She's Not There

A Life in Two Genders

De: Jennifer Finney Boylan

Narrado por: Jennifer Finney Boylan

The provocative best seller She's Not There is the winning, utterly surprising story of a person changing genders. By turns hilarious and deeply moving, Jennifer Finney Boylan explores the territory that lies between men and women, examines changing friendships, and rejoices in the redeeming power of family. Told in Boylan's fresh voice, She's Not There is about a person bearing and finally revealing a complex secret. Through her clear eyes, She's Not There provides a new window on the confounding process of accepting our true selves.

©2013 Jennifer Finney Boylan (P)2016 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

"She's Not There, the

Running with Scissors of sex-change stories, brings irreverence and a merrily outrageous sense of humor to this potentially serious business." (The New York Times)

"Probably no book I've read in recent years has made me so question my basic assumptions about both the centrality and the permeability of gender, and made me recognize myself in a situation I've never known and have never faced.... The universality of the astonishingly uncommon: that's the trick of She's Not There. And with laughs, too. What a good book." (Anna Quindlen, from the introduction to the Book-of-the-Month-Club edition)

"Beautifully crafted, fearless, painfully honest, inspiring, and extremely witty. Jennifer Finney Boylan is an exquisite writer with a fascinating story, and this combination has resulted in one of the most remarkable, moving, and unforgettable memoirs in recent history." (Augusten Burroughs, author of Running with Scissors and Dry)

Outstanding

Jennifer Finney Boylan is just a force to recon with. I admire her courage to be true to herself. I admire Deidre’s love and willingness to adapt. When we love someone, we change because of our love. I’m a mother of 2 transgender children and I too have had a relatable journey with Deidre of changing because of love. Thank you Jenny for sharing your experience and stories. It’s a gift to us!!!

Author is a Great Storyteller!

I found this book delightful. Thank you for sharing your journey! Quite a sense of humor!

One word - gratitude!

Jennifer Finney Boylan, in sharing her story, has shed light and understanding on transexuality and both the joys and challenges she encountered throughout her life. Thank you for sharing your journey, Jennifer, so we can better see the humanity in every individual and the value of love that we can offer to others.

a transgender ladies story of emerging from her wg

This story documents one ladies journey from the early moments of emerging from her egg (I prefer chrysalis) and showing the world the beautiful person (I think more of a butterfly spreading her wings in the midday sun) that was hidden inside.

“She’s Not There”

A great memoir! An inside look at the life, struggle and ultimate courage to live in the truth of one’s life. Hooray for Jenny!!

Loved the commentary at the end where Grace and Rick Russo shared a little. A great book!

I had read Mad Honey - an awesome novel!! (recommended in my bookclub) - then saw the co-author Jennifer Finney Boylan’s memoir mentioned. So, as I love Audible, I listened to her tell her own story in this, “She’s Not There” (also a great song!!) memoir.

Both Jennifer and Rick Russo have inspired me to pull together my own lifelong journals, letters, and notes and tell my own family’s story and write again - especially about my maternal grandmother - an affluent artist and cross-dresser (and most likely a closet gay) in the 1950’s, She died way too early (age 62 in 1972 ) for me to fully understand her. And, the impact it had on my mother, her only daughter, who followed her in death the following year (1973, at age 35).
So, thank you Jenny Finney Boylan, and thank you Audible!

Great Storyteller

Informative, funny, thoughtful and smart. I learned so much. A reminder that we are connected in such important ways even when the differences of our lived experience seem so different on the surface.

Great story

I enjoyed hearing the story read by Jenny herself, Her humor and charm make it so enjoyable!

Glad I Listened

Just a note: this is an audiobook of the 10th anniversary edition which contains additional material and afterwords from Jenny's wife, Grace, and best friend, Rick Russo, that also shed light on the effects of the original publication on all of their lives and, I feel, better helps the reader to understand each person's individual journey.
Although I had read reviews that described the narration as off-putting, I greatly enjoyed hearing from the author herself as certain scenes and phrases in her book benefitted from the emphases placed upon certain words. It was also nice that, in a memoir dealing with a person's gender identity and their transitioning into the social and physical modes that better match their inner reality, the person was able to let their own identity shine through. Additionally, getting to hear the afterwords from Grace and Rick in their own voices gave a better sense of their own transitioning - so to borrow the term - as they came to understand and accept Jenny and their own lives in the wake of her self-integration.

I feel like this work is worthy of a listen by anyone who has an opinion (of any sort) about persons who are transgender and those who love them as well as by anyone who is trying to make sense of the topic. I think it would be especially helpful to family, friends, and allies of anyone in the LGBTQIA+ community for understanding what their loved one and they themselves are experiencing as they navigate and adapt to their world in light of the self-revelations and changes that are taking place. Lessons and observations taken here can apply to anyone who is (or loves someone who is) coming out - be that about their gender identity or orientation. I think what this book does well is to present honest and empathetic reflections regarding Jenny's wife and best friend. The journey that they have to catch up with her on once she comes out and begins transitioning in earnest is difficult and sometimes painful for them and this requires Jenny to recognize and listen to her loved ones who aren't able to instantly switch over to what she already understands without some processing. This book is honest about the grief that comes when assumptions and expectations have to change. It is kind to those in the process and it helps those who are the focal point of that shift to remember to bring some grace and time for those loved ones as they sort through the good old treasures to bring along to the new house of their relationship with their friend, family, or lover.

Inspiring and validating

This was a fun and entertaining story as well as educational. I am a M2F trans person and I enjoyed hearing about the perspective from another trans person. Jenny is a very engaging and funny writer.

Excellent!

This was my second reading of the book, and I much appreciated the updates and hearing from Grace / Diedre. Also a treat to have the author reading it!