honest opinion is she should have waited until she was older to write a memoir. She was in her early 30s when this book came out and her life has unfolded immensely since then, most notably with her career in acting.
For me, as someone who knew Beth, lived in Portland during the early to mid-2000s and eventually became her label mate, I was fascinated to learn details that I was unaware of. It’s a short, easy read which makes it perfect for alienated teens searching for a glimmer of hope outside of their current reality.