Do not want to finish this book because it's not what I was looking for. It's partially my bad though, because I didn't read the summary beyond the first sentence. And while I was looking for a memoir or autobiography written by a trans author, I cannot reconcile McBride's love the DNC and belief in the American political system w/ what I believe trans liberation is/should be. 

This book did not radicalize me, or teach me anything I didn't already know from past research/time invested in learning about trans history. It is way more of a personal memoir + political stepping stone to McBride's personal political career aspirations than it is informative about her lived experience as a trans woman. 

sobbed multiple times — like, a lot, a lot. i have the selfies to prove it. this book was a master class in memoir writing, and that’s saying a lot since half of it is about politics and i haven’t been known to read about politics in my free time like, ever (don’t act like you do either). read! this! now!

Okay, I’m going to try and make this short, but there’s just so many positive things I could say about this book. Sarah McBride’s Tomorrow Will be Different is one of my favorite books I have ever read. As someone who is not a reader, this book made it very difficult for me to want to put it down. The author knows exactly how to pull you into the story to the point where you feel like you’re standing right there next to her helping her through her journey. It’s very uncommon for me to get emotionally involved in a book, however, this one brought me a mix of emotions. I felt rage, frustration, sadness, content, and so much more throughout the book. It really is an emotional rollercoaster. Honestly, the only negative I can think of is the fact that the story had to end. 

Let’s start at the beginning. The memoir begins with Sarah’s coming out story, then backtracks to her childhood. She introduces her interests along with realizations about her gender identity as she was growing up. At this point, I already knew that I was going to love this book. I’m a big politics person so right off the bat I felt like I could relate to Sarah’s passion for politics. Even if you don’t like politics or don’t pay attention to it that much, the style of Sarah’s writing makes you feel intrigued to know how that passion is going to play out once she’s older. 

The middle of the book is almost split into two sections. At first, the memoir becomes very centered on Sarah’s career and her accomplishments. She lets you come along with her as she grows to become a huge advocate for trans rights. This is where I started to become more emotionally invested into the story. It was eye-opening to learn about all of the injusteses trans people face on a daily basis that a cis-gender person would never even think about. Now, I feel like I’m a much more understanding person when it comes to the trans community and I know what can make some people feel uncomfortable. Anyways, aside from sympathy, I also began to feel frustration and rage at this part of the book. Sarah tries to pass legislation that would help make the world a safer place for trans people, however, many don’t seem to care about their rights. It was infuriating to hear such hurtful comments come from people in power who are supposed to be protecting the people. Sarah did an amazing job of putting the reader in her shoes in certain scenarios to make some parts much more impactful. After this, we get a shift in the story. The second half of the middle of the book is much more personal. Sarah goes into talking about her love life and her personal life. This is where things get emotional. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I will say that if you are into romance and tragedy then you’ll love the second half of the book. I got so invested that it felt like I was sharing Sarah’s pain and I even shed some tears. 

Finally, the end perfectly wraps things up. I feel I learned so much about love, perseverance, empathy, and loss along with things about the transgender community. Before reading this book, I wanted to learn more about trans people so that I could become a better ally and advocate for their rights. McBride certainly exceeded my expectations. The style of writing kept me intrigued in every part of the book. The structure was beautifully laid out and the shifts keep the book interesting. Overall, I would recommend this book to everybody. It’s an amazing read and teaches many important lessons. 

wish mcbride didn't worship the democratic party as much as she does, but still an interesting and emotional read. rip andy

I am sure that McBride is a great person and that eventually she talks about things that aren't her love for campaign work, but people who got into politics and like involved in campaign work super young are just not that interesting to me. Also, it's just a little bit too mainstream in her faith in the Democratic party for my tastes.