Starting with the figure of the bold, boisterous girl in the mid-19th century and ending with the “girl power” movement of the 1990’s, Tomboys is the first full-length critical study of this gender-bending code of female conduct. Michelle Abate uncovers the origins, charts the trajectory, and traces the literary and cultural transformations that the concept of “tomboy” has undergone in the United States. Abate focuses on literature including Louisa May Alcott's Little Women and Carson McCullers's The Member of the Wedding and films such as Peter Bogdanovich's Paper Moon and Jon Avnet's Fried Green Tomatoes. She also draws onlesser-known texts like E.D.E.N. Southworth's once wildly popular 1859 novel The Hidden Hand, Cold War lesbian pulp fiction, and New Queer Cinema from the 1990s. Tomboys also explores the gender and sexual dynamics of tomboyism, and offers intriguing discussions of race and ethnicity's role in the construction of the enduring cultural archetype. Abate’s insightful analysis provides useful, thought-provoking connections between different literary works and eras. The result demystifies this cultural phenomenon and challenges readers to consider tomboys in a whole new light.

Based on the author’s viral New York Times op-ed, this heartfelt book is a celebration and exploration of the tomboy phenomenon and the future of girlhood. We are in the middle of a cultural revolution, where the spectrum of gender and sexual identities is seemingly unlimited. So when author and journalist Lisa Selin Davis's six-year-old daughter first called herself a "tomboy," Davis was hesitant. Her child favored sweatpants and T-shirts over anything pink or princess-themed, just like the sporty, skinned-kneed girls Davis had played with as a kid. But "tomboy" seemed like an outdated word—why use a word with "boy" in it for such girls at all? So was it outdated? In an era where some are throwing elaborate gender reveal parties and others are embracing they/them pronouns, Davis set out to answer that question, and to find out where tomboys fit into our changing understandings of gender. In Tomboy, Davis explores the evolution of tomboyism from a Victorian ideal to a twentyfirst century fashion statement, honoring the girls and women—and those who identify otherwise—who stomp all over archaic gender norms. She highlights the forces that have shifted what we think of as masculine and feminine, delving into everything from clothing to psychology, history to neuroscience, and the connection between tomboyism, gender identity, and sexuality. Above all else, Davis's comprehensive deep-dive inspires us to better appreciate those who defy traditional gender boundaries, and the incredible people they become. Whether you're a grown-up tomboy or raising a gender-rebel of your own, Tomboy is the perfect companion for navigating our cultural shift. It is a celebration of both diversity and those who dare to be different, ultimately revealing how gender nonconformity is a gift.

After their first two children were born boys, Bill and Natalie Smith were hoping that, after Natalie got pregnant with their third child, they would be blessed with a baby girl and when their dreams of a daughter came true, Bill and especially Natalie were ecstatic. However, as they would find out, having a little girl isn't as they had expected when they find out that their daughter doesn't act like a girl, but more like a boy;a tomboy.Bill doesn't see anything wrong with that, but Natalie sets out to change her daughter's behavior and make her into the ultimate girly-girl, but that ends up being easier said tha

Author John L. Sullivan has spent the vast majority of his adult life working with the heroic men and women of law enforcement. Hes been a part of, dealt with, and has witnessed mans selfishness, cruelty, and inhumanity to his fellow citizens. But he can also give testimony to the caring and gentle side of man demonstrated each day by the citizen who wears the badge. In Chief of Detectives, Sullivan offers snapshot accounts of some of the experiences throughout his service. He shares stories of his trials and tribulations beginning with his career in a small, six-person suburban police department in the Midwest; rising through the ranks; and completing a thirty-four-year law-enforcement career as deputy chief, chief of detectives for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. This memoir narrates the story of Sullivans long-standing service in law enforcement that was filled with highs and lows and was exciting, adventurous, challenging, and harrowing at times. Chief of Detectives pays tribute to those officers with whom Sullivan served during his thirty-four year career as a police officer.