Leg: The Story of a Limb and the Boy Who Grew from It

by Greg Marshall

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

What does it matter if nearing your 30th birthday you accidentally find out you have, and have had since childhood, a medically diagnosed disability that was never given a name? It turns out quite a lot. Greg Marshall’s gently honest memoir of rowdy family, sibling pranks, identity, loss and cerebral palsy is an often laugh out loud, hard fought argument for telling the truth.

A hilarious and poignant memoir grappling with family, disability, and coming of age in two closets—as a gay man and as a man living with cerebral palsy
      
“Riotously funny . . . [Marshall's] writing brings to mind early David Sedaris . . . Rare is the book that makes me both laugh out loud and shed actual tears, but Leg made me do both.” —BOOKPAGE, Starred Review 
      
“One hell of an entertaining book.” —BUZZFEED, Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Books of 2023
     
“Laugh-out-loud funny. Greg Marshall is one helluva storyteller.” —ISAAC FITZGERALD, New York Times bestselling author of Dirtbag, Massachusetts
       
“A strange, smutty, hilarious, beautiful, compassionate, provoking, big-hearted, sharp-tongued, original, brilliant memoir. I hated to see it end.” ―ELIZABETH McCRACKEN, National Book Award finalist and author of The Hero of This Book
      
“One of the most exciting new voices in non-fiction.” ―RYAN O’CONNELL, author of Just by Looking at Him
     
Greg Marshall’s early years were pretty bizarre. Rewind the VHS tapes (this is the nineties) and you’ll see a lopsided teenager limping across a high school stage, or in a wheelchair after leg surgeries, pondering why he’s crushing on half of the Utah Jazz. Add to this home video footage a mom clacking away at her newspaper column between chemos, a dad with ALS, and a cast of foulmouthed siblings. Fast forward the tape and you’ll find Marshall happily settled into his life as a gay man only to discover he’s been living in another closet his whole life: He has cerebral palsy, a diagnosis that has been kept from him since birth. (His parents always told him he just had "tight tendons" and left it at that.) Here, in the hot mess of it all, lies Greg Marshall’s wellspring of wit and wisdom.
         
Leg is an extraordinarily funny and insightful memoir from a daring new voice. Packed with outrageous stories of a singular childhood, it is also a startlingly original examination of what it means to transform when there are parts of yourself you can’t change, a moving portrait of a family in crisis, and a tale of resilience of spirit. In Marshall’s deft hands, we see a story both personal and universal—of being young and wanting the world, even when the world doesn’t feel like yours to want. 
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781647007638
Publisher:	Abrams
Publication date:	06/13/2023
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	87,339
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Greg Marshall was raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. A National Endowment for the Arts Fellow in Prose, Marshall is a graduate of the Michener Center for Writers. His work has appeared in The Best American Essays and been supported by MacDowell and the Corporation of Yaddo. Leg is his first book.

Editorial Reviews

Leg is intimate (and I mean that in all ways), insightful, and often laugh-out-loud funny.”—SCOTT SIMON, NPR's "Weekend Edition"

“It feels weird to say that Leg is hilarious, but it’s true. The exploits of the Marshalls are those of a family that refuses to be buried by hardship and instead develops a great sense of humor . . . Leg never slows in its energy, hope and warmth.”—WASHINGTON POST

“Leg is probably the most profound and funniest memoir you'll ever read . . . The book is an entertaining and enlightening chronicle of Marshall’s life so far, including his discovery when he was almost 30 that he had cerebral palsy since birth, not ‘tight tendons’ like his parents told him . . . Marshall has pulled off the seemingly impossible. He’s written a memoir that is poignant and hilarious.”—Wisconsin Public Radio

“A riotous new memoir . . . A hilarious yet loving account, this book has charm for days.”—People Magazine

“‘[A] witty memoir . . . Marshall presents readers with an insightful story of identity and complex family dynamics.”—USA Today, 10 Best Memoirs of 2023

“This highly awaited memoir isn’t your typical coming-of-age story. Instead, it’s a compassionate and humanizing gaze at what it’s like to be a queer and disabled person, told in Marshall’s original, addictive and acerbically witty voice. This story promises to be as funny as it is touching and insightful.”
—Huffington Post Books

“In this heartfelt debut memoir, Greg Marshall tells his story of coming out twice: first, as a gay man; second, as a man with cerebral palsy—a diagnosis that his family kept from him since birth. Throughout the book, Marshall unflinchingly looks at queerness, disability, illness, and family through the lens of his own queer, disabled, ill family with great aplomb. This marvelous book will stick with me for a very long time.”—ESQUIRE

“Bracingly candid . . . With [his cerebral palsy] diagnosis came understanding, and a lifetime of resilience enabled [Marshall] to find the silver linings that allow him to life life on his own terms.”—Washington Post, 10 Noteworthy books for June

“This hilarious and wholly unique memoir by Greg Marshall tackles many subjects: disability, family relationships, and coming out (twice). With signature wit and humor, Marshall takes material that could be morbid in the hands of a lesser writer, and dares his readers not to laugh. He knows he's had an unconventional life, but there's no self-pity here. Instead, he embraces the absurdity of it all and leans into it, making one hell of an entertaining book.”
—Buzzfeed, Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Book of 2023

“Leg does what good non-fiction does best: it finds what’s universal in the personal, the weird and the unique. Animated by the author’s hilarious and, at times, gut-wrenching honesty, Leg is ultimately a story about resilience and how we care for ourselves and the people we love.”

—Gay Times UK

“[A] riotously funny book that will steal your heart from the very first page. . . Rare is the book that makes me both laugh out loud and shed actual tears, but Leg made me do both. . . [Marshall's] writing brings to mind early David Sedaris, with its bitingly funny caricatures and descriptions, bathed in blistering commentary, deep-seated opinions, wit, intellect and, above all else, fierce family love.”—Bookpage, Starred Review

“A sparkling portrait of personal discovery and a celebration of family, forgiveness, and thriving with a disability. In a zesty, forthright series of humorous, heartfelt, and often wincingly oddball anecdotes. . . [Marshall] displays a natural storytelling ability, and he writes with a good dose of self-effacing humor, exposing the murky consequences of secrets, even when they’re kept with the best intentions.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Marshall traces his experience coming out of two closets—first as gay, and much later, as having cerebral palsy—in this comedic memoir.”

—Publishers Weekly

“In this big-hearted, (literally) laugh-out-loud memoir, Marshall explores how it touched every other aspect of his life, from dealing with grief, to dating as a gay man, to making sense of it all through writing.”
—Bustle

“Smart and heartfelt … His honesty and clarity in writing about disability makes this debut one to watch.”—LitHub, Most Anticipated Books of 2023

“Marshall’s book, in staying so firmly focused on his specific experience, offers a different kind of solidarity. Though I don’t have cerebral palsy, I cringed, gasped, and smiled in recognition . . . Abandoning the obfuscation with which many of us learn to talk about disability is hard, even when the only people we’re convincing with our vague wording are ourselves. But in Leg, Marshall makes a convincing argument that becoming more open is also a path out of shame. We need as many writers as possible who, like Marshall, are willing to say the silent part out loud.”

—The Brooklyn Rail

“Leg is a laugh-out-loud funny memoir that will hit you squarely in the heart and leave you with tears in your eyes. Tears of joy and tears of heartache, sure—but most of all tears of gratitude for this incredible tale of marvelous resilience, tremendous love, a larger-than-life family, and boner pills. Greg Marshall is one helluva storyteller, taking hilarity and emotional resonance and putting them in a paint mixer set to high until he creates an astonishingly bright, bold, and beautiful new color that is uniquely his own.” —ISAAC FITZGERALD, New York Times bestselling author of Dirtbag, Massachusetts

“Honestly, I don’t know how to describe Greg Marshall’s Leg—a strange, smutty, hilarious, beautiful, compassionate, provoking, big-hearted, sharp-tongued, original, brilliant memoir. It’s about a very particular coming-of-age that will nevertheless remind readers of what it is to be young and to want everything. Marshall’s Leg is sui generis. I hated to see it end.”—ELIZABETH McCRACKEN, National Book Award finalist and author of The Hero of This Book

“Greg Marshall's Leg has all the ingredients of an addictive memoir. But what separates this book from the pack is Marshall’s rich and rare perspective navigating the world as a queer disabled person. Marshall delves into his unique life experiences to illustrate the all-too-relatable struggle to be your authentic self and he does it with unflinching honesty. He's one of the most exciting new voices in non-fiction. I could get lost in his brilliant brain forever.”—RYAN O’CONNELL, author of Just by Looking at Him

“In the struggles of his body, his family, and his own exploration of his identities, Marshall finds a mirror and a prism for life in America now. This is a funny, smart, and loving memoir, and I learned perhaps more about myself reading Leg than I did about Marshall.”—ALEXANDER CHEE, author of How to Write an Autobiographical Novel

"Greg Marshall's Leg is a generous gift to readers. Yes, it is a raw, brutally honest, and compassionate chronicle of discovery (both of the self and the surrounding world) but it is also one of the funniest books I've ever read."—CHLOÉ COOPER JONES, author of Easy Beauty, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize

“Greg Marshall’s Leg is the rare witty, tender, ebullient, wry, and raunchy memoir. Marshall is a natural storyteller, both disarmingly vulnerable and wickedly funny, and Leg is a beautiful, necessary book.”—LAUREN HOUGH, New York Times bestselling author of Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing

“No one manages to make the specific as universal as Greg Marshall. Sharply observed with prose that explodes into your stomach, Leg captures a life of victories and struggles that never once tip into victimhood while showcasing a spirit like no other.”—BEN PHILIPPE, Author of Sure, I'll Be Your Black Friend

From the Publisher

In the struggles of his body, his family, and his own exploration of his identities, Marshall finds a mirror and a prism for life in America now. This is a funny, smart, and loving memoir, and I learned perhaps more about myself reading Leg than I did about Marshall.

author of How to Write an Autobiographical Novel ALEXANDER CHEE

Greg Marshall's Leg has all the ingredients of an addictive memoir. But what separates this book from the pack is Marshall’s rich and rare perspective navigating the world as a queer disabled person. Marshall delves into his unique life experiences to illustrate the all-too-relatable struggle to be your authentic self and he does it with unflinching honesty. He's one of the most exciting new voices in non-fiction. I could get lost in his brilliant brain forever.

author of Just by Looking at Him RYAN O’CONNELL

It feels weird to say that Leg is hilarious, but it’s true. The exploits of the Marshalls are those of a family that refuses to be buried by hardship and instead develops a great sense of humor . . . Leg never slows in its energy, hope and warmth.

WASHINGTON POST

No one manages to make the specific as universal as Greg Marshall. Sharply observed with prose that explodes into your stomach, Leg captures a life of victories and struggles that never once tip into victimhood while showcasing a spirit like no other.

BEN PHILIPPE

Smart and heartfelt … His honesty and clarity in writing about disability makes this debut one to watch.

Most Anticipated Books of 2023 LitHub

Honestly, I don’t know how to describe Greg Marshall’s Leg—a strange, smutty, hilarious, beautiful, compassionate, provoking, big-hearted, sharp-tongued, original, brilliant memoir. It’s about a very particular coming-of-age that will nevertheless remind readers of what it is to be young and to want everything. Marshall’s Leg is sui generis. I hated to see it end.

National Book Award finalist and author of The Her ELIZABETH McCRACKEN

This highly awaited memoir isn’t your typical coming-of-age story. Instead, it’s a compassionate and humanizing gaze at what it’s like to be a queer and disabled person, told in Marshall’s original, addictive and acerbically witty voice. This story promises to be as funny as it is touching and insightful.”

Huffington Post Books

Marshall’s book, in staying so firmly focused on his specific experience, offers a different kind of solidarity. Though I don’t have cerebral palsy, I cringed, gasped, and smiled in recognition . . . Abandoning the obfuscation with which many of us learn to talk about disability is hard, even when the only people we’re convincing with our vague wording are ourselves. But in Leg, Marshall makes a convincing argument that becoming more open is also a path out of shame. We need as many writers as possible who, like Marshall, are willing to say the silent part out loud.”

The Brooklyn Rail

Leg is a laugh-out-loud funny memoir that will hit you squarely in the heart and leave you with tears in your eyes. Tears of joy and tears of heartache, sure—but most of all tears of gratitude for this incredible tale of marvelous resilience, tremendous love, a larger-than-life family, and boner pills. Greg Marshall is one helluva storyteller, taking hilarity and emotional resonance and putting them in a paint mixer set to high until he creates an astonishingly bright, bold, and beautiful new color that is uniquely his own.

ISAAC FITZGERALD

Leg is probably the most profound and funniest memoir you'll ever read . . . The book is an entertaining and enlightening chronicle of Marshall’s life so far, including his discovery when he was almost 30 that he had cerebral palsy since birth, not ‘tight tendons’ like his parents told him . . . Marshall has pulled off the seemingly impossible. He’s written a memoir that is poignant and hilarious.

Wisconsin Public Radio

Leg is intimate (and I mean that in all ways), insightful, and often laugh-out-loud funny.

NPR's "Weekend Edition" SCOTT SIMON

[A] riotously funny book that will steal your heart from the very first page. . . Rare is the book that makes me both laugh out loud and shed actual tears, but Leg made me do both. . . [Marshall's] writing brings to mind early David Sedaris, with its bitingly funny caricatures and descriptions, bathed in blistering commentary, deep-seated opinions, wit, intellect and, above all else, fierce family love.

Starred Review Bookpage

A riotous new memoir . . . A hilarious yet loving account, this book has charm for days.

People Magazine

‘[A] witty memoir . . . Marshall presents readers with an insightful story of identity and complex family dynamics.

10 Best Memoirs of 2023 USA Today

Leg does what good non-fiction does best: it finds what’s universal in the personal, the weird and the unique. Animated by the author’s hilarious and, at times, gut-wrenching honesty, Leg is ultimately a story about resilience and how we care for ourselves and the people we love.”

Gay Times UK

In this big-hearted, (literally) laugh-out-loud memoir, Marshall explores how it touched every other aspect of his life, from dealing with grief, to dating as a gay man, to making sense of it all through writing.”

Bustle

This hilarious and wholly unique memoir by Greg Marshall tackles many subjects: disability, family relationships, and coming out (twice). With signature wit and humor, Marshall takes material that could be morbid in the hands of a lesser writer, and dares his readers not to laugh. He knows he's had an unconventional life, but there's no self-pity here. Instead, he embraces the absurdity of it all and leans into it, making one hell of an entertaining book.”

Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Book of 2023 Buzzfeed

"Greg Marshall's Leg is a generous gift to readers. Yes, it is a raw, brutally honest, and compassionate chronicle of discovery (both of the self and the surrounding world) but it is also one of the funniest books I've ever read."

CHLOÉ COOPER JONES

In this heartfelt debut memoir, Greg Marshall tells his story of coming out twice: first, as a gay man; second, as a man with cerebral palsy—a diagnosis that his family kept from him since birth. Throughout the book, Marshall unflinchingly looks at queerness, disability, illness, and family through the lens of his own queer, disabled, ill family with great aplomb. This marvelous book will stick with me for a very long time.

ESQUIRE

Bracingly candid . . . With [his cerebral palsy] diagnosis came understanding, and a lifetime of resilience enabled [Marshall] to find the silver linings that allow him to life life on his own terms.

10 Noteworthy books for June Washington Post

Greg Marshall’s Leg is the rare witty, tender, ebullient, wry, and raunchy memoir. Marshall is a natural storyteller, both disarmingly vulnerable and wickedly funny, and Leg is a beautiful, necessary book.

New York Times bestselling author of Leaving Isn LAUREN HOUGH

Leg is intimate (and I mean that in all ways), insightful, and often laugh-out-loud funny.

NPR's "Weekend Edition" Scott Simon

"Greg Marshall's Leg is a generous gift to readers. Yes, it is a raw, brutally honest, and compassionate chronicle of discovery (both of the self and the surrounding world) but it is also one of the funniest books I've ever read."

author of Easy Beauty CHLOÉ COOPER JONES

Greg Marshall’s moving memoir Leg is about finding strength in family support. . . marked by humor; family bonds form its inspirational core . . . a powerful memoir about overcoming obstacles with one’s sense of humor intact.”

Foreword Reviews

Marshall’s debut book is laugh-out-loud-hilarious while simultaneously managing to be poignant and tender. At its core, it’s an examination of what it means to transform when there are parts of yourself you can’t change.”

District Fray

2023-04-24
A man born with cerebral palsy reflects on his life.

Essayist Marshall recounts his childhood in 1990s Utah as the middle sibling of five “in a rowdy family where someone was always almost dying or OD-ing.” His father managed a small community newspaper group, and his mother wrote an inspirational column called “Silver Linings” while enduring debilitating cancer treatments and years of remissions and recurrences. Marshall walked with a perpetual limp, documented in his mother’s columns, and he underwent numerous therapies, surgeries, and recovery bouts in wheelchairs. In an effort to somehow shield their son from ridicule, however, his parents kept his cerebral palsy diagnosis a secret throughout his childhood, calling his chronic limp a nagging case of “tight tendons.” In a zesty, forthright series of humorous, heartfelt, and often wincingly oddball anecdotes, Marshall shares how his hypochondriacal family “leaned into” all of “life’s curveballs.” Brotherly boyhood shenanigans involving a back massager introduced him to masturbation, and at the same time, he nurtured a simmering fondness for other boys and struggled with HIV/AIDS education (“Did everyone know I was gay? Was this lesson for me? These other assholes weren’t going to get AIDS, but I was”). In the second half, Marshall chronicles his coming out as a disabled gay man, acknowledging life with CP, and navigating the nuances of first impressions, intimacy, and forgiveness for his parents. Marshall was 30 when he accidentally confirmed his CP diagnosis after uncovering one of his mother’s columns exposing “the Watergate tapes of my childhood, revealing both crime and cover-up.” The author, who confesses that “my cerebral palsy has made me see my life, and my leg, with renewed appreciation,” displays a natural storytelling ability, and he writes with a good dose of self-effacing humor, exposing the murky consequences of secrets, even when they’re kept with the best intentions.

A sparkling portrait of personal discovery and a celebration of family, forgiveness, and thriving with a disability.

Kirkus Reviews