TRANSITION The Story of How I Became a Man

Chaz Bono, whose parents are entertainers Cher and the late Sonny Bono, narrates his memoir, and it proves to be a mixed blessing. His deep voice palpably reveals one of the major changes that resulted from his gender change from a female to a male. This evidence is denied to the book’s print readers and might also be denied to listeners if someone else had narrated the book. The memoir vividly traces Bono’s path of inner struggle and self-discovery, as well as the confrontations surrounding his transition. However, at times, his nasal timbre can sound a bit whiny even when it’s clear he’s just trying to portray the emotions and life changes that challenged him. Overall, he does an acceptable job as narrator, but it would have been better for him to have read the introduction and/or conclusion, leaving the rest to a narrator who could have delivered a more nuanced performance. L.E. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2012]