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The Hidden Case of Ewan Forbes
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 8, 2025
2.5
I thought it would be better.
I thought it would be better.
May 7, 2024
There are two listings of this book on Good Reads, not sure why. I am adding my review to the one that matches the cover for the book I have, maybe different versions in UK and US?
I read a lot of books about LGBT history and I was very disappointed with this book. It would fail as a GCSE history project and does not know what it is; an opinion piece, a trashy gossip column, and attempt at a biography etc. etc.. The premiss is that Ewan's case changed the legal system in regards to trans people changing their birth certificates in the UK, yet the author fails to provide any evidence for this claim.
It is over 300 pages long, and Ewan's case only takes up three chapters. The rest of the book reads like a mix of the author's ideas and opinions and hearsay/gossip. There are times when the author gives a reference for her quotes, but the majority of time she does not, and there is a lot of 'probably this, maybe that, possibly this other thing', thus the reader is left unsure about whether something is fact, opinion, or gossip. I found the most interesting section of the book aspects of history about gender services in the UK. However, the last chapter summarises some of the events in the UK in the last ten years, some of which are misrepresented, or inaccurate. Thus, it is impossible to tell whether the authors depiction of history is accurate. On a couple of occasions she says 'but no records were kept', but she fails to say how she came by the detail she is writing about, was it a dream?
The author would have benefited from a good editor and lots of fact checking.
The most shocking thing for me is the use of enforcements from the Times and the Sunday Times on the front cover. The Times is one of the most transphobic newspapers the UK, perpetuating fear of trans people in the UK. Shame on the author for using these.
I read a lot of books about LGBT history and I was very disappointed with this book. It would fail as a GCSE history project and does not know what it is; an opinion piece, a trashy gossip column, and attempt at a biography etc. etc.. The premiss is that Ewan's case changed the legal system in regards to trans people changing their birth certificates in the UK, yet the author fails to provide any evidence for this claim.
It is over 300 pages long, and Ewan's case only takes up three chapters. The rest of the book reads like a mix of the author's ideas and opinions and hearsay/gossip. There are times when the author gives a reference for her quotes, but the majority of time she does not, and there is a lot of 'probably this, maybe that, possibly this other thing', thus the reader is left unsure about whether something is fact, opinion, or gossip. I found the most interesting section of the book aspects of history about gender services in the UK. However, the last chapter summarises some of the events in the UK in the last ten years, some of which are misrepresented, or inaccurate. Thus, it is impossible to tell whether the authors depiction of history is accurate. On a couple of occasions she says 'but no records were kept', but she fails to say how she came by the detail she is writing about, was it a dream?
The author would have benefited from a good editor and lots of fact checking.
The most shocking thing for me is the use of enforcements from the Times and the Sunday Times on the front cover. The Times is one of the most transphobic newspapers the UK, perpetuating fear of trans people in the UK. Shame on the author for using these.
January 18, 2025
I was lucky enough to attend a talk by Playdon at my works LGBT+ group and found the subject she was talking on instantly fascinating. The fact that transgendered people could change their birth certificates at will and live in complete parity with CIS people was a complete eye opener to me. It was a part of LGBT history that I had never heard before and it gripped me. I instantly ran out to get her book (couldn't find it in a shop so had to resort to online) sadly I then let it sit there for several months before reading it.
The book tells the story of Ewan Forbes and his fight to live as he wishes and inherit his families title. We get a fantastic biography of Ewan which was fascinating in itself but the true highlight is his legal battle with his cousin over the rules of primogenitor inheritance.
Mixed in with the main story are lots of tidbits of trans history and other people who have found themselves in similar situations to Ewan or who's life has been affected by the outcome of Ewan's case.
The last chapter deals with issues bringing us up to current times and it is so depressing to see the freedoms of 50 years ago being steadily eroded over time. A really fascinating book.
The book tells the story of Ewan Forbes and his fight to live as he wishes and inherit his families title. We get a fantastic biography of Ewan which was fascinating in itself but the true highlight is his legal battle with his cousin over the rules of primogenitor inheritance.
Mixed in with the main story are lots of tidbits of trans history and other people who have found themselves in similar situations to Ewan or who's life has been affected by the outcome of Ewan's case.
The last chapter deals with issues bringing us up to current times and it is so depressing to see the freedoms of 50 years ago being steadily eroded over time. A really fascinating book.
July 23, 2024
It's a fascinating subject and I appreciate that it's sympathetic, but the execution isn't great. I wish someone else had picked up this subject. There's a lot of good criticisms out there already (apparently the legal facts are iffy, etc.), but the issue that really got to me was the persistent comparison of anti-trans bigotry, and anti-Black and orientalist racism, including the Jim Crow era and Blackface. One white person to another, it's a bit gauche, and you could argue about whether it's even analogous. (I would argue it is not.)
Someone wake me up when a biographer or historian writes a book on Ewan Forbes.
Someone wake me up when a biographer or historian writes a book on Ewan Forbes.
May 27, 2024
an interesting story and overview of trans history relating to law and medicine in the uk, a biography that was fairly dramatised. unfortunately every time the narrator on the audiobook did an accent i felt sick.
December 28, 2023
really really interesting book!! was quite long and a little slow to read at times but I found it good as an audiobook for when on the move :)
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews