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bartlebebop's review against another edition
4.0
This is a three star read as a work of nonfiction, but emotionally it was a five star read. I'm splitting the difference at four stars. It's a good primer into the journey to getting Obergfell v. Hodges to the Supreme Court. My biggest complaint is with the scope of this book. I assume the author wanted to keep this narrative limited to the gay marriage movement so as to not overburden the reader, but I cannot help feeling this book would have benefitted from a little more framing about the history of the gay rights movement prior to the 1990s. Just a prologue would have been nice. I had some other thoughts about the book, but I feel like this isn't the place to discuss them. Oh also, love wins
kdepuy's review against another edition
5.0
This should be required reading for anyone opposed to marriage equality. Poignant, dynamic and inspirational story, lovingly told.
bristlecone's review against another edition
4.0
Very interesting and personal. It is often easy to forget that court cases are parts of people's stories/lives. This book provides a very humanizing view of the court cases and decisions that were key to marriage equality.
nclausel25's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content, Chronic illness, Grief, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Terminal illness, and Death
boggremlin's review against another edition
3.0
A book-length piece of magazine journalism about the landmark case, really. (Not a complaint.)
larryerick's review against another edition
3.0
I guess I should have figured out sooner (1) why this book had such a hokey title and (2) why a very recently published book had the vast majority of its copies sitting unchecked out in the public library of a city overwhelmingly supportive of its subject. First, the book says it is written by two people, one a prize-winning investigative journalist and the other one of the main characters in its narrative. There is no hint the second person wrote any of it -- unless, of course, he likes writing about himself constantly in the third person. Secondly, the second author is a dominant figure but certainly not the only one of importance, and yet the publisher strives to give him star billing. While that "author" or "main subject", depending on how you view him, has a particularly unique "story" due to his partner's ultimately deadly amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) malady, in most respects, his own individual legal case is truly just one of multiple cases packaged together for comparable reasons before judicial panels. In short, his case is not more important than others mentioned. So, why the "love" emphasis and the star billing? It turns out the Pulitzer Prize winning co-author used to be the wife of a cousin of the partner of the "star". (Got all that? At least, I think I got that all straight.) This is really just a family tribute to the second author. True, the book does take the reader in general terms through various parts of getting a significant legal case before the U.S. Supreme Court, but the facts that most people will want for understanding the real legal issues are relatively few and come very, very late. Moreover, the book does a superficial job of mentioning, let alone elucidating, all the social and political factors at pay. Want to give a guy a pat on the back for a tough situation? Fine, read the book. Want to grasp all factors at pay? Go elsewhere.
aprilalwayswithabook's review against another edition
5.0
I really appreciated getting to hear the backgrounds of all the people involved and hearing extended portions of the oral arguments and briefs. It was interesting and heartfelt.