190,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿 

Come visit us in-store this weekend! 📚 Open 7 days, 8:30am–5pm

Becoming Us

The inspiring memoir of transgender joy, love and family AS SEEN ON LORRAINE
Brief Description
'The UK's most influential LGBT Power Couple' - Guardian This is the inspiring and moving memoir of a couple in search of a normal family life. And in many ways, they have found that: married, doing jobs they love, and expecting their second child. But their... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2999
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

The inspiring and moving memoir of Jake and Hannah Graf on their journey to parenthood.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
'The UK's most influential LGBT Power Couple' - Guardian

This is the inspiring and moving memoir of a couple in search of a normal family life. And in many ways, they have found that: married, doing jobs they love, and expecting their second child. But their journey there has been an extraordinary one.

Becoming Us is the inspiring and at times heart-breaking memoir of Jake and Hannah Graf, the UK's most visible transgender couple and family. We follow their extraordinary paths towards the 'normality' they have always longed for, as they navigate the many challenges and pitfalls along the way.

Born in 1980s London under Section 28 and assigned female at birth, Jake knew from a young age that he was in a body that didn't fit. Hannah was assigned male at birth, and growing up in small town Cardiff, she hid her innate femininity from her family and friends until joining the British Army in her late teens. Their journeys were wildly different, with Jake falling into drug and alcohol addiction, and Hannah excelling in the military and serving across the world. Hannah would later come out as trans and be awarded an MBE by HRH Prince William. Jake discovered community and purpose in the film industry. But it was only after they found themselves that they were ready to find each other.

Now, they are married and parents to two beautiful daughters. Amid soaring levels of hatred and transphobia in the UK, Jake and Hannah have chosen to tell their story in the hope of increasing awareness, raising visibility and spreading some much-needed love and understanding around transgender people and their lives. They hope too that in sharing their experiences, they will help in the fight for inclusivity, acceptance and support across all demographics.

(P)2023 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781399719223

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 13 June 2024

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Coronet Books

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 28.0mm

Width: 126.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 260g

Pages: 336

About the Author

Jake Graf (Author)

Jake Graf is an award-winning director, writer and actor based in London known for his roles in 'The Danish Girl' and 'Colette' and for viral hit 'Headspace'. Through his work he aims to elicit acceptance and understanding and his first 9 films have screened at over 100 festivals worldwide. All are used as educational tools in universities, schools, prisons and media events internationally.

First feature film 'Lavender' is in development with Ardimages ('God's Own Country') and MisFits Entertainment ('Alleycats'/'McQueen'). His next short film, 'Stone' is in development with Wychwood Media. He is currently consulting on the musical version of 'The Danish Girl'.

Jake is a vocal and visible member of the transgender community, speaking internationally on trans issues. He is a patron of the Mermaids charity and The Albert Kennedy Trust.

Hannah Graf (Author)

Hannah is a retired Captain of the British Army. She commissioned in 2010 and has commanded soldiers across the world including in Germany, Canada, Kenya and Afghanistan. Currently she works for a global bank combating financial crime.

Hannah is also a transgender woman and her personal story of transition captured the imagination of the nation in 2015. A true advocate for equality, she used her public profile to promote a realistic portrayal of transgender individuals.

Hannah is a patron for the charity Mermaids and an ambassador for LGBT Sport in Wales. Her work in diversity has won her several accolades including Cosmopolitan Woman of the Year, an honorary fellowship from Cardiff University and in June 2019, an MBE for her services to equality within the Armed Forces.

Also by Hannah Graf

View all
  • The Silly Frilly Dress
    Sunny LOVES birthdays. Sunny also loves singing and dancing and weddings! But each time there's a frilly party dress to wear, Sunny's tummy gets all knotty. Sunny feels silly in dresses. Will Sunny find the courage to do things a little differently . . . ? A joyful celebration of being true to yourself so you can SHINE.
    Paperback
    $2199
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

Also by Jake Graf

View all
  • The Silly Frilly Dress
    Sunny LOVES birthdays. Sunny also loves singing and dancing and weddings! But each time there's a frilly party dress to wear, Sunny's tummy gets all knotty. Sunny feels silly in dresses. Will Sunny find the courage to do things a little differently . . . ? A joyful celebration of being true to yourself so you can SHINE.
    Paperback
    $2199
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

More from Biography & Memoir

View all
  • New Release
    One Helluva Ride
    "This book is about where I came from, what I fought against, and what I chose formyself. Fame can blur the truth; this is my attempt to bring it back into focus." A legendary actor and Hollywood Icon whose five-decade career spans film, television,and producing, Michael Douglas has won two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, fiveGolden Globes, a Primetime Emmy,...
    Paperback
    $3200
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • New Release
    A Life in Lyrics
    Freddie Mercury was one of the greatest showmen of the twentieth century. With his unparalleled voice and searing on-stage energy, he was a great pretender, a killer queen and a champion of the world. But behind the glamour lived a musician and lyricist talented beyond measure, and the creative force behind one of the most culturally significant and musically diverse...
    Hardback
    $5000
    Elsewhere:
    $6500
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Nothing to Lose
    There's no one as dangerous as someone who believes they have nothing to lose. Eight years ago, Nix Adams started posting videos on Facebook while she was freshly out of jail, in order to show her kids that she was sober and on the path back to them. It was after her youngest child, Alaska, died suddenly of a virus...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    Backorder
    Ships mid November
  • Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?
    New Release
    Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?
    The book we've all been waiting for, national treasure Judi Dench opens her almost inexhaustible collection of memories from life and acting. Join Judi as she lifts the curtain on cherished memories and hilarious anecdotes from seven decades of performing with some of the greatest names in theatre. Step behind the camera as she reprises her most famous roles, such...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Drive
    A thrilling, candid and uncompromising memoir covering over twenty-years at the pinnacle of Formula 1, Drive sees Christian Horner, one of the sport’s biggest characters, take readers into the heart of Red Bull Racing as he reflects on his extraordinary career. For over twenty years Christian Horner built and ran Red Bull Racing, transforming a rookie team acquired for £1 into one...
    Paperback
    $3999
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    Backorder
    Ships mid November
  • Book cover for 'Swan Song: Diana, my sister' by Charles Spencer, featuring a black-and-white portrait of Diana with white and gold text on a gray background.
    New Release
    Swan Song
    Beautiful. Beloved. Hunted. The extraordinary life and death of Diana, as told by her brother, Charles – available to pre-order now. ‘When asked, ‘What was it like, growing up with Diana?’, my first thought is always, But I don’t know what it was like not to grow up with her…’ In September 1997, Charles Spencer stood in Westminster Abbey before...
    Hardback
    $5499
    Elsewhere:
    $6500
    (3)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • New Release
    Fictional Selves
    From the beloved actor and star of Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet and Sex and the City comes a candid and deeply personal memoir. In this highly anticipated memoir, the beloved actor and star of Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, Sex and the City and more shares his utterly original account of his offbeat journey in Hollywood, his battles with fear and...
    Hardback
    $4799
    Elsewhere:
    $6000
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • New Release
    The Steps
    The long-awaited memoir from a true Hollywood icon. We know Sylvester Stallone as one of the most revered actors, writers, and directors of all time, yet his life story is every bit as dramatic, intense, and inspiring as his greatest creations on screen. Bringing together a no-holds-barred account of a fascinating life with messages of hope, positivity, and resilience, in...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • New Release
    Home Again
    Join rock-legend, former Shihad frontman and lead singer of The Adults, Jon Toogood in this unflinching and no-holds-barred memoir Home Again.This is more than a rock story. Toogood looks back on a 37-year career that helped define New Zealand rock music, and the personal cost that came with it. From a music-obsessed childhood in Wellington to the deafening roar of international stages, this...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Dogs, Boys and Other Things I've Cried About
    From the social media superstar behind @SimonSits, Isabel Klee--known for her heartwarming tales of dog rescue--comes an utterly winning memoir about a twentysomething woman's search for true love in New York City and the dogs who helped her find it. A Jersey girl by birth, Isabel Klee had always wanted to live in New York City. At age 20, she...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • Famesick
    Chronicling the tumultuous decade between the premiere of Girls to her 2021 shotgun wedding (minus the baby, because she has no uterus), Lena Dunham takes us through her journey with her trademark mix of humor, unsparing honesty, and keen eye for detail. We peek behind the scenes - of her work, her family, her relationships, and her battle to reclaim her body...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $3500
    In Stock
    Ships Monday
  • This Angry Pen of Mine
    This Angry Pen of Mine by Layne Staley invites you to dive into the untold creative world of Layne Staley, the legendary voice behind Alice in Chains. This extraordinary collection showcases his handwritten lyrics, deeply personal poetry, stunning original artwork, rare photos, fan tributes, and so much more. Step into the world of Layne Staley like never before. For the...
    Hardback
    $7299
    Elsewhere:
    $8999
    In Stock
    Ships Monday

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 190,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.