Status
Available
Publication
Atria (2020), 256 pages
Description
"Daniel Mallory Ortberg is known for blending genres, forms, and sources to develop fascinating new hybrids--from lyric rants to horror recipes to pornographic scripture. In his most personal work to date, he turns his attention to the essay, offering vigorous and laugh-out-loud funny accounts of both popular and highbrow culture while mixing in meditations on gender transition, family dynamics, and the many meanings of faith. From a thoughtful analysis of the beauty of William Shatner to a sinister reimagining of HGTV's House Hunters, and featuring figures as varied as Anne of Green Gables, Columbo, Nora Ephron, Apollo, and the cast of Mean Girls, Something That May Shock and Discredit You is a hilarious and emotionally exhilarating compendium that combines personal history with cultural history to make you see yourself and those around you entirely anew. It further establishes Ortberg as one of the most innovative and engaging voices of his generation--and it may just change the way you think about Lord Byron forever."--Amazon.com.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member rivkat
Memoir-ish account, punctuated by Lavery’s distinctive imagined conversations/monologues in the voices of historical/literary characters, of his transition and his relationship to transness and religious faith. Reminded me a lot of David Sedaris in exposing his own uncertainties and follies.
LibraryThing member Narshkite
One thing I did not expect going into this is that I would end up with a crush on Daniel Lavery. The way this man's mind works (fanning myself) is knee-weakening for an intellect-hag like me. This is the single best book I have read about gender transition and it is also one of the most engaging
This is a kind and joyful book, showing neither the anger (say Julia Serano) or conciliatory defeatism (say Kate Bornstein) or obstinate refusal to consider the merit of opinions different from the writer (say Susan Stryker) that I see in many books by gender non-binary and trans authors. Lavery looks for the good in people. He understands the resistance of his mother and other family members to calling him Daniel rather than his dead name. He wants to give them space to "make a mistake" of "forget" as they tell him they will. And though he understands, he also knows this is ridiculous, and uses the story of Jacob/Israel to shine light on that ridiculousness, on the lie of the excuses his mother and others are making. But that light he shines is not mocking, it is filled with a beautiful humanity and empathy, qualities so rare these days that it made me tear up a bit.
I saw GR reviews of this from people who apparently have the intellectual curiosity of a ferret and complained because not every word of this was about transition (actually, every word is filtered through a trans man lens, but perhaps that was too subtle) and also those who complained they were bested by bible references, (as if quoting a bible passage to an atheist were equivalent to plunging a wooden stake into a vampire) and I can safely say they are not the right readers for this book. If you are smart, curious, and want to see Mean Girls and gender and evangelical Christianity a whole lot differently than you ever have before, and do not want anger to be the only acceptable response to everything you see and hear which does not confirm your world view, I recommend this book passionately.
Show More
collections of essays on religion and/or pop-culture I have come across. I worship the brain that can go from a mind-bending and hilarious analysis of "The Jerk" to an equally hilarious analysis of Hans Christian Anderson (so unpleasant apparently even Kierkegaard thought him a wet blanket, which is saying a lot), to why Gomez Addams is a transmasculine icon to why Duckie and Captain Kirk are lesbians. At every turn this book is funny. Really funny without being cruel or cutting. And at the same time it is honest and touching and deeply personal without being even slightly sappy.This is a kind and joyful book, showing neither the anger (say Julia Serano) or conciliatory defeatism (say Kate Bornstein) or obstinate refusal to consider the merit of opinions different from the writer (say Susan Stryker) that I see in many books by gender non-binary and trans authors. Lavery looks for the good in people. He understands the resistance of his mother and other family members to calling him Daniel rather than his dead name. He wants to give them space to "make a mistake" of "forget" as they tell him they will. And though he understands, he also knows this is ridiculous, and uses the story of Jacob/Israel to shine light on that ridiculousness, on the lie of the excuses his mother and others are making. But that light he shines is not mocking, it is filled with a beautiful humanity and empathy, qualities so rare these days that it made me tear up a bit.
I saw GR reviews of this from people who apparently have the intellectual curiosity of a ferret and complained because not every word of this was about transition (actually, every word is filtered through a trans man lens, but perhaps that was too subtle) and also those who complained they were bested by bible references, (as if quoting a bible passage to an atheist were equivalent to plunging a wooden stake into a vampire) and I can safely say they are not the right readers for this book. If you are smart, curious, and want to see Mean Girls and gender and evangelical Christianity a whole lot differently than you ever have before, and do not want anger to be the only acceptable response to everything you see and hear which does not confirm your world view, I recommend this book passionately.
Show Less
LibraryThing member brangwinn
I read this after reading Becoming a Man by P. Carl. These chapters about a gay lifestyle doesn’t have the power that P. Carl’s memoir has. But it does have lots of humor along with the serious stuff. I think I made a mistake reading it when I did, because a week after reading it I want to
Show More
reread it rather than making an expectation like I did. Lavery’s look at all the things that made him who his is, stayed with me. Show Less
LibraryThing member jonerthon
The Mean Girls chapter is perhaps the best popular culture mashup of the 21st century. Just read it.
LibraryThing member arosoff
(Review note: The author is credited as Daniel Mallory Ortberg, but recently changed his name to Danny M. Lavery. For the sake of clarity, I'm using his pre-marital name in this review.)
I'm not sure exactly how I felt about this. I loved Ortberg's writing at the Toast. This ranges across formats
It's difficult for me to grade this because it's such a mix, but ultimately, I went for how well I think he pulled it off and less about how much I enjoyed it.
I'm not sure exactly how I felt about this. I loved Ortberg's writing at the Toast. This ranges across formats
Show More
and genres, and some of it is more successful than others. I enjoy memoirs in general, and that worked well. The literary experimentation was a mixed bag but that may depend on personal taste. I don't really go for Christian theology, and while I completely understand Ortberg's choices there, it is not my thing. It's difficult for me to grade this because it's such a mix, but ultimately, I went for how well I think he pulled it off and less about how much I enjoyed it.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Mialro
I've loved Daniel Lavery's writing ever since the old The Toast days, and will read everything he writes. I loved all the Bible references which he used as descriptive parallels to his transitioning (Jacob wrestling with God and being given a new name, etc.). He also did several of his signature
Trigger warnings for this book: dysphoria, transphobia, Bible passages, depression and anxiety
Show More
retellings/reimaginings of classical poetry and literature. This book was funny and poignant and I liked it very much. 4 out of 5 stars.Trigger warnings for this book: dysphoria, transphobia, Bible passages, depression and anxiety
Show Less
Awards
NPR: Books We Love (2020)
The A.V. Club best books (2020)
ALA Over the Rainbow Book List (Longlist — Non-Fiction — 2021)
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Non-Fiction — 2020)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2020-02
Physical description
256 p.; 8.38 inches
ISBN
1982105224 / 9781982105228