Dawn: A Charleston Legend

by Dawn Langley Simmons

Following gender modification in 1968, Gordon became Dawn and married a black Charlestonian and was forced to move from South Carolina to escape hostility.

Genres: LGBT

192 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1995

About the author

Dawn Langley Pepita Simmons (15 October 1937,[1] or unknown date in 1922, depending on source[2][3][4] – 18 September 2000) was a prolific English author and biographer.[3] Born "Gordon Langley Hall", Simmons lived her first decades as a male. As a young adult, she became close to British actress Margaret Rutherford, whom she considered an adoptive mother and who was the subject of a biography Simmons wrote in later years.

Wikipedia

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm surprised looking at my Goodreads information that I only started this book 4 days ago, because it felt a whole lot longer. Simmons' story is interesting, but it's painful because of all the injustice and abuse she had to endure. I don't think she views her story that way; she always mentions neighbors and friends that helped her out of rough spots, but as a reader it was hard not to take her struggles to heart. Probably the most difficult part is when she writes about her husband, because he was mentally ill and abusive, but it's clear how much she loves him and prioritizes him even when he attacks her, cheats on her, and destroys things she loves. That was just hard to read about. It was also interesting to see that, from her point of view, society was relatively fine with her transitioning, but drew the line at her interracial marriage.

[Lirazel]

Anybody who knows anything about Charleston in the second half of the 20th century will tell you that Dawn was the queen of self-mythologizing, so I'm not sure how much of this book I actually believe. I know some of it is true, I know some of it is exaggeration, I know some of it is probably entirely made up, but I'm completely unable to determine which is which. Still, she scripted a colorful life for herself and we still talk about her all these years later. A Charleston legend indeed.

[Joey Sharpe · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a strange book yet charming in a very weird way.