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Beautiful Monster: A Becoming
by Miles BorreroA breathtaking, exquisitely crafted memoir about a trans person&’s singular journey through breaching the boundaries of gender—across generations, cultures and borders—to become his truest, most authentic self.Nearing the age of forty, with an entire life already lived as a woman—half in Colombia, half in the US—Miles Borrero comes face to face with his father&’s impending death. Suddenly realizing that he has been stalling his transition for fear of losing his family&’s love, this moment catalyzes Miles&’s determination to be fully known as his father&’s son before it is too late. In Beautiful Monster, Miles chronicles his unusual childhood, by turns riveting and hilarious, in &’80s and &’90s Colombia during the Pablo Escobar years, as well as his move to Salt Lake City to pursue acting and the winding trajectory that eventually lands him in the New York City yoga scene. Within these very different cultures, the realities of being queer and trans echo poignantly through the triumphs, heartbreaks, family dynamics, spiritual pursuits, and relationships that propel Miles along his path. Sublimely nuanced and written in ravishing prose that is as unique and irresistible as its subject, Beautiful Monster is one person&’s story of navigating the pressures to perform femininity while becoming a gender outlaw. Brimming with wonder, humor, and mythos, entertaining and enlightening in equal measure, this book offers a compelling case for embracing one&’s true nature.
Outside Voices: A Memoir of the Berkeley Revolution
by Joan GelfandBerkeley, 1972: a hotbed of creativity where painters, filmmakers, musicians, and writers inspire a young poet.Second-wave feminism, inspired by Gloria Steinem, Bella Abzug, and Betty Friedan is swelling into a tsunami. Women are joining together to change power dynamics in politics, the home, and the workplace. On election day, Joan Gelfand casts her vote for George McGovern and boards a plane from New York to California. With one introduction to a woman musician, Joan&’s journey to become a writer is born. Embraced by a thriving women&’s community of artists, filmmakers, musicians, poets, and writers, Joan is encouraged to find her voice. Mentored by paradigm-changing writers, Joan finds the courage to face her darkest fears through poetry and art, mining the trauma she experienced after losing her father and questioning her Jewish identity. Reminiscent of Paris in the twenties, Greenwich Village in the sixties, and Berlin in the eighties, Berkeley in the seventies was the &“it&” city of America. Outside Voices reports the ups and downs of finding one&’s way as an artist, living with a women&’s band, forging an independent Jewish identity, founding a women&’s restaurant, and becoming a published writer and songwriter while exploring the limits of sexuality and spirituality. The story includes road trips to music festivals in the woods, beaches in Mexico, concerts in Southern California, and a retreat in the Pacific Northwest. A triumphant story of determination and will, Outside Voices is a backstage look at the women&’s movement that sets the stage for decades of change. This book is a firsthand look at how the power of community emboldened innovation, social change, and self-discovery.
Curveball
by Eric GoodmanA star rookie pitcher is making a statement in his first major league season—but will the secret he&’s been keeping derail everything he&’s been working toward?&“Eric Goodman&’s Curveball dwells in its details in the most fascinating way—and it reaches far beyond its baseball setting to become a first-rate intergenerational drama as well as a delightful read.&” —T.C. Boyle &“Goodman does a fine job depicting the conflicts of a young player… In this knowing, compelling novel…&” —George Vecsey, georgevecsey.com Jess Singer, pitching prodigy and son of the infamous Jewish Joe Singer—who starred on the mound for the same MLB team twenty-five years earlier—is blessed with a plus-plus curveball, possesses immense athletic abilities, and is on the fast-track to stardom. But he&’s harboring perhaps the most potent secret a professional athlete can possess: his sexual preference. In this briskly paced, highly entertaining novel following three generations of Singers during Jess&’s first year in The Show, Eric Goodman imagines what life might be like for a gay baseball player. Will Jess live in a confined closet or do what no baseball player has done yet? Goodman charts Jess&’s path with tremendous sensitivity and grace, while detailing a season as riveting as watching your favorite underdog take their shot at the golden ring. Written with Goodman&’s usual flair, humor, and zing—not to mention his deep knowledge and love of baseball—Curveball is a feel-good love story in which virtue and a wicked curve triumph over considerable adversity. &“Fast and fun, Curveball, like its predecessor, In Days of Awe, is the best kind of sports story—gripping, poetic, and down-to-the wire. Even the non-fan will get swept away. This isn&’t just a story about baseball...it&’s about family and secrets and love, and about what&’s passed on from one generation to the next. I don&’t know anyone who writes about baseball like Eric Goodman. He&’s got the savvy of an old pro, and the velocity of a young prospect.&” —Rajiv Joseph