Chilling and memorable; a must-read.
A Tibetan refugee’s courageous tell-all memoir takes on Chinese occupation.
This passionate account of standing up against injustice traces Dolma’s journey from the Tibetan village where she grew up to the capital city of Lhasa, following her to Amherst, Massachusetts, by way of refugee camps in places including Kathmandu, Nepal, and Varanasi and Dharamsala in India. At age 12, Dolma’s father began speaking of marriage for her, but she didn’t want to stuff herself “into a life that was two sizes too small.” Focused on getting an education, she determined to become a Buddhist nun like her great-aunt; at a nunnery, she’d learn to read. This dream came true, leading Dolma to ask herself, “What good was an education if I didn’t use it?” For supporting the cause of a free Tibet, she was imprisoned and sexually assaulted by Chinese authorities. Debut co-authors Dolma and Hsieh recount the Chinese government’s violent crackdown on Buddhists’ religious freedom. The book also highlights misogyny in Tibet, where early marriage was framed as protective for girls. Dolma felt “the obvious solution was to teach boys” respectful behavior. Tragically, when she turned to a childhood friend for help, he attempted to rape her while she slept. Portraying Dolma as a fighter rather than a victim, this work shows the power of prayer and the kindness of strangers when facing horrifying circumstances. This powerfully and accessibly written story puts a human face on complex, ongoing issues.
Chilling and memorable; a must-read. (authors’ note) (Memoir. 14-18)Pub Date: March 10, 2026
ISBN: 9780593615959
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026
Small but mighty necessary reading.
A miniature manifesto for radical queer acceptance that weaves together the personal and political.
Eli, a cis gay white Jewish man, uses his own identities and experiences to frame and acknowledge his perspective. In the prologue, Eli compares the global Jewish community to the global queer community, noting, “We don’t always get it right, but the importance of showing up for other Jews has been carved into the DNA of what it means to be Jewish. It is my dream that queer people develop the same ideology—what I like to call a Global Queer Conscience.” He details his own isolating experiences as a queer adolescent in an Orthodox Jewish community and reflects on how he and so many others would have benefitted from a robust and supportive queer community. The rest of the book outlines 10 principles based on the belief that an expectation of mutual care and concern across various other dimensions of identity can be integrated into queer community values. Eli’s prose is clear, straightforward, and powerful. While he makes some choices that may be divisive—for example, using the initialism LGBTQIAA+ which includes “ally”—he always makes clear those are his personal choices and that the language is ever evolving.
Small but mighty necessary reading. (resources) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-09368-9
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
Though not the most balanced, an enlightening look back for the queer future.
An adaptation for teens of the adult title A Queer History of the United States (2011).
Divided into thematic sections, the text filters LGBTQIA+ history through key figures in each era from the 1500s to the present. Alongside watershed moments like the 1969 Stonewall uprising and the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 1990s, the text brings to light less well-known people, places, and events: the 1625 free love colony of Merrymount, transgender Civil War hero Albert D.J. Cashier, and the 1951 founding of the Mattachine Society, to name a few. Throughout, the author and adapter take care to use accurate pronouns and avoid imposing contemporary terminology onto historical figures. In some cases, they quote primary sources to speculate about same-sex relationships while also reminding readers of past cultural differences in expressing strong affection between friends. Black-and-white illustrations or photos augment each chapter. Though it lacks the teen appeal and personable, conversational style of Sarah Prager’s Queer, There, and Everywhere (2017), this textbook-level survey contains a surprising amount of depth. However, the mention of transgender movements and activism—in particular, contemporary issues—runs on the slim side. Whereas chapters are devoted to over 30 ethnically diverse gay, lesbian, bisexual, or queer figures, some trans pioneers such as Christine Jorgensen and Holly Woodlawn are reduced to short sidebars.
Though not the most balanced, an enlightening look back for the queer future. (glossary, photo credits, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 11, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-8070-5612-7
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Beacon Press
Review Posted Online: March 12, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2019
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