Whistle Stopper - She's Not There: A Life in Two Genders

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Manufacturer: Broadway

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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780767914291
ISBN: 0767914295
Label: Broadway
Manufacturer: Broadway
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 320
Publication Date: 2004-08-10
Publisher: Broadway
Release Date: 2004-08-10
Studio: Broadway

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Spotlight customer reviews:

Customer Rating:

Summary: Somewhat Engaging book on the hardships of a Transsexual
Comment: I read this book in order to learn more about transsexuality after reading True Selves because a friend of mine recently came out and I was totally blown away. Ms Boylan tries her best to sort out her pros and cons of accepting who she is throughout the book that represents her life. She suppresses and tries to accept her identity as a Male from childhood to adulthood without much success. Even though she tells side stories of others she has met along the way I do not think Ms Boylan truly recognizes that she has a privilege over others like her because of the accepting community she lives in and her wealth. Since the book is also a little self obsessed at times I think is the reason I gave this product three stars.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Hard to Follow
Comment: While I appreciate the courage it must have taken the author to write this story of her life I found this book difficult to follow. It jumps around in time which in this particular case made it difficult for me to really gain a sense of what the author's journey entailed. If you are looking for a book that reads like a story versus an informative resource on transgendered individuals then this might be for you. Personally I was hoping for more of the latter.

Customer Rating:

Summary: A life in two genders - a poignant and painful rendering....
Comment: A few years ago, I was perusing a beloved local bookstore when I came across this book. I don't usually gravitate towards non-fiction but I was intrigued when I read the jacket. At the time, I was taking Constitutional Law with a transgendered professor and had developed an interest in transexuality and transgendered rights (as an aside, my professor argued the first transgendered paternity suit in front of the CA Supreme Court!).

Anyway, I can't tell you how glad I am that I took a chance on this book!

The story is about Jennifer Finney Boylan's experience with transsexualism and how her struggle to embrace her true identity affects every aspect of her life and the people around her. Born a male (in a physical sense) and named "James," Jennifer recounts her journey towards becoming the woman she is today. Her story is often a painful one, particularly as Jennifer recounts the emotional turmoil that Grace (her wife) and her two children have had to endure as a result of Jennifer's decisions. However, Jennifer conveys her story with an incredible sense of humor and class and I often found myself reading her words and wanting to cry and laugh at the same time.

Jennifer's story does end in a complete surgical and hormonal transition so I would note that if you're looking for guidance on this subject, her very honest recounting of the experience may be helpful to you. I would like to say, however, that I did NOT get the sense that Jennifer believes that this type of transition is the answer for every transsexual but only that it was the right option for her.

Even if you've had no previous interest in gender studies or you don't think you have a reason to read this book, I implore you to consider doing so anyway. I was pleasantly surprised to note the considerable effect Jennifer's touching story had on me!

Customer Rating:

Summary: I read this book some time ago
Comment: I was amazed how this book just took me into it. I read it very fast and before you knew it I was done. It is written in a very comfortable reading style. I have the other book that he has written so I will be interested to see if I feel the same about that one.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Refreshing and eye opening
Comment: Boylan's memoir opens a dialog not only around transgendered issues, but for conversation about anyone who's ever felt isolated, like they didn't belong in their own skin. Recommend to just about anyone!

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Editorial Reviews:

The provocative bestseller She’s Not There is the winning, utterly surprising story of a person changing genders. By turns hilarious and deeply moving, Jennifer Finney Boylan explores the territory that lies between men and women, examines changing friendships, and rejoices in the redeeming power of family. Told in Boylan’s fresh voice, She’s Not There is about a person bearing and finally revealing a complex secret. Through her clear eyes, She’s Not There provides a new window on the confounding process of accepting our true selves.

“Probably no book I’ve read in recent years has made me so question my basic assumptions about both the centrality and the permeability of gender, and made me recognize myself in a situation I’ve never known and have never faced . . . The universality of the astonishingly uncommon: that’s the trick of She’s Not There. And with laughs, too. What a good book.” —Anna Quindlen, from the Introduction to the Book-of-the-Month-Club edition.