Welcome to Read This Book, a newsletter where I recommend one book that should absolutely be put at the top of your TBR pile. Recommended books will vary across genre and age category and include shiny new books, older books you may have missed, and some classics I suggest finally getting around to. Make space for another pile of books on your floor, because here we go!
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Today’s pick is a comic anthology relevant for Pride Month and beyond.
The Out Side: Trans & Nonbinary Comics compiled by The Kao, Min Christensen, and David Daneman
This comic anthology features 29 transgender and nonbinary comic artists, each sharing a slice of their individual journeys of stepping into their own authentic selves. The stories in this anthology are vulnerable, encouraging, and diverse. Trans and nonbinary folks are not a monolith, and while some stories may have similarities, each is unique. This collection is a love letter to the trans and nonbinary community. It offers open arms to readers who may be questioning or struggling with their own gender identities as well as an outstretched hand to readers who are pursuing a deeper understanding of trans and nonbinary experiences.
Each comic is quite short, only a handful of pages long or fewer; however, each comic is expressive and meaningful, earnest and heartfelt. Dozens of small journeys take us from dysphoria, discomfort, fear, and confusion to a place of euphoria and at the very least, contentment. Contentment is no small feat, mind you, and the stories in this book are proof that it is possible.
The variety of comics in this anthology is really impressive. Not every story has a fairytale ending or an ending at all. Some folks are still discovering who they are, and that is valid too. Some creators were able to carry parts of their younger selves with them while others needed to completely break free of all they were, including their family and community. Many found new communities, sometimes in unlikely places, and that, too, can be gender-affirming. All of the creators are, of course, incredibly talented, and the artwork for each comic amplified the emotions in a way that only text would not.
This is an excellent anthology that began as a Kickstarter but is now available as an expanded version.
That’s it for now, book-lovers!
Patricia
Find me on Book Riot, the All the Books podcast, Bluesky, and Instagram.
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