I Heard Her Call My Name

A Memoir of Transition

By: Lucy Sante

Narrated by: Lucy Sante

FINALIST FOR THE PULITZER PRIZE

Named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Slate

“Reading this book is a joy . . . much to say about the trans journey and will undoubtedly become a standard for those in need of guidance. ” —The Washington Post

“Sante’s bold devotion to complexity and clarity makes this an exemplary memoir. It is a clarion call to live one’s most authentic life.” —The Boston Globe

“Not to be missed, I Heard Her Call My Name is a powerful example of self-reflection and a vibrant exploration of the modern dynamics of gender and identity.” —Lit Hub’s Most Anticipated Books of 2024

An iconic writer’s lapidary memoir of a life spent pursuing a dream of artistic truth while evading the truth of her own gender identity until, finally, she turned to face who she really was

For a long time, Lucy Sante felt unsure of her place. Born in Belgium, the only child of conservative working-class Catholic parents who transplanted their little family to the United States, she felt at home only when she moved to New York City in the early 1970s and found her people among a band of fellow bohemians. Some would die young, from drugs and AIDS, and some would become jarringly famous. Sante flirted with both fates on her way to building an estimable career as a writer. But she still felt like her life was a performance. She was presenting a facade, even to herself.

Sante’s memoir braids together two threads of personal narrative: the arc of her life, and her recent step-by-step transition to a place of inner and outer alignment. Sante brings a loving irony to her account of her unsteady first steps; there was much she found she still needed to learn about being a woman after some sixty years cloaked in a man’s identity, in a man’s world. A marvel of grace and empathy, I Heard Her Call My Name parses with great sensitivity many issues that touch our lives deeply, of gender identity and far beyond.

Solid honesty and insight. Loved this.

Lucy drew a picture of life’s changing scenery. Her voice is strong yet humble and full of grace. Thank you.

A richly written and piercingly honest story

I deeply appreciate this extraordinary account that expands so much beyond a transgender transition narrative. It’s a profound heroes journey, the raw documentation of a metamorphosis. if you replace the word transgender with pretty much anything else that you’ve always wanted to be, but never let yourself, you’ll find your story and discover new ways to step into your truth. Wow, I can attest to the fact that this story speaks to people transitioning over the age of 50,

Honest and frank

Excellent, an unvarnished picture of a life of gender dysphoria . With a happy ending for Lucy Sante

Honest, breathtaking, beautiful

Thank you Lucy Sante for becoming who you are , and one of us (a woman).

Beautiful and unique memoir

This memoir is read by the author and because of that, the emotion is captured beautifully. The structure is such that the author's life is visited in brief flashes, anchored by the defining moment of Lucy finally acknowledging herself as a woman and emerging into the world.

The internal battles of transness are perfectly rendered in honest, amusing prose. And the setting of the book ranges from the grime of 70s and 80s NYC to San Francisco to New Jersey and upstate NY and then back again into the city.

I loved this book for its honesty and its unflinching gaze deep into the embarrassment, cringe, agony and longing that go hand in hand with a life lived as trans. Only a writer could have written this book!