 | |
| Author | Grace Elisabeth Lavery |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | Transitioning and the trans experience |
| Genre | Memoir; autobiography; Transgender literature |
| Publisher | Seal Press |
Publication date | February 2022 |
| Pages | 304 |
| ISBN | 978-1-5416-2065-0 |
| Website | http://www.gracelavery.org/please-miss/ |
Please Miss: A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Penis is a February 2022 autobiography by professor Grace Elisabeth Lavery and published by Seal Press. It chronicles her life history of transitioning and her past troubles with addiction, while also including ruminations on sexually charged absurdist material and tall tales regarding the "paradigmatic concept of the penis".[1] Started in 2018, the book showcases Lavery's story and how transitioning while reaching tenure as a professor impacted her outlook on life, with the content being disjointed in topic and theme from chapter to chapter.
Lavery wanted a more metaphorical outlook on the subject and, to that end, one of the most noted features in the book is a series of unhinged letters from aggressive clowns that represents various negative personas and concepts. The work was well received by critics, who praised how accurately it manages to portray the trans experience through metaphor and concept, though some noted that its approach made it difficult for some concepts to come across to readers not personally involved with or knowledgeable on the subject matter.
- ^ Lewis, Alison (February 2022). "Please Miss: A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Penis". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on October 29, 2022. Retrieved October 29, 2022.