Fairest

A Memoir

By: Meredith Talusan

Narrated by: Meredith Talusan

Finalist for the 2021 Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Nonfiction

"Talusan sails past the conventions of trans and immigrant memoirs."—The New York Times Book Review

"A ball of light hurled into the dark undertow of migration and survival."—Ocean Vuong, author of On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous

A love story with the heart of Austen classics and a reflective journey of becoming that shift our own perceptions of romance, identity, gender, and the fairness of life.

Fairest is a memoir about a precocious boy with albinism, a "sun child" from a rural Philippine village, who would grow up to become a woman in America. Coping with the strain of parental neglect and the elusive promise of U.S. citizenship, Talusan found comfort from her devoted grandmother, a grounding force as she was treated by others with special preference or public curiosity. As an immigrant to the United States, Talusan came to be perceived as white, and further access to elite circles of privilege required Talusan to navigate through the complex spheres of race, class, sexuality, and queerness. Questioning the boundaries of gender, Talusan realized she did not want to be confined to a prescribed role as a man, and transitioned to become a woman, despite the risk of losing a man she deeply loved. Throughout her journey, Talusan shares poignant and powerful episodes of desirability and love that will remind readers of works such as Call Me By Your Name and Giovanni's Room.

©2020 Meredith Talusan (P)2020 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

Selected as a Most Anticipated Book of 2020 by:

O: The Oprah magazine

Bitch

The Millions

LitHub

Electric Lit

BuzzFeed

The Rumpus

Paste

Asian Journal

One of O magazine's Best LGBTQ Books 2020

People Pick for June

One of Logo/NewNowNext's “11 Queer Books We Can't Wait to Read This Spring”

“By painting her life in such exquisite detail, Talusan breathes new life into the well-worn body of the transgender life story, showing the reader deep wells of complexity where, in a less truthful or less talented writer’s hands, oversimplification and cliché might reign.”—The Boston Globe

“A marvel of a story wrought with near-archeological precision and deep inquiry into history, hope, joy and human redemption. An artist’s statement that offers new ways to think and feel in bodies cast ashore, Fairest is a ball of light hurled into the dark undertow of migration and survival. It is also funny, utterly alive, and fashioned with care and hope.”—Ocean Vuong, author of On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous

“A searching, rigorously self-examining memoir, Fairest grapples beautifully and seriously with questions of gender, race, colorism, migration, colonialism, queerness, privilege, class, and belonging. A debut luminous with insight.”—R.O. Kwon, author of The Incendiaries

Amazing, eye opening, heartbreaking and healing

I loved this book more than I imagined I would. Meredith takes you on a journey, uncovers unknown sides of life and isn't afraid of being bloody honest and raw. I don't think I've ever read a book which made me so constantly mind blown. Her perspective is unique and so very reflexive and observant. I can not recommend this book enough.

An emotional ride

Listening to the varied paths of Meredith’s life, the lives touched and changed, and her feelings over all that had taken place was honestly an experience I will sit with for awhile. I cried more than I had expected to, but it was worth every tear to experience this engaging woman’s story.

Not that I was expecting but still a journey

I was curious about this book when I read what it was about but when I started listening to the story Meredith told was informative but seemed a tad self-centered and narcissistic. ALTHOUGH I did appreciate the hard core honesty