I finished reading it sitting on the tube platform and the last few pages had me in tears. It’s nice to feel seen I’ve felt a lot of loneliness and shame in my life. I’ve often felt like I didn’t really belong here and I’ve spent a lot of my life hiding, pretending and running away. But really, feeling lonely is part of being human. There’s nothing to be ashamed of
genuinely one of the greatest books i’ve ever read. a series of profiles of famous artists in and around new york throughout the 20th century, and the relationship that social isolation had to their work. also, some amazing accounts of struggles during the aids crisis.
recently just finished reading this book. such a solid one to get yourself lost in. also good for when you need a good cry! kind of a depressing title, but actually a wholesome book.
“I discover a journey not identical to my life’s path, and yet blazed with the intimate familiarity of my own lived experience. I locate theory—the way it is lived— in motion and in interconnection. Not hard to understand; hard to live.“
- Leslie Feinberg (10th anniversary edition)
heartwrenching from start to finish. a warm hug for someone like me.
i can’t really criticize the writing of this book, just because it’s the uniqueness and importance of this story that sets it apart. it is a story that absolutely needed to be written. what’s even more amazing is that such simple writing could capture the lived intricacies of gender and sexuality in so many shades.
i had never felt seen like this.
Almost a year ago I was admitted to a psychiatric hospital for the second time. I was stuck in a cycle of emergency room visits, being referred to different services and attending crisis centres. I felt so hopeless but I decided that I would give recovery one last shot and I knew it would need to be 1000000%. My life has changed so much in the last year. Things still feel so hard sometimes but I’m managing. I dont feel so ashamed anymore and I’m making plans for the future again. I’m so grateful and happy I decided to get better. This feels a bit self serving but I’m proud of myself. Something happened yesterday that would have sent me over the edge, but I’m coping. It still hurts a lot but I’m not hurting myself. It’s been nice to reflect on it today.