Very interesting premise. Some parts felt a bit slow or were a bit heavy. I still really enjoyed it.

Just like any collection of essays, some definitely landed more than others, but overall I really enjoyed the author’s commentary on moving through the world as a trans woman + shining light on aspects of the trans experience with both humor and urgency.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!!!

I've never read a book of essays outside of required school reading, so this was a bit different for me, and I'm glad it was. I read this not in one sitting which I think helped me out a bit. Some essays flowed better together but overall I think it was meant to be read in spurts. Not every essay resonated with me and I often felt they started to spiral out of control before almost some invisible parent told the writer to stop talking. I think they were entertaining and gripping but not super cohesive.

Aggregated Discontent is a sharp, vibrant collection that balances intellect, wit, and vulnerability in a way that's rare and refreshing. Harron Walker's voice is unapologetically bold, yet tender, navigating topics like queerness, media, culture, and personal reflection with clarity and urgency.

Engaging, important, and informative collection of essays on trans womanhood in the 21st century. Not only did I learn a lot about social issues, unfair laws, and healthcare (or the lack thereof), I also found a new writer whose voice I really enjoy, and I will absolutely read anything she writes. 4/5 stars because a couple of the essays felt a bit out of sync with the rest, specifically the Anne Hathaway “girlboss” essay and the essay on childless women, especially since the last four essays go into more detail regarding trans parenthood.

I was asked to review Aggregated Discontent, a compelling but uneven essay collection by Harron Walker. Blending personal reflections with cultural analysis, Walker explores trans womanhood, identity, and activism with wit and depth. Standout essays, like Tales from the Hosiery Counter, shine, though some sections feel disjointed. While not universally strong, it’s an insightful read for those interested in trans narratives and contemporary social issues.

Like any collection of essays, there is a mixture of quality, and some will resonate more with certain readers than others. Some of the essays deal heavily with the author's own experiences, including finding employment, obtaining medical care and navigating relationships as someone who is transgender. Other essays highlight prominent transgender figures or focus on overarching themes that affect the transgender community (and others), such as access to healthcare, what it means to be a "woman" or "female", and the efforts to try to legislate away transgender individuals, including all the hypocrisy involved.

"Tales from the Hosiery Counter" is my favorite, as the author learns from her aunt about her grandmother, who died when the author was too young to really remember her. Her grandmother worked in a department store, selling jewelry and cosmetics but also lingerie and hosiery. Men would come in to buy jewelry for their wives, and she would ask them what their wives would be wearing the jewelry with to help determine the style, design, color, etc. One day, a male customer confided that he needed a dress and asked her to help him choose one. She helped him choose a dress, as well as the proper foundation garments, and makeup. She soon had other cross-dressing customers coming to her for assistance/advice with jewelry, makeup and/or clothing. Her goal was that the customer, female or male, left the store looking their best and feeling satisfied with the shopping experience. Her attitude and acceptance were wonderful. Society needs more people like her.

Other good essays were "Pick Me", "Fertility", "In/fertility", and "Im/possibility."

My least favorite essay was "She Wants, She Takes, She Pretends", about transgender artist Greer Lankton. The essay itself is not bad, but I felt it was too long, especially in comparison to other essays that dealt with broader topics and/or transgender individuals of more significance/influence.

This is a lovely collection of musings about being a trans woman told by an expert in her craft. Throughout the collection, the through point is Harron Walker’s own experiences of life and love as a trans woman. By opening the book with a discussion of fiction as fact and a (nonfiction) narrative that leads, reciprocally, to this book, is a lovely bit of self-reflective meta and sets up the tone for the conversations to come in later chapters, whether obviously self-reflective or not.

I want to highlight two other sections I particularly enjoyed. I loved learning about Greer Lankton’s art and story. I think this was a story that Walker wanted to tell more than anything, but it was also an opportunity to remind the reader that not every trans story is the same or uplifting.

I also really loved the inclusion of Walker’s grandmother’s story here. This is a beautiful personal story and piece of trans history, regardless of its “official” standing as fact. The oral history shared of helping crossdressing/trans men find the right outfits for their bodies is an important one to share to remind us that trans people have always been here, especially during this politic climate.

Finally, Harron Walker’s Aggregated Discontent is an enjoyable read that is infused with humour throughout, while touching on some deeply emotional topics.

This review is my honest opinion of the book. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for providing a copy for me to read in advance of the publication date.

Aggregated Discontent was very hit or miss for me. Most of the essays were not my style of writing. I would classify Walker’s writing as, similar to many other writers in the magazine relm, as “talking to your best friend.” I don’t think the book was written poorly, but I have difficulty with that type of writing. I wanted to know more about Walker, and found many of the chapters to be describing different parts of influential queer culture. That can have its place, but I had difficulty finding a solid throughline which made the book hard for me to invest in. I did really enjoy She Wants, She Takes, She Pretends, about Greer Lankton, but really disliked the chapter What’s New and Different? which seemed to be an alternative telling of the Devil Wears Prada.
I wanted to like this one and maybe it’s because I’m used to reading all fiction and this is like my 5th non fiction book in a row, so take this with a grain of salt.
Thank you to NetGalley, Harron Walker, and Random House for the ARC in exchange for the honest review.

Thanks to NetGallry for this e-arc!
Solid essay collection about white trans womanhood by Harron. The beginning of the book introduces the reader to Harron and her journey, and the rest of the book consists of several essays that include pretty in-depth reporting on trans women's art, trans women's activism, and health care inequities - all USian. Harron. It reminds me of Jia Tolentino's book and I wasn't surprised to see her name in the acknowledgements.

Loved this memoir! It’s a memoir, but Herron’s journalistic writing is strong. I loved the way she writes, many parts are laugh-out-loud funny.

A solid essay collection on moving through the world as a trans woman and the reality of that! Some worked for me more than others but I liked the reflections on bad day jobs and working in media.

sharp and funny memoir with some very awesome themes. i've been reading a lot of memoirs from people with similar perspectives recently and all of them have been incredible, and this one is especially cool. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Harron Walker's Aggregated Discontents is a collection that offers a mixed bag of insights into contemporary social issues. The book aims to explore the complexities of modern life through a lens of personal reflection and broader societal critique. While Walker's writing is articulate and thoughtful at times, the overall impact of the work feels uneven.

On one hand, the prose is clear, and some passages demonstrate a keen understanding of the tensions in today's world, particularly around topics like inequality and digital culture. The author's attempt to blend personal anecdote with larger societal concerns is admirable, but at times, the connections between these themes feel forced or superficial.

The structure of the book itself can also be a bit disjointed. Some sections feel repetitive, and the pacing occasionally lags. Although there are moments of genuine insight, they are often overshadowed by passages that come off as overly broad or lacking the depth expected from a work tackling such significant subjects.

While Aggregated Discontents is not without merit, it ultimately leaves much to be desired. The book might resonate with some readers, especially those looking for a light introduction to certain social issues, but it doesn't quite live up to its potential as a compelling and cohesive critique. For those looking for a deeper exploration, this may not be the book you're hoping for.

Harron Walker is an extremely clever woman, and I loved this book of essays about her life and her art. I think she asks a lot of great questions about womanhood, sexuality, family, gender, transness, transfeminity, community, etc etc. Honestly what I thought the essays that were the most interesting were her experiences with different prominent trans women, and their art and lives. The collection of essays is funny, sharp, and I think a wide variety of people would find them interesting!