Praise for Daddy Boy

“Captivating.” (Publishers Weekly)

“A beautiful flight toward a life one can believe in. Gorgeously written, truthful, and timely.” (Chris Kraus)

“Whitney stands as a deft executor of their own unique style … a writer who guides with an intuitive vulnerability and honesty.” (The Paris Review)

“[A writer] whose sentences are akin to a skipped heartbeat.” (PAPER)

“Hundreds of years from now, readers can better appreciate this time and this nation through Emerson Whitney’s extraordinary lens.” (CAConrad)

“Once, they said writers responded to the call of the Muse. These days they say writers compose out of their deepest obsessions. For Emerson Whitney, it is one and the same.” (Ilya Kaminsky)

About the author

Emerson Whitney is the author of the critically acclaimed Heaven which was named a best book by Kirkus, Bomb, the AV Club, PAPER, Literary Hub, Refinery29, and the Chicago Review of Books. Emerson’s work has appeared in the Paris Review, the Los Angeles Review of Books, New York Magazine, and elsewhere.

Join us to celebrate the launch of Emerson Whitney’s memoir DADDY BOY (McSweeney’s 2023). There will be a reading followed by a Q&A and copies of the book will be available for purchase. This event is free and open to the public.

The author will be in conversation with bookstore manager, Riley Rennhack.

About the book

After a decade-long relationship with a dominatrix he called Daddy, Emerson Whitney had begun to crave something besides submission. It came as a full surprise—submission had been so central to his early adulthood, to his trans identity. Dizzied by new questions of control and aging, and living in a tent while his relationship ends, Emerson stumbles upon an advertisement for a storm-chasing tour. “For thrill seekers,” it says. Unsure what else to do, he signs up.

About the author

Emerson Whitney is the author of the critically acclaimed titles, HEAVEN (McSweeney’s, 2020) and DADDY BOY (McSweeney’s 2023). Emerson’s work appears in The Paris Review, The Los Angeles Times Book Review, New York Magazine and elsewhere.