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Summary: The most Terribly Wonderful Book I Have Ever Read
Review: "Stone Butch Blues" is the most terribly wonderful, and wonderfully terrible book i have ever read. This book moved me to tears, laughter, awe, and levels of feeling not often experienced from the printed word. I will return to Stone Butch Blues again and again, for both the emotional discomfort and comfort it brings. Bravo Leslie Feinberg, Bravo !
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Summary: An important chronicle of Herstory
Review: "Stone Butch Blues" is the story of someone "different" in a world where difference is not tolerated. This book is an important chronicle of herstory for the gay/lesbian/bi/TG community.Without spoiling it for the reader, what is more horrendous than anything else in this book are the chronic "raids" the gay community had to endure in their gathering places, and the foolish rules they had to follow.(ex. in gay bars, women could be arrested if caught dancing with other women, women had to go into the ladies' room one at a time and were monitored to make sure they did) "Butch" women, women who could not 'pass' as straight, ran or hid in the bathroom during a police raid. Even more humiliating is the police brutality if a "Queer" got arrested: just for being who they are. Being arrested was a fear Jess lived with her entire life, not because she feared arrest, but because she feared what would happen next. How the cop responded to Brandon Teena (All She Wanted by Aphrodite Jones) will not surprise you when you see how the cops have exploited and violated "Queers" for years. It's their job. It's part of what we, as taxpayers, pay them to do. The brutality of hate and oppression is part of the cultural conditioning of all "real men" that we, as taxpayers, pay our educators to nurture in our children. I wonder if we, as taxpayers, are creative and caring enough to make it stop.
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Summary: Eye Opening - Heart Rendering
Review: After watching Boys Don't Cry - The Brandon Teena story I had to find out more about transgendered people. This was the first book recommended to me. Being an out lesbian of many years I have to admitt I didn't understand butches. While I don't know if I understand, I know now I'll love them all. This book made me cry, made me laugh, helped me understand. I loved it and would recommend it to all gay people so we can see the prejudice within our own community, and to all straight people so they can just SEE. Thank-you Leslie Feinberg!
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Summary: Guess my expectations were too high...
Review: Although I have to agree that the concerns of the lesbian and gay communities should be taken seriously and are important, I cannot really praise this book. The cheap metaphors are offending the reader's intelligence. Only homosexuality doesn't make a good writer. Nevertheless, I liked the interesting chronology.
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Summary: heart wrenching
Review: Anyone with a heart can find atleast one character in this book that speaks to you. Some of us find atleast a little of us in every character. From the time i picked up the book I couldn't put it down....and by the time i turned the last page and finished reading it.... it was time to start all over. This book should be a must read for every family or friend that has trouble accepting us for who we are.... maybe then they would realize just how hard it is for us.
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Summary: Unforgettable...unforgivable...
Review: As a "femme" in the 90's, this really put me in touch with the struggles that lesbians have faced. It amazes me that through high school and college, I have not heard of the "stonewall riots" and had no knowledge that something like this existed in our culture. How can we study every hardship in societies history, but ignore this great tragedy? The book swallowed me up...I was intranced. Could not put it down until the last page. Then I had the most undeniable urge to write to leslie...to tell her I cared...to thank her for sharing...for leading the way...
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Summary: Ash --please get in touch with me
Review: Ash, was reading reviews for this book. I too am a new out Butch, not Stone but still feel the man living inside my female body. If you read this, please get in touch with me.
When going by *reviewers* I'm number 350013.YOu can get my contact info from there to email me.
Would love to hear from you. We can swop *coming out stories*
Ellen
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Summary: A must read for learning about the Human Spirit!
Review: Author Leslie Feinberg has done a remarkable thing in the writing of Stone Butch Blues. The author has opened her soul to anyone who reads and exposed us each to our own fears of being different no matter how slight it may be. Being a gay male, reading this book was recommeded to me by a lesbian friend. At first I was reading it out of respect for my friend, but I found myself unable to put the book down. The story is endearing to anyone who desires to know more about the human spirit and the need and will to survive. I laughed, cried and saw myself in so many of the fears, questions, lonley times and good times experienced by Jess, the Stone Butch. Thank you Leslie Feinberg for the way you gave us a piece of your soul in the book and allowed us to become a little more accepting of our differences and of who we are.
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Summary: Triumph in the face of insummountable odds
Review: Being heterosexual and never really had to step out of society's 'norms' I have not ever (until recently) considered what it would be like for those who do not live inside the "norms" of our society. Stone Butch Blues opened my eyes even further than before to the pain and anguish that is caused by not fitting in. It also showed how ridiculous Western concepts of sex, gender and sexuality really are when we consider a society where people like Jess exist. Obviously, there's something wrong in the way that most of us conceptualise the world. Stone Butch Blues shows a world before feminism, where people like Jess had an awful time trying to get anywhere - where fear could dictate a persons actions entirely. It shows the plight of people who aren't "normal" to succeed in this world and to be proud of who they are. Despite the obvious hardships that this novel shows it is not a dreary movie about tragedy and how bad the world is. It is a story of hope and of inspiration - showing that the world can change - and that you can change it. Regardless of your age, sex, gender, race and so on, it is possible to survive and to make an impact on the world. Stone Butch Blues is a fantastic novel and I would recommend it to everyone with an open mind. I would not, however, say that it is everyone's cup of tea as it can be quite graphic and disturbing. Despite this, try and read the book - it will open your eyes.
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Summary: I Wish That I were Jesse's Girl
Review: Even if you don't like gay people, this is a good book if you want to learn how to write. If you do like gay people, or are gay yourself, this is a good book to learn about transsexuality. Place this book next to your well-thumbed copy of Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass" or Gore Vidal's "The City and the Pillar."
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