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A review by halfass_reviewer
Miss Major Speaks: Conversations with a Black Trans Revolutionary by Miss Major Griffin-Gracy
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
I think I should let this book; the gravity of it, the meaning of it rest on my mind for a little, but then I'll forget what I read while I'm at work trying to do this review. So I think I'm going to do a review now (@12:32 in the morning) and if I remember anything later I'll come back and update the post.
Let me tell you first how I knew it was meant for me to read this book. I was on Verso's website bored at work scrolling through their catalog when I saw the book for the first time. I rushed to the library's website and we had an audiobook copy of it but it was checked out so I put it on hold. The next morning I received an email from Queer Liberation Library and after setting up an account with them I saw they had the book in their catalog so I knew it was meant to be. Then that night I got home and discovered I had received a package from 'Every Black Girl Is a Best Seller' and guess what book was in there? That's right this masterpiece of an interview was. I started it on Friday and read a section every night before bed. Honestly, I thought it was a collection of essays because I hadn't comprehended the title correctly. Had I known though I would've kept my hold at the library and still listened to it (and I may go back later in the year to do that). Anyway, this was an open and honest (to a certain degree) but it's such a necessary conversation. I felt like I was simultaneously learning about Miss. Major's life while also learning how to be an ally. How to organize. How to be a voice for those who are voiceless. I believe Miss. Major to be one of those aunties that you come to for advice but you also know it could get you in trouble. This book showed why it's important to give (y)our elders their flowers while they are still with us and to a degree Miss. Major talks about that to. I'm not saying that every trans person or trans ally or hell anyone really should read this book, but dammit it wouldn't hurt them to read this.
Let me tell you first how I knew it was meant for me to read this book. I was on Verso's website bored at work scrolling through their catalog when I saw the book for the first time. I rushed to the library's website and we had an audiobook copy of it but it was checked out so I put it on hold. The next morning I received an email from Queer Liberation Library and after setting up an account with them I saw they had the book in their catalog so I knew it was meant to be. Then that night I got home and discovered I had received a package from 'Every Black Girl Is a Best Seller' and guess what book was in there? That's right this masterpiece of an interview was. I started it on Friday and read a section every night before bed. Honestly, I thought it was a collection of essays because I hadn't comprehended the title correctly. Had I known though I would've kept my hold at the library and still listened to it (and I may go back later in the year to do that). Anyway, this was an open and honest (to a certain degree) but it's such a necessary conversation. I felt like I was simultaneously learning about Miss. Major's life while also learning how to be an ally. How to organize. How to be a voice for those who are voiceless. I believe Miss. Major to be one of those aunties that you come to for advice but you also know it could get you in trouble. This book showed why it's important to give (y)our elders their flowers while they are still with us and to a degree Miss. Major talks about that to. I'm not saying that every trans person or trans ally or hell anyone really should read this book, but dammit it wouldn't hurt them to read this.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use, Genocide, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual assault, Transphobia, and Police brutality