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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Trans: A Memoir jumped out at me when I saw it on the shelves. It wasn't mystically titled, trying to apply a soft focus to what the book was really about so that people would pick it up. A blunt title that told you everything you needed to know and I wanted to read it. Jacques' articles were vaguely familiar to me although I've heard from numerous people that she was someone to look into (note, I intend to read more of her work after reading this book). Jacques doesn't just discuss her transition process, she discusses films, music, literature and football, and it was nice to see a collage of her interests around her story. There were moments where I found reading this book difficult due to my own experiences; maybe some people could find this book purely helpful whereas I found it, in some segments, triggering. However, this is a really strong memoir about an even stronger woman, and I'm sure anyone who is going through the same things, knows someone who is, or merely has an interest in gender itself, will thoroughly enjoy as well as appreciate this book.
I devoured this in a day. I first discovered Jacques and her work through a left wing podcast I listened to after the 2019 Labour election defeat. She has her own podcast where she interviewed Corbyn about culture which is really good and I really recommend it. This book is as engaging as listening to her speak, which is to say very engaging. I particularly loved the writing on Almodovar, a filmmaker I am very fond of, and of course, I always love women writing about football even if it is about Norwich! I hope Jacques one day gets to write that Justin Fashanu biography, I would definitely read it! One thing I thought a lot while reading this was that Jacques reminds me of my parents friends, which is a compliment. Really looking forward to her fiction work which comes out soon!
emotional
slow-paced
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
informative
reflective
slow-paced
A deeply personal insight into the process of gender transition, with plenty of commentary about the cultural climate in Brighton and Manchester in the early 2000s. I particularly liked reading about Jacques' relationship with music and the local scenes, and thought she articulated quite acutely and evocatively how it feels to be dysphoric and what that means for everyday existence as a trans person. I also liked that the theoretical side of things was explained mostly in layman's terms - feminist and transgender theory can often be quite jargon-heavy, so it was a pleasant surprise to have it be so accessible.
I do feel at times the memoir was weighed down a bit with unnecessary detail (especially in dialogue), but overall, an insightful and compelling read that's critical for anyone with even a passing interest in gender politics. Also, any book that ends with a Talking Heads lyric is a-ok by me.
I do feel at times the memoir was weighed down a bit with unnecessary detail (especially in dialogue), but overall, an insightful and compelling read that's critical for anyone with even a passing interest in gender politics. Also, any book that ends with a Talking Heads lyric is a-ok by me.