Amateur Audiobook By Thomas Page McBee cover art

Amateur

Preview

Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Amateur

By: Thomas Page McBee
Narrated by: Thomas Page McBee
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $13.49

Buy for $13.49

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

One of The Times UK’s Best Memoirs of 2018, BuzzFeed’s Best Nonfiction of 2018, Autostraddle’s Best LGBT Books of 2018, Book Riot’s Best Queer Books of 2018, and 52 Insight’s Favorite Nonfiction Books of 2018

From an award-winning writer whose work bristles with "hard-won strength, insight, agility, and love" (Maggie Nelson), an exquisite and troubling narrative of masculinity, violence, and society.

In this groundbreaking new book, the author, a trans man, trains to fight in a charity match at Madison Square Garden while struggling to untangle the vexed relationship between masculinity and violence. Through his experience boxing - learning to get hit and to hit back; wrestling with the camaraderie of the gym; confronting the betrayals and strength of his own body - McBee examines the weight of male violence, the pervasiveness of gender stereotypes, and the limitations of conventional masculinity. A wide-ranging exploration of gender in our society, Amateur is ultimately a story of hope, as McBee traces a new way forward, a new kind of masculinity, inside the ring and outside of it.

In this graceful, stunning, and uncompromising exploration of living, fighting, and healing, we gain insight into the stereotypes and shifting realities of masculinity today through the eyes of a new man.

©2018 Thomas Page McBee (P)2018 Simon & Schuster
Biographies & Memoirs Gender Studies LGBTQ+ Studies Sports & Outdoors Violence in Society Combat Sports
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Featured Article: The Best Trans and Nonbinary Listens


As our society becomes more inclusive, some of our most underrepresented communities are getting a much-needed opportunity to tell their stories. For this list, we’ve come up with some of the best trans and nonbinary listens, across all genres and age categories. And because we know that authenticity is important to listeners, our selections are almost exclusively written by queer, trans, and nonbinary authors.

Editor's Pick

I have a (totally professional) crush on Thomas Page McBee
"Reason #1 I love this Audible book: it’s only 3.5 hours long. Reason #2 I love it: it’s freaking fabulous. I adore the feeling of accomplishment that comes with finishing a great listen in under two days! Thomas Page McBee is the first known trans man to have ever fought in the ring at Madison Square Garden. That alone would have made for a great memoir, but he doesn’t stop there. Amateur effortlessly explores gender stereotypes and male violence, and comes away with a hopeful vision for a new kind of masculinity."
Rachel S., Audible Editor

What listeners say about Amateur

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    147
  • 4 Stars
    26
  • 3 Stars
    12
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    128
  • 4 Stars
    28
  • 3 Stars
    10
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    126
  • 4 Stars
    28
  • 3 Stars
    11
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A true reckoning!

Thank You Thomas Page McBee for spilling your truth, your life, and your own personal transition!
Such a writer! Your willingness to delve into yourself and the way you used your words of telling, moved me to tears more than once.
This book is a must read for all who search for a better understanding of gender and transitions.
I thank you again.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful

I spent the last hour of the book fighting back tears. So beautiful, such a way with words. I wrote down quotes to refer back to. Brilliant. Changed my take on boxing and toxic masculinity. I see things differently now. Such a wonderful and thought provoking read

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Best nonfiction book I have read in over a year!

I finished this in under a day, pausing only to get some sleep. The story is interesting, but the deep introspection that does not shy away from vulnerability is what makes it stand out. it's full of heart, with winks of humor and lots of soul wrenching thoughts about masculinity.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Memoir meets sociology- a great read!

If you like memoirs that follow a specific plot point and you like sociology or gender studies, you’ll like this book. I loved it. There are considerably more books out there about transfems (which are important and great reads too), but as a transmasc person, I really appreciated finding this book about the transmasculine experience. Will definitely be checking out more of this guy’s work. The only reason I gave the performance a 4/5 is because at times, it sounded like he would get closer and then further away from the mic. It was distracting and kept making me think I had a timer on to fade it out. Otherwise a great performance.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wow. Stick to your ribs story telling.

This book struck me deeply. I’m shaken. The writing is excellent as well. I’m so grateful he made himself vulnerable by sharing his story and his creativity.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it

I didn’t want it to end. Thank you for writing this ! Such a great listen

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A coming of age story

Beautifully written and haunting. Any man thinking about what kind of man or father he wants to be and what kinds he does not should give it a listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent. Nuanced. Real.

I listened to this whole thing in one weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it! A real pleasure and eternally relevant perspective.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

This book is more important than ever!

we needed this story, more men need to listen or read this as soon as possible

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Not as cohesive as I would have liked

Not as cohesive as I would have liked but touching nonetheless. Would recommend for anyone interested in boxing or trans masculine experience.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!