The middle American coming-of-age has found new life in Ryan Van Meter's coming-out, made as strange as it is familiar by acknowledging the role played by gender and sexuality. In fourteen linked essays, If You Knew Then What I Know Now reinvents the memoir with all-encompassing empathyfor bully and bullied alike. A father pitches baseballs at his hapless son and a grandmother watches with silent forbearance as the same slim, quiet boy sets the table dressed in a blue satin dress. Another essay explores origins of the word "faggot" and its etymological connection to "flaming queen. " This deft collection maps the unremarkable landscapes of childhood with compassion and precision, allowing awkwardness its own beauty. This 2011 Sarabande Books Paperback is in very good condition. ISBN: 9781932511949 SKU: 1582231 Note: Any image shown is from a stock photo and is not the actual book.
