Sunday, March 7, 2010

Sunday Salon: Struck Blogless

The Sunday Salon.comTen days ago, my laptop forgot how to connect to the internet. I've been informed that the only hope for recovery is to perform radical surgery--wipe it clean and start again. I've done the prep (saved all my files) and am just waiting for . . . I'm not sure what I'm waiting for, actually. The stars to line up correctly? A miracle? Courage?

In any case, blogging without the internet is difficult. Yes, I can write posts on my computer, transfer them to another computer, and post them. That's what I'm doing now. But that extra step kind of takes the fun out of it. Also, I can't remember my Bloglines password, so the only way for me to read blogs is to type in each address one by one. And that's so twentieth century! What's the fun in that?

I have been reading, though, and the book I finished this morning was almost perfect. Heh heh, I crack myself up. The book was Almost Perfect, by Brian Katcher, which I found at the library after reading a review on Life in the Thumb.

Logan is a senior in a small-town Missouri high school, recovering from the break-up with his girlfriend of three years, when he meets a new student. Sage is uniquely attractive, funny, and gets along with Logan's friends in a way his ex-girlfriend never did. Logan is sure Sage is the right girl for him, until he learns that, while Sage identifies herself as a girl, her anatomy is male.

Katcher presents readers with very "real" and likeable characters, without glossing over the difficulties and complications Sage faces, as well as the confusion Logan wrestles with. I have no doubt that getting to know Sage from Logan's point of view will be an eye-opening experience for many teens. Just as most things in life aren't black-and-white, people can't always be neatly divided into males vs. females. I'll be passing this one on to my son in a year or two, and highly recommend it for high school aged teens.

I want to say this was the best book about a transgendered teen that I've ever read, but I can't think of any to compare it to. Are there others?

by Alison Jakel

15 comments:

  1. wow, sounds so good! i haven't read any books about transgendered teens (or adults) but did see 'transamerica' a few years back. it was educational.

    hope the laptop is successfully resuscitated! i've been there before--so stressful!!! (i've actually written posts on my i-phone. talk about not fun!!!)

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  2. Good luck with the computer! I'd be waiting for courage, if I were you.

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  3. Yes, there are others. Try Parrotfish by Ellen Wittenger and Luna by Julie Ann Peters. Both MC haven't gone through surgery and live as them true selves only part of the time.

    I'm going to look for this. Thanks.

    Hope you get your computer up to speed soon.

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  4. How did we even function in the days before laptops and wi-fi and multiple computers? ;-)

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  5. I'm with Jill on this one...

    And the only book I can think of is the one Susan mentioned - Luna by Julie Anne Peters. I plan to read it in May when we concentrate on trangendered issues on the GLBT blog, and I think I will be adding this one to my list as well!

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  6. I feel for you! I had internet and computer issues earlier this year and had to wipe everything clean, but not before trying every other trick in the book to make it work. And then remembering all my passwords . . . Nightmare! I hope it goes much more smoothly for you.

    Staci's review of Almost Perfect really caught my attention too. It sounds like a worthwhile book to read.

    I hope you have a good week!

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  7. I heard about F2M at another persons blog: http://readingwatchingliving.blogspot.com/2010/02/author-interview-hazel-edwards-co.html although that's about changing genders. 'Middlesex' by Jefferey Eugenides is about a transgendered teenager, but it's adult fiction.

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  8. I've missed you! Hope you solve your computer problems soon.

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  9. the good news is less time blogging is more time for reading.
    Our loss...your gain.

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  10. I hope you get your computer stuff straightened out soon. what a pain.

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  11. Sorry to hear about your computer issues. The book sounds good, though!

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  12. I was going to mention Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides, but someone already has. We read it in my book club a few months ago and it was a really interesting book to discuss!!

    Elise
    http://onceohmarvellousonce.blogspot.com/

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  13. I got the book from the library and read it almost straight through. Really enjoyed it. Thanks.

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  14. So glad you enjoyed it, Susan!

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