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Title details for Becoming Nicole by Amy Ellis Nutt - Available

Becoming Nicole

The Transformation of an American Family

by Amy Ellis Nutt
Amy Ellis Nutt
Audiobook
2 of 2 copies available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
2 of 2 copies available
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The inspiring true story of transgender actor and activist Nicole Maines, whose identical twin brother, Jonas, and ordinary American family join her on an extraordinary journey to understand, nurture, and celebrate the uniqueness in us all.

Nicole appears as TV’s first transgender superhero on CW’s Supergirl
When Wayne and Kelly Maines adopted identical twin boys, they thought their lives were complete. But by the time Jonas and Wyatt were toddlers, confusion over Wyatt’s insistence that he was female began to tear the family apart. In the years that followed, the Maineses came to question their long-held views on gender and identity, to accept Wyatt’s transition to Nicole, and to undergo a wrenching transformation of their own, the effects of which would reverberate through their entire community. Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Amy Ellis Nutt spent almost four years reporting this story and tells it with unflinching honesty, intimacy, and empathy. In her hands, Becoming Nicole is more than an account of a courageous girl and her extraordinary family. It’s a powerful portrait of a slowly but surely changing nation, and one that will inspire all of us to see the world with a little more humanity and understanding.
Named One of the Ten Best Books of the Year by People • One of the Best Books of the Year by The New York Times Book Review and Men’s Journal • A Stonewall Honor Book in Nonfiction • Finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Nonfiction
“Fascinating and enlightening.”—Cheryl Strayed
“If you aren’t moved by Becoming Nicole, I’d suggest there’s a lump of dark matter where your heart should be.”—The New York Times
“Exceptional . . . ‘Stories move the walls that need to be moved,’ Nicole told her father last year. In telling Nicole’s story and those of her brother and parents luminously, and with great compassion and intelligence, that is exactly what Amy Ellis Nutt has done here.”—The Washington Post
“A profoundly moving true story about one remarkable family’s evolution.”—People
“Becoming Nicole is a miracle. It’s the story of a family struggling with—and embracing—a transgender child. But more than that, it’s about accepting one another, and ourselves, in all our messy, contradictory glory.”—Jennifer Finney Boylan, former co-chair of GLAAD and author of She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Awards

  • Release date

    October 20, 2015

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9780399569432
      • File size: 251718 KB
      • Duration: 08:44:24

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Read by the author, this compelling story of a twin boy who from the age of 3 consistently asserted that he was a girl offers insight into the emotions and challenges of transgender youth and their families. Nutt, a science writer for the WASHINGTON POST, has compiled a chronicle of the family's journey, paying attention to the feelings and evolution of both parents and the twins. Her narration is somewhat studied, and in the discussion of the related medical science, a bit pedantic. However, the audiobook moves along at a good pace, and Nutt's admiration for the family comes through strongly, as well as her pride in being able to share their story. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine
    • Library Journal

      January 1, 2016

      Jonas and Wyatt entered the world as identical twin boys, adopted by Kelly and Wayne Maines after being born to Kelly's teenage cousin who wasn't ready to be a mother. By toddlerhood, Wyatt vocalized that she was a girl; Jonas always recognized he had a sister. Kelly supported Wyatt unconditionally as she asserted her true identity. Wayne's understanding took longer, but second grader Jonas provided him with the perfect explanation: "Face it, Dad, you have a son and a daughter." Wayne's growth from acceptance to activism is an inspiring lesson for all parents. Nutt (Shadows Bright as Glass) follows the Maineses' journey as Wyatt becomes Nicole--a personal transformation to bring congruence both inside and out. Nutt edifies readers with history, science, medicine, and law, deftly exposing the family's challenges without demonizing the ignorant, fearful, at times downright nasty naysayers. VERDICT Nutt narrates with an inviting, open earnestness. Not an actor, she is a storyteller, with perfect timing--how did she know three years ago (when she began reporting on the Maineses) that transgender identity would be such an auspicious topic? Nicole should be in audio collections everywhere.--Terry Hong, Smithsonian BookDragon, Washington, DC

      Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • Publisher's Weekly

      December 14, 2015
      This poignant account of a transgender girl's transition offers a heartfelt snapshot of a family whose only objective is to protect their daughter. Tackling the subject from a biological, social, and psychological viewpoint, Pulitzer-winning reporter Nutt (Shadows Bright as Glass) weaves complex elements of what being transgender means into a compelling narrative about a young woman who has identified as female since early childhood. Her middle-class family in rural Maine struggle to navigate the American education, legal, and medical systems in order for their daughter to "become Nicole." Tensions around a court case involving the designation of male and female bathrooms, Nicole's evolving relationship with her father, and the family's conflict between privacy and advocacy advance the story. Writing in a very journalistic tone, Nutt succeeds in placing Nicole's individual story within the more general narrative of transgender rights in the United States and humanizes the issues currently at play.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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