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A Wild and Precious Life
A lively, intimate memoir from a marriage equality icon of the gay rights movement, describing gay life in the 1950s and 60s New York City and her longtime activism.
"Brash, funny and brave." --NPR
"A captivating and inspiring story of a queer woman who believed in her right to take up space and be seen."-- BuzzFeed
"Windsor's story fighting for what she believed in is one that will leave readers inspired." -- NBC OUT
Edie Windsor became internationally famous when she sued the US government, seeking federal recognition for her marriage to Thea Spyer, her partner of more than four decades. The Supreme Court ruled in Edie's favor, a landmark victory that set the stage for full marriage equality in the US. Beloved by the LGBTQ community, Edie embraced her new role as an icon; she had already been living an extraordinary and groundbreaking life for decades.
In this memoir, which she began before passing away in 2017 and completed by her co-writer, Edie recounts her childhood in Philadelphia, her realization that she was a lesbian, and her active social life in Greenwich Village's electrifying underground gay scene during the 1950s. Edie was also one of a select group of trailblazing women in computing, working her way up the ladder at IBM and achieving their highest technical ranking while developing software. In the early 1960s Edie met Thea, an expat from a Dutch Jewish family that fled the Nazis, and a widely respected clinical psychologist. Their partnership lasted forty-four years, until Thea died in 2009. Edie found love again, marrying Judith Kasen-Windsor in 2016.
A Wild and Precious Life is remarkable portrait of an iconic woman, gay life in New York in the second half of the twentieth century, and the rise of LGBT activism.
"Brash, funny and brave." --NPR
"A captivating and inspiring story of a queer woman who believed in her right to take up space and be seen."-- BuzzFeed
"Windsor's story fighting for what she believed in is one that will leave readers inspired." -- NBC OUT
Edie Windsor became internationally famous when she sued the US government, seeking federal recognition for her marriage to Thea Spyer, her partner of more than four decades. The Supreme Court ruled in Edie's favor, a landmark victory that set the stage for full marriage equality in the US. Beloved by the LGBTQ community, Edie embraced her new role as an icon; she had already been living an extraordinary and groundbreaking life for decades.
In this memoir, which she began before passing away in 2017 and completed by her co-writer, Edie recounts her childhood in Philadelphia, her realization that she was a lesbian, and her active social life in Greenwich Village's electrifying underground gay scene during the 1950s. Edie was also one of a select group of trailblazing women in computing, working her way up the ladder at IBM and achieving their highest technical ranking while developing software. In the early 1960s Edie met Thea, an expat from a Dutch Jewish family that fled the Nazis, and a widely respected clinical psychologist. Their partnership lasted forty-four years, until Thea died in 2009. Edie found love again, marrying Judith Kasen-Windsor in 2016.
A Wild and Precious Life is remarkable portrait of an iconic woman, gay life in New York in the second half of the twentieth century, and the rise of LGBT activism.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published October 8, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
October 16, 2019
Edie Windsor never could have expected to be at the forefront of a Supreme Court decision that would ultimately provide marriage equality at the federal level in the United States, and yet that’s exactly where she found herself in 2015. While that one day in June would catapult her into being an international icon within the LGBTQIA+ community, it was merely one defining moment in a life full of them. From her first moment of personal acceptance as a lesbian to her rise up the ranks of IBM, with all the love and loss that came along the way, she truly lived a wild and precious life.
While Edie Windsor became famous for The United States vs. Windsor, it’s almost quaint that it’s become the most discussed portion of her life—and that’s perhaps why her memoir pulls the focus away from the court. With fierce confidence tamped down by wicked fun, Edie lays out a life not totally unlike many lesbians who navigated the 1950s and 60s. After ending an early marriage to a man, she grabbed at every opportunity she could, eventually entering the world of IBM as a computer programmer and finding love that would last four decades. She attacks these sections, spelling out the facts, warts and all, in her trademark firecracker style.
Unfortunately, Edie died before completing this book. Fortunately, her co-author, Joshua Lyon, picked up the pieces and delivered an incredibly moving portrait. Lyon leaves Edie’s voice intact, letting her guide the action. But he also adds sections after every chapter which give greater depth and historical context for what was happening at the time. Through his own research as well as her own files, he provides a rich examination of both Edie and the world she occupied. Rather than seeing Edie only as she saw herself, Lyon taps into a host of contemporaries, including himself, who knew her. And while no one glosses over the difficult portions of her life, the result is a true celebration.
Inspiring and deeply entertaining, A Wild and Precious Life shows what all memoirs should be.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book through NetGalley.
While Edie Windsor became famous for The United States vs. Windsor, it’s almost quaint that it’s become the most discussed portion of her life—and that’s perhaps why her memoir pulls the focus away from the court. With fierce confidence tamped down by wicked fun, Edie lays out a life not totally unlike many lesbians who navigated the 1950s and 60s. After ending an early marriage to a man, she grabbed at every opportunity she could, eventually entering the world of IBM as a computer programmer and finding love that would last four decades. She attacks these sections, spelling out the facts, warts and all, in her trademark firecracker style.
Unfortunately, Edie died before completing this book. Fortunately, her co-author, Joshua Lyon, picked up the pieces and delivered an incredibly moving portrait. Lyon leaves Edie’s voice intact, letting her guide the action. But he also adds sections after every chapter which give greater depth and historical context for what was happening at the time. Through his own research as well as her own files, he provides a rich examination of both Edie and the world she occupied. Rather than seeing Edie only as she saw herself, Lyon taps into a host of contemporaries, including himself, who knew her. And while no one glosses over the difficult portions of her life, the result is a true celebration.
Inspiring and deeply entertaining, A Wild and Precious Life shows what all memoirs should be.
Note: I received a free ARC of this book through NetGalley.
October 24, 2020
This is a joyful and engrossing memoir of an incredible human being that I wish I'd had the chance to meet. She passed away before it was completed but her co-writer, Joshua Lyon, does an excellent job of filling in the gaps and telling her story and the story of her relationship of 44 years with Thea Spyer. It was hard to put down and I highly recommend it not only for the compelling story of Edie but a riveting history of the LGBTQ rights movement. I loved reading this.
August 21, 2019
Edie Windsor's best-known legacy will forever be the 2013 Supreme Court case of The United States vs. Windsor. This case overturned the section of the Defense of Marriage Act which stated that only one woman and one man could claim the rights associated with marriage, including inheritance rights. Windsor had been forced to pay inheritance taxes on her deceased spouse Thea Spyer's estate that she wouldn't have had to pay if either she or her spouse had been male. Windsor's case brought American LGBT people and same-sex relationships further along the path to full legal equality.
This is not what A Wild and Precious Life is about. This is a full memoir of Windsor's life, written with plenty of assistance by Joshua Lyon. Windsor died in 2017, so Lyon interviewed other people who had been part of Windsor's life to complete the job. The book alternates between Windsor's wonderfully intelligent voice and amazing stories and passages by Lyon that provide another point of view or some historical context. For example, after Windsor recounts her relatively comfortable adolescence in Philadelphia during World War II, Lyon mentions that Thea Spyer, her future spouse, was escaping the Nazis in the Netherlands at that time.
Windsor's story is an amazing one of a determined, brilliant, willful, and confident woman trying to create the best life for herself and, eventually, the love of her life. She was born Edith Schlain, but in her early 20s, she asked the man who wanted to marry her to change his last name to Windsor because she didn't wish to be Mrs. Weiner. He complied, and she ended up divorcing him after 6 months when she realized that she was never going to be a straight woman. (The man, Saul, changed his last name back to Weiner, but Edie remained Windsor for the rest of her life.)
Windsor's life encompassed many key moments in 20th century American history before she became a part of early 21st century history. Her descriptions of lesbian life in the 1950s and 1960s are valuable for anyone interested in that time and place. So is her account of her career as an early computer programmer at IBM. She became well-known for her skills at debugging programs. Technology would remain an important interest of hers. She would have the first IBM personal computer in New York City.
Edie and Thea both left a trail of broken hearts behind them, but eventually, they found each other. Their love story is complex and fascinating. They eventually begin to pass on some hard-earned good advice, including using a number system to describe their anger (similar to the pain scale a medical doctor uses), "keep it hot", and "don't postpone joy". Even after Thea was weakened by MS and Edie became her caretaker, they practiced what they preached.
This book will no doubt be inspirational for many gay and bisexual people. It is also a fantastic story of love, persistence, and the American quest for freedom and authenticity.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC, and to St. Martin's Press for granting my wish at NetGalley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This is not what A Wild and Precious Life is about. This is a full memoir of Windsor's life, written with plenty of assistance by Joshua Lyon. Windsor died in 2017, so Lyon interviewed other people who had been part of Windsor's life to complete the job. The book alternates between Windsor's wonderfully intelligent voice and amazing stories and passages by Lyon that provide another point of view or some historical context. For example, after Windsor recounts her relatively comfortable adolescence in Philadelphia during World War II, Lyon mentions that Thea Spyer, her future spouse, was escaping the Nazis in the Netherlands at that time.
Windsor's story is an amazing one of a determined, brilliant, willful, and confident woman trying to create the best life for herself and, eventually, the love of her life. She was born Edith Schlain, but in her early 20s, she asked the man who wanted to marry her to change his last name to Windsor because she didn't wish to be Mrs. Weiner. He complied, and she ended up divorcing him after 6 months when she realized that she was never going to be a straight woman. (The man, Saul, changed his last name back to Weiner, but Edie remained Windsor for the rest of her life.)
Windsor's life encompassed many key moments in 20th century American history before she became a part of early 21st century history. Her descriptions of lesbian life in the 1950s and 1960s are valuable for anyone interested in that time and place. So is her account of her career as an early computer programmer at IBM. She became well-known for her skills at debugging programs. Technology would remain an important interest of hers. She would have the first IBM personal computer in New York City.
Edie and Thea both left a trail of broken hearts behind them, but eventually, they found each other. Their love story is complex and fascinating. They eventually begin to pass on some hard-earned good advice, including using a number system to describe their anger (similar to the pain scale a medical doctor uses), "keep it hot", and "don't postpone joy". Even after Thea was weakened by MS and Edie became her caretaker, they practiced what they preached.
This book will no doubt be inspirational for many gay and bisexual people. It is also a fantastic story of love, persistence, and the American quest for freedom and authenticity.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC, and to St. Martin's Press for granting my wish at NetGalley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.
October 12, 2019
Edie Windsor really did lead a wild and precious life!
Edie had a brilliant mind, a passion for life, and the stubbornness you need to make love last. She became internationally famous for taking on the supreme court regarding discrimination against the LGBTQ community, but while incredibly important, that case came in the last decade of her life and this book focuses more on all the living she did both before and after.
Given where we find ourselves today and that Edie literally had to fight the government for the rights many heterosexuals take for granted, I believe this is a particularly poignant and timely story with love and discrimination the two recurring and intertwined themes. As she passed away before this book was completed, her co-author wisely chose to intersperse the chapters with tidbits from her loved ones as well as history. Edie lived from The Great Depression though wars, the civil rights movement, and the beginning of AIDS and it was interesting to hear her take on major historical events.
So many of us need the reminder of the stories of others throughout history. The story of a gay woman who had to hide who she was and who she loved, who excelled in a field largely dominated by men, who still managed to be bold and unapologetic, is one for us all.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
Edie had a brilliant mind, a passion for life, and the stubbornness you need to make love last. She became internationally famous for taking on the supreme court regarding discrimination against the LGBTQ community, but while incredibly important, that case came in the last decade of her life and this book focuses more on all the living she did both before and after.
Given where we find ourselves today and that Edie literally had to fight the government for the rights many heterosexuals take for granted, I believe this is a particularly poignant and timely story with love and discrimination the two recurring and intertwined themes. As she passed away before this book was completed, her co-author wisely chose to intersperse the chapters with tidbits from her loved ones as well as history. Edie lived from The Great Depression though wars, the civil rights movement, and the beginning of AIDS and it was interesting to hear her take on major historical events.
So many of us need the reminder of the stories of others throughout history. The story of a gay woman who had to hide who she was and who she loved, who excelled in a field largely dominated by men, who still managed to be bold and unapologetic, is one for us all.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
April 6, 2021
There was a point in this book where I thought about Edie and her girlfriend, Thea, and thought to myself, “I really hope that they were able to get married when marriage equality was passed in the US.” And then it dawned on me that these two women are a huge reason marriage equality was passed in the first place. These two women are a huge reason I was able to marry my husband in the US. It is true — heroes don’t come in capes, they are everyday people like you and me who are courageous enough to speak up and make change. What I enjoyed most about this book was reading a first hand account of someone growing up gay in America, through so many LGBT historical moments. I also thoroughly appreciated learning that, in addition to being an LGBT equality pioneer, Edie pioneered as a woman in tech working at IBM in the 1960s — a trailblazer in a whole different realm. Clearly, she is a woman you just want to cheer for. A few favourite quotes from the book for me had to be when Edie describes what it is like to just start discovering you are gay. She writes, “It's difficult to explain how a brain and body can know what it's attracted to sexually but still prevent you from knowing that those feelings help define who you are.” I have never been able to find the words to describe what those feelings are before you realize you are gay but Edie sums it up perfectly. Edie's motto, among many, is, “Don't procrastinate joy.” While it is a great motto for everyone, I also think it especially speaks to coming out of the closet — there is so much joy and living you are missing out on when you hide in a closet. This motto brings me to another favourite quote. Edie is walking home from the hospital after Thea had a serious heart attack. Edie writes again about not wasting time, about recognizing joy when she says, “As I walked through our neighborhood, I realized the streets were eerily quiet, but every now and then, I’d pass a couple holding hands and feel a pang in my heart. I wanted to run up to each one and tell them to revel in that exact moment, the simple act of strolling together, skin against skin, because it wouldn’t last.” Thank you, Edie, for recognizing that there were no gay role models or leaders when you were growing up so you became one yourself. Thank you for recognizing you had nothing to apologize for and blazing a trail that has direct impact on me today.
October 31, 2019
This is a powerful and lively biography of a long and adventurous life. It's not about the historic U.S. v. Windsor Supreme Court case -- but we learn just how much Edie Windsor and Thea Spyer meant to each other over 40 years together, and how much their marriage meant when it came time for Ms. Windsor to file suit. And, reading about Ms. Windsor's tumultuous life, and pioneering career in high tech, a reader might not find it surprising that she took the leadership role she did. We read of her life and times, of a New York LGBT scene from the closeted 1950s to the Stonewall period and onward, and of her own rising self-consciousness and confidence.
This is mostly autobiographical, in the first person, well under way when she died in 2017. In that sense, the story told "with Joshua Lyon" does not seem ghost-written; rather, Mr. Lyon did a sensitive job of adding commentary and context with each chapter, and completed the book with considerable research in Ms. Windsor's accumulated papers, letters and notes. In that sense, he was a kind and intelligent curator of her literary estate, and her biography is a luminous and life-affirming story. Others, has Mr. Lyon notes, can and should write more about aspects of her life and her legal importance. Here, however, Ms. Windsor speaks to us, and she comes to vivid life. Highly recommend.
This is mostly autobiographical, in the first person, well under way when she died in 2017. In that sense, the story told "with Joshua Lyon" does not seem ghost-written; rather, Mr. Lyon did a sensitive job of adding commentary and context with each chapter, and completed the book with considerable research in Ms. Windsor's accumulated papers, letters and notes. In that sense, he was a kind and intelligent curator of her literary estate, and her biography is a luminous and life-affirming story. Others, has Mr. Lyon notes, can and should write more about aspects of her life and her legal importance. Here, however, Ms. Windsor speaks to us, and she comes to vivid life. Highly recommend.
November 10, 2019
I find myself crying, thankful that this account exists so that I could bear witness to such a lovely, long-lasting relationship.
Despite the fact that she was well-known among NYC’s lesbian community, I had never heard of Edie Windsor before her landmark Supreme Court case. A case that was being argued on March 27, 2013 as Gloria and I were getting married in New York City’s Carl Schurz Park.
Gloria and I—as well as countless other LGBTQ+ couples—owe a debt of gratitude to Edie’s grit and determination and I wish more people would read this book so that they might not just understand that we are all just humans or that love is love, but also that this brave woman is a pioneer and a hero who deserves acclaim and recognition across the USA.
Despite the fact that she was well-known among NYC’s lesbian community, I had never heard of Edie Windsor before her landmark Supreme Court case. A case that was being argued on March 27, 2013 as Gloria and I were getting married in New York City’s Carl Schurz Park.
Gloria and I—as well as countless other LGBTQ+ couples—owe a debt of gratitude to Edie’s grit and determination and I wish more people would read this book so that they might not just understand that we are all just humans or that love is love, but also that this brave woman is a pioneer and a hero who deserves acclaim and recognition across the USA.
June 3, 2020
Edie Windsor has been my role model ever since I caught the endearing tale of her very long engagement to Thea Spyer at an LGBT film festival in Lisbon. Her larger than life personality fills the pages of the book, her tremendous love for Thea leaves us wishing that their life had been easier. Being a lesbian in the 50s, 60s and 70s must have taken a lot of courage!
And of course once Thea died the fact that Edie took on the United States(!) to get her marriage to be recognized, going all the way to the Supreme Court and obtaining a landmark ruling that paved the way for same sex marriage to be legal throughout the country!
I am and will always be in awe of former IBMer Edie Windsor!
And of course once Thea died the fact that Edie took on the United States(!) to get her marriage to be recognized, going all the way to the Supreme Court and obtaining a landmark ruling that paved the way for same sex marriage to be legal throughout the country!
I am and will always be in awe of former IBMer Edie Windsor!
November 10, 2022
Incredibly beautiful to read as a queer afab person. This book shares with the reader, a deep and gloriously rich look into an almost forgotten world of historic queerness. Told through the lens of Edie Windsor, every chapter draws you into a world before queerness was allowed to exist public spaces. By the end of this book, I felt like I knew each and every person Edie loved, as well as she did herself. This book is truly a beautiful account of her life and relationships before her supreme court legal battle. Very well worth the read!
November 22, 2020
I absolutely love this book. This is one of the first autobiographies that I've ever read and it surprised me. I laughed I cried and it made me want to fall in love a really really felt all the emotions what a wonderful crazy Life she lived.
February 4, 2025
Not saying mother an entire minute challenge
March 17, 2021
EDIE WINDSOR IS AN ABSOLUTE ICON
October 2, 2019
Edie Windsor must have been quite a character. Windsor was the lead plaintiff in "United States vs Windsor", the landmark Supreme Court case which overturned Section 3 of DOMA, and led the way to gay marriage country-wide. But Edie Windsor was a news-maker and trend-setter her entire life.
Edie Windsor began her memoir, "A Wild and Precious Life: A Memoir", after the court case. She died before the book was finished and her co-author Joshua Lyon finished it up, and annotated much of what Windsor wrote. The resulting book is like a wild-ride through her girlhood in Philadelphia, through her college years, and into her career in computers. But as important as her career was to her, she became very active in the LGBTQ movement. She writes a lot about how she came out to herself, and then led a double life for many years - straight at work, gay at home. She also writes about her long time affair/ultimate marriage to Thea Spyer.
As with most memoirs, Edie wrote about people and events as seen through her eyes. Joshua Lyon occasionally "cleans up" after Edie by interviewing people and gently correcting Edie's memory, (if needed). It's an interesting memoir.
Edie Windsor began her memoir, "A Wild and Precious Life: A Memoir", after the court case. She died before the book was finished and her co-author Joshua Lyon finished it up, and annotated much of what Windsor wrote. The resulting book is like a wild-ride through her girlhood in Philadelphia, through her college years, and into her career in computers. But as important as her career was to her, she became very active in the LGBTQ movement. She writes a lot about how she came out to herself, and then led a double life for many years - straight at work, gay at home. She also writes about her long time affair/ultimate marriage to Thea Spyer.
As with most memoirs, Edie wrote about people and events as seen through her eyes. Joshua Lyon occasionally "cleans up" after Edie by interviewing people and gently correcting Edie's memory, (if needed). It's an interesting memoir.
February 25, 2020
Wow. What a story. Edie Windsor was a super smart, self-assured woman who loved deeply and passionately. Being rich certainly afforded her many comfortabilities (which she readily acknowledged). It also gave her many opportunities — including the 2013 court decision that paved the way for marriage equality in the US. Bonus: she grew up in Philadelphia!
April 25, 2020
I so enjoyed how Joshua Lyon handled completing this book after Edie passed away - it was sensitively done and his additions at the end of each chapter also provided interesting background and insight to Edie's life, relationships, and the writing process.
September 2, 2025
Absolutely wild that I haven’t heard about Edie Windsor before picking up this memoir! A woman in tech who played a pivotal role in the equal marriage act movement!!! This woman was an absolute icon - in her style, personality, career, activism. And more people should definitely be talking about her. This story is not about her case against the USA but rather her as a human and now that I “know” her - everything she fought for - makes so much sense.
Now I must give flowers to the writer - they took an incredible amount of control in writing honestly about Edie’s life. There is no walking on eggshells about how early on she chose the life of a privileged woman who could hide her pride from the world and could cocoon herself amongst her riches. This control was evident but also did not hamper the story of this woman - her first great love makes you tear up like it was a romance story and eventually growing into an activist- finally suing the US government. Her growth through her life was beautiful to read and her motto to truly live life to the fullest left me feeling so warm. There are not many non-fiction tales that move me such - and this is one I shall remember (while having mental breakdowns at work perhaps).
Now I must give flowers to the writer - they took an incredible amount of control in writing honestly about Edie’s life. There is no walking on eggshells about how early on she chose the life of a privileged woman who could hide her pride from the world and could cocoon herself amongst her riches. This control was evident but also did not hamper the story of this woman - her first great love makes you tear up like it was a romance story and eventually growing into an activist- finally suing the US government. Her growth through her life was beautiful to read and her motto to truly live life to the fullest left me feeling so warm. There are not many non-fiction tales that move me such - and this is one I shall remember (while having mental breakdowns at work perhaps).
June 21, 2021
Edie Windsor, you absolute ICON! What a powerful, emotional, and inspiring read! I love that this book focused not on the landmark case we as a broader society know Edie for, but on her beautifully rich and complex life, as well as the broader social and political climate impacting the LGBTQ+ community in our country spanning from the 1950s and on. Joshua Lyon also did a wonderful job honoring Edie’s legacy and finishing this memoir following her passing. I cannot recommend this book enough!
(2021 Read Harder Challenge #4 - book on LGBTQ+ history)
(2021 Read Harder Challenge #4 - book on LGBTQ+ history)
September 22, 2021
Engaging read about a dynamic and charismatic person. This story of Edie Windsor’s life is not as ‘warts and all’ as the writer claims but has enough grit to keep it interesting. I identified with Edie’s early struggles to connect with a community. Selfless and egoistical by turns, she ultimately benefited by continually giving of her amazing — and seemingly limitless— inner strength. And many types of non-traditional American couples benefited from her landmark Supreme court case win.
August 30, 2023
Edie Windsor was an absolute hero. Her story is absolutely beautiful. I experienced so many emotions through this entire story. I love the writing style - hearing her story, as well as the writer’s interview details was fascinating.
July 14, 2021
Such an uplifting book.
May 28, 2024
10/10, amazing, no notes. Incredible life story and well-written.
September 19, 2025
Randomly picked this up in Barnes & Noble, and totally fell in love with Edie reading it. Her and Thea’s love story made me cry so many times, the book feels so alive and full of love.
June 13, 2023
One of the best, most moving memoirs I’ve read. Even though Edie is most known for her 2013 Supreme Court case, the memoir mostly tells the story of Edie’s life up until that point, including her beautiful 44 year marriage to Thea Spyer. What an incredible, intimate, gorgeous look into what queer life was like throughout the 20th century. I laughed and cried through this book. I can’t wait to read it again.
August 30, 2022
A great story of/by a very great woman who did so much for us.
September 6, 2022
This book was absolutely amazing! Edie and her wife Thea were trailblazers for ALL LGBTQ humans! I am so thankful for them and blessed to read their story!
September 14, 2019
Edie Windsor didn't become an LGBTQ+ icon by choice, but her decision to fight for equal rights was truly life-changing for many people in the LGBTQ+ community (myself included). If it wasn't for Windsor's battle to avoid paying inheritance taxes after her partner of 40 years died, same-sex marriage would probably still be illegal in the United States. Thankfully, she not only fought that battle but won. I'm grateful for her personal sacrifices every single day because they made it possible for me to marry the love of my life.
This book is so much more than an examination of that very important court case, though. It's a true autobiography that covers much of Windsor's life in the '50s and '60s. There are also biographical sections that were pieced together by the co-writer after Windsor passed away in 2017. Readers are taken on a wild journey through Windsor's life, including her six-month first marriage to a man and the extremely turbulent beginning of the 40-year relationship that ultimately changed U.S. law.
Windsor was rightfully known as a firecracker. She was also a brilliant IBM technology manager whose love of computers certainly made yet another notable difference in the nation's development. From 1958 to 1975 she worked her way up the IBM chain, which led to her being the first person in New York City to have an IBM PC.
This book is inspiring, tragic, romantic, turbulent, and triumphant. Highly recommended to everyone, not just members of the LGBTQ+ community. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.
This book is so much more than an examination of that very important court case, though. It's a true autobiography that covers much of Windsor's life in the '50s and '60s. There are also biographical sections that were pieced together by the co-writer after Windsor passed away in 2017. Readers are taken on a wild journey through Windsor's life, including her six-month first marriage to a man and the extremely turbulent beginning of the 40-year relationship that ultimately changed U.S. law.
Windsor was rightfully known as a firecracker. She was also a brilliant IBM technology manager whose love of computers certainly made yet another notable difference in the nation's development. From 1958 to 1975 she worked her way up the IBM chain, which led to her being the first person in New York City to have an IBM PC.
This book is inspiring, tragic, romantic, turbulent, and triumphant. Highly recommended to everyone, not just members of the LGBTQ+ community. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.
October 23, 2019
It must be immensely challenging to be working with someone on their memoir, only to have them pass away before the book is finished. I think the coauthor did an amazing job of filling in the blanks left at Edie Windsor's death.
She was a remarkable woman who made a significant difference with the "wild and precious life" she had. I have worked in LGBT advocacy for several decades, and while our paths did not cross while she was alive, some people I know are mentioned in the book, and am reasonably familiar with the world she inhabited. I went to the Supreme Court the day her case was argued before the Court, and read some of the briefing in her case, and so it was wonderful to know the woman behind the pleadings.
Because she's gone, the book gets a pass on whether editing should have been tighter and whether the flow could have been better, as all of those are things that could only be fixed with the assistance of the memoir's subject. If you care about the subject matter and find memoirs interesting, then you'll want to make sure you read this book.
I was provided with an advance copy of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
She was a remarkable woman who made a significant difference with the "wild and precious life" she had. I have worked in LGBT advocacy for several decades, and while our paths did not cross while she was alive, some people I know are mentioned in the book, and am reasonably familiar with the world she inhabited. I went to the Supreme Court the day her case was argued before the Court, and read some of the briefing in her case, and so it was wonderful to know the woman behind the pleadings.
Because she's gone, the book gets a pass on whether editing should have been tighter and whether the flow could have been better, as all of those are things that could only be fixed with the assistance of the memoir's subject. If you care about the subject matter and find memoirs interesting, then you'll want to make sure you read this book.
I was provided with an advance copy of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 11, 2020
Excellent memoir. Edie Windsor passed away slightly before the book was completed, and the way the co-author embellished the end of each chapter with information gleamed from friends, relatives, research into her vast collection of documents and memorabilia was truly a gift. Being able to fill in the blanks with others’ perspectives made the memoir all the richer.
I also enjoyed the forthright descriptions of her sexual life/sexuality, both at a younger age and as she got older. My favorite line in the book, referencing Edie’s partner’s Multiple Sclerosis :
“We never let her worsened paralysis disrupt our sex life, and if you feel like you need more information about how that was possible, then you’re probably doing things wrong to begin with.” p. 217
I loved Edie before, but after reading this line, I was like, damn, I wanna be with someone like her!
I also enjoyed the forthright descriptions of her sexual life/sexuality, both at a younger age and as she got older. My favorite line in the book, referencing Edie’s partner’s Multiple Sclerosis :
“We never let her worsened paralysis disrupt our sex life, and if you feel like you need more information about how that was possible, then you’re probably doing things wrong to begin with.” p. 217
I loved Edie before, but after reading this line, I was like, damn, I wanna be with someone like her!
December 22, 2019
This was such a stunning book. It made me laugh and brought me to tears and made me feel so much pride and joy. Edie had such a badass, wild, amazing, incredible, inspirational life and so full of joy. Her relationship with Thea made me feel so many feels, they were so vibrant and passionate and BRB CRYING FOREVER. So many passages in the book made me exclaim out loud in joy, happiness, sadness.
Edie had such a vibrant, interesting, unusual life, and seized the day for sure! Also, I loved hearing about her experiences in Greenwich Village because I am super familiar with the area and knew pretty much everywhere that she was talking about! 1000000% would recommend.
Edie had such a vibrant, interesting, unusual life, and seized the day for sure! Also, I loved hearing about her experiences in Greenwich Village because I am super familiar with the area and knew pretty much everywhere that she was talking about! 1000000% would recommend.
dnf
March 5, 2020I greatly admire Edie Windsor and think she was incredibly courageous to take on the Supreme Court, which resulted in making marriage equality the law of the land in 2013. She sounds as if she was quite a character. Unfortunately, this memoir didn't quite work for me. It's told chronologically with an excessive amount of details that aren't necessary to the story (we don't really need to know down to the ashtrays how she decorated her first New York apartment). I found myself becoming bored by someone who truly is anything but.
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