Subjects:  1. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    2. Family/Marriage    3. Gays    4. Homosexuality    5. Marriage    6. Married people    7. Parents    8. Sexuality   

Reviews (2)

The Brave Lengths of Love
This book was one I could not put down. I was deeply impressed with the courage of both mother and daughter to deal with each other honestly and openly, and then to share their discoveries with the rest of us. In this true story, we see the deep pain and hurt, as well as the joy that comes from such discoveries. I am thankful to Martha and her mother Marcy for sharing their story. I am passing this book along to many others I know, for the wisdom it contains.

An Outstanding Book
OUR DAUGHTER MARTHA deals with a family's difficulties as they struggle to understand their daughter's journey to acceptance of herself as a lesbian.The book expresses the author's deepest feelings and fears in an honest attempt to help other parents understand and work through their concerns for gay and lesbian children.It is an interesting, thoughtful, and inspiring book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Family Relationships    2. Lesbian Studies    3. Lesbians    4. Outing (Sexual orientation)    5. Parents of gays    6. Sociology    7. United States   

Subjects:  1. Canada    2. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    3. Lesbian Studies    4. Lesbian mothers    5. Motherhood    6. Parenting - Motherhood    7. Social Science    8. Sociology    9. Parenthood   

Subjects:  1. Children of gay parents    2. Fiction    3. Gay men    4. Movie novels   

Editorial Review

Best known for his syndicated sexual advice column, "Savage Love," Dan Savage shares his own story in Read more

Reviews (120)

Honest account
This is such a cute, humorous and honest story; a very entertaining and easy read.

Made Me Weep
This is an incredibly honest recounting of how the author and his boyfriend adopted a child.It was fascinating to read about "open adoption", at the time of the book only legal in three states, Washington, Oregon and New Mexico. This system is where the birth mother is allowed to choose the adopting couple and continues to visit the child after giving birth.Worried that no young mother would choose a gay couple, they still go through with the grueling application and review process and are rewarded by being the first couple in their orientation group to be picked.The mother is truly a fascinatingly real character and Savage does a wonderful job portraying her.The scene at the hospital when they finally take the baby is heart wrenching and the author beautifully explains how experiencing the mother's grief completely validates the open adoption approach.This simple book encompasses so much about the human condition it becomes a spiritual beacon of tolerance and compassion.

A Defense of the Book
I felt I had to respond after one person failed miserably in reading comprehension.First, in the beginning of the book Savage made the point and he and Terry had discussed infidelity and were committed enough to their relationship that that would not be enough to break them up.As to the claims about the birthmother being mentally ill, they took care to show that she wasn't.She was able to care for herself, make logical decisions and was sane enough to know that her chosen lifestyle made it impossible to be a good mother to her son, hence choosing adoption.And they didn't relocate to get away from her.They lived in Seattle and used an agency there.She was currently living in Portland, but since she regularly moved from city to city, it wasn't an issue.In fact, those who bother to read the whole thing will discover a chapter in which they flew to L.A. to meet with her after the birth and to allow the birthfather to see the baby.(And according to the legal agreement they signed, they can't keep her from seeing the kid a certain number of times a year, and Savage himself deplored the fact that some adoptive parents don't follow the signed agreements.)A lot of the other complaints seem based on the fact that the reviewer could not tell sarcastic humor from genuine sentiment.Savage is not a hearts&roses style writer.He's a hardcore cynic and likes making shocking jokes, like his fake birthmother letter in which he jests about having drug addicted friends babysit.For every time he made a joke about a baby as an expensive hobby, he also mentioned looking forward to being able to teach him to walk and talk and later watching his Little League games.Plenty of other writers have made similar jokes about their children - Erma Bombeck said she wanted to trade hers in for dogs, Bill Cosby has written about wanting to send his to jail for being annoying.It has nothing to do with how they actually parent - they're just trying for a laugh.Plus, if he really thought it was just a lark, would he and his boyfriend have gone through so much to adopt?
Read more

Subjects:  1. Adoption    2. Adoption And Adoption Services    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Family/Marriage    6. Gay adoption    7. Gay men    8. Gay parents    9. General    10. Homosexuality    11. Parenting - General    12. Specific Groups - Male Gay Studies    13. United States    14. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Reviews (3)

great in theory, but reality's a little different
while i think a book like this is definitely needed, this one is not it. i want a book that provides me with examples, anecdotes, exercises, etc. i also don't want a book that advocates the boy scouts as a good resource - the homophobia of the boyscouts is something i'll avoid. Hooray!
Having finished my copy of For Lesbian Parents, I am now logging on to buy one for everyone I know!This accessible book will become the new "bible" of lesbian parenting....it has everything you ever needed to know!I especially liked the interviews with all kinds of lesbian moms that were woven into the chapters, and the stories that the authors share about their own families are warm, personal and amusing!The authors are inclusive and thorough - couples and families, schools, churches, break ups, sexuality, homophobia and more!This gentle guide takes us through the difficult process of parenting - and the sometimes even more difficult process of lesbian parenting - with reassurance and celebration!Put this on the gift list of everyone you know!

What we've been waiting for!
For Lesbian Parents offers a long-awaited, intelligent and insightful guide to two-mom families!The book is accessible, informative, user-friendly, and it's format covers everything from answering children's questions to religious issues to artificial insemination options!The authors, both Ph.D's in Developmental Psychology offer a "what to expect when you're expecting" format, with developmental guidelines, boxed facts, and interweave beautifully their own personal experiences as lesbian moms.Their research and their gentle humor are both reassuring, as both conclude that not only are children in lesbian families doing just fine - in some ways, they are especially blessed!This book is a must have for anyone who is considering becoming a lesbian family, or for anyone who knows or loves a lesbian family! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Family    2. Children of gay parents    3. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    4. Family relationships    5. Gay Studies    6. Lesbian Studies    7. Lesbian couples    8. Lesbian mothers    9. Parenting - Motherhood    10. Social Science    11. Sociology    12. Child & developmental psychology    13. Parenthood    14. Social Science / Lesbian Studies   

Reviews (2)

Great for thinking it through
This book really helped me to think through why and how I would have children in my life. There are plenty of exercises to get your thoughts flowing. An interesting addition to this book is the consideration of women that choose not to have children.

Very helpful
This book was a great guide for my partner and I as we make important decisions about having a child. You will find tons of priceless information along with thought provoking exercises throughout each chapter. The authorencourages readers to read the book out of order as it pertains to yourindividual process, however, we found that once we started reading we wentfrom the first page through to the last. I highly recommend this book foranyone considering all of the options of lesbian motherhood and also foranyone who loves a woman in this phase of her life. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Family & Relationships    2. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    3. Family/Marriage    4. Lesbian Studies    5. Lesbian mothers    6. Motherhood    7. Parenting - General    8. Gay & Lesbian studies    9. Parenthood   

Editorial Review

At age 40, Chicana writer and activist CherrieMoraga decided she wanted to have a child. Read more

Reviews (3)

making familia from scratch
Moraga's text is a thoughtful meditation on the dialectics of biology and social construction of gender, sexuality, and bodies. She offers very personal reflections on how her choice to bear a child disrupts societal expectations for lesbians and how her choice is also shaped by race & culture.Ultimately, she envisions her child and the ghosts of those who have passed on (her Mexican uncle who died of lung cancer as well as gay male friends who died of AIDS) surrounding him as well as those present as part of a larger community of familia and a future generation that is inclusive of racial-ethnic minorities and sexual minorities.Moraga's trajectory as a writer is fascinating to explore--I would recommend reading The Last Generation before this book, and then reading the new sections from Loving in the War Years afterward.I also would suggest keeping an eye out for Yvonne Yarbro-Bejarano's book on Moraga's work, being published by University of Texas Press.

Rather less than luminous
A voice of dissension! Moraga's Waiting in the Wings is drearilynarcissistic, toggling between journal entries and narrative over hernewborn's struggle for life as a premature infant. While Moraga's earlywork (Loving in the War Years) offered a radical and fresh vision ofChicanismo, her later work suffers from dogmatic tendencies. Waiting in theWings serves as a paean to the importance of the author herself with nogreater glory other than Moraga's own narrowly defined boundaries of self.The journal entries are particularly self-indulgent, with the authoroccasionally indulging in worst kind of eugenic planning as she documentsthe manner in which she conceived (literally, figuratively, andpolitically) her child. Less a guide to the meaning of Mexican Americanfamily and community than a primer for baby boomer selfishness writ large,in the life of their children. Certainly a must-read for her ouevre, butexpect no magical enlightenment. Moraga writes here not from the positionof outsider but insider, who can produce drivel and still receiveaccolades. Tiresome, in the final analysis.

Luminous!
This is a beautifully written and insightful memoir. Moraga communicates a deep love of self, family and community in this finely crafted volume. I was particularly inspired by the seamless way the recounting of herpersonal story addressed so many larger political and spiritual issues.(Abetter case for the honoring of queer famlies could not be made). More thanthis, however, Moraga is just an exceptionally gifted writer, and this bookhighlights her luminous talent. One poetic phrase follows another, untilthe reader is left with one of the most elegant memoirs out there. Read it,and experience a unique glimpse into the heart of her fiercely lovingmother's heart. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Artificial insemination, Human    2. Lesbian Studies    3. Lesbian mothers    4. Mexican American women    5. Motherhood    6. Parenting - Motherhood    7. Pregnancy in middle age    8. Social Science    9. Sociology   

Reviews (1)

A "Must Read"for parents and for catholics in general
Great Book!Mary Ellen captures the essence of the struggle of catholic parents of gay and/or lesbian sons and daughters.She approaches the subjuct faithfully, honestly, and hopefully.The book is not a "how to" or even an answer book.It is a help along the journey.I wish it was around when I came out to mom and dad! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christianity - Education - General    2. Family & Relationships    3. Family/Marriage    4. Sexuality    5. Christian life & practice    6. Family & Relationships / Sexuality    7. mary lopata,mary ellen lopata,fortunate families,catholic families,catholic,gay,lesbian,homosexual,family,religion,support,faith,self-help,parent,sociology,christianity,1-4120-1189-2,1412011892,03-1567,trafford publishing   

Reviews (3)

A must-read
Given the current debates about gay marriage and gay rights, this book is a must-read. By telling one woman's story, Nancy Abrams makes a case for why it is imperative to make the legal benefits of marriage available to all people. But this is not just a political work by any means. It is a moving and well-told narrative.

badly written, but an important book
Her writing style is ridiculous, flowery and forced-sounding.But the story Abrams has to tell is an important one.The book did get to me, although throughout most of it I kept cringing at the horrible decisions both Abrams and her ex-lover make as they try to work things out outside of the court.Still, it was worth reading, just to make myself aware that these things do happen.Until a more well-written book on the subject comes along, we'll have to make do with this.

Abrams:Another look at lesbian motherhood
This book let me look at this woman as a woman first, then a lesbian, and lastly a mother.Abrams has a unique way of letting the reader in on her most intimate feelings, she does this by very often sharing journal entriestaken from the time she was fighting for her daughter.On page three, Iknew I was in for it, I was already crying.For me, this book gave me morea sense of myself as a lesbian. I have struggled in the past to find myselfin the gay culture only to be left out in the cold.Nancy's book, not onlydetails her life events that came to be, but she surrounds her story withother parts of her life. Her relationship, her work, her self. You reallyget a sense of her as a woman, just a person trying to make it in theworld.The journey Abrams takes you through will make you angry. The waythe system works for gays and lesbian parents is horrendous. Abrams andmany others have to prove their relationships to their children, usually ina long drawn out court battle.I loved this book because I finally feel aconnection, with a lesbian. Abrams pours her life out on these pages,leaving her readers to pick up their own piecies.She is not alone in hersituation, she has just been brave enough to share it with the world.I amthankful she did. It left me with a better sense of what our community isfighting for, and why we need civil unions and other legal protections. Itis easy to forget in the midst of the politics of it all, that this isabout the love between a woman and her child. Yes, it is heartwrenching,but in the end reedeeming. Reminding all of us, gay or straight that theties of family are beyond blood. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Abrams, Nancy    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Case studies    6. Custody of children    7. Legal status, laws, etc    8. Legal status, laws, etc.    9. Lesbian Studies    10. Lesbian mothers    11. Parenting - Motherhood    12. Sociology    13. Specific Groups - Lesbians    14. United States    15. Women    16. Biography: general    17. Literature of special Lesbian interest    18. Parenthood    19. USA   

Features

• Large Print

Reviews (12)

At times overwhelming
I read this book my second year of college since it was recommended by my psychology professor. The book is interesting but at times overwhelming as young Dawn goes on an emotional journey to find herself. Dawn exhibits classic casses of transference and depression, as she works with her therapist to use her past in helping her present and future.
Yawn...Groan...Boring...Bland...
If you need a book to cure your insomnia...pick up August. It cured mine straightaway. No plot, ridiculous character, no humour, no suspense, no insights..nothing. It feels as if the author has recorded/eavesdropped some psycho babble at some psych clinic and transcribed it all down. Dawn the 'patient' has got to be the most aggravatingly uninteresting character...you as the reader cant care about her dreams, her lithographs, her childhood, her aunt, her boyfriends...in fact I even started resenting her appearance on the pages ... and skipped whole chapters devoted to to damnably boring Dawn.
August Excellent Story
Like all of Rossner's books, August was very entertaining. I love her sense of humor and the characers she develops are very interesting.I rediscovered Rossner recently when I was in a used book store and purchased Perfidia. I read Looking for Mr. Goodbar years ago and remembered that is was well-written.Perfidia was delightful and the best story I had found to read in years.After reading Perfidia, I went directly to thelibrary to check out any book Rossner has written.They have all been excellent. In fact, they are so good, that I am planning to purchase all of them and reread them every year or so. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Large Print    3. Lesbian mothers    4. Mothers and daughters    5. Psychotherapist and patient    6. Teenage girls   

Reviews (3)

fsdafdfas
ncnzxn< Boys in the band is hilarious
I found this play to be one of the funniest I have ever read. Black humour at its most hilarious.

Great Plays
I wonder sometimes why so few people know who Mart Crowley is. It doesn't seem unreasonable to me to call him one of the most gifted and important American playwrights, and yet nobody I've talked to, outside a handful of gay men who are in the theater or who read too much, has known even his name.Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult child sexual abuse victi    2. Adult child sexual abuse victims    3. American    4. American Contemporary Drama    5. Anthologies (multiple authors)    6. Domestic drama, American    7. Drama    8. Gay men    9. Mothers and sons    10. Performing Arts/Dance    11. Plays / Drama    12. American English    13. Drama texts: from c 1900 -    14. Gay & Lesbian studies    15. USA   

Editorial Review

Lesbians are having babies left and right, and, as Jess Wells points out in her introduction, lesbians who conceive via donor insemination have a 65 percent chance of bearing a son. Times have changed from the radical lesbian separatist days of the '70s and '80s when male children were unwelcome at some lesbian events and communities. Still, raising a man-child in this culture is not an easy thing for lesbians to do. Wells, who has a son, has gathered a wide range of personal essays by lesbian moms including Jenifer Levin, Robin Morgan, Lillian Faderman, and Merril Mushroom that describe the rewards and problems of being a lesbian mom. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

After all is said and done, a mother is simply a mother!
Lesbians Raising Sons was a wonderful collection of stories, fears, funny moments, and discoveries. The women featured in this book draw a thought provoking picture of all that concerns society and themselves relative to the impact lesbian feminism on the development of a male child. From Jess Wells own fears and concerns when discovering that she was indeed going to be the mother of a "man", to Ellen Grabiner marvelling at her son's innate "boy-ness" compared to the inbred "girl-ness" of her nieces all issues, both society's and the mother's own, are touched on. Do boys naturally take on weapons, computer games and a hate of housework with their quota of testosterone? Grabiner questions whether she'd have been as open to a girl child wanting to wear ribbons and makeup as she was for her son to do the same. Is this internalized misogyny? Contemporary families:Lesbians raising sons
reviewed by Dorsie L. Hathaway Read more

Subjects:  1. Child Development And Rearing    2. Child rearing    3. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    4. Lesbian Studies    5. Lesbian mothers    6. Lesbians    7. Mothers and sons    8. Parenting - General    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. United States   

Reviews (12)

An ambitious and occasionally brilliant mess
Of Paul Russell's varied and interesting novels, this is my favorite, for all of it's sprawl and contradictions.Russell handles language with great eloquence, and his sense of character development takes a great leap forward from his earlier novels.
a wonderful novel
I landed in the 'Sea of Tranquillity' accidentally a few months ago and was enchanted by it. Jonathan Cloud is surely one of the most charismatic and beautiful characters in recent fiction. To make an Apollo astronaut - his Dad - a character runs the risk of gimmickry, but Russell makes it plausible and absorbing. 'Sea of Tranquillity is historical, erotic and realistic. It also beautifully conveys the loneliness and dreaminess of American suburban life in the 1960s and reminded me of the nostalgic novels of Lisa Alther, but darker and sadder.
SIMPLY A SAD STORY
SEA OF TRANQUILITY is a novel that tells several very sad stories, stories that center around Jonathan Cloud, the gay son of astronaut Allen Cloud and Allen's first wife Joan.In the story we find that Cloud and his wife are at best estranged, have come to distain each other, and end their marriage.In the context of this event, Jonathan, a teenager, comes out, becomes an active gay boy, and becomes a pariah to his father.After the divorce, Joan and Jonathan leave Houston and go to Tennessee, Jonathan blossoms into his gay life style and meets a multitude of sex partners, as well as future long term friends Kai and Stayton (who happens to be the son of a Christian Fundamentalist preacher).As the story and Jonathan's personal epic progresses, he and his mother leave for Turkey as expatriate Americans.There they adapt and integrate themselves into the Turkish life style.Simultaneously, as Jonathan and Joan's stories are being told, so are the stories of Stayton, Kai, Astronaut Cloud, and his second wife Janine.Each of their stories is inexorably related to Jonathan's and each becomes an exercise in soul searching, self-discovery, self-delusion, and ultimately, their own personal tragedy.The only character that seems to be unscathed by his life and its eventual fate is Jonathan, who lives life with a gusto and passion.THIS IS A VERY SAD GROUP OF STORIES, and requires a degree of commitment to read, since it can be so totally heartbreaking as one reads it.Though not uplifting, the novel does teach its reader how different people cope with the life dealt to them, and how futile some human efforts truly are. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. AIDS (Disease)    2. Astronauts    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - General    5. Gay    6. Gay men    7. Parents of gays    8. Popular American Fiction   

Reviews (3)

A positive, supportive book for kids and moms alike!
My daughter read this book when she was in high school. She was so excited to find out that so many kids had experiences and feelings like hers!She has had all her closest friends read the book so they would understand her and her life better. There are essays in here that are suitable for nearly any age child.

A Nice, Positive Book About Lesbian Moms And Their Kids
Non-fiction book with the personal stories of sons and daughters of lesbian mothers. I liked it a lot, it's a positive book for anyone who has a gay or lesbian family or anyone who is interested in the topic.

A Wonderful Book!
An absorbing compilation of stories of the lives of sons and daughters of lesbian mothers. The diverse group of authors range in age from seven years to middle aged and they all provide a wonderful record of how they feel about having "different" mothers ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Case studies    2. Children of gay parents    3. General    4. Lesbian Studies    5. Lesbian mothers    6. Parenting    7. Psychology    8. Sociology    9. United States   

Editorial Review

This lively and readable book provides basic pregnancy and preconception advice for lesbians and their partners. Concentrating on topics of special interest to lesbian families--such as choosing an anonymous donor, drafting agreements with known donors, and defining the nonbiological mother's parenting role--it also suggests how and when to inseminate and walks the reader through a normal full-term pregnancy and delivery. Despite its title, however, the book cannot really substitute for a comprehensive guide to pregnancy along the lines of Read more

Reviews (12)

excellent resource
This book helpd my partner and I feel as though we could meet the challenges of lesbian motherhood without losing our minds or our relationship

The ulitimate book on DI - be you gay or straight!!!
This book is great!!!!It is a sad world we live in when authors believe that only lesbians are having donor insemination.I bought this book becuase I was desparate for information and the one book I found for straight women gave me no information.This title kept popping up, so I bought it.I am currently on chapter 4 and cannot believe how much information I have already learned.I look forward to reading each page.Rachel Pepper writes with a positive tone, uplifting and funny, while being informative.I have a notebook filled with questions and plans.This is the only prepregnancy book you will need.

An excellent resource!
I found this book to be especially helpful during the trying-to-conceive and early pregnancy phases.Once my pregnancy was well underway, I relied more heavily upon other resources for more complete pregnancy info.Nevertheless, this book was absolutely indispensable to me during the emotionally challenging process of selecting a donor, using intrauterine insemination, managing medical issues (infertility, health insurance, etc.), and coping with early setbacks.The numerous quotes from others who have "been there" helped to normalize my feelings and experiences, while the author's matter of fact tone demystified the process and helped me know what to expect next.The tips for staying sane while trying were all relevant and useful.I read this book over and over for comfort when my partner and I felt like the only ones who'd ever felt what we were feeling, and for information about choices others have made under similar circumstances.A truly useful, comforting, practical and essential book for any lesbians trying to conceive.Highly recommended! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    2. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    3. Gynecology & Obstetrics    4. Health and hygiene    5. Lesbian Studies    6. Lesbian mothers    7. Lesbians    8. Medical    9. Miscellanea    10. Motherhood    11. Parenting - General    12. Parenting - Motherhood    13. Pregnancy    14. Pregnancy & Childbirth   

Subjects:  1. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    2. Family Relationships    3. Gay Studies    4. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    5. Lesbian Studies    6. Lesbian couples    7. Lesbian mothers    8. Lesbians    9. Life cycle, Human    10. Social Science   

Subjects:  1. Children of gay parents    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. Gay Studies    5. Gay parents    6. Gay-straight alliances in scho    7. Gay-straight alliances in schools    8. Parent Participation    9. Philosophy & Social Aspects    10. Social Science    11. Students & Student Life    12. United States    13. Anthropology    14. Gay & Lesbian studies    15. Teaching of specific groups    16. USA   

Subjects:  1. Alternative Family    2. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    3. Family Relationships    4. Lesbian Studies    5. Lesbian couples    6. Lesbian mothers    7. Social Science    8. Sociology    9. Sociology - Marriage & Family    10. Statistics    11. Stepfamilies    12. Stepmothers    13. Family & relationships    14. Marriage, family & other relationships    15. Social research & statistics   

Subjects:  1. Alternative Family    2. General    3. Health & Fitness    4. Health/Fitness    5. Legal status, laws, etc    6. Legal status, laws, etc.    7. Lesbian Studies    8. Lesbian mothers    9. Self-insemination    10. Social aspects    11. Sociology    12. Sociology - Marriage & Family    13. United States    14. Health & Fitness / General    15. Parenthood