How I Learned to Snap: A Small Town Coming-Out and Coming-of-Age Story

Really good, memoir/autobiography, of coming of age and coming out in the 80s in a military family in Virginia. It is honest, sometimes sad, sometimes traumatic/troubling, sometimes happy, it also manages to be very funny. I'm also going to have to read this book again, partly because it's so good, but also partly because it seemed like this book was organised slightly more by theme than chronology and I just want to check I didn't imagine or misinterpret that! Having finished the book I'm starting to doubt myself. I did really enjoy the chapter headings, structure and theme of each chapter; it was just nice to read about one or two themes or memories a chapter, really concentrate on that, and then move on to the next chapter. This book worked well being read right through from start to finish, but I think it would lend itself just as well to reading excerpts and reading sections out of sequence. There's also a really nice epilogue that takes a step back from the memoir and really considers his family, friends, his hometown and himself compassionately, the context of the time he grew up in and came out in, and how things have changed (from before, to then, to now).

Overall a highly enjoyable and refreshing read, with a nice mix of light and dark, told with great humour and compassion. ( )

One of my favorite Queer YA books. It was, at times, too realistic for comfort, but that's what made the book. I loved Kirk and his honesty and he will make you laugh out loud at the most troubling phases of his coming out - specifically with his parents. it's funny and witty, but still dark.

The ratings don't lie - this is a great book. ( )