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How Beautiful the Ordinary: Twelve Stories of Identity
A girl thought to be a boy steals her sister's skirt, while a boy thought to be a girl refuses to wear a cornflower blue dress. One boy's love of a soldier leads to the death of a stranger. The present takes a bittersweet journey into the past when a man revisits the summer school where he had "an accidental romance." And a forgotten mother writes a poignant letter to the teenage daughter she hasn't seen for fourteen years.
Poised between the past and the future are the stories of now. In nontraditional narratives, short stories, and brief graphics, tales of anticipation and regret, eagerness and confusion present distinctively modern views of love, sexuality, and gender identification. Together, they reflect the vibrant possibilities available for young people learning to love others—and themselves—in today's multifaceted and quickly changing world.
Poised between the past and the future are the stories of now. In nontraditional narratives, short stories, and brief graphics, tales of anticipation and regret, eagerness and confusion present distinctively modern views of love, sexuality, and gender identification. Together, they reflect the vibrant possibilities available for young people learning to love others—and themselves—in today's multifaceted and quickly changing world.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published December 29, 2008
62 people are currently reading
5165 people want to read
About the author
Michael Cart
42 books32 followersFormer Director of the Beverly Hills (CA) Public Library and a Past President of the Young Adult Library Services Association, Michael Cart is a nationally recognized expert in children's and young adult literature. Now a columnist and reviewer for ALA's Booklist magazine, he is the author or editor of eight books, including From Romance to Realism, a critical history of YA literature; MY FATHER'S SCAR, a young adult novel that was an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, and the anthology LOVE AND SEX: Ten Stories of Truth, also a Best Book for Young Adults and a Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.
Michael teaches young adult literature at UCLA and is the recipient of the 2000 Grolier Foundation Award. He lives in northern California.
Michael teaches young adult literature at UCLA and is the recipient of the 2000 Grolier Foundation Award. He lives in northern California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
April 8, 2016
Cross-posted at Outlaw Reviews and at Shelf Inflicted
I couldn’t pass up this anthology, especially after learning that Margo Lanagan is one of the contributors. I was also thrilled to see other well-known writers I haven’t discovered yet, like Francesca Lia Block, Emma Donoghue, and Julie Anne Peters.
This collection of stories focuses on teen GLT experiences from a variety of perspectives. These are well-crafted stories, filled with conflict, growth and change. Because I enjoyed the majority of these stories so well, I will forgive the omission of bisexual experiences.
My favorites in this collection:
A Word From the Nearly Distant Past by David Levithan
This short story was the basis for Levithan’s later novel, Two Boys Kissing. This was gorgeous, both in its short form and its longer form. It examines the lives of a disparate group of teenagers and is told from the perspective of the men who lost their lives to AIDS.
My Virtual World by Francesca Lia Block
This is a beautifully written, honest story about a friendship that develops online between two troubled teenagers. They talk about art, pain, sexuality, gender identity, and gradually grow to trust and love one another.
Dear Lang by Emma Donoghue
This is a letter written to 16-year-old Lang by her estranged mother. Even though Lang doesn’t remember she once had two mothers, her mom’s pain and loss is still apparent. I cried so hard and called my mom after I was done reading.
The Missing Person by Jennifer Finney Boylan
14-year-old Jimmy knows he’s a girl before he knows the word transgendered. One summer he dons his sister’s skirt, applies some lipstick and goes the local horse show as Jenny. I loved the vivid descriptions that allowed me to get immersed in the festivities while seeing Jenny’s unique personality emerge.
I couldn’t pass up this anthology, especially after learning that Margo Lanagan is one of the contributors. I was also thrilled to see other well-known writers I haven’t discovered yet, like Francesca Lia Block, Emma Donoghue, and Julie Anne Peters.
This collection of stories focuses on teen GLT experiences from a variety of perspectives. These are well-crafted stories, filled with conflict, growth and change. Because I enjoyed the majority of these stories so well, I will forgive the omission of bisexual experiences.
My favorites in this collection:
A Word From the Nearly Distant Past by David Levithan
This short story was the basis for Levithan’s later novel, Two Boys Kissing. This was gorgeous, both in its short form and its longer form. It examines the lives of a disparate group of teenagers and is told from the perspective of the men who lost their lives to AIDS.
My Virtual World by Francesca Lia Block
This is a beautifully written, honest story about a friendship that develops online between two troubled teenagers. They talk about art, pain, sexuality, gender identity, and gradually grow to trust and love one another.
Dear Lang by Emma Donoghue
This is a letter written to 16-year-old Lang by her estranged mother. Even though Lang doesn’t remember she once had two mothers, her mom’s pain and loss is still apparent. I cried so hard and called my mom after I was done reading.
The Missing Person by Jennifer Finney Boylan
14-year-old Jimmy knows he’s a girl before he knows the word transgendered. One summer he dons his sister’s skirt, applies some lipstick and goes the local horse show as Jenny. I loved the vivid descriptions that allowed me to get immersed in the festivities while seeing Jenny’s unique personality emerge.
October 13, 2011
Anthologies are almost always a mixed bag. Especially anthologies by multiple writers. There's always at least a few stories that I just don't like, for whatever reason. How Beautiful the Ordinary is doing good to have only two stories that didn't resonate with me.
The subtitle (Twelve Stories of Identity) is a little cagey. What does that mean, exactly? Especially in a YA, where half the genre is about discovering who you really are. Here, though, it means sexual and gender identity. Yes, this is an anthology of LGBT stories. I'm guessing that the vague title and pretty but entirely nonspecific cover are to serve as a smokescreen for readers who are not comfortable revealing exactly what they're reading.
The stories are fairly representative, and are obviously very carefully chosen. Picking a favorite is difficult, but David Levithan's offering, A Word From the Nearly Distant Past (which also offers up the title) may be the strongest: the spirits of gay men past looking in on the present, and their pride and jealousy. Rounding out the top three (in my opinion) is Francesca Lia Block's My Virtual World, about finding love and acceptance online, and Emma Donoghue's heartbreaking Dear Lang, a letter written by the nonbiological mother of a child cut out of her life when her relationship with her biological mother ended.
There were only two stories that didn't work for me, and I wasn't surprised at either. One was Margo Lanagan's A Dark Red Love Knot, and the other was Gregory Maguire's The Silk Road Runs Through Tupperneck, N.H. The fact is that neither Lanagan nor Maguire have a writing style that appeals to me. So I wasn't exactly shocked when I couldn't get into either of their stories.
All around, a pretty strong collection.
The subtitle (Twelve Stories of Identity) is a little cagey. What does that mean, exactly? Especially in a YA, where half the genre is about discovering who you really are. Here, though, it means sexual and gender identity. Yes, this is an anthology of LGBT stories. I'm guessing that the vague title and pretty but entirely nonspecific cover are to serve as a smokescreen for readers who are not comfortable revealing exactly what they're reading.
The stories are fairly representative, and are obviously very carefully chosen. Picking a favorite is difficult, but David Levithan's offering, A Word From the Nearly Distant Past (which also offers up the title) may be the strongest: the spirits of gay men past looking in on the present, and their pride and jealousy. Rounding out the top three (in my opinion) is Francesca Lia Block's My Virtual World, about finding love and acceptance online, and Emma Donoghue's heartbreaking Dear Lang, a letter written by the nonbiological mother of a child cut out of her life when her relationship with her biological mother ended.
There were only two stories that didn't work for me, and I wasn't surprised at either. One was Margo Lanagan's A Dark Red Love Knot, and the other was Gregory Maguire's The Silk Road Runs Through Tupperneck, N.H. The fact is that neither Lanagan nor Maguire have a writing style that appeals to me. So I wasn't exactly shocked when I couldn't get into either of their stories.
All around, a pretty strong collection.
October 20, 2017
Edited review today because I re-read “Dear Lang” by Emma Donoghue. God, this story is heartbreaking. It’s written as a letter from a lesbian mom, the nonbiological parent, to her child, Lang, years after the child was taken away from her by her partner and the biological mother. It illustrates how tenuous lgbt rights can be and shows what the loss of a child must feel like, which is a terrifying thought for any parent. To lose something so precious and irreplaceable, worse even than losing a lover. Losing a part of yourself.
So with this story and David Levithan’s, this anthology is truly worth the purchase price and more.
Original review: The first story, "A Word from the Nearly Distant Past" by David Levithan, was so touching and beautiful and poignant. I teared up far too many times to be sensible in a 7-page span. Even if the rest of the books sucks a big one, it was worth it for that story. Just...read it.
So with this story and David Levithan’s, this anthology is truly worth the purchase price and more.
Original review: The first story, "A Word from the Nearly Distant Past" by David Levithan, was so touching and beautiful and poignant. I teared up far too many times to be sensible in a 7-page span. Even if the rest of the books sucks a big one, it was worth it for that story. Just...read it.
June 21, 2010
The story from which the title of this collection comes is by David Levithan. It took me apart. Entirely. I think Levithan writes from the same place L'Engle wrote from- that calm and sure center where love lives, that place of hope untainted by delusion. He's rapidly becoming one of my favorites. I suspect this particular piece resonated so strongly with me because I can remember so clearly the time when all the beautiful boys were dying and we were powerless and afraid and fairly certain we were all in the path of that particular tornado. The sense of having dodged that bullet never leaves me, nor the sense of loss- and to hear those voices again, or Levithan's imagining of what those voices would say, was- oh, hell, I'm crying again just typing this. So, yeah. Best story of the collection, by a mile.
There were some other stand-out stories from some of the usual suspects as well as some unusual suspects (like Gregory Maguire, who turned in a very strong piece about what we leave behind). Margo Lanagan, whose Tender Morsels was exquisite, gives us a haunting re-imagining of the old poem The Highwayman. Julie Ann Peters takes us inside the heads of two young women having their first sexual experience- told in dual columns with just a little overlap, it was a very effective format.
Four stars because Levithan's story is so strong. Without that, I think it would be a solid three stars for me.
There were some other stand-out stories from some of the usual suspects as well as some unusual suspects (like Gregory Maguire, who turned in a very strong piece about what we leave behind). Margo Lanagan, whose Tender Morsels was exquisite, gives us a haunting re-imagining of the old poem The Highwayman. Julie Ann Peters takes us inside the heads of two young women having their first sexual experience- told in dual columns with just a little overlap, it was a very effective format.
Four stars because Levithan's story is so strong. Without that, I think it would be a solid three stars for me.
December 11, 2012
Well, other than the fact that the introduction kept saying lesbian, gay, and trangender, thus excluding bi, pan, and otherwise queer identified people, and the borderline transphobia and cissexism in two of the stories, this anthology was okay. It felt very GL(t) to me, with 6 books about gay males, 3 about lesbians, 2 about trans* guys and 1 about a trans* girl. David Levithan's story was fairly good, and a good reminder to younger queer people about older members of the community did before them so they could be open about their identities.
June 21, 2023
Unfortunately there were more misses than wins for me 🫠
January 19, 2021
Anthologies are always a mixed bag and I only picked this up because of Levithan. There were other stories that I did like (and some that I admittedly skipped) and it saddens me that they are burdened by the nastiness that is found elsewhere in the anthology.
The reason I'm even bothering to write a review for an anthology this old is because I want to know who the hell thought publishing Ariel Schrag's "D*ke March" as it appears was a good idea for an anthology for QUESTIONING TEENS. She dedicates a whole panel to the "paranoia" she feels, thinking that the lesbian community is losing all the young lesbians to the trans movement because they're coming out as trans men. This is a literal talking point for trans exclusionary radical feminism and I don't think I have to explain in the year 2021 what a nasty thing this was to read.
If you see this at a library or thrift shop or online somewhere, please don't give it to a kid without at least warning them about this.
The reason I'm even bothering to write a review for an anthology this old is because I want to know who the hell thought publishing Ariel Schrag's "D*ke March" as it appears was a good idea for an anthology for QUESTIONING TEENS. She dedicates a whole panel to the "paranoia" she feels, thinking that the lesbian community is losing all the young lesbians to the trans movement because they're coming out as trans men. This is a literal talking point for trans exclusionary radical feminism and I don't think I have to explain in the year 2021 what a nasty thing this was to read.
If you see this at a library or thrift shop or online somewhere, please don't give it to a kid without at least warning them about this.
February 21, 2010
When I read How Beautiful The Ordinary: Twelve Stories Of Identity I thought it was great. I thought some of these stories were more for adult than teens like the story by David Levithan’s “A Word from the Nearly Distant Past,” in which Levithan recounts the experiences of generations past as they dealt with being in the closet, dealing with the AIDS crisis, and exhorts the younger generation to make sure that they live for future generations, as much as for themselves. This one was one of my favorites in particular. In the story by Emma Donoghue’s “Dear Lang,” is a letter from a lesbian mother who has been denied access to her sixteen-year-old son by his biological mother, in which she tells the story of how she came to be banned from his life, and how she is just now taking the chance of having another child with a new partner. WOW!
One of the best stories is Jacqueline Woodson’s insightful “Trev”. This story is about a transgender child, and the struggles he has with his family and at school to be who he really is. Trev’s mother both reassure him that he isn’t the reason his father left, and yet whispers her wish to him every night at bedtime, that Trev will wake up “my sugar and spice, and everything nice.” This story was really interesting to read because I can really visualize and feel the pain that Trev is going threw.
I would recommend this book to all teens because I feel like it sends a strong and powerful message of how you go thru life. I really enjoyed reading this book because like I said I connected in visualize to the stories that some of these authors were talking about. In a rank of one thru five I will have given this book a 5 due the great experiences and connection to the reader! I really enjoyed reading How Beautiful The Ordinary!
One of the best stories is Jacqueline Woodson’s insightful “Trev”. This story is about a transgender child, and the struggles he has with his family and at school to be who he really is. Trev’s mother both reassure him that he isn’t the reason his father left, and yet whispers her wish to him every night at bedtime, that Trev will wake up “my sugar and spice, and everything nice.” This story was really interesting to read because I can really visualize and feel the pain that Trev is going threw.
I would recommend this book to all teens because I feel like it sends a strong and powerful message of how you go thru life. I really enjoyed reading this book because like I said I connected in visualize to the stories that some of these authors were talking about. In a rank of one thru five I will have given this book a 5 due the great experiences and connection to the reader! I really enjoyed reading How Beautiful The Ordinary!
March 29, 2013
I had no idea this was an LGBT book when I picked it up - I was looking for a book of short stories to read for book club and the title and subtitle (twelve stories of identity) drew me in. I think the ambiguous cover and title might make it more appealing to teens who might not want it immediately visible what they are reading.
The stories represented a wide variety of experiences, emotions, and styles. There were one or two that just didn't click with me, but in an anthology that's not bad. And there was such a wide range I think that just about everyone would find at least a couple stories that resonated with them. As a bonus, you might discover some great YA authors and go read their books too.
The stories represented a wide variety of experiences, emotions, and styles. There were one or two that just didn't click with me, but in an anthology that's not bad. And there was such a wide range I think that just about everyone would find at least a couple stories that resonated with them. As a bonus, you might discover some great YA authors and go read their books too.
June 28, 2016
The very first story here is a punch in the gut for anyone of the LGBTQ community and it had me head over heels for this book from the start. I could take or leave some of the stories but overall, this was incredible. And the forward is right. For a long time, teens couldn't find books about people like them. I know I couldn't find YA books about bi girls while I was struggling through high school as a bi girl. It's so commonplace now that I think we forget how special it is. This collection is an excellent reminder.
February 18, 2020
2.5 stars
Trigger warning: mentions of violence, mention of paedophilia tendencies, transphobia, biphobia, homophobia
Content warning: bi/pan/aro-ace erasure
Like the last LGBT+ anthology I read, this book is dated. It's dated in the way that it only covers the LGT space of the spectrum, but also that some of the LG stories are transphobic. It's dated in the way that most stories probably wouldn't appeal to today's teens the way they might have done in the early 2000s.
The first story, written by David Levithan, gave a tone of liberation to this anthology. It gave the impression that 2009 was a year when most of the work was done, that queer kids would be free to be themselves because of the work done by our predecessors. Except it only rings true to white cis gays and lesbians. Even then, trans kids had to hide themselves from a good part of the outside world. In 2020, they're still facing a huge pushback from cis people, even inside the community.
And that brings me to my next major problem with this book: ncluding Ariel Shrag. Even then, Shrag was transphobic. Her chapter "Dyke March" contains a panel where the MC panics about "all the lesbians turning into boys". In a book about (and for) gay, lesbian and trans people!!!! Who's genius idea was that?!?!
The only chapter that resonated with me, and that I think would still be relevant to today's queer teens, is Julie Anne Peters' "First Time". That story about two girls having sex for the first time is truly beautiful. It may seem crude to the older generation, as it doesn't shy away from the acts that are performed in those two girls' intimacy, but it's the way it's spun - with both characters' thoughts sharing sides on the same page as the moment unfolds - that is sure to find its way into the hearts of many readers even a decade later.
If it weren't for that single story, I would probably have rated the anthology 1.5 stars. The rest wasn't enough to lift up the whole.
Trigger warning: mentions of violence, mention of paedophilia tendencies, transphobia, biphobia, homophobia
Content warning: bi/pan/aro-ace erasure
Like the last LGBT+ anthology I read, this book is dated. It's dated in the way that it only covers the LGT space of the spectrum, but also that some of the LG stories are transphobic. It's dated in the way that most stories probably wouldn't appeal to today's teens the way they might have done in the early 2000s.
The first story, written by David Levithan, gave a tone of liberation to this anthology. It gave the impression that 2009 was a year when most of the work was done, that queer kids would be free to be themselves because of the work done by our predecessors. Except it only rings true to white cis gays and lesbians. Even then, trans kids had to hide themselves from a good part of the outside world. In 2020, they're still facing a huge pushback from cis people, even inside the community.
And that brings me to my next major problem with this book: ncluding Ariel Shrag. Even then, Shrag was transphobic. Her chapter "Dyke March" contains a panel where the MC panics about "all the lesbians turning into boys". In a book about (and for) gay, lesbian and trans people!!!! Who's genius idea was that?!?!
The only chapter that resonated with me, and that I think would still be relevant to today's queer teens, is Julie Anne Peters' "First Time". That story about two girls having sex for the first time is truly beautiful. It may seem crude to the older generation, as it doesn't shy away from the acts that are performed in those two girls' intimacy, but it's the way it's spun - with both characters' thoughts sharing sides on the same page as the moment unfolds - that is sure to find its way into the hearts of many readers even a decade later.
If it weren't for that single story, I would probably have rated the anthology 1.5 stars. The rest wasn't enough to lift up the whole.
June 25, 2020
Unfinished*
December 7, 2022
The first LGBT book I ever read... I'm fairly certain. And multiple stories stuck with me so intensely that I went on to remember them for half a decade.
Now, the book itself was published in 2009, and for that reason specifically I think it's fair to say there's some outdated language, and of course there are stories about things that are less prevalent now. One transgender writer, writing about a transgender character, uses the word "transgendered" as opposed to "transgender". I'm only noting this because... well, it was incredible to find a book created with such love and compassion by (as far as I know) all-LGBT authors. There are only those couple of moments where something is accidentally misphrased, but otherwise the book is still perfect. I can't believe it.
Actually, I'm so excited about this book that I'm going to talk a little about my favorite stories, rather than just reviewing the whole thing.
A Word From The Nearly Distant Past is what got me to start reading David Levithan, and it's absolutely beautiful. A chorus of men who died from AIDS narrate the lives of LGBT youth.
A Dark Red Love Knot by Margo Lanagan shocked me when I read it this time, because I'd totally forgotten it existed. I can't believe it didn't stick with me the first time; suspenseful and emotional all the way through as a retelling of The Highwayman involving a desperate ostler and the soldier he's waiting for.
The Missing Person by Jennifer Finney Boylan. This is the story I remembered the most from this collection! Followed me up 'til now; never read a more accurate representation of being trans. I'm shocked this isn't more famous; it's really well done.
First Time by Julie Anne Peters. We all know I don't like Peters's most famous work (Luna; it's... VERY outdated), but this is actually the other story I recalled from this collection--the first time I read anything about lesbian sex. It's gently and comfortably written, and going back to it made me feel happy for how far we've come.
Dear Lang by Emma Donoghue. Undoubtedly the standout from this read-- I felt myself tearing up as I read. A "non-biological" lesbian mom writes to her child, over a decade later, knowing that her ex is shredding every letter. I finished this needing to know what happened next; I wonder if Donoghue would be willing to tell me...
The Silk Road Runs Through Tupperneck, N.H. by Gregory Maguire. There's no specific way to describe this story; it felt like I was watching Faroukh's life as it happened. He falls for another man in his community college class, struggles to hide it, and works on getting the credits he needs. Simple, but delightfully elegant and complicated under the surface. I went back to re-read this piece alone, because it's so well-written and so comforting in its own way. A beautiful, beautiful novella.
Really enjoyed overall; would definitely recommend with the disclaimer that there are mildly outdated bits.
EDIT: I'm surprised I didn't put it in my review-- on a reread I realized that one of the places that just seemed weird is actually by someone I'd consider a transphobic author. Ariel Schrag (sound familiar?) submitted a brief autobio comic in which she noted, I initially assumed self-consciously, her transphobic paranoia that there's nobody at the dyke march because they're all trans men now!!!! Which is so obviously silly I thought it was just her awkwardly noting her own transphobia, but now I have to assume it's just a problem she has. Sigh, skip hers, keep reading.
Now, the book itself was published in 2009, and for that reason specifically I think it's fair to say there's some outdated language, and of course there are stories about things that are less prevalent now. One transgender writer, writing about a transgender character, uses the word "transgendered" as opposed to "transgender". I'm only noting this because... well, it was incredible to find a book created with such love and compassion by (as far as I know) all-LGBT authors. There are only those couple of moments where something is accidentally misphrased, but otherwise the book is still perfect. I can't believe it.
Actually, I'm so excited about this book that I'm going to talk a little about my favorite stories, rather than just reviewing the whole thing.
A Word From The Nearly Distant Past is what got me to start reading David Levithan, and it's absolutely beautiful. A chorus of men who died from AIDS narrate the lives of LGBT youth.
A Dark Red Love Knot by Margo Lanagan shocked me when I read it this time, because I'd totally forgotten it existed. I can't believe it didn't stick with me the first time; suspenseful and emotional all the way through as a retelling of The Highwayman involving a desperate ostler and the soldier he's waiting for.
The Missing Person by Jennifer Finney Boylan. This is the story I remembered the most from this collection! Followed me up 'til now; never read a more accurate representation of being trans. I'm shocked this isn't more famous; it's really well done.
First Time by Julie Anne Peters. We all know I don't like Peters's most famous work (Luna; it's... VERY outdated), but this is actually the other story I recalled from this collection--the first time I read anything about lesbian sex. It's gently and comfortably written, and going back to it made me feel happy for how far we've come.
Dear Lang by Emma Donoghue. Undoubtedly the standout from this read-- I felt myself tearing up as I read. A "non-biological" lesbian mom writes to her child, over a decade later, knowing that her ex is shredding every letter. I finished this needing to know what happened next; I wonder if Donoghue would be willing to tell me...
The Silk Road Runs Through Tupperneck, N.H. by Gregory Maguire. There's no specific way to describe this story; it felt like I was watching Faroukh's life as it happened. He falls for another man in his community college class, struggles to hide it, and works on getting the credits he needs. Simple, but delightfully elegant and complicated under the surface. I went back to re-read this piece alone, because it's so well-written and so comforting in its own way. A beautiful, beautiful novella.
Really enjoyed overall; would definitely recommend with the disclaimer that there are mildly outdated bits.
EDIT: I'm surprised I didn't put it in my review-- on a reread I realized that one of the places that just seemed weird is actually by someone I'd consider a transphobic author. Ariel Schrag (sound familiar?) submitted a brief autobio comic in which she noted, I initially assumed self-consciously, her transphobic paranoia that there's nobody at the dyke march because they're all trans men now!!!! Which is so obviously silly I thought it was just her awkwardly noting her own transphobia, but now I have to assume it's just a problem she has. Sigh, skip hers, keep reading.
December 29, 2009
Editor Michael Cart has collected twelve stories about LGBT youth identity in the form of short stories, graphic fiction, and verse, by well-known young-adult, and adult authors including Francesca Lia Block, Gregory Maguire, Jacqueline Woodson, Ariel Schrag, Emma Donoghue, and others.
There is something for everyone in this collection: stories of ghosts and girls trapped in walls serving as metaphors for transgendered teens trapped in the wrong body; handsome highway men and soldiers for a stable boy to lust after; stories of first love; and of first making love. One graphic short story is about two teens who make conflicting wishes when they meet a genie, leaving all three of them tortured; the other is about the San Francisco Dyke March.
While there is some sex, most of it is left to the imagination, good as in Julie Anne Peter's "First Time," and unsettling, as in William Sleator's "Fingernail," a disturbing story about the sex trade between older western men, and young boys in Thailand. In this particular story, the Thai "boy" is already a young man of twenty and thus technically legal, unlike much of the sex trade that actually takes place there between men and underage boys. But the abusive relationship that he finds himself in is almost equally disturbing.
Some of the stories may actually be of more interest to older readers than to teens: in particular, David Levithan's "A Word from the Nearly Distant Past," in which Levithan recounts the experiences of generations past as they dealt with being in the closet, dealing with the AIDS crisis, etc., and exhorts the younger generation to make sure that they live for future generations, as much as for themselves. Emma Donoghue's "Dear Lang," is a letter from a lesbian mother who has been denied access to her now sixteen-year-old son by his biological mother, in which she tells the story of how she came to be barred from his life, and how she is just now taking the chance of having another child with a new partner.
One of the best stories is Jacqueline Woodson's insightful "Trev," about a transgendered child, and the struggles he has with his family and at school to be who he really is. Trev's mother both reassures him that he isn't the reason his father left, and yet whispers her wish to him every night at bedtime, that Trev will wake up "my sugar and spice, and everything nice."
There is something for everyone in this collection: stories of ghosts and girls trapped in walls serving as metaphors for transgendered teens trapped in the wrong body; handsome highway men and soldiers for a stable boy to lust after; stories of first love; and of first making love. One graphic short story is about two teens who make conflicting wishes when they meet a genie, leaving all three of them tortured; the other is about the San Francisco Dyke March.
While there is some sex, most of it is left to the imagination, good as in Julie Anne Peter's "First Time," and unsettling, as in William Sleator's "Fingernail," a disturbing story about the sex trade between older western men, and young boys in Thailand. In this particular story, the Thai "boy" is already a young man of twenty and thus technically legal, unlike much of the sex trade that actually takes place there between men and underage boys. But the abusive relationship that he finds himself in is almost equally disturbing.
Some of the stories may actually be of more interest to older readers than to teens: in particular, David Levithan's "A Word from the Nearly Distant Past," in which Levithan recounts the experiences of generations past as they dealt with being in the closet, dealing with the AIDS crisis, etc., and exhorts the younger generation to make sure that they live for future generations, as much as for themselves. Emma Donoghue's "Dear Lang," is a letter from a lesbian mother who has been denied access to her now sixteen-year-old son by his biological mother, in which she tells the story of how she came to be barred from his life, and how she is just now taking the chance of having another child with a new partner.
One of the best stories is Jacqueline Woodson's insightful "Trev," about a transgendered child, and the struggles he has with his family and at school to be who he really is. Trev's mother both reassures him that he isn't the reason his father left, and yet whispers her wish to him every night at bedtime, that Trev will wake up "my sugar and spice, and everything nice."
May 1, 2011
Michael Cart has pulled together an interesting and fairly well-rounded sampling of lgbtq writings. The first 11 stories are fairly predictable and thoroughly enjoyable (or at least, if not whole-heartedly enjoyable to me, I can easily imagine that they would be enjoyable to others) but Gregory Maguire’s final story is a bit of a sore thumb.
*enter diatribe*
Maguire’s story is good, really good…it just doesn’t meld with the other selections. Told from the POV of a 40 year old father, flashing back to the summer before he started college, it jars a bit from the other substantially younger narrative voices. More a novella than a short story or essay, Maguire is able to take his time and build a character with more subtlety and complexity than the rest of the selections. I’m gay, while some of the plot twists could be seen coming a mile away, the most important and most subtle came as a complete surprise…and I loved it. So powerful. This is a side of Maguire and the Wicked-loving masses may never see, and what a sad, sad loss for them.
Let’s take stock:
*Disembodied gay men who lived (or didn’t) though the early AIDS epidemic speak to today’s gay youth.
*Best high school boy friends who can never be boyfriends…or can they? A survivor of a gay bashing comes to terms by (re)imagining himself as a dog.
*A six year old transgendered boy deals navigates the perils of school bathrooms.
*A teenage transgendered boy finds solace through art and acceptance online.
*The Highwayman is reinvisioned as a tragedy born of jealousy as a stable boy yearns for the body of “his” soldier.
*A young Thai man finds dangerous love in an abusive relationship with a gay tourist.
*San Francisco Dyke March: enough said.
*A young transgendered girl wears a skirt in public for the first time.
*Two teenage girls lose the virginity the way we all should have- sweetly, awkwardly, and without regrets.
* An estranged lesbian mother writes a letter to the teenage daughter she hasn’t been allowed to see in 14 years.
*A man looks back/relives/comes to terms with his first gay experience.
As a lesbian, I could definitely see myself in these stories. I wish this book had been around when I was desperate to see myself mirrored on the printed page. I’d be curious to see how the general (read “straight”) public reacts to this collection…
*enter diatribe*
Maguire’s story is good, really good…it just doesn’t meld with the other selections. Told from the POV of a 40 year old father, flashing back to the summer before he started college, it jars a bit from the other substantially younger narrative voices. More a novella than a short story or essay, Maguire is able to take his time and build a character with more subtlety and complexity than the rest of the selections. I’m gay, while some of the plot twists could be seen coming a mile away, the most important and most subtle came as a complete surprise…and I loved it. So powerful. This is a side of Maguire and the Wicked-loving masses may never see, and what a sad, sad loss for them.
Let’s take stock:
*Disembodied gay men who lived (or didn’t) though the early AIDS epidemic speak to today’s gay youth.
*Best high school boy friends who can never be boyfriends…or can they? A survivor of a gay bashing comes to terms by (re)imagining himself as a dog.
*A six year old transgendered boy deals navigates the perils of school bathrooms.
*A teenage transgendered boy finds solace through art and acceptance online.
*The Highwayman is reinvisioned as a tragedy born of jealousy as a stable boy yearns for the body of “his” soldier.
*A young Thai man finds dangerous love in an abusive relationship with a gay tourist.
*San Francisco Dyke March: enough said.
*A young transgendered girl wears a skirt in public for the first time.
*Two teenage girls lose the virginity the way we all should have- sweetly, awkwardly, and without regrets.
* An estranged lesbian mother writes a letter to the teenage daughter she hasn’t been allowed to see in 14 years.
*A man looks back/relives/comes to terms with his first gay experience.
As a lesbian, I could definitely see myself in these stories. I wish this book had been around when I was desperate to see myself mirrored on the printed page. I’d be curious to see how the general (read “straight”) public reacts to this collection…
February 23, 2014
How Beautiful the Ordinary: Twelve Stories of Identity is a delightful anthology collection comprised of nontraditional short stories, comics, and prose that aims to portray 21st century LGBT culture from the perspective of today's youth. With submissions by contemporary authors such as David Levithan, Ariel Schrag, and Francesca Lia Block, this book offers a little bit of something for everyone. Though some stories included in this varied grab bag may not resonate with you, I encourage you to dig a bit deeper and read between the lines.
One of my favorites is "First Time" by Julie Anne Peters (recommended for older teens). I felt that its sensually suggestive nature easily captured the budding erotic sexuality that lurks beneath the skin of many young adults. The pressure to grow up and the journey towards adulthood is a common exploratory theme that many readers will be able to relate to.
I also fell in love with "Dear Lang" by Emma Donoghue. Written as a letter to a young girl named Lang, it is the powerful tale of a lesbian woman who calls herself YaYa, who, over the years, has been refused the right to be a part of Lang's life by the child's biological mother. This is a tender tale of love found and forfeited, and of a profoundly-moving sense of parental duty. Emma Donoghue nails the difficult subject of maternal longing with compassionate gusto that is both extremely involving and slightly detached.
One of my favorites is "First Time" by Julie Anne Peters (recommended for older teens). I felt that its sensually suggestive nature easily captured the budding erotic sexuality that lurks beneath the skin of many young adults. The pressure to grow up and the journey towards adulthood is a common exploratory theme that many readers will be able to relate to.
I also fell in love with "Dear Lang" by Emma Donoghue. Written as a letter to a young girl named Lang, it is the powerful tale of a lesbian woman who calls herself YaYa, who, over the years, has been refused the right to be a part of Lang's life by the child's biological mother. This is a tender tale of love found and forfeited, and of a profoundly-moving sense of parental duty. Emma Donoghue nails the difficult subject of maternal longing with compassionate gusto that is both extremely involving and slightly detached.
April 2, 2014
This is about a 2.5 star read for me, unfortunately I rounded down because of the content of this book. This book was supposedly written for teens, is actually labeled YA, but three of the stories are NOT geared towards YA in any way, shape, or form. This dissapointed me.
Now I had to note the publication date on this and three other works by authors in this book, because the shorts contained in HBTO were novel excerpts from published works. However, due to this being published prior to the novels in question, I will concede that novels may have developed from the stories submitted for HBTO. Unfortunately for me, I had already read the novels.
Three stories were exceptional for me; Trev, My Virtual World, and Fingernail. Unfortunately Fingernail is geared towards an older crowd.
I would have included; A Word From The Nearly Distant Past, except I already read Two Boys Kissing, and didn't care for the way he wrote it. So the short, I skipped not wanting to be angered again.
The final inclusion in this book is so blatently an adult story, it ruined the whole book for me. I couldn't even see where Mr. Maguire was attempting to go with the story, nor the message related to a youth audience.
YA should be written for YA, not the adults that read it. Sorry this is an epic fail for me.
Now I had to note the publication date on this and three other works by authors in this book, because the shorts contained in HBTO were novel excerpts from published works. However, due to this being published prior to the novels in question, I will concede that novels may have developed from the stories submitted for HBTO. Unfortunately for me, I had already read the novels.
Three stories were exceptional for me; Trev, My Virtual World, and Fingernail. Unfortunately Fingernail is geared towards an older crowd.
I would have included; A Word From The Nearly Distant Past, except I already read Two Boys Kissing, and didn't care for the way he wrote it. So the short, I skipped not wanting to be angered again.
The final inclusion in this book is so blatently an adult story, it ruined the whole book for me. I couldn't even see where Mr. Maguire was attempting to go with the story, nor the message related to a youth audience.
YA should be written for YA, not the adults that read it. Sorry this is an epic fail for me.
November 23, 2010
As many have noted, this would be a solid three stars without a couple of standout pieces. David Levithan's is probably my favorite. He writes with the absolute conviction that it gets better, to steal the recent catchphrase. He has the power to make you see the world as a better place without leaving you feeling disappointed when you finish reading. I have to say, I didn't like Margo Lanagan's story as much as I wanted to -- she's an amazing author and I love her books, but her story didn't really speak to me. Gregory MacGuire's was a seriously nice surprise, since I lost a good deal of respect for him after reading Son of a Witch. And Francesca Lia Block's is more or less plotless erotica, but sweetly written and earnest, so points for that. I think this collection is a little uneven when it comes to audience; there are stories I could see middle schoolers really getting into, and some that I think are geared a little over the heads even of high schoolers. Still, I recommend to anyone looking for a fairly quick but enjoyable read.
November 25, 2018
I remember this book when I was a young teen. I was scared to have it in my possession because I was in the closet. (only to get out of it and then re-enter it ehn I came out as trans.) But now I have read this book, for the most part, enjoyed each story (but the last one was just not in my favorite at all).
In this collection of short stories that are geared towards young adults, I really enjoy the short stories (in no particular order) Fingernail and Trev. I couldn't believe that Julie Anne Peters' short story managed to get past the editing process. Not because it is a bad story but because it is an about sex in a more graphic nature that you wouldn't expect to read in YA.
Overall this book was okay and a nice read.
In this collection of short stories that are geared towards young adults, I really enjoy the short stories (in no particular order) Fingernail and Trev. I couldn't believe that Julie Anne Peters' short story managed to get past the editing process. Not because it is a bad story but because it is an about sex in a more graphic nature that you wouldn't expect to read in YA.
Overall this book was okay and a nice read.
November 29, 2018
*Edited in November 2018 cause past me didn't realize transgender isn't a sexuality.
Like most anthologies, some of the stories are great and some are less. I loved David Leviathan's one. It was amazing. FLB's was wonderful too, I love all her writings. Emma Donnaghue's was so realistically written. JAP's was so sweet, I also loved it.
I'm a bit bothered by the lack of bisexuals, asexuals, aromantics, agenders, demisexuals, pansexuals, and others. There is more in the lgbt+ world than trans gay or lesbian.
And yes this is the second book I've read today, don't judge me.
Like most anthologies, some of the stories are great and some are less. I loved David Leviathan's one. It was amazing. FLB's was wonderful too, I love all her writings. Emma Donnaghue's was so realistically written. JAP's was so sweet, I also loved it.
I'm a bit bothered by the lack of bisexuals, asexuals, aromantics, agenders, demisexuals, pansexuals, and others. There is more in the lgbt+ world than trans gay or lesbian.
And yes this is the second book I've read today, don't judge me.
July 16, 2016
i was considering giving it 4/5 for a bit because some stories just didnt do it for me but the ones that i liked were REALLY GOOD and deserve this 5 stars. I am way too lazy to do a review of each story so i'll just name some i really liked. A Word from the Nearly Distant Past, My Virtual World, Fingernail, The Missing Person, First Time, and Dear Lang. Ok I named like half the stories it was just such a great collection. The stories sucked me in every time.
July 19, 2013
I thought this was going to be personal stories from queer adults. It wasn't. It was a ragtag collection of unusual stories, some of which barely had anything to do with being queer. I found it hard to get through and very few of the stories held any appeal for me. Possibly I would have enjoyed it more if I had known what to expect, but I doubt it.
May 21, 2017
3.5 stars I really enjoyed reading some of the stories in this book! I liked that there were different stories so I could read it while in college. Summary: A word from the nearly distant past by David levithan: tells a story about boys going to prom together and that the next generation won't think gays and lesbians are different. Kind of confusing at first, but I liked it in the end.
Happily Ever After by Eric Shanower: A boy loves Mark. Mark's parents don't approve but his parents do. They find a bottle and a genie appears. Mark wishes he wasn't gay. The two end up not being friends with each other. Then during Christmas break (a few years later) they meet up and find the genie again. The genie says they won't have a happily ever after. After going back to college Mark calls the guy and says he's been thinking about things (likely him). In cartoon form and I thought it was okay.
My Life as a Dog by Ron Koertge: kind of confusing. Noah feels as if his dad treats him like a dog. He got beat up by two guys because they though he was gay, which he admits to his dad at the end. He only dated girls because his dad wanted him to.
Trev by Jaqueline Woodson: Trev is 7 and her dad left over the summer. He brother hates her because she's weird and thinks she's a boy. She dreams of a world where she is normal, and people don't look/question that she's a boy. I really liked this short story!
My Virtual World by Francesca Lia Block: Rebecca is chatting with Garrett (girl turned into guy) online. Rebecca cuts herself and wants to meet Garrett in person to get to know him more. At the end there's a description of the two as if they're a couple.
A Dark Red Love Knot by Margo Managan: I have no idea what this story was about besides a guy, horses, and like it was in the 1800s.
Fingernail by William Sleator: Lep, which means fingernails, left his village in Thailand 4 years ago. He meets Bernard a westerner. They fall in love but when Bernard tries to kill Lep 3 times. Twice when he is drunk and once when he is sober. Bernard is angry because he thinks Lep is sleeping with other men. Lep is not but Bernard doesn't believe him. Lep falls asleep on the train that Bernard is going on to go back home. Lep falls asleep and wakes up to no passport or ID. He figures Bernard stole them because he was mad. After Lep gets a new passport and ID he gets a better paying job. He meets another western man. They fall in love and they build a house in Leo's village. They are happy. Lep wonders what his like would be like if he hadn't met Bernard. I really liked this story!
Dyke March by Ariel Schrag: comic book form. The story happens in one night and this girl goes to a lesbian March. She sees a topless girl and the worlds smallest penis. She ends up in bed with a girls brother. Didn't quite understand this one. Kind of odd.
The Missing Person by Jennifer Finney Boylan: Jimmie's family recently moved to their new home and assumingly a girl downed there and she haunts the house. Jimmie is transgender (wants to be called Jenny, and he's 14) and one day he goes to the horse races as a girl. He borrows his sisters clothes and purse. No one knows he is really a boy but when he gets home his parents were back from somewhere. He secretly goes into the bathroom and becomes his normal self again. His neighbors get a girl exchange student from Taiwan and one day she just disappears. After a few days we learn that she heard something in her closet but there was only insulation in the back and she fell down through the house. When Jimmie's parents are talking and they were saying how weird the situation was with their neighbors. Jimmie felt that he knew how the girl felt from being behind a wall for a few days. Jimmie could imagine what it was like. I liked this story!
First Time by Julie Anne Peters: Jesi and Nicolle have oral sex for the fist time. They met while in a trip. The story is told by both of them (one side Nicolle the other Jesi). Good story and fast read! Really good!
Dear Lang by Emma Donoghue: Yaya (what she was called) is writing a letter to her 16 year old would have been adopted daughter. She left when her daughter was a little older than a year old. She writes how she misses what she was like 15 years ago and wishes she'd never left. Her wife is now pregnant with a baby and she's going to raise it how she would have raised her daughter. The daughter's biological mom is now married to a man and they have a family.
The Silk Road Runs Through Tupperneck, N. H. By Gregory Maguire: I was confused while reading this story at first, but then I understood it. I was confused because I didn't realize it was the same guy remembering his past.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_Bea...
Happily Ever After by Eric Shanower: A boy loves Mark. Mark's parents don't approve but his parents do. They find a bottle and a genie appears. Mark wishes he wasn't gay. The two end up not being friends with each other. Then during Christmas break (a few years later) they meet up and find the genie again. The genie says they won't have a happily ever after. After going back to college Mark calls the guy and says he's been thinking about things (likely him). In cartoon form and I thought it was okay.
My Life as a Dog by Ron Koertge: kind of confusing. Noah feels as if his dad treats him like a dog. He got beat up by two guys because they though he was gay, which he admits to his dad at the end. He only dated girls because his dad wanted him to.
Trev by Jaqueline Woodson: Trev is 7 and her dad left over the summer. He brother hates her because she's weird and thinks she's a boy. She dreams of a world where she is normal, and people don't look/question that she's a boy. I really liked this short story!
My Virtual World by Francesca Lia Block: Rebecca is chatting with Garrett (girl turned into guy) online. Rebecca cuts herself and wants to meet Garrett in person to get to know him more. At the end there's a description of the two as if they're a couple.
A Dark Red Love Knot by Margo Managan: I have no idea what this story was about besides a guy, horses, and like it was in the 1800s.
Fingernail by William Sleator: Lep, which means fingernails, left his village in Thailand 4 years ago. He meets Bernard a westerner. They fall in love but when Bernard tries to kill Lep 3 times. Twice when he is drunk and once when he is sober. Bernard is angry because he thinks Lep is sleeping with other men. Lep is not but Bernard doesn't believe him. Lep falls asleep on the train that Bernard is going on to go back home. Lep falls asleep and wakes up to no passport or ID. He figures Bernard stole them because he was mad. After Lep gets a new passport and ID he gets a better paying job. He meets another western man. They fall in love and they build a house in Leo's village. They are happy. Lep wonders what his like would be like if he hadn't met Bernard. I really liked this story!
Dyke March by Ariel Schrag: comic book form. The story happens in one night and this girl goes to a lesbian March. She sees a topless girl and the worlds smallest penis. She ends up in bed with a girls brother. Didn't quite understand this one. Kind of odd.
The Missing Person by Jennifer Finney Boylan: Jimmie's family recently moved to their new home and assumingly a girl downed there and she haunts the house. Jimmie is transgender (wants to be called Jenny, and he's 14) and one day he goes to the horse races as a girl. He borrows his sisters clothes and purse. No one knows he is really a boy but when he gets home his parents were back from somewhere. He secretly goes into the bathroom and becomes his normal self again. His neighbors get a girl exchange student from Taiwan and one day she just disappears. After a few days we learn that she heard something in her closet but there was only insulation in the back and she fell down through the house. When Jimmie's parents are talking and they were saying how weird the situation was with their neighbors. Jimmie felt that he knew how the girl felt from being behind a wall for a few days. Jimmie could imagine what it was like. I liked this story!
First Time by Julie Anne Peters: Jesi and Nicolle have oral sex for the fist time. They met while in a trip. The story is told by both of them (one side Nicolle the other Jesi). Good story and fast read! Really good!
Dear Lang by Emma Donoghue: Yaya (what she was called) is writing a letter to her 16 year old would have been adopted daughter. She left when her daughter was a little older than a year old. She writes how she misses what she was like 15 years ago and wishes she'd never left. Her wife is now pregnant with a baby and she's going to raise it how she would have raised her daughter. The daughter's biological mom is now married to a man and they have a family.
The Silk Road Runs Through Tupperneck, N. H. By Gregory Maguire: I was confused while reading this story at first, but then I understood it. I was confused because I didn't realize it was the same guy remembering his past.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_Bea...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2014
A Word From The Nearly Distant Past by David Levithan
The whole reason this book caught my eye is because I saw Levithan's name on it. After reading Will Grayson Will Grayson, which was co-written by Levithan, he has become one of my favourite authors. He has a unique style of writing that I loved - and still love! His story of identity was confusing at first, but as I read more of it, I understod it. The narrator is basically a group of deceased homosexuals who are looking down on what life is like today for gay teens. There isn't really a storyline to the short tale - it is just looking at a few different relationships, and how fate can draw two people together. At the end, it was short and sweet, and very heartwarming.
Happily Ever After by Eric Shanower
When I read that Shanower was a graphic novelist, I didn't realize that meant his contribution was a cartoon strip - but I loved it! What I really liked was how you could just tell what the characters were feeling like from their different facial expressions. I was also surprised at how much I liked the storyline - the narrator and Mark find a genie in a bottl, and both make wishes. I thought I wouldn't like this part - it would make the story unrealistic. But I was wrong; despite the magic involved, the story seemed very real, and teens everywhere will still be able to relate to it.
My Life As A Dog by Ron Koertge
Honestly? I didn't enjoy this story quite as much. Yes, it was unique - but it was very confusing, and throughout half the tale you don't have a clue what is going on. But once you get past that confusion, it is good. Unlike the previous two tales, this one starts to deal with the prejudice and discrimination towards the gay community, and how it can end up with someone being put in hospital. It is actually quite hard-hitting, and makes you sit back and think for a bit about why people would do that, and why are homosexuals and transgenders viewed in this way by a lot of people in the world.
Trev by Jacqueline Woodson
This story was very emotional and hard-hitting. It showed how difficult it is for transgender's coming out to their family and friends, and how they can react towards them. Some people will take it well - others, like Trev's father and brother, don't. In this story, you really feel sorry for Trev, because he has next to no one who are behind him and his choices - and he is so young, too. This, again, shows a different aspect to things - like how people can know they are a boys in a girls body or vice versa, from the age of, what, six? Woodson's use of langague and detail really make the reader able to understand and relate to Trev, even if they aren't transgender themselves. It is a really moving and eye-opening story, and you may even find yourself in tears.
My Virtual World by Francesca Lia Block
As a person who does have a few online friends, I can understand with Garret and Rebecca feeling like they can only speak to people online about their problems, because they seem to understand better than the people they know. Through the different messages exchanged between the two, the reader really gets under the skin of both characters. Not only does this story talk about life after having a sex change, it also talks about self-harm. This story was short and simple, but moving, and you couldn't help but fall in love with both characters. The happy ending was the cherry on the cake for this story, showing that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.
A Dark Red Love Knot by Margo Lanagan
I didn't like this story as much as some of the others - but I liked the message it was trying to send across. It was a strory about a homosexual called Tom, and how when the king's men last came to his work place, one of the soldier's had sex with him. This story is less about the homosexuality, and more about love - how it is the same no matter what sexuality you are.
Fingernail by William Sleator
I really enjoyed this story. It was a tale about a homosexual Thai man's experience of his first love, with a foreign French man. This story indulges a bit about how homosexuality is seen outside the English/American culture, and how despite this, he still sees his farang. However, it is mainly about the difference between a loving relationship and an abusive one, and how the main character deals with the different events that happen. It is a heartwarming tale, and the happy ending is the perfect cherry on the top.
Dyke March by Ariel Schrag
I wasn't as impressed by this story as I was with others, to be honest. It was a short comic strip basically showing a 'Dyke March' from a tourists point of view. I liked the idea of it, but it was so short I don't have much of an opinion on it.
The Missing Person by Jennifer Finney Boylam
I really enjoyed this story, and got really engrossed in it. It was a short story about a boy named Jimmy going out to a horse riding show wearing his sisters clothes and make-up. It is lovely, because it is her first time venturing actually outside and seeing life through a girls eyes, in the way that people treat her differently. Honestly, I would have loved to have read on! I really think it would be an epicnovel on its own.
First Time by Julie Anne Peters
A year ago I borrowed Keeping You A Secret from one of my friends, and it is probably one of the best teenage coming out stories I have read. This short story was just as excellent. It was short and sweet, showing two girls' first time together. By the way the POV switches back and forth so easily, it allows the reader to really get under the skin of both characters, and you can't help loving them as a couple. It was a lovely story to read, and again, I reckon it could be turned into its own novel.
Dear Lang by Emma Donoghue
I cried! This story is one of the best in the whole book. It is a mother writing to her sixteen year old daughter, who she hasn't seen for about 15 years. This is because her girlfriend left her - and since the girlfriend was the actual mother of her daughter, she had no say in the matter. Unlike all the other stories, this one shows a POV of an older woman, which opens up some new issues to the reader. The only critisism I have is that I really wish the story had continued a bit further so that the reader would find out at the end whether Lang wrote back to her mother or not. But then again, I suppose that is the whole mystery of the story.
The Silk Road Runs Through Tupperneck, N.H. by Gregory MaGuire
This story was the longest in the whole book, going on for about 100 pages or so, give or take a few. I wouldn't say it was the best story in the whole novel, but I really enjoyed it. This tale is told from the same POV, but it alternates between when he is a teenage boy, and when he is a grown man, with a husband and two kids. By doing this, the reader really gets to know the main character, and as you read on, you an feel his joy, his pain, and his longing. But honestly, my heart really went out to the two main characters. Although I ideally wanted Farouhk and Blaise to get together, I knew that they couldnt - because honestly, life is way more complicated than that. It was a great story, and the ending was utterly brilliant.
I honestly do not think there are enough books out there that home in on sexuality and gender identity - so when I saw this, I was delighted. Each of the authors use different and unique ways to tell the different stories, which keeps the reader hooked throughout the book. I would say it is definitely un-put-downable. Most of the stories are so uniquely written that even a straight reader can at least identify with parts of it. It is honestly a brilliant book, and I cannot give enough credit out to each other the authors.
The whole reason this book caught my eye is because I saw Levithan's name on it. After reading Will Grayson Will Grayson, which was co-written by Levithan, he has become one of my favourite authors. He has a unique style of writing that I loved - and still love! His story of identity was confusing at first, but as I read more of it, I understod it. The narrator is basically a group of deceased homosexuals who are looking down on what life is like today for gay teens. There isn't really a storyline to the short tale - it is just looking at a few different relationships, and how fate can draw two people together. At the end, it was short and sweet, and very heartwarming.
Happily Ever After by Eric Shanower
When I read that Shanower was a graphic novelist, I didn't realize that meant his contribution was a cartoon strip - but I loved it! What I really liked was how you could just tell what the characters were feeling like from their different facial expressions. I was also surprised at how much I liked the storyline - the narrator and Mark find a genie in a bottl, and both make wishes. I thought I wouldn't like this part - it would make the story unrealistic. But I was wrong; despite the magic involved, the story seemed very real, and teens everywhere will still be able to relate to it.
My Life As A Dog by Ron Koertge
Honestly? I didn't enjoy this story quite as much. Yes, it was unique - but it was very confusing, and throughout half the tale you don't have a clue what is going on. But once you get past that confusion, it is good. Unlike the previous two tales, this one starts to deal with the prejudice and discrimination towards the gay community, and how it can end up with someone being put in hospital. It is actually quite hard-hitting, and makes you sit back and think for a bit about why people would do that, and why are homosexuals and transgenders viewed in this way by a lot of people in the world.
Trev by Jacqueline Woodson
This story was very emotional and hard-hitting. It showed how difficult it is for transgender's coming out to their family and friends, and how they can react towards them. Some people will take it well - others, like Trev's father and brother, don't. In this story, you really feel sorry for Trev, because he has next to no one who are behind him and his choices - and he is so young, too. This, again, shows a different aspect to things - like how people can know they are a boys in a girls body or vice versa, from the age of, what, six? Woodson's use of langague and detail really make the reader able to understand and relate to Trev, even if they aren't transgender themselves. It is a really moving and eye-opening story, and you may even find yourself in tears.
My Virtual World by Francesca Lia Block
As a person who does have a few online friends, I can understand with Garret and Rebecca feeling like they can only speak to people online about their problems, because they seem to understand better than the people they know. Through the different messages exchanged between the two, the reader really gets under the skin of both characters. Not only does this story talk about life after having a sex change, it also talks about self-harm. This story was short and simple, but moving, and you couldn't help but fall in love with both characters. The happy ending was the cherry on the cake for this story, showing that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.
A Dark Red Love Knot by Margo Lanagan
I didn't like this story as much as some of the others - but I liked the message it was trying to send across. It was a strory about a homosexual called Tom, and how when the king's men last came to his work place, one of the soldier's had sex with him. This story is less about the homosexuality, and more about love - how it is the same no matter what sexuality you are.
Fingernail by William Sleator
I really enjoyed this story. It was a tale about a homosexual Thai man's experience of his first love, with a foreign French man. This story indulges a bit about how homosexuality is seen outside the English/American culture, and how despite this, he still sees his farang. However, it is mainly about the difference between a loving relationship and an abusive one, and how the main character deals with the different events that happen. It is a heartwarming tale, and the happy ending is the perfect cherry on the top.
Dyke March by Ariel Schrag
I wasn't as impressed by this story as I was with others, to be honest. It was a short comic strip basically showing a 'Dyke March' from a tourists point of view. I liked the idea of it, but it was so short I don't have much of an opinion on it.
The Missing Person by Jennifer Finney Boylam
I really enjoyed this story, and got really engrossed in it. It was a short story about a boy named Jimmy going out to a horse riding show wearing his sisters clothes and make-up. It is lovely, because it is her first time venturing actually outside and seeing life through a girls eyes, in the way that people treat her differently. Honestly, I would have loved to have read on! I really think it would be an epicnovel on its own.
First Time by Julie Anne Peters
A year ago I borrowed Keeping You A Secret from one of my friends, and it is probably one of the best teenage coming out stories I have read. This short story was just as excellent. It was short and sweet, showing two girls' first time together. By the way the POV switches back and forth so easily, it allows the reader to really get under the skin of both characters, and you can't help loving them as a couple. It was a lovely story to read, and again, I reckon it could be turned into its own novel.
Dear Lang by Emma Donoghue
I cried! This story is one of the best in the whole book. It is a mother writing to her sixteen year old daughter, who she hasn't seen for about 15 years. This is because her girlfriend left her - and since the girlfriend was the actual mother of her daughter, she had no say in the matter. Unlike all the other stories, this one shows a POV of an older woman, which opens up some new issues to the reader. The only critisism I have is that I really wish the story had continued a bit further so that the reader would find out at the end whether Lang wrote back to her mother or not. But then again, I suppose that is the whole mystery of the story.
The Silk Road Runs Through Tupperneck, N.H. by Gregory MaGuire
This story was the longest in the whole book, going on for about 100 pages or so, give or take a few. I wouldn't say it was the best story in the whole novel, but I really enjoyed it. This tale is told from the same POV, but it alternates between when he is a teenage boy, and when he is a grown man, with a husband and two kids. By doing this, the reader really gets to know the main character, and as you read on, you an feel his joy, his pain, and his longing. But honestly, my heart really went out to the two main characters. Although I ideally wanted Farouhk and Blaise to get together, I knew that they couldnt - because honestly, life is way more complicated than that. It was a great story, and the ending was utterly brilliant.
I honestly do not think there are enough books out there that home in on sexuality and gender identity - so when I saw this, I was delighted. Each of the authors use different and unique ways to tell the different stories, which keeps the reader hooked throughout the book. I would say it is definitely un-put-downable. Most of the stories are so uniquely written that even a straight reader can at least identify with parts of it. It is honestly a brilliant book, and I cannot give enough credit out to each other the authors.
June 11, 2017
Hmm. Ehrlich gesagt, hätte ich das (e-)Buch nach dem Vorwort fast zur Seite gelegt, wenn die erste Geschichte nicht von David Levithan gewesen wäre.
Ich habe mir vom Titel und von der Inhaltsbeschreibung mehr LGBTIAQ* erwartet, während der Editor im Vorwort mehrfach ganz klar nur GLT benennt.
Wirkt halt so nur leider wie krasses bi-erasure (sowie natürlich auch das Fehlen von inter, ace, etc...)
David Levithan - A word from the nearly distant past *****
Ich bin gespannt, ob es so eine gute Idee war, eine Levithan-Geschichte an den Anfang zu stellen. Die war nämlich großartig und ich bin mir noch nicht so sicher, ob der Rest da mithalten kann...
Vom Inhalt her, hat es mich sehr an "Two boys kissing" erinnert. Toll geschrieben und Levithan eben <3
Eric Shanower - Happily ever after **
Kurzweilig und als Comic. Es war mir eigentlich selbst als Kurzgeschichte zu kurz und manche Panels sind ziemlich "missverständlich" (=bi-erasure) geschrieben ("Now I'm not gay, I'm not straight -- I'm nothing!"
Ron Koertge - My life as a dog **
Das war mir zu seltsam und zu viel zusammen gemischt. Ich habe, glaube ich, auch nicht verstanden, ob sich Noah *tatsächlich* in einen Hund verwandelt (shapeshifter?) oder es eher sinnbildlich/metaphorisch gemeint sein soll?
Jacqueline Woodson - Trev ***,5
traurige und bewegende Kurzgeschichte über einen trans Jungen, und wie seine Familie und Umfeld damit umgehen.
Francesca Lia Block - My virtual world
CN self-harm
Ich weiß nicht recht, wie ich die Geschichte bewerten soll. Schreibstil und Teile davon fand ich richtig gut, allerdings finde ich es etwas schwierig, wenn eine cis Person über trans Menschen schreibt und "I was not born a boy" und Vergleiche mit self-harm und GRS Surgery macht...
Margo Lanagan - A Dark Red Love Knot **
Ich weiß nicht woran es liegt und ich möchte Lanagan wirklich mögen, aber so richtig komme ich bisher in ihre Kurzgeschichten nicht rein...
William Sleator - Fingernail *
Geschichte über einen schwulen Thai Mann und einem westlichen Mann und deren abusive relationship. Ich mochte die Geschichte überhaupt nicht und es war schlecht geschrieben.
Ariel Schrag - Dyke March *
Wieder ein kurzer Comic, aber wesentlich schlechter als der erste. Und ich habe es vermutlich nicht verstanden und verstehe nicht, wozu die Geschichte in dieser Anthologie ist? Manche Panels fand ich außerdem ziemlich offensive.
Jennifer Finney Boylan - The Missing Person **
Ehrlich gesagt, hab ich die Geschichte bereits vor ein paar Tagen gelesen, und bereits völlig vergessen, worum es ging...
Julie Ann Peters - First Time ****
Es war anfangs etwas verwirrend, da die eBook-Formatierung nicht eindeutig ist, wann aus welcher Perspektive erzählt wird, aber ansonsten sehr schön. Meine zweitliebste Geschichte in der Sammlung.
Emma Donoghue - Dear Lang ***.5
Brief, einer Mutter an ihre Tochter, die sie seit 14 Jahren nicht gesehen hat/sehen durfte. Sehr traurige Geschichte.
Gregory Maguire - The Silk Road Runs Through Tupperneck, N.H. **.5
Die Geschichte wurde zum Ende hin besser, aber mir war es zwischendurch zu verwirrend mit den plötzlichen Perspektivenwechsel und ich fand sie sehr langatmig.
Ich habe mir vom Titel und von der Inhaltsbeschreibung mehr LGBTIAQ* erwartet, während der Editor im Vorwort mehrfach ganz klar nur GLT benennt.
Wirkt halt so nur leider wie krasses bi-erasure (sowie natürlich auch das Fehlen von inter, ace, etc...)
David Levithan - A word from the nearly distant past *****
Ich bin gespannt, ob es so eine gute Idee war, eine Levithan-Geschichte an den Anfang zu stellen. Die war nämlich großartig und ich bin mir noch nicht so sicher, ob der Rest da mithalten kann...
Vom Inhalt her, hat es mich sehr an "Two boys kissing" erinnert. Toll geschrieben und Levithan eben <3
Eric Shanower - Happily ever after **
Kurzweilig und als Comic. Es war mir eigentlich selbst als Kurzgeschichte zu kurz und manche Panels sind ziemlich "missverständlich" (=bi-erasure) geschrieben ("Now I'm not gay, I'm not straight -- I'm nothing!"
Ron Koertge - My life as a dog **
Das war mir zu seltsam und zu viel zusammen gemischt. Ich habe, glaube ich, auch nicht verstanden, ob sich Noah *tatsächlich* in einen Hund verwandelt (shapeshifter?) oder es eher sinnbildlich/metaphorisch gemeint sein soll?
Jacqueline Woodson - Trev ***,5
traurige und bewegende Kurzgeschichte über einen trans Jungen, und wie seine Familie und Umfeld damit umgehen.
Francesca Lia Block - My virtual world
CN self-harm
Ich weiß nicht recht, wie ich die Geschichte bewerten soll. Schreibstil und Teile davon fand ich richtig gut, allerdings finde ich es etwas schwierig, wenn eine cis Person über trans Menschen schreibt und "I was not born a boy" und Vergleiche mit self-harm und GRS Surgery macht...
Margo Lanagan - A Dark Red Love Knot **
Ich weiß nicht woran es liegt und ich möchte Lanagan wirklich mögen, aber so richtig komme ich bisher in ihre Kurzgeschichten nicht rein...
William Sleator - Fingernail *
Geschichte über einen schwulen Thai Mann und einem westlichen Mann und deren abusive relationship. Ich mochte die Geschichte überhaupt nicht und es war schlecht geschrieben.
Ariel Schrag - Dyke March *
Wieder ein kurzer Comic, aber wesentlich schlechter als der erste. Und ich habe es vermutlich nicht verstanden und verstehe nicht, wozu die Geschichte in dieser Anthologie ist? Manche Panels fand ich außerdem ziemlich offensive.
Jennifer Finney Boylan - The Missing Person **
Ehrlich gesagt, hab ich die Geschichte bereits vor ein paar Tagen gelesen, und bereits völlig vergessen, worum es ging...
Julie Ann Peters - First Time ****
Es war anfangs etwas verwirrend, da die eBook-Formatierung nicht eindeutig ist, wann aus welcher Perspektive erzählt wird, aber ansonsten sehr schön. Meine zweitliebste Geschichte in der Sammlung.
Emma Donoghue - Dear Lang ***.5
Brief, einer Mutter an ihre Tochter, die sie seit 14 Jahren nicht gesehen hat/sehen durfte. Sehr traurige Geschichte.
Gregory Maguire - The Silk Road Runs Through Tupperneck, N.H. **.5
Die Geschichte wurde zum Ende hin besser, aber mir war es zwischendurch zu verwirrend mit den plötzlichen Perspektivenwechsel und ich fand sie sehr langatmig.
April 18, 2019
I enjoyed some of the stories in here, but it is a mixed bag. Emma Donoghue’s story is (in my humble opinion) the best of the bunch, closely followed by Gregory Maguire’s story. I also thoroughly enjoyed Jennifer Finney Boylan’s and Margo Lanagan’s stories. I also thought it really nice that this collection included two comics, though in all honesty Ariel Shrag’s comic was so short I wondered why they’d bothered to include it.
Furthermore, I thought these stories were supposed to be LGBTQ+, and indeed, they are; however, the majority of these stories are about gay men, and the rest about transgenders and lesbians. Where, I wondered, are my aces and bisexuals (though one of the characters in Emma Donoghue’s story could definitely be read as bisexual, she was not the focus)? I would have liked the division between the different identities to be balanced better.
SPOILERS
Also, I thought Eric Shanower’s Happily Ever After was somewhat problematic. The story is about two gay boys who get to make a wish from a genie. One wishes the other to be in love with him so they can live happily ever after; the other, enraged, wishes he wasn’t gay. Thus they reach a stalemate, which can only be solved after the wishes are rendered void. What I found problematic is that Marc wishes he wasn’t gay and as a consequence is still in love with a man, but cannot experience sexual attraction. Reducing homosexuality to sexual desire feels wrong.
Furthermore, I thought these stories were supposed to be LGBTQ+, and indeed, they are; however, the majority of these stories are about gay men, and the rest about transgenders and lesbians. Where, I wondered, are my aces and bisexuals (though one of the characters in Emma Donoghue’s story could definitely be read as bisexual, she was not the focus)? I would have liked the division between the different identities to be balanced better.
SPOILERS
Also, I thought Eric Shanower’s Happily Ever After was somewhat problematic. The story is about two gay boys who get to make a wish from a genie. One wishes the other to be in love with him so they can live happily ever after; the other, enraged, wishes he wasn’t gay. Thus they reach a stalemate, which can only be solved after the wishes are rendered void. What I found problematic is that Marc wishes he wasn’t gay and as a consequence is still in love with a man, but cannot experience sexual attraction. Reducing homosexuality to sexual desire feels wrong.
November 6, 2018
It’s Am I Blue for the next generation! This book was the strongest when it didn’t break form, when it had strong short stories by young adult writers. But ultimately it also tried to be too much. The weakest parts were the comics and the adult authors who wrote great stories that felt a little disjointed from the rest of the collection (Gregory Maguire‘s was so good, but I had to read it twice to get what was happening.) All that said, I’m a sucker for a gay short story collection for young people. And I think this may have one of my favorite David Levithan stories I’ve ever read, so it earns the 5 star review.
December 28, 2018
The stories by Emma Donoghue and Gregory Maguire are excellent. The others range from very good to utterly insipid -- and as ever, bisexuals don't exist. (To be fair the introductory material doesn't claim they do, but a book about lesbians, gay men, and trans men and women is not what I want out of a queer anthology.
I'm also not 100% sure this book is correctly categorized as YA -- the stories are for the most part about people in their teens and early twenties (which is already old for YA), but many are told by adults reflecting on their teenage years or talking to teens.
It came out in 2009 and thus feels very dated.
I'm also not 100% sure this book is correctly categorized as YA -- the stories are for the most part about people in their teens and early twenties (which is already old for YA), but many are told by adults reflecting on their teenage years or talking to teens.
It came out in 2009 and thus feels very dated.
April 27, 2020
I enjoyed all of the stories - there wasn't one where I was pushed out of my comfort zone. But maybe that's the problem - none of them really stood out for me, either. I had to go back through the table of contents to remember what I'd read. That's the premise, right? That LGBTQ+ people are ordinary. Boring, even. The final story (which is like half the book) sums that up perfectly. The "boring" spouse and kids life is the most satisfying, not a life of fame and fortune (and hiding your identity). I'm not complaining - I borrowed it for comfort, not adventure - just noting my lack of reaction.
May 28, 2023
3.25? Some of the first stories were really cool and enjoyable but the last one (that unfortunately took up like a third of the book) was just not it for me. I also recognize that 2008 was a different time for queer folks than today and this book makes me insanely grateful that I don't have to deal with that stuff, but there were still a lot more identities know then that weren't featured in this book (and even if you're not going to write an entire story about e.g. an aro or ace character, you could at least acknowledge that they exist. I only felt vaguely represented by this book and that was kinda sad).
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