Mean

Myriam Gurba lives in California and loves it. She teaches high school, writes, and makes “art.” NBC described her short story collection Painting Their Portraits in Winter as “edgy, thought-provoking, and funny.” She has written for Time, KCET, and the Rumpus. Wildflowers, compliments, and cash make her happy.

Praise for MeanFinalist for the 2018 Lambda Literary Award in LGBTQ NonfictionFinalist for the 2018 Publishing Triangle Judy Grahn Award for Lesbian NonfictionA 2018 ALA-GLBTRT Over the Rainbow Top 10 BookA Nylon Favorite Nonfiction Book of 2017A Book Riot Best Genre Bending Fiction of 2017An NBC Great Latino Book of 2017A BuzzFeed Best Nonfiction Book Of 2017An Autostraddle Top 10 Queer and Feminist Book of 2017A Remezcla Best Book From Latin American & Latino AuthorsA Riveter Top Ten Book of 2017“With unconstrained, inventive, stop-you-in-your-tracks writing, Gurba asserts that there is glee, freedom, and, perhaps most of all, truth in meanness.” —Booklist“[Gurba’s] voice is irreverent, lyrical, and sharply observant, even as her book offers dark commentary on what it means to be a woman in American society.” —Library Journal, starred review“Mean will make you LOL and break your heart.” —The Millions“Gurba’s 'queer art of being mean' is a triumph of deadpan humor in a timely and thrilling voice. Stop everything and read this brave and tender book." —The Oprah Magazine“Don’t let its slim profile fool you, this memoir bursts with vitality and humor (however mordant), all while dealing with issues of gender politics, sexual assault, PTSD, and Gurba’s experience growing up as a queer, mixed race Chicana in California in the ’80s.” —NYLON“This book is testament, translation, smackdown, and also it’s hella funny.” —Vol. 1 Brooklyn“The difficulty and the joy of reading Mean is diving deep into the murky ‘Molack’ waters with Myriam Gurba.” —Bust“This is a confident, intoxicating, brassy book that takes the cost of sexual assault, racism, misogyny, and homophobia deadly seriously.” —The Rumpus“Mean takes a hard look at how this country has treated victims of sexual violence and how collectively we have shamed them into inaction and steered them away from their own advocacy, demonstrating that consequences for attackers often fall entirely on the victim.” —The Believer“Honest and darkly funny, the book is riddled with moments that will have you nodding, cringing, and crying right along with the author.” —Harper’s Bazaar“Throughout the book, [Gurba] handles the telling of one tragedy after another with great care and sharp humor, so there is redemption and levity even in dark moments.” —Buzzfeed“Read Mean for its humor and stimulating structure. Read Gurba for her unique perspective and literary stylings.” —PANK“Gurba’s artistic sensibility is so fresh, her wit and observational skills so acute, that she defies all expected tropes and story structure.” —Dallas Morning News“Through wit and in-your-face brilliance, Gurba tells a story that is both deeply personal and bitingly critical of modern life. Along the way, she also gives us a masterclass in what intersectionality is all about.” —Shondaland“To say this book exudes confidence is an understatement.” —ELLE“Gurba’s writing feels devastating and holy and hilarious all at once.” —Autostraddle“In vivid and unflinching prose, Gurba looks at sexual assault, racism, misogyny, and homophobia, and speaks out for women who aren’t afraid to be feisty and angry and mean.” —Bustle“I am such a gigantic fan of Myriam Gurba. Her voice is an alchemy of queer magic, feminist wildness, and intersectional explosion.” —Jill Soloway“There is no writer like Myriam Gurba, and Mean is perfection.” —Michelle Tea“Mean tackles the profane and the sacred by sticking one hand into your chest and grabbing hold of your heart muscle while the other hand tickle fights your brain, complete with serious noogies. . . . There is just no other voice like hers, and Mean is a testament to that fact. I want Myriam Gurba to translate the world.” —Wendy Ortiz