SKU: 38451534022

Man Alive: A True Story of Violence, Forgiveness and Becoming a Man

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Man Alive: A True Story of Violence, Forgiveness and Becoming a ManWinner Best Transgender Nonfiction 2015 Lambda Literary Awards Best Books of 2014 Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2014 NPR Books Best Nonficton Books of 2014 Kirkus Reviews 10 Best Transgender Non Fiction Books Advocate "Thomas Page McBee's Man Alive hurtled through my life. I read it in a matter of hours. It's a confession, it's a poem, it's a time warp, it's a brilliant work of art. I bow down to McBee his humility, his sense of humor, his

Winner - Best Transgender Nonfiction - 2015 Lambda Literary Awards

Best Books of 2014 - Publishers Weekly

Best Books of 2014 - NPR Books

Best Nonficton Books of 2014 - Kirkus Reviews

10 Best Transgender Non-Fiction Books - Advocate

"Thomas Page McBee's Man Alive hurtled through my life. I read it in a matter of hours. It's a confession, it's a poem, it's a time warp, it's a brilliant work of art. I bow down to McBee--his humility, his sense of humor, his insightfulness, his structural deftness, his ability to put into words what is often said but rarely, with such visceral clarity and beauty, communicated."--Heidi Julavits, author of The Vanishers and The Uses of Enchantment

What does it really mean to be a man?

In Man Alive, Thomas Page McBee attempts to answer that question by focusing on two of the men who most impacted his life&mash;one, his otherwise ordinary father who abused him as a child, and the other, a mugger who almost killed him. Standing at the brink of the life-changing decision to transition from female to male, McBee seeks to understand these examples of flawed manhood and tells us how a brush with violence sent him on the quest to untangle a sinister past, and freed him to become the man he was meant to be.

Man Alive engages an extraordinary personal story to tell a universal one--how we all struggle to create ourselves, and how this struggle often requires risks. Far from a transgender transition tell-all, Man Alive grapples with the larger questions of legacy and forgiveness, love and violence, agency and invisibility.

Praise for Man Alive:

"Man Alive is a sweet, tender hurt of a memoir ... about forgiveness and self-discovery, but mostly it's about love, so much love. McBee takes us in his capable hands and shows us what it takes to become a man who is gloriously, gloriously alive."--Roxane Gay, author of Bad Feminist and An Untamed State

"Thomas Page McBee's story of how he came to claim both his past and his future is by turns despairing and hopeful, exceptional and relatable. To read it is to witness the birth of a fuller, truer self. I loved this book."--Ann Friedman, columnist, New York Magazine

"'Whoever's child I am, my body belongs to me, ' McBee writes, and his book is an elegant, generous transcription of the journey toward this incandescent, non-aggrandized, life-sustaining form of self-possession--the kind that emanates from dispossession, rather than running from it."--Maggie Nelson, author of Bluets and The Art of Cruelty: A Reckoning

"Well aware that memory and identity rarely follow a linear path, Thomas Page McBee attempts to answer the question, 'What does it really mean to be a man?' Weaving past and present to do so, the book's journey connects violence, masculinity and forgiveness. McBee has an intelligent heart, and it beats in every sentence of this gorgeous book."--Saeed Jones, author of Prelude to Bruise

"Exquisitely written and bristling with emotion, this important book reminds us of how much vulnerability and violence inheres to any identity. A real achievement of form and narrative."--Jack Halberstam, author of The Queer Art of Failure



Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: City Lights Publishers - City Lights Publishe
Published: 09/09/2014
ISBN: 9780872866249
Pages: 172
Weight: 0.50lbs
Size: 7.90h x 5.40w x 0.50d
Award: Lambda Literary Awards - Winner

Review Citations: Shelf Awareness 09/05/2014
Publishers Weekly 09/29/2014
Kirkus Reviews 10/15/2014
Publishers Weekly Best Books 11/03/2014 pg. 37
New York Times Book Review 11/16/2014 pg. 19
Kirkus Best Nonfiction 12/01/2014 pg. 36
Library Journal 06/01/2016 pg. 53
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SKU: 38451534022

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Kayleb
Los Angeles, US
★★★★★ 3
In a pinch they're worth it.
Size: 12, Color: D Grey
I got the dark gray color. They came exactly as pictured and are decently comfortable but as far as packaging it's very poor. They come in a small plastic bag all squished and deformed so you have to wear them a few times before they take shape again. For the price it's a great buy for some generic work shoes or something, the bottom tread doesn't last long at all though if you're expecting them to last a long time as it will be gone in a week or two if you wear them frequently. Buy them if you don't feel like spending a lot of money on shoes but want a new pair cheap.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2026
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Leo
West Palm Beach, US
★★★★★ 5
Ladies, don't be afraid. Buy 'em. Trust me
Size: 9.5, Color: A Black
My elderly mother adores these. She had to have breathable awesome shoes for post-surgery and these fit the bill (and her feet!) So i got some for me. Whoa. Comfort! And I love the slip-on ease, b/c sometimes I just need to go, go, and go some more. Love them in black, haven't had long enough for durability, but helpful for my mom in her physical therapy and they're holding up to the worst she can do to them.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2026
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David Staats
Houston, US
★★★★★ 4
Good overall shoe, great for basic needs
Size: 12, Color: A Black
These are nice shoes. I put $40 arch support insoles in mine, so I like them even more, but they were fairly comfortable even without. They fit well, though slightly large, and seem to hold up well. No real complaints, though made a bit cheaply.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2026
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BODE A. FAMORIYO
Battle Creek, US
★★★★★ 5
Great walking shoes
Size: 11, Color: All Black
A very comfortable walking shoe that’s well made and looks like it’s going to hold up well for everyday wear. Lightweight indeed and probably doesn’t require much cleaning. Easy to get on and off without much stress though.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2026
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Matt
Lexington, US
★★★★★ 5
Super comfortable size 12
Size: 12, Color: All Black
The quality is great the style and fit is great they're awesome and super comfortable! First pair of shoes in 30 years that don't hurt my feet I like them a lot! Size 12
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Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2026

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