Other Sellers on Amazon
+ $4.53 shipping
90% positive over last 12 months
& FREE Shipping
96% positive over last 12 months
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Learn more
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle Cloud Reader.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Tango: My Childhood, Backwards and in High Heels Paperback – August 16, 2011
| Justin Vivian Bond (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
| Price | New from | Used from |
|
Audible Audiobook, Unabridged
"Please retry" |
$0.00
| Free with your Audible trial | |
|
MP3 CD, Audiobook, MP3 Audio, Unabridged
"Please retry" | $8.11 | $14.94 |
Enhance your purchase
Hailed as the greatest cabaret artist of [V’s] generation” in the New Yorker, Mx. Justin Vivian Bond makes a brilliant literary debut with this candid and hilarious coming-of-age tale.
Bond recalls in vivid detail how it looked and felt to first discover Mom's lipstick (Iced Watermelon by Revlon), and how dreary it could be for a trans/queer kid to join the Cub Scouts. Always haunted by the knowledge of being "different," Bond began to create intimate friendships with girls, and to feel increasingly at risk with boys. But when the bully next door wanted to meet secretly, Bond couldn't resist. Their trysts went on for years, making Bond acutely aware of how sexual power and vulnerability can be experienced at the same time. With inimitable style, Bond raises issues about LBGTQ adolescence, parenting trans/queer children, and bullying, while being utterly entertaining.
- Print length144 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherThe Feminist Press at CUNY
- Publication dateAugust 16, 2011
- Dimensions5.2 x 0.5 x 7.4 inches
- ISBN-101558617477
- ISBN-13978-1558617476
Books with Buzz
Discover the latest buzz-worthy books, from mysteries and romance to humor and nonfiction. Explore more
Frequently bought together

- +
Customers who bought this item also bought
Editorial Reviews
Review
"A story that is personal, yet undeniably universal at the same time." ―Lambda Literary
“Bond’s fabulosity is matched by a trenchant wit, and [V’s] over-the-top stories are smartly edged with politics, sexual or otherwise.” ―New York Times
"A brief yet remarkably candid memoir of growing up different. . . Poignant and funny. . ." ―Kirkus
“Thank you, Justin, for your courage in writing the truth of what you went through as a transgender child in this society. Thank you, also, for your sense of humor. This book is very important, and fun to read as well.” ―Yoko Ono, artist
“When I say Justin Vivian Bond is a true original, what I mean is, Justin doesn’t resemble anyone else on the face of the planet. When I say Justin Bond is touched by genius, I mean exactly that.” ―Michael Cunningham, author of The Hours
"Tango is a raw nerve touching an electric soul, a beautiful book, written with honesty, pain, and joy from one of our great modern day shamans." ―Sandra Bernhard, comedian
"Justin Vivian Bond is a lightning rod, a solid steel structure in heels that attracts burning chaos and disciplines it into orderly submission. Am I allowed to say that Justin is God?” ―Rufus Wainwright, musician
"Tango should be in the hands of every child who can read, and of
every adult who cares about that child." ―Michael Warner, author of The Trouble with Normal
“Reading Tango is like listening to your favorite eccentric cousin or auntie tell you hair-raising tales of innocence lost and found, friendships forged of adversity, and bullies bewildered by their own perversity. Justin spins a one-of-a-kind story that you won't be able to put down.” ―Kate Bornstein, author of Gender Outlaw
"[A] witty and touching memoir. . . [A] frank discussion of the ways in which [V] felt compelled to suppress [V's] emotions, [V's] sexuality, and [V's] true identity growing up. [V] suffered a great deal, and yet [V's] tone is never self-pitying." New Yorker
"A story that is personal, yet undeniably universal at the same time." Lambda Literary
Bond’s fabulosity is matched by a trenchant wit, and [V’s] over-the-top stories are smartly edged with politics, sexual or otherwise.” New York Times
"A brief yet remarkably candid memoir of growing up different. . . Poignant and funny. . ." Kirkus
Thank you, Justin, for your courage in writing the truth of what you went through as a transgender child in this society. Thank you, also, for your sense of humor. This book is very important, and fun to read as well.” Yoko Ono, artist
When I say Justin Vivian Bond is a true original, what I mean is, Justin doesn’t resemble anyone else on the face of the planet. When I say Justin Bond is touched by genius, I mean exactly that.” Michael Cunningham, author of The Hours
"Tango is a raw nerve touching an electric soul, a beautiful book, written with honesty, pain, and joy from one of our great modern day shamans." Sandra Bernhard, comedian
"Justin Vivian Bond is a lightning rod, a solid steel structure in heels that attracts burning chaos and disciplines it into orderly submission. Am I allowed to say that Justin is God?” Rufus Wainwright, musician
"Tango should be in the hands of every child who can read, and of
every adult who cares about that child." Michael Warner, author of The Trouble with Normal
Reading Tango is like listening to your favorite eccentric cousin or auntie tell you hair-raising tales of innocence lost and found, friendships forged of adversity, and bullies bewildered by their own perversity. Justin spins a one-of-a-kind story that you won't be able to put down.” Kate Bornstein, author of Gender Outlaw
About the Author
Don't have a Kindle? Compra tu Kindle aquí, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
Product details
- Publisher : The Feminist Press at CUNY (August 16, 2011)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 144 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1558617477
- ISBN-13 : 978-1558617476
- Item Weight : 6.2 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.2 x 0.5 x 7.4 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,185,817 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,574 in Parenting & Families Humor
- #1,766 in LGBTQ+ Biographies (Books)
- #2,250 in LGBTQ+ Demographic Studies
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Justin Vivian Bond
Recently described as “The greatest cabaret artist of (v's) generation” by Hilton Als in the New Yorker, singer, songwriter and Tony-nominated performance artist Mx Justin Vivian Bond, is an Obie, Bessie and Ethyl Eichelberger Award winner. V's debut EP Pink Slip was released in July 2009. Justin has won rave reviews for writing, directing and starring in Christmas Spells (one of the top 5 theatrical experiences of 2009 -The New Yorker), Re:Galli Blonde (A Sissy Fix) at The Kitchen in New York City, and Lustre which premiered at PS122 in the East Village and toured the UK culminating in a critically acclaimed run at London’s Soho Theatre (‘Justin Bond is a trans-atlantic cabaret messiah’ ***** Time Out London). In 2008 Mx Bond appeared at The Southbank Center in London in the title roll of Sinderella an original musical written by Martyn Jacques of The Tiger Lillies. In 2007 v premiered Justin Bond is Close To You, a reinterpretation of the Carpenter’s classic album Close To You performed in its entirety in Central Park and subsequently presented by The Sydney Opera House in Australia and San Francisco's fabled Castro Theater. In 2005 V's show, Glamour Damage, had its world premiere at London’s Soho Theatre and was hailed by the Evening Standard as “A glittering walk on the wild side.” V regularly Emcees the performance series Weimar New York which has played in such varied locations as the SFMOMA, The Speigeltent, and Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater in New York. As a featured vocalist on the London Readers Wifes’ single Nostalgia, v had a top 20 hit on the UK alternative chart. Mx Bond also toured internationally with the avant-garde noise/cabaret band Pantychrist. As one-half of the Performance duo Kiki and Herb, Justin Vivian has toured the world headlining at Carnegie Hall, The Sydney Opera House, London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall and has starred in a Tony nominated run on Broadway, Kiki and Herb Alive on Broadway (The Helen Hayes Theatre) and Off-Broadway Coup de Theatre (The Cherry Lane Theatre). Kiki and Herb have released two cds Do You Hear What We Hear?, Kiki and Herb Will Die For You at Carnegie Hall and a DVD Kiki and Herb Live at the Knitting Factory. Film credits include a starring role in John Cameron Mitchell’s feature Shortbus, Charles Hermann-Wurmfeld’s Fancy’s Persuasion as well as Imaginary Heroes and Jon Moritsugu’s Mod F@*k Explosion. Television appearances include Ugly Betty and Late Night With Conan O'Brian.
glossary of terms:
full name: Mx Justin Vivian Bond
prefix: mx
pronoun: v
gender: trans
for further info please visit http://justinbond.com/?page_id=323
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonReviewed in the United States on September 25, 2012
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reading Mx Bond's account of growing up trans, I had flashbacks of my own childhood growing up as a tomboy and also having some of the same issues with being boxed into gender stereotypes. (think "Scout" in To Kill a Mockingbird - that was completely me) Now it would have been much easier for me to go to school wearing lipstick, but when Bond does it, it causes a huge scene with V's mother. Classic! Bond's tales accurately capture the awkwardness of discovering one's own sexuality. It also reveals the recent discovery that V has Attention Deficit Disorder and how that came to light.
I feel that this book greatly helps promote understanding of what it's like to not easily fit gender "norms", also enlightening and encouraging to those who feel a bit different. <3




