A Murder Over a Girl: Justice, Gender, Junior High

This book reads like a finely crafted novel-using details of a junior high murder that were based on trial attendance, astute observations, reviewed documents and interviews. Overlaid on this foundation are scholarly insights (author is a psychoanalyst and professor) about how society and humans interact which lead some to commit crimes that are unthinkable to some but justified by others. This book has caused me to wonder in awe that we can observe the same events but 'see' /'interpret' totally different realities. I've recommended this book to my daughter who teaches psychology and classes related to juries and how people construct their beliefs and what it takes to change those perceptions. I've recommended this book to teachers who have students who are on the fringe of our society. I want to recommend this book to those who realize this is a story about a group who have suffered injustices and how our society blames the victims; however, I especially want to recommend this book of those people on Facebook who continue to say LGBTQ are sinners and continue to believe guns are not harmful and need not be better controlled.

It was difficult to get into. The beginning pages are very herky-jerky and it was difficult to get into a narratvie flow. I started to read it three or four times, until I finally completed the book. The way the author jumped around in his telling of the testimony, was frequently awkward. I was trying to expand my knowledge of transgender/genderdisporia. As a book, I did not learn enough to justify the cost. It was disappointed.

I followed this case closely when it was happening. It was big news here in Los Angeles. This is a beautifully written account of the issues relating to gender, race, and the hegemony of heternormativity. I really enjoy non-fiction, and this is one of the best I've read in months.

Great read! Couldn't put it down! That's all I can say!

Spellbinding in its splendid careful and thoughtful detail..a profound read..Corbett takes you on his journey into his empathic experience of the trauma of others as played out in the courtroom. I have waited a long time for this book and it has been worth the wait..

Great read. So sad though.

insightful book, gripping to read, hard to sit with affect of the details

Beautifully written, represents multiplicity of viewpoints with honestly and clarity.