Both and Neither

Author of The Fact of a Body, and winner of this year’s Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant, Alex Marzano-Lesnevich considers how we bear witness to trans lives, past and present.

In Both and Neither, Alex Marzano-Lesnevich weaves memoir and history into a singular work shaped by the figures who have long haunted them. Moving across centuries, they trace lives that have made and unmade gender in the public imagination, revealing how the past persists—intimately, insistently—within the present.

Through meticulous research and vivid storytelling, Marzano-Lesnevich uncovers a constellation of historical figures: Joseph Lobdell, a nineteenth-century trans man institutionalized for loving a woman; Gerd Katter, a carpenter and early patient at Berlin’s Institute for Sexual Science in the 1920s; Pauli Murray, the visionary thinker whose ideas anticipated feminist and civil rights movements decades ahead of their time; and Claude Cahun, whose radical art and self-fashioning defied gender norms throughout the first half of the twentieth century.

As history unfolds, memoir bleeds into the archive. Marzano-Lesnevich turns a clear-eyed gaze on their own life and loves, reflecting on past romantic relationships. The rapture and pain of intimacy course through their story, binding personal experience to historical inquiry as the author traces their own becoming alongside those who came before.

Vital, timely, and beautifully executed, Both and Neither fuses maverick scholarship with profound emotional intelligence to recover a history long obscured. In doing so, Marzano-Lesnevich confirms their place as one of the most ambitious and original writers working today.

Standard and Primary covers are widely available through general retailers. They often have higher print runs and can be cheaper, especially during sales.

In contrast, Direct Market (DM) and variant covers are primarily sold in comic shops. DM editions tend to have more limited availability and may be more valuable to collectors.

The main differences lie in artwork style, availability, price, and collector appeal. Ultimately, the choice between standard and variant covers depends on personal preference, budget, and individual collecting goals.

Comic book enthusiasts have various formats to choose from when collecting their favorite stories.
Here's a brief overview of the main types:

Omnibus

• Large, hardcover collections
• Usually contain complete runs or extensive story arcs
• Typically 800-1000+ pages
• Higher price point, often €100-€150

Oversized Hardcover (OHC)

• Similar dimensions to omnibus, but thinner
• Collect shorter runs or story arcs
• Usually 300-600 pages
• Priced between €30-€50

Hardcover (HC)

• Standard-sized hardcover books
• Collect 6-12 issues typically
• Similar dimensions to single issues, but with a hard cover
• Priced around €25-€35

Trade Paperback (TP)

• Softcover collections
• Standard comic book size
• Usually collect 4-6 issues
• Most affordable option, typically €15-€25

Other Formats

• Absolute Editions: Oversized, deluxe hardcovers (mainly DC Comics)
• Compendiums: Massive paperback collections
• Graphic Novels (OGN/GN): Original stories not previously released as single issues

The choice between these formats often depends on personal preference, budget, and collecting goals. Omnibus and OHC editions offer larger artwork and more content but at a higher price, while TPs provide a more affordable way to collect complete story arcs