Transcendent: A Memoir

by Laverne Cox

Four-time Emmy-nominated actress Laverne Cox shares her journey as a transgender woman in Hollywood, confronting childhood trauma, shame, gender identity, her transition, body image issues, her search for romantic love, deep-seated feelings of unworthiness, and ultimately, healing.

Laverne Cox is a powerhouse in the fight for transgender rights and representation—but her path from a struggling trans actress to a cultural movement was anything but easy.

Surviving a childhood full of trauma, dealing with depression, and working at a drag restaurant in New York City for seven years, Laverne was turning forty and felt it was time to throw in the towel when it came to being a Hollywood star—then she booked the character of Sophia Burset in Orange is the New Black. Her world changed overnight.

She made history as the first openly transgender person nominated for a Primetime Emmy, starred in a range of high-profile shows, and became the first transgender person to win a Daytime Emmy as executive producer on Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word. A red-carpet fashion icon, podcast host, and fearless advocate, she uses her stardom to champion LGBTQ+ rights, whether on Hollywood’s biggest stages, her personal channels, or at Supreme Court hearings. And she’s only getting started.

In Transcendent, you will experience life in Laverne’s shoes, from her childhood abuse to making her big break, dealing with Hollywood bureaucracy, feeling lonely in a world that is unaccepting, and finding her voice through the chaos of it all. With behind-the-scenes stories and personal reflection, we can heal and fight for equality, right alongside Laverne.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Audiobook, LGBT, Queer, Biography, Biography Memoir

238 pages, Hardcover

First published June 9, 2026

Reviews

[Angie Miale]

As a cisgender reader who strives to be a better ally, I know I will never fully understand what it means to be transgender. What I can do is listen, learn, and make space for transgender people to tell their own stories. Transcendent helped me do exactly that.

In this powerful memoir, Laverne Cox reflects on a life that has been filled with both beauty and pain, shame and joy, struggle and triumph. Growing up as a Black Christian child in Alabama, she wrestled with questions of identity, belonging, and self-acceptance long before the wider world knew her from Orange Is the New Black.

What I appreciated most was how thoughtfully Cox connects her personal experiences to the broader history of transgender people. She explores changing language, cultural attitudes, and the realities of living in a society that often misunderstands or marginalizes transgender communities. Throughout the book, it is clear she has spent years doing the difficult work of making meaning from her experiences and transforming painful memories into stories that can help others.

One of the memoir’s greatest strengths is its honesty. Cox doesn’t shy away from discussing shame, discrimination, or the difficult choices that can arise when opportunities for representation are limited. Her reflections on visibility, progress, and the complexity of representation are nuanced and thought-provoking.

At just 255 pages, this is a relatively short memoir, but it packs an incredible amount of insight into those pages. I also loved the photo section featuring images from her childhood through her rise to Hollywood and beyond.

More than anything, Transcendent reminded me that listening is one of the most important parts of allyship. If you’re looking to add a memoir by a transgender author to your reading list, this is an excellent place to start.

Content notes: transphobia, discrimination, bullying, violence, shame, discussions of mental health.

Who should read this?

* Readers looking to deepen their understanding of transgender experiences
* Fans of memoirs that blend personal storytelling with cultural history
* Anyone who admired Laverne Cox’s work in Orange Is the New Black
* Readers seeking meaningful Pride Month recommendations

Thank you to Gallery Books⁠ for the finished copy.

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany)]

Vulnerable, moving, funny, and absolutely engrossing. This memoir is definitely a favorite and Laverne Cox opens up about harrowing moments from her childhood, the early years of pursuing acting while transitioning, and how her eventual rise to stardom occurred after years of work. I loved it and I hope this reaches people who don't have a lot of empathy for or understanding of trans people and the threat of violence they so often live with day to day. She also addresses some controversies in a way that felt genuine to me, though I don't know how everyone will respond. I'm glad I picked this up. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.

[R.J. Sorrento]

So I guess I rate memoirs now? To be a 54 year old Black trans woman in the U.S. is an accomplishment, and Laverne Cox has done so much more beyond surviving. She shares an honest, tough to read at times account of her life, and all that she has overcome and accomplished. For anyone who wonders how difficult daily life is a for a Black trans woman, please read this book to gain an ounce of understanding. Trans people have always been here, and they have never been the problem. Thank you to Libro FM for the ALC.

[Cole]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Thank you Gallery Books for the #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!

You may know Laverne Cox from her 4(!) Emmy nominations, her multiple television roles, or even her iconic “The Transgender Tipping Point” cover on Time magazine. And sure, Cox has let us into her world before through other outlets, but this memoir explores themes she’s never shared with anyone (not even her therapist!). She walks readers through how she went from a humble beginning in Mobile, AL, made her way to NYC, and became a breakout star in Netflix’s Orange is the New Black. Cox has been an advocate for so many causes, namely queer and trans rights across the, across the screen, and across the courtroom. This is a memoir about her ~transcendence~ in the industry.

This book has absolutely everything you’d want from a memoir: from describing her origin story to landing a major role with Emmy nominations, and every hustle in between that made it all possible. But Cox also describes some of the not-so-glamorous parts, including having to educate media hosts on discussing trans folks (and not their bodies) or even dating a M*GA cop. There’s also so much nostalgia baked in: remember when Orange is the New Black was Netflix’s first and only streaming show, and how radical that was? Remember those days when the world felt like we were at least moving forward on trans rights, not regressing and attempting to regulate away trans identities? This book will challenge you no matter what, and the vulnerability is precisely what makes Cox an amazing “possibility model.” I highly recommend it!

Reviewed as part of an #ARC from the publisher.

Read this book if you:
👗 ever shopped at Salvation Armani
☕️ owe so much for your own origin story to a late-night coffee shop
🏳️‍⚧️ Sophia Burset was your favorite character on Orange is the New Black

Follow me on Instagram for more book reviews!

[Tara Cignarella]

Transcendent by Laverne Cox
Book 118
5 Stars (4.6 Amazon 4.27 Goodreads)
Release Date 6/9/26
Audio
Words 94,000
#whiskersandwordsbookreview #onesentencereview #transcendent

----- A very telling and well told memoir, good on audio.

Have you watched Orange Is the New Black?

[Ali]

It is always so hard to read about all the tragic things that some people are forced to endure just because they are different from what is deemed to be the norm. Laverne Cox opens up about her childhood and the many hardships she faced during that time in her life. She walks us through how she became the star she is today even though so many people did not think her capable. I’m glad she made it and didn’t give up on herself when faced with cruelty and adversity. She has paved the way for so many trans people and I’m grateful she is sharing some of her story.

[Annie M.]

🎧. Laverne is Mobile’s finest export. what a book!

[Siona Adams]

Really heart felt. I enjoy Laverne a lot whenever I see her in something and it was nice getting to know more about her. COTS is iconic

[Brittany Luebbert]

4.5⭐ I absolutely flew through this. It wasn't flashy or sensational. It was simply a compelling story told with vulnerability, warmth, and insight. I was invested from beginning to end, and the length felt just right.

[Sarah | coffeereadrepeat]

A must read! I was a loyal watcher of Orange is the New Black and Sophia Burset, played by Cox, was always my favorite character. While Sophia is very different from Cox herself, both of their experiences are so different from my own and I think that’s why I gravitate towards them - it’s important to listen and learn from those unlike yourself. Despite others trying to tear her down or change her, Cox has always stayed true to herself and stood up for what she believed in. She came across as strong and genuine in this memoir.

Cox narrates this one herself and the very beginning was a little bumpy, but she quickly found her groove and settled into the narration. It was well done!

[Rachel]

Oh wow, how much did I need to listen to this right now? 100% needed to. Very much. A bunch. Because Laverne Cox has told a powerful story and neither sugarcoated nor inflated her truth. It’s equally tragic and hopeful. And the way that progression from hopeless to hopeful, the challenges along the way, and honesty about therapy made me step back and reevaluate myself. Part of my story is like hers. But a lot of my story is nothing like hers. I truly learned from her. I learned a lot about the transgender experience and how I was not remotely close to understanding how I might be participating in micro aggressions without intention. But participating nonetheless. The portion about how she has helped change and define entertainment and interviews that focus on or include transgender talent and storylines is enlightening. And further opens my mind to a population I don’t understand as well as I need to.

And I feel inspired to more meaningfully examine myself. Am I living my truth? Am I healed enough? Am I walking in hope? Do I have a true and appropriate goal to work toward? Do I need to adjust my goal?

Then there is this giant boulder of a question: was I cared for or loved?

It’s a book I will listen to again.

[Amanda’s Booked Up]

An incredible story that was very well told. Laverne Cox is a celebrity but her memoir is about so much more. An honest look at one trans woman’s lived experience growing up in a time and environment where her identity was widely unknown of and unaccepted. This memoir reminded me of Jeanette McCurdy and Viola Davis’s memoirs. I would highly recommend to any reader interested in learning more about the transgender experience or who loves a celebrity memoir with depth.

[Azriana]

5 of my immediate thoughts after finishing this book:

1. Easily one of my top memoirs of the year!
2. Whew, thank you my Gemini sistah for sharing your story! I pray that it especially reaches those who need it most.
3. EVERYONE needs to read this!
4. I love that she narrated her own story! It engaged me that much more.
5. As someone who is also in therapy doing the work to heal my inner child, I always appreciate hearing others’ journeys. It is not easy, but it’s so worth it!

[Lara]

"Now I sensed I was more than the simple inconvenience I’d been made to feel like every day of my life..."

"My body was numb, shut down. I couldn’t even cry. The idea didn’t even occur to me because I knew she would just yell harder, louder, meaner. I left my body, sitting there in silence, praying it would all be over soon."

"I felt deeply proud..."

[Tiffany]

Once again I went blind into a memoir without knowing the celebrity or person and I had my heart broken, my head was shaking and my mind was fuming over everything that Laverne was put through. Laverne always seemed to keen to be her true self, even if the voices in her head tried to say otherwise at times and her mother (ugh) really made me work so hard to just be *accepted*. This world would be a vastly different place if Laverne did not keep her head high, the swagger in her steps and those goals set in front of her.

I am very grateful that in my life I have supportive parents, loving friends who are accepting of all and will never hesitate to stand up for what is right, but I know a lot of people do not have this.
Love is love, every body matters, support trans rights, black lives matter and seeking therapy is healthy.

This was a great read and the audiobook is also fabulous (also narrated by Laverne)

[Aprile]

An icon, in every sense of the word and role.

Very proud that my grad school was on your speaking tour <3

[Zoe Zeid]

Wonderful memoir read by the author. I highly recommend the audiobook. It made me want to rewatch Orange is the New Black! I learned a lot about the trans community as well!

[Grace Stafford]

SO good. I hadn't realized Cox was close with and respected bell hooks, but that explained why I didn't necessarily always vibe with Cox's activism. Honestly really surprised this memoir is <300 pages because a lot of her life is covered here and not glazed over.

[Brodie]

Incredible story and storyteller. I could listen to Laverne all day (obviously I listened to the audiobook).

[Matthew Hanna]

Cool memoir to read, always loved Laverne on screen and had no idea the abuse she endured to get where she is. For a celebrity memoir, I loved it!

[Tara]

Best celebrity memoir I’ve read in a longtime. She has had a very interesting life. She doesn’t really name drop or get very dishy about celebrities, but her life is interesting enough that it’s not missed. She’s also able to educate while remaining interesting, which isn’t always easy. She’s very bright and I learned a lot about trans people of color. I really wish she’d cut her mom out of her life though. I’m sad she still feels the need to have a relationship with her.

[Ludovic Bernard Allard]

Moving memoire about such a powerful woman. A woman a concider as Queen Mother and a trailblazer to queer and trans folks accros platforms and all media’s alike. This hits close to home.

[Katie]

An absolute must-read. Laverne's story is incredible from her childhood trauma to her discovery of her talent to her perseverance in both love and career. A remarkable woman! I really enjoyed listening to her tell her own story in audiobook.

[DPW]

“Transcendent” is an amazing memoir told by actress Laverne Cox. I am so glad that I read it. I only knew Laverne from her time on “Orange is the New Black” but this story tells of her struggles from childhood through adulthood. Her sexuality, gender identity, race, and financial status all provided her many challenges. To her credit, she learned how to overcome and frankly celebrate her accomplishments. I especially liked learning about her childhood and her twin brother.

As a cisgender male, I would recommend this as a must-read for any LGBTQ+ allies who are looking to gain a better understanding of the life of those who are transgender.

[Karli Sherwinter]

I listened to this as an audiobook read by the author herself and felt like I was right there with her in the room. It is so hard for me to hear stories of kids who don’t have the support of their parents. It took Laverne a very long time to feel secure in her identity and to find the people who truly love and support her. She has done a tremendous amount of educating and advocacy work alongside her deep commitment to her craft.

[Kade]

If you ever wonder what it’s like to grow up and know who you are but have that truth literally and figuratively beaten out of you…read this book. If you ever wonder what happens when you finally lean into your truth and become who you were meant to be, and then have doors open for you that you never dreamed possible…read this book. I listened to Laverne read the audiobook, which won’t be for everyone because she can be a bit affected and dramatic in her reading, but either way, I think this book is worth your time.

[CeCe Mamallo]

The pics at the end made me emotional. I love Laverne Cox and learning about her life!!

Literally can’t imagine the hate she experienced from strangers by just existing as a trans woman.

She really showed that your life can peak/ramp up at any age. Nice reminder as a gal in her 20s feeling like I need to do everything I want in my 20s lol.

[Brooks Estrada]

Went in blind to this memoir and left having learned so much more about Laverne! I loved her in Orange is the New Black and have enjoyed following her career since then, but going back to her childhood and learning more about the before added so much depth to my understanding of her!

[Lisa Kornetsky]

I am not a huge memoir fan but this audio book was available and I have always found her an interesting actor. Given the times we are living in, I found her story to be interesting and worth hearing. With all that she has been through, we see a trans woman who has triumphed!

[Timothy]

Laverne Cox’s story in Transcendent is an important one that truly needs to be told—and read. While her journey is distinctly her own, I found powerful traces of familiarity throughout her words that really stayed with me. It sparked so much meaningful reflection as I read. Every moment spent with this book was time well spent. Highly recommended!