Loading...
63rd out of 361 books
—
346 voters
My rating:
add to my books
Trans-Sister Radio
by
Chris Bohjalian (Goodreads Author)
With Trans-Sister Radio, Chris Bohjalian, author of the bestseller Midwives, again confronts his very human characters with issues larger than themselves, here tackling the explosive issue of gender.
When Allison Banks develops a crush on Dana Stevens, she knows that he will give her what she needs most: attention, gentleness, kindness, passion. Her daughter, Carly, enthus...more
When Allison Banks develops a crush on Dana Stevens, she knows that he will give her what she needs most: attention, gentleness, kindness, passion. Her daughter, Carly, enthus...more
Paperback, 368 pages
Published
August 13th 2002
by Vintage
There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!
sign in »
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
4,930)
This book takes an intimate look at a MTF transsexual's coming out/surgery and how this affects her relationship with her straight partner Allison, and by proxy Allison's family and the small town they live in. It's told from each character's PoV, alternating by chapter. Bohjalian really gets into the details of what the transition is like for all involved and that frankness is occasionally refreshing, although the single-mided focus on genitalia and Dana's surgery, as if it is the only thing in...more
Ruby
rated it
Recommends it for:
people with curiosity about mtf transition who can't handle non-fiction
If you're looking for an introduction to transgender issues, this may be a great book for you. I wasn't.
It seems apparent to me that the author thought the idea of a trans character was so intriguing that he would research the phenomenon and write a convincing book about the world of the transitioning MTF. I guess this is what authors do, and I can't fault his research -- as far as I know nothing he said in the book was inaccurate.
It was, however, bland, predictable, an...more
It seems apparent to me that the author thought the idea of a trans character was so intriguing that he would research the phenomenon and write a convincing book about the world of the transitioning MTF. I guess this is what authors do, and I can't fault his research -- as far as I know nothing he said in the book was inaccurate.
It was, however, bland, predictable, an...more
view 1 comment
I loved this book. Not only did it handle transgender and transexual issues well, it was a captivating story filled with emotion and
Alison Banks, a grade-school teacher in a Vermont town, meets and falls in love with a charming and amazing man, Dana. A few months into their romance Dana confesses to Alison that she actually identifies as (gay) female, has begun hormones, will soon be dressing and living as a woman, and will be having sexual reassignment surgery several months later...more
Alison Banks, a grade-school teacher in a Vermont town, meets and falls in love with a charming and amazing man, Dana. A few months into their romance Dana confesses to Alison that she actually identifies as (gay) female, has begun hormones, will soon be dressing and living as a woman, and will be having sexual reassignment surgery several months later...more
Well, this is one of those terrible and yet for me compulsively readable novels. How do normal people see/deal with gender variance? And by normal people I mean to include aspiring normal people. I always want to know, so I read their (incredibly popular, published by mainstream presses, gigantic advance bearing, totally exploitative) books.
Obviously heavily researched, and written by an obviously gender-conforming, heterosexual, Extremely Liberal dude. Not quite as offensive to my sen...more
Obviously heavily researched, and written by an obviously gender-conforming, heterosexual, Extremely Liberal dude. Not quite as offensive to my sen...more
I like Bohjalian's writing. This one is set in Vermont, with a side trip to Trinidad, CO. The subject matter is a male to female gender change and a family that is affected by it. I learned more than I wanted to know about the operation but it is interesting and I have more empathy for people who make that decision. Chris came to our book group and talked about his research for the book, which added new insights.
This was the first time I have read anything by this author - but I can assure you that it won't be the last. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would compare the style of this author to that of Jodi Picoult - another one of my favourite authors.
This particular story is about a modern family - told through the eyes of it's four members: the ex-husband, the ex-wife, the ex- wife's new transsexual partner, and the ex's daughter.
Allison, and elementary school teacher, meets a professo...more
This particular story is about a modern family - told through the eyes of it's four members: the ex-husband, the ex-wife, the ex- wife's new transsexual partner, and the ex's daughter.
Allison, and elementary school teacher, meets a professo...more
This is our current selection for book club and I just finished it over the weekend. I very much enjoyed reading it as it was a quick and easy read about a subject that up until now, I had never thought of. I knew it existed and that eventually in my life I would run into someone who is a transsexual, but truthfully, I had never given their struggle or their relationships a thought. I found the characters interesting and I came to care for them. The explanation of the surgery and recovery wa...more
Slone
added it
NOT what I was expecting. But I kept picking it up at the library, on several different visits ... and one time there was nothing else to listen to (yes, I am a big fan of audio books, but I also love traditional books - so don't go getting all Gutenberg on my butt), so it came home. Little did I know I was about the enter the world transgender ...
I don't remember liking it all that much, but I listened to the whole thing. I figured it was like broccoli: good for me. I really hate "...more
I don't remember liking it all that much, but I listened to the whole thing. I figured it was like broccoli: good for me. I really hate "...more
Bohjalian tried, he really really did. Over all, this was a decent book. For anyone seeking a better, safe understanding of gender and concerns of transgender individuals with a fairly interesting story line and likeable characters, it is a good choice. However, for those with an understanding of what trans* individuals face, it has several points of annoyance and often reeks of textbook cloaked in fiction.
A couple of examples that made me twitch any time I read their print:
...more
A couple of examples that made me twitch any time I read their print:
...more
My book club chose this one, and because I am fascinated by the whole transgender issue, I found it a worthy read. When a divorced 40-something year old teacher, Allison, falls for her college professor,(Dana, and finds out after the fact he is transitioning to a she,there are a lot of questions raised. Will Allison still love Dana after he becomes a woman, if not, why? If so, does this make her a lesbian?
Along the way of discovering what she wants, the town, the principal of her school,...more
Along the way of discovering what she wants, the town, the principal of her school,...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
a good read-- quick, engaging, and you get to learn more about transition from male to female, which is something i don't know much about. Bohjalian's writing, as usual, flows really well and keeps you engaged in the story, but this isn't his strongest piece of fiction--the plot tension pales in comparison to Midwives and The Double Bind.
I do like his exploration of people's feelings towards something like gay marriage or transsexuals, an almost NIMBY sensibility, that in general it...more
I do like his exploration of people's feelings towards something like gay marriage or transsexuals, an almost NIMBY sensibility, that in general it...more
I enjoyed that each character (Allison, Dana, Carly & Will) each had chapters to tell the story from their eyes & heart & soul!
This goes to show how some people can be so predjudce just becuase you are a Transexual, Gay or Bi-Sexual. Thinking that you can catch it or teach it. God Forbid they just accept it as normal, for that person and let it be each indiviuals personal choice!
Chris Bohjalian you touched my heart & soul when you wrote:
"Or walk with me...more
This goes to show how some people can be so predjudce just becuase you are a Transexual, Gay or Bi-Sexual. Thinking that you can catch it or teach it. God Forbid they just accept it as normal, for that person and let it be each indiviuals personal choice!
Chris Bohjalian you touched my heart & soul when you wrote:
"Or walk with me...more
This was an interesting, sympathetic, insightful look at a "world" that I (and perhaps most people) knew very little about prior to picking the book up. The significant differences between people of different cultures, nationalities, religions, lifestyles, etc. only serve to shed light on how ultimately similar we homosapiens all are to each other, most especially in matters of the heart.
While this book was enjoyable there was also something missing or something I couldn't quite put my finger on. I guess why the focus around the radio? I mean it is an interesting way to tell the story and it sets up the premise but the book wasn't so much about the radio as it was about the people in the story and how their lives came to be surrounded and intertwined with one transsexual's choice to have a sex change operation. I did enjoy the love story that ran subtle and not so subtle in th...more
Bohjalian has tried, but he doesn't know from the transsexual experience. This reads a lot the way old lesbian/gay novels did in the 70s and 80s, where the emotional focus (and sometimes the whole plot) was about coming out. While the trans protagonist goes beyond coming out here, the emotion of the story sticks there and can't really move on. This could work okay, but all of the narrators have interchangeable voices, language, and preoccupations. I would sometimes lose track of whose chapter it...more
An interesting way to tell a story about trans-gender issues and the mental and physical intensity of going through the change. A little to pigeon holed at times for me. I have a parent who is trans-gender and even though it felt like I was educating myself a little bit into that world and mind space I felt more and more that when talking of this issue nothing can be generalized. Each and every experience for the people going through the change and their families is so unique and different. You ...more
This book had a profound effect on me, opening my eyes to so very much, and I passed that experience on the many other people who were just as captivated as I was. Bohjalian really researches his subjects and writes them with such intimacy that they stay with you for a good, long time.
This was the first Bohjalian I was able to complete and I enjoyed the story line as it was quirky enough to keep me interested. I liked the weaving of the lives of everyone involved and the multi-layered emotional content of all. I didn't care for some people which helped with the conflict of emotions and the layering.
The story is about a middle-aged teacher who meets a college professor and falls in love right before the professor has a sex change operation. The professor is sure of what...more
The story is about a middle-aged teacher who meets a college professor and falls in love right before the professor has a sex change operation. The professor is sure of what...more
An account of a transsexual who has his/her gender reassigned, and the effect this has on her relationships and the community in which she lives. I suppose Bohjalian really believed he was doing a service to transsexuals by writing a sympathetic account of their experience, and maybe he would have been if it had been a better book. In fact, it's both plodding and prurient -- an amazing achievement! It's about genitals, not about the people who have, or change, those genitals. Bohjalian doesn't b...more
Does it All Come Down to Muscle Spasms?
This was the choice for our December book club and, as it turns out, the only reason I read it. Overall, it was a highly unpleasant reading experience because I had little interest in the subject matter. That’s not to say the writing wasn’t good and the characters weren’t well drawn . . . it is to say, that the core of the story was completely outside of my comfort zone.
This is the story of a male college professor, Dana, who falls in love...more
This was the choice for our December book club and, as it turns out, the only reason I read it. Overall, it was a highly unpleasant reading experience because I had little interest in the subject matter. That’s not to say the writing wasn’t good and the characters weren’t well drawn . . . it is to say, that the core of the story was completely outside of my comfort zone.
This is the story of a male college professor, Dana, who falls in love...more
This was a novel about what happens when you fall in love with someone who is about to have gender reassignment surgery. As you can imagine, lots of evaluation of "what is gender, anyway?" ensues... I liked how the book examined this issue, and the plot was structured such that the timing made this a very interesting "what would you do in this situation" dilemma. Basically, the woman fell in love with the man while he was still a man, and THEN the man had the reassignment sur...more
A few years ago (maybe more, I'm old) there was a documentary on Discovery about a transgendered doctor in Colorado who performed gender reassignment surgery. As I read Chris Bohjalian's Trans-Sister Radio, I kept reflecting on the documentary.
Chris's story was well-written and extremely thought provoking. I empathized greatly with the character Allison Banks as I am a teacher. The thought that my classroom performance could be called into question because of my personal choices or...more
Chris's story was well-written and extremely thought provoking. I empathized greatly with the character Allison Banks as I am a teacher. The thought that my classroom performance could be called into question because of my personal choices or...more
I was surprised by this book. It was given to me and when I read the inside flap and understood the subject, I was a bit turned off. But I started it anyway and found myself intrigued and surprised again. I liked it.
The book is about genetic dyphoria...transsexuals. In this case, a male to female "reassignment". The story takes place in Vermont & centers around 4 main characters; Dana, the man turned woman; Allison, a teacher, who falls in love with Dana as a man; Carly, Alli...more
The book is about genetic dyphoria...transsexuals. In this case, a male to female "reassignment". The story takes place in Vermont & centers around 4 main characters; Dana, the man turned woman; Allison, a teacher, who falls in love with Dana as a man; Carly, Alli...more
A stupid ending.
BUT, it's a fantastically written and tender telling of story about an elitist New England family dealing with the introduction of a transexual to their lives; tenured college professor Dana Stevens. Who will be attracted to who next?
It's a good start to what I hope is a subject touched upon by more authors in the future-- the fluidity of gender. Perhaps, though, we're all ready for a realistic story of a transgendered person.
Although my feelin...more
BUT, it's a fantastically written and tender telling of story about an elitist New England family dealing with the introduction of a transexual to their lives; tenured college professor Dana Stevens. Who will be attracted to who next?
It's a good start to what I hope is a subject touched upon by more authors in the future-- the fluidity of gender. Perhaps, though, we're all ready for a realistic story of a transgendered person.
Although my feelin...more
I would have never picked up this book if it weren't on my book club list. It is an unusual and highly insightful story about a woman that falls in love with a man and then later finds out he is a transsexual. This story draws you in from the very beginning, and is told insightfully from four different points of view -- of the woman, her transsexual lover, her ex-husband and her college-age child. This is a story of complex human relationships and gave me an understanding of just how difficult i...more
Although I enjoyed reading this book and admire the author for tackling a controversial topic in a fascinating way, I was disappointed that I knew the ending long before the book started wrapping up. That left me feeling cheated. In a way, it kind of didn't matter because it was an ending I was okay with, but I basically just kept reading to figure out if I was right or not. I particularly enjoyed the references to NPR and Vermont Public Radio (VPR) - especially when the author used real NPR rep...more
Totally DID NOT expect that ending...until I got to like page 300 or something along those lines. I have to admit I was a little doubtful I would like this book as much as I did. Some of the reviews I read set me up for disappointment of which I was pleasantly surprised I didn't experience. Trans-Sister Radio was a well written story dealing with a more increasingly difficult issue in our society: tolerance. While of course the main issues were gender dysphoria and even more so, trans-sexuali...more
I won't tell you why I picked this up, but I'll tell you that I couldn't put it down once I started. How did I manage to miss this author?
Periodically I found myself stopping, flipping to the front of the book, looking for the paragraph I must have missed say it was based on the true story of... or the names and places have been changed to protect the identity of... The characters were just so real, so believable, and so exquisitely, lovingly written that I just couldn't imagine they had ...more
Periodically I found myself stopping, flipping to the front of the book, looking for the paragraph I must have missed say it was based on the true story of... or the names and places have been changed to protect the identity of... The characters were just so real, so believable, and so exquisitely, lovingly written that I just couldn't imagine they had ...more
Wow a very different story line. And I think I know more about transgender/sex changes than I thought I would ever know.
When you actually think about it though, most of these characters are incredibly selfish...aside from the daughter. Allison, allowing herself to be so unhappy to "get her own way". Dana for ensuring that she got what she wanted (Allison, and the lifestyle). Will for only going against society once he he figured to do a story for his station.
An easy rea...more
When you actually think about it though, most of these characters are incredibly selfish...aside from the daughter. Allison, allowing herself to be so unhappy to "get her own way". Dana for ensuring that she got what she wanted (Allison, and the lifestyle). Will for only going against society once he he figured to do a story for his station.
An easy rea...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Chris Bohjalian is the author of fourteen books, including the New York Times bestsellers, Secrets of Eden, Skeletons at the Feast, The Double Bind, Before You Know Kindness, The Law of Similars, and Midwives.
His new novel, The Night Strangers, arrives on October 4, 2011. It's a ghost story inspired by a door in his basement and Sully Sullenberger's successful ditching of an Airbus in ...more
More about Chris Bohjalian...
His new novel, The Night Strangers, arrives on October 4, 2011. It's a ghost story inspired by a door in his basement and Sully Sullenberger's successful ditching of an Airbus in ...more
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“No surgery in the world was going to offer him the particular history that went along with growing up female. No procedure was going to give him the joys or the terrors that must accompany pregnancy- that must, for teen girls, make sex a walk over Niagra Falls on a tightrope.”
—
3 people liked it
More quotes…
