Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson by Tourmaline

13 reviews

caseythereader's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny informative sad medium-paced

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Thanks to Tiny Rep Books for the free copy of this book.

 - MARSHA is the first biography of Marsha P. Johnson, and what a joy it is to see her full personhood.
- Even as someone steeped in the LGBTQIA+ rights movement, there was so much I didn’t know about Marsha and her extraordinary life. Tourmaline’s account leaps off the page (or the earbuds: I listened to the audio and she reads it).
- Importantly, this book captures both the joy and the pain of her life. We often speak of Marsha throwing bricks, but not of how often she was involuntarily institutionalized. Related to that, I was particularly struck by Tourmaline’s point that the Stonewall riots can (and should) be read through a disability justice lens along with a gay rights one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Deadnaming, Death, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Suicide, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Alcohol

shay43geek's review against another edition

4.75

emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia

Moderate: Deadnaming, Death, Mental illness

booksbydorothea's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense slow-paced

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5.0 stars
HIGHLY recommend

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. 

This book about the incredible Marsha P. Johnson was powerful. We learn about Marsha's life from her childhood to her untimely death. Marsha was so instrumental in the beginning of the LGBTQIA+ movement at Stonewall. Marsha was so many beautiful things who suffered so much and still persevered. She was amazing!

The amount of research, love, blood, sweat, and tears that Tourmaline put into this memoir is highly evident. It is a historical book for LGBTQIA+ generations and an educational book, period.  

For a more detailed review, check out my blog - booksbydorothea: 
https://booksbydorothea.blogspot.com/2025/04/marsha-tourmaline-earcebook-overview.html

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Lesbophobia, Outing, Injury/Injury detail