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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
challenging
funny
medium-paced
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Daniel M Lavery it seems I’ve grown quite fond of you tho there are no sexual urges or desires you come to me as a long lost friend whom I once picked apples with in papa’s orchard...
This book made me feel like I was having a strange and wonderful conversation with a friend with all the pop culture dissections and tongue-in-cheek reflection. The sarcastic personas of Aphrodite, Lord Byron, etc go from scathing to desperate, and I was constantly surprised by the care behind the jokes and impressions. There's a constant sense of searching for descriptors and vocabulary to make sense of situations and experiences that was refreshing; you get the feeling that you Know where Lavery is, the way you might Know yourself but now have trouble articulating exactly how you got there. Lavery does this through memories and the analysis of media and vignettes I can only call literary collages all mixed together in a beautiful little stew. I have rarely laughed so much as a book that then turns around and knocks me to my knees with emotion. I can't stop thinking about this quote, from a section where Lavery takes on persona and it starts so satirical, so onstage performace that when it dissolves into this kind of desperation it overtook me:
"I mean, if I were thirty years younger—if I were twenty five years younger—if I were eighteen years younger—God, if I were just ten years younger—if I were a year and a day younger—if I were a month younger—if you'd asked me just five minutes ago, four and a half even, if I'd picked up on the first ring instead of the third, I'd transition. Hell, I'd transition. Oh my God, I wish I could transition. Ask me again, but sooner. Come back yesterday. Come back a week ago. What good are you to me now, when I'm—this? Where were you when there was still summer in my heart? Come back a month ago, a decade, but come back to before I had to forgive you. Just come back and ask again; I'll wait if it takes forever this time."
This book made me feel like I was having a strange and wonderful conversation with a friend with all the pop culture dissections and tongue-in-cheek reflection. The sarcastic personas of Aphrodite, Lord Byron, etc go from scathing to desperate, and I was constantly surprised by the care behind the jokes and impressions. There's a constant sense of searching for descriptors and vocabulary to make sense of situations and experiences that was refreshing; you get the feeling that you Know where Lavery is, the way you might Know yourself but now have trouble articulating exactly how you got there. Lavery does this through memories and the analysis of media and vignettes I can only call literary collages all mixed together in a beautiful little stew. I have rarely laughed so much as a book that then turns around and knocks me to my knees with emotion. I can't stop thinking about this quote, from a section where Lavery takes on persona and it starts so satirical, so onstage performace that when it dissolves into this kind of desperation it overtook me:
"I mean, if I were thirty years younger—if I were twenty five years younger—if I were eighteen years younger—God, if I were just ten years younger—if I were a year and a day younger—if I were a month younger—if you'd asked me just five minutes ago, four and a half even, if I'd picked up on the first ring instead of the third, I'd transition. Hell, I'd transition. Oh my God, I wish I could transition. Ask me again, but sooner. Come back yesterday. Come back a week ago. What good are you to me now, when I'm—this? Where were you when there was still summer in my heart? Come back a month ago, a decade, but come back to before I had to forgive you. Just come back and ask again; I'll wait if it takes forever this time."
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
I hadn't realised I enjoyed this book until I was towards the end of it. A delightful retrospective on trans-ness, religion and the intersection of those in the authors life. The writing bounces from personal anecdotes to stylised retellings of myths and biblical verses, all of which are refreshing contrasts of previous chapters while seguing into each other neatly.
I recognise, sadly, that most memoirs will not be like this; this will be a treasured gem of a fictional/biographical blend.
I recognise, sadly, that most memoirs will not be like this; this will be a treasured gem of a fictional/biographical blend.
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
I can confidently say I am nowhere near as smart as Lavery, as truly so many of the references in this book (literally, biblical or otherwise) went right over my head but I nonetheless loved the humour and creativity of this book so much. He'd probably hate to know I loved the transition/memoir content the most - particularly his ambivalence around transition and identity as a man (loved the joke of trans men being men, but good). Lots of laugh out loud moments and furiously underlined passages. Danny Lavery is a gem.
funny
reflective
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
tense
fast-paced
4.75 instead of 5 only because some of the obscure references that I didn't get. An amazing memoir that made me laugh AND cry
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced