Queer

- This book is a compelling and thought-provoking exploration of identity and resilience. It tells the true story of David Reimer, who, after a tragic medical incident, was raised as a girl but eventually chose to live as a male. The book delves deep into the complexities of gender identity and challenges societal norms, offering a unique perspective on the transgender experience. It is a testament to the human spirit and the power of personal choice. - As Nature Made Him is a gripping account of one family's extraordinary survival in the face of unimaginable odds. It sheds light on the macabre tale of medical arrogance and the profound impact it had on David Reimer and his loved ones. Through the lens of David's journey, the book addresses larger questions about identity, nature versus nurture, and the human capacity to overcome adversity. It is a deeply moving and thought-provoking read. - This book offers a poignant and eye-opening exploration of the consequences of medical intervention on gender identity. It tells the tragic yet inspiring story of David Reimer's journey and the immense challenges he faced along the way. By raising questions about the limits of medical knowledge and the complexities of gender, the book invites readers to reflect on society's understanding of identity and the importance of individual agency. Prepare to be engrossed in this captivating human drama. - As Nature Made Him is a powerful and gripping narrative that dives into the resilience and courage of one man and his family. It exposes the dark side of medical interventions and raises essential questions about gender identity. The book challenges societal norms and reminds us of the importance of personal choice and self-discovery. Prepare to be moved and inspired by this compelling true story.

The Promise of Happiness is a provocative cultural critique of the imperative to be happy. It asks what follows when we make our desires and even our own happiness conditional on the happiness of others: “I just want you to be happy”; “I’m happy if you’re happy.” Combining philosophy and feminist cultural studies, Sara Ahmed reveals the affective and moral work performed by the “happiness duty,” the expectation that we will be made happy by taking part in that which is deemed good, and that by being happy ourselves, we will make others happy. Ahmed maintains that happiness is a promise that directs us toward certain life choices and away from others. Happiness is promised to those willing to live their lives in the right way.Ahmed draws on the intellectual history of happiness, from classical accounts of ethics as the good life, through seventeenth-century writings on affect and the passions, eighteenth-century debates on virtue and education, and nineteenth-century utilitarianism. She engages with feminist, antiracist, and queer critics who have shown how happiness is used to justify social oppression, and how challenging oppression causes unhappiness. Reading novels and films including Mrs. Dalloway, The Well of Loneliness, Bend It Like Beckham, and Children of Men, Ahmed considers the plight of the figures who challenge and are challenged by the attribution of happiness to particular objects or social ideals: the feminist killjoy, the unhappy queer, the angry black woman, and the melancholic migrant. Through her readings she raises critical questions about the moral order imposed by the injunction to be happy.