A Murder Over a Girl: Justice, Gender, Junior High tells a riveting tale — “a gripping, troubling, and moving exploration of the brutal murder of a possibly transgender middle school student by an eighth grade classmate.” 2paragraphs asked the author, renowned psychologist and NYU professor Ken Corbett, one question.
2paragraphs: Why is the book connecting so powerfully with people?
Ken Corbett: I think the book is connecting with people because people enjoy reading a good story, and, if I may, this is a great courtroom drama. It is the kind of story that is rich in detail and emotion, brought to us by a remarkable cast of characters. One often hears writers talk about how nonfiction can sometimes be stranger than fiction, and I don’t always concur, but in this case I do. As well, I think that people are connecting with this story because it is very much of the moment — bullying, gender, race, class, child abuse, the faltering American school system, parental drug addiction — and at the same time it is a classic tale of human emotion. I like to say to people, “Read it and weep. Then get off your ass, and make this a better world for kids.”
