Pulitzer Prize Fiction Winner
Middlesex
by Jeffrey Eugenides
Summary
Cal, an intersex man of Greek American descent, narrates three generations of the Stephanides family from a village in Asia Minor to the streets of twentieth century Detroit. Eugenides fuses myth, immigration history, and a coming of age narrative to interrogate gender, genetics, and the construction of selfhood. Its expansive scope and intimate voice helped reshape mainstream conversations about identity.
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Historical Context & Significance
The novel was a massive bestseller and a critical success for its daring exploration of gender identity and the American melting pot myth.