Nowhere manMarch 28, 2008 "How can you be loved if you can never be known?" asks the author, and there's the core of her second memoir.
Recycling much of the narrative history of She's Not There - not a necessarily bad thing; Jong and Burroughs, to name but two, have successfully rewrote the same book many times over - there is increased detail and drama in Boylan's semi-sequel. Especially delightful are the music references; "Stone Soul Picnic" and "Little Green" punctuate that special era when it seemed history would never end. Boylan writes with a novelist's sense of timing throughout and most of the conversations, seemingly adventitious, ring right as rain. Ghosts, growth, loss and self-actualization all flow with the untidy logic of real life. Only this is a unique life, a destiny stamped with gender drama. To her credit, Boylan has a light touch and a lot of class in bringing the unknowable to light.
Who knows where the time goes.
Creative writing at its bestMarch 6, 2008 0 out of 1 found this review helpful
With a fertile imagination and a gift of writing skills Jenny Boylan has created a memorable memoir revealing the life journey which has brought her to such acclaim in the art of storytelling.Real or unreal,we find that we all have ghosts in our own past who are responsible for our own private haunts. A most delightful read. Lily B. McBeth Tuckerton,N J
Haunted In More Ways Than OneFebruary 22, 2008 4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I had never heard of Jennifer Finney Boylan before I saw this book advertised, but I was drawn to it by the subtitle: Growing Up Haunted. We all live with memories of our past and from our family's pasts, and its interesting to see how others deal with their "hauntedness." Jennifer was born James Boylan, a child who felt "transparent" and "not there" through his childhood. Eventually, James recognized that he was trans-gendered, and succeeded in becoming a "solider" person as Jennifer. Before that transition she had a lively childhood in a house which had some weird spectres or "ghosts" along with a real living family of eccentrics.
Jennifer's story is interesting on several levels, both sad and amusing. She writes well and wittily and conveys a good impression of life in a haunted house as well as what it was like to grow up in a family which, while not wealthy, was part of Philadelphia's Main Line society.
Great narrative about growing up conflictedFebruary 22, 2008 2 out of 3 found this review helpful
There is a little "ghost action" in this book for those of you looking for "scary," but it's really about the author's "haunted" childhood in more ways than one - living in a haunted house (or is it) but also being haunted by secrets. I really loved it; the writing is beautiful. I picked it up off a bookstore's "recommended" shelf not knowing anything about the author and have since ordered some of her other books to read. If you are looking for an individual memoir/ghost story/family drama/character study all in one, check it out. Lots of humor in it, as well.
I'm Looking Through YouFebruary 13, 2008 3 out of 5 found this review helpful
This is one of the best books I have ever read. Am sneaking chapters during work - cannot put it down. It is terrifying and wonderful at the same time. You will not be disappointed by this book!
