Review: An all too familiar tale, brilliantly told.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 15, 2013
Wrestling with Myself was an emotional roller coaster ride.  There were parts which were somewhat predictable, like Courtney's nature.  What made the book so engaging and heart-warming is seeing the intense contrasts of love and hate, of friendship and betrayal, of persecution and loneliness.Making it even more touching and real, even more believable, was that the story was told through the eyes, not of a transsexual person who simply experiences the bullying, isolation, and persecution, but through the eyes of one of the most popular boys in the whole school, someone known, loved, and respected.  Tiny is not just popular because he is athletic and a really nice guy, he has also established a reputation of being a devout Christian, someone who always does "the right thing", and yet struggles to maintain his humility and is concerned with his motives.Because of Tiny's identity as a role model, as a champion for "the little guy", we see him being directly exposed to the conversations and motivations that so often confront those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgendered.  We see how good people, thinking they are motivated by the best possible thinking, scriptural teaching, and fundamentalist beliefs, can perform incredible acts of terrorism, brutality, and evil - in God's name.  In Peter, we see someone who truly believes that what he is doing is right, even though it's violent and destructive.Beyond that, we begin to see how others experience and react to the pressure to turn against Courtney and then Tiny, each has very good reasons for doing what they do, and yet the result is pain and suffering for many people.  Even many of the people Tiny has protected and defended submit to the social and political pressure to participate in the harassment and terror of both Courtney and Tiny.We even see how Courtney is driven into complete isolation, forced into conformity, and eventually tries to commit suicide, not out of selfishness, but out of love.  We see her transition from a terrified little girl who can barely face the walk to school, and see her blossom into a beautiful young woman, filled with love and compassion for others.  We see how she has overcome overwhelming obstacles and odds, to become true to herself, to become who she truly is.We also see Tiny, struggling through the whole process to do what is right, to be obedient to God, even when it's not easy to do.I remember going through so many of these things in Elementary School, and Jr High.  In my case, I struggled to try and pretend to be a boy, but failed miserably.  I experienced first-hand the types of violence and terror experienced by both Courtney and Tiny.  I even struggled with many of the issues of faith, religion, and obedience.  The book is about as real and authentic as it gets, and should probably be read by every HR director and manager who seeks to have a strong diversity program, as well as recommended reading for the employees of such companies.This in an immensely powerful book, and I hope that it someday becomes a classic.  I'd really like to see it made into a Movie.