Being Alive goes back-to-school (with friends and a stack of books)

James Frankie Thomas' joins us on Zoom to discuss his marvelous debut novel "Idlewild"

I woke up ridiculously early (for me) this morning to take first-day-of-school pics of my FIFTH GRADER. Honest to god, how did this happen?! I cajoled her into taking a selfie with me; the result is the portrait of a happy middle-aged dad and one skeptical TwEeN-year-old. Then she refused to allow me to drop her off at school.

I tried not to overburden her with my disappointment. I knew she was anxious about starting the last year of elementary school, nervous to meet these new, unknown teachers. And, yet. I wanted to bike her to school, high-five all my parent friends, and shout: “Can you believe?!” I wanted to see her world with my own eyes. But this morning wasn’t about me and my wants, she’s the main character in this story.

Thirty minutes later, I burst into tears on the subway while reading about the children in Denne Michele Norris’ debut, When the Harvest Comes, struggling to set boundaries with their flawed parents. (More on this great read another month.)

The adolescent mind is a marvel; I know I’m still making meaning out of my teenage years. I’m definitely not ready for my kid to enter hers.

Not sure this is preparation, per se, but this month the Being Alive Book Club is going back-to-school to study someone else’s teenage memories.

I first heard about Idlewild from my friend (and memoirist) Nick Krieger, who said it was the best book he’d read in a long time. Shortly after, BABC alumnus Kyle Lukoff seconded the “best book” rec. Two (four?) transmasc writer thumbs up. Now six! I’m obsessed with this book, I can’t wait to reread it with you. (Prefer your book rec’s from fancy mastheads? The book also won praise from Vox, The Paris Review, NPR, and Vanity Fair.)

Idlewild unfolds across two interwoven timelines. In the first, our high school protagonists, Nell & Fay, fall hard and fast into an all-encompassing friendship that takes over their worlds—their story is written in first-person plural. In the second timeline, years later, the former friends are estranged, their stories nostalgic, singular in perspective. James so empathetically embodies each of these points of view that I alternated between filling the pages with marginalia and clutching my hand to my heart, aching for all of us who survived the high school identity formation kiln. Especially when we remember the people we said goodbye to along the way.

James will join us for an intimate Being Alive Book Club gathering on Zoom, Monday, September 22nd TO CONFIRM SHORTLY. We’re going to talk queer friendship, memory, and theater—because it’s my book club—AND you’ll soon learn that Nell, Fay, and James are theater people, too. Click that big button below to add your name to the party.

WILL CONFIRM NEW TIME ASAP

I’ve missed talking books with all of you. Can’t make the live Zoom hang? Drop your favorite read of the summer in the comments and join us in the chat to discuss Idlewild. I’ll start to share some of my favorite passages next week.

One more thing! James is a local boy and offered to sign a copy for one of the Being Alive Book Club members. Raise your hand by dropping a comment below, I’ll pick a name from the official name-picking hat on Monday, and then reach out to coordinate shipping logistics.

Talk soon! I’m off to go finish cry-reading Denne.

xx Kyle

The Being Alive Book Club is an open invitation to read trans authors.

BABC is open to ALL— there are many ways to participate, none of which absolutely require reading the (entire) book. Tho, we highly endorse the reading.

• Option A: Read alongside me by reading this newsletter and enjoying James’ book in the format of your choosing.

• Opt B: Discuss with other readers in the Being Alive Book Club chat.

• Opt C: Come hang with James Frankie Thomas on Zoom, Mon, Sept 22. See registration link above.

More questions? New here? Check out the Being Alive Book Club FAQ!