Shift: A Memoir of Identity and Other Illusions

by Penny Guisinger

"A collection of memories throughout Penny Guisinger's life recounting her story of sexuality, love, and marriage"--

Genres: Memoir

190 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2024

Reviews

[Carl · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Shift" by Penny Guisinger is a compelling memoir that delves into the complexities of identity, relationships, and personal growth. Guisinger candidly recounts her experiences with women and men, navigating the challenges of a failed marriage and an affair that ultimately led her to her current wife. What sets this memoir apart is Guisinger's straightforward yet thoughtful integration of various disciplines, such as quantum physics and music theory, into her personal narrative. This approach adds depth to the storytelling, prompting readers to consider the nuanced aspects of identity and the interconnectedness of past and present.

The backdrop of rural, easternmost Maine and the national debate on same-sex marriage adds a layer of significance to Guisinger's journey. The rejection of her family's validity by neighbors serves as a poignant reflection of societal attitudes. "Shift" stands out as a sincere exploration of self-discovery and acceptance, moving beyond conventional narratives. Guisinger's storytelling is both impactful and intellectually engaging, leaving a lasting impression on readers as they contemplate the intricacies of the human experience.

A special note of thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC via Netgalley.

[Melissa Gopp-Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot emphasize enough how much I loved this book. This was my first exposure to Penny Guisinger’s writing, which reminds me of the way Jeannine Ouellette writes. She spends less time on telling the reader the surface events of her life (marrying a man and later falling in love with a woman) and focuses more on using metaphor and detail to evoke curiosity and feeling. What does it feel like for your life and identity to fall apart in the throes of parenting young children? How do you rally the courage to step off the edge of everything you’ve ever known? Especially potent is her story of a dying newborn mouse and its similarities to the inner conflict she experienced in taking action around her failing marriage and family. At the same time, her prose about falling in love with a woman is intoxicating. The overall structure is brilliant. I didn’t comprehend that structure while I was reading because I was too busy feeling my way through all the change. But by the end of the book, I could look back and see it, which makes me want to read the book again. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Hallie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not the first queer memoir I've read, and it definitely won't be the last. I always love reading about the experiences of other queer people, since each person's journey is never the same. Penny Guisinger's memoir proves the point that there is no one way to experience a queer awakening and a queer life. I loved that her overall narrative is far from straightforward, indeed nonlinear, which was a delightful way to relate her experiences, especially since being queer is not always the most straightforward of things in life. And I appreciated her candor in this; she takes a rather unflinching approach in discussing the decisions she made and the ways she changed, and how they affected not only herself, but others as well.

I also enjoyed how she tied in topics from music, geometry, astronomy, politics, and more with her story. It added a very interesting depth to her experiences and made me think about her recollections in new ways. And I honestly loved how, like the Möbius strip she discusses multiple times throughout, the beginning and ending tied together at a definable point, yet with a change in the journey. "Shift and back up." "Back up and shift." Statements that mean the same thing and different things all at once; static and dynamic states. Just like queer life, in all its beautiful complexities.

(Special thanks to NetGalley and University of Nebraska Press for a review copy.)

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I had a beer bottle wedged into a mesh cup holder hanging
below the arm of my chair. I got right to work peeling the label
from the exposed section of glass. I stayed on task throughout
the conversation.”

Who hasn't peeled a label off a sweating bottle during a hot, high stakes moment? This understated humor is one of the many elements in SHIFT that captured my heart. The book is also an intellectual treat, examining non-linear time in the context of personal and political “shifts” including coming out as lesbian.

The book also has a haunting relevance to the past decade’s Twilight Zone attacks on individual rights across the United States. Penny and her wife Kara lived through the approval and subsequent repeal of marriage rights on the state level in Maine, and one of SHIFT’s central aesthetic concerns is alternative timelines. These are developed through overlapping metaphors and excursions into physics and mathematics in brief, vignette-ish chapters.

SHIFT is a rare confluence of passion, humor, politics, and personal insight. Highly recommend.

[Laura Julier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a memoir about exploring identity, unpeeling the layers we're socialized into, coming into self-definition, and stumbling along the way into a deeply loving marriage. It's told in a non-linear way, and is a book that's structured with stunning mastery of form and restraint. I loved that it's not a linear narrative; I loved the ways Guisinger weaves in meditations on physics, mathematics, astronomy, time, breaking the sound barrier, and all sorts of other subjects not directly related to her story. They are forays into other fields of inquiry and other images to unpack or unfold a metaphor that comes back to her thinking about the shifts in identity and thought. And like the piece that begins with the social anthropologist Mary Douglas’s work, Guisinger uses this information often as a way to tell a part of her story without actually telling the story in ways we expect from linear storytelling. She doesn't so much tell what happened as allude to the importance of what happened.

[Lorena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this memoir about Penny Guisinger’s journey from growing up assuming she was straight, marrying a man, and having children, then growing increasingly frustrated with her life and falling in love with and marrying a woman. Throughout the book, the author describes various illusions and interesting situations and relates them to her shifting sense of identity, which was an interesting literary device.

I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys memoirs and stories of self-discovery or is curious about sexual and romantic fluidity later in life. Note that the book discusses marital infidelity and alcohol abuse and includes occasional swearing.

I received a complimentary ARC through NetGalley that I volunteered to review.

[Zach Strassburger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very quickly annoyed at the author’s choice not to structure the book more clearly. But then I got sucked in to her story, and I stopped caring so much about my ideas of structure and having everything make sense.
I read the book quickly, eagerly, searching for ideas and recognition. I have never been married to a man but I have certainly been in that marriage that isn’t working and you don’t know what to do, and the kids are small.
I am glad she seems happy now.
This book isn’t for everybody. But I’m very glad I read it.

I received a free advance e-copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy memoirs. There is something special about the window a memoir provides into someone else’s real lived experience. I like how memoirs expand my understanding of what it is to be human and at the same time have moments that are universal life experiences. I can relate fully to the idea of being focused on what my hands are doing during an important, life-changing conversation (in the author’s case, peeling the label off a beer bottle). And at the same time, the particular life-changing conversation shared here is different from my life experience.

This life story unfolds in short vignettes that are touching, ironic, romantic, sad, painful, and occasionally nerdy. And queer.

[Jill Martine]

I thought this book included a lot of interesting life stories and reflections. There were also clever comparisons, like coming out being like a map that has folds and creases from all the times it has to be taken out and used.

I would've liked it better if I felt a clearer distinction between the chapters and what the ultimate goal was for sharing certain stories when they were shared. It felt a bit stream of consciousness and could've been organized to make it more compelling.

[Deborah Shepherd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautifully crafted memoir about Penny Guisinger's transformative shift in identity moves sometimes gradually and sometimes at warp speed; now, slow and measured, now in free-fall. Past and present intersect, as the course of the author's life alters and she must explore the question of identity in all its complexities. In the end, Shift is a graceful and grateful celebration of love, told by a consummate author. I'm so glad I read this book.

[Emma Bootsie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s almost impossible for me to read this book without hearing Penny’s voice (we overlapped our time in our MFA program) telling these stories with her personal flair for dry wit and candor. Moments made me laugh juxtaposed with life’s serious questions about life, love, raising children, politics, and a dash of quantum physics. This memory moves quickly, telling a story that took place over several years. And I loved every word.

[Anne Pinkerton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful chronicle of a woman's self-discovery and journey into living her truest life —moving from a world of unsatisfying hetero-normativity to one of delighted, if fraught, deep homosexual love. Guisinger deftly utilizes math, imagery, sound, and other symbolism to illustrate transitions in her way of thinking about herself in relationships. Chapters are efficient in their language and pack a punch. This was a quick and satisfying read. Highly recommend.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guisinger's "Shift" touched my heart deeply as she reaches for the stars and science—drawing on everything from quantum physics to music theory to palmistry—to make sense of her changing identity, reminding me that sometimes we need the whole universe to explain the journey happening inside ourselves, and showing that even the most personal transformations can be understood through the magic and wonder of how our world works.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. This was a beautifully written memoir, and took me back to a specific time in queer history, which I appreciated. If I could've given 3.5 stars I would. It felt like the story lost it's punch toward the end, but I still think it's a great story of coming out later in life and the ripple effects it can have.

[Becky King · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the connections to music, history, nature, physics, math, etc. the parallels she drew reflects the complexity of how we view / understand ourselves. Guisinger’s attention to detail & her use of metaphor is lovely to read!

[Jennifer Dupree · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so smart. A memoir of identity, yes, but also about perception, about re-thinking firmly held beliefs, about making mistakes and having the grace to go on. In short, about being human. This is a really, really well-done memoir.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t put this down…such a compelling story of a lovely human working it out.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard Penny read from and talk about her books right here in Eastport, Maine. And so I was happy to see Shift available at my local library. I read it quickly, even stayed up past bedtime to finish it.