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amyboughner's review
4.0
I picked this up at the Drama Book Shop because I remember Dustin Lance Black's acceptance speech at the Oscars. I actually clipped a copy from our newspaper and saved it. There is a lot of love and a lot of heartbreak in this book, and it can be difficult to read at times, given how backwards things are right now – it's hard to relive the success of the Supreme Court decision on Prop 8 when the current court might steal away those rights at any moment.
finnthehuman217's review against another edition
5.0
This took me 3 years to finish because the beginning kinda spoiled the end but this book was incredible. The love of a mother is so important and Lance makes it so well known that his mother’s love protected him and his brothers from being killed. He then underestimated his mother when after he came out to her, she showed the love and support a parent should. This story of Anne and the fight for a country that treats us as equals!belongs to us now. But also tells us a story of the horrors that uninsured people face to get proper medical care. Lance’s dedication to his brothers and mom (and Jeff) really show his beautiful nature as a person. To this day, Lance has made an incredible mark on the country in the fight for marriage equality and portrayal of queer stories!
adamskiboy528491's review against another edition
4.0
A promise is sacred. Academy-Award winning screenwriter [a:Dustin Lance Black|1618522|Dustin Lance Black|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1235982293p2/1618522.jpg] wrote the 2008 film Milk, created the 2017 eight-part docudrama miniseries When We Rise and helped overturn California's anti-gay marriage Proposition 8, with his play 8. But as an LGBTQ+ activist, he has unlikely origins. Raised in a military, Mormon household outside San Antonio, Texas, Black always found inspiration in his plucky, determined mother. Defying challenging expectations, Roseanna raised Black and his brothers (Marcus and Todd), built a career, escaped two abusive husbands, and eventually moved the family to a new life in Northern California. While Black struggled to come to terms with his sexuality–something antithetical to his mother's religious views, she (while remaining true to the title), remained his source of strength and his guiding light. At age 6, Black realised he liked boys instead of girls. Knowing he would not be accepted in the church if this became common knowledge he kept to himself. Lance tells his story of life in a closet and eventually coming out.
The LGBT Community is a mostly informal alliance encompassing those who to varying degrees are sexually oriented toward same-sex individuals and those whose gender identity does not fully match the sex of their birth. While there were likely minor movements and alliances since the sexual revolution of the '60s, a formal nationwide association did not manifest until 1985, when the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) was formed as a response sensationalist AIDS-related news coverage. The notion of an alliance became quickly popular among gay and lesbian individuals, with BBSes of the like forming on a budding internet. LGBT as a term is a broad umbrella abbreviation that stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender. It implicitly covers a broader variety of individuals along with sexual orientation and gender identity on a grander scale. While initially conceived as a political alliance, it has evolved to refer to the various communities who face similar societal and political challenges related to their orientation and identity. Terms like "LGBT community" and "LGBT youth" are standard in political discourse.
Seeing how it's about people with a different sexual preference, the book doesn't dive into too much detail about the history of the LGBT community, even though I kind of wanted that coming from a talented writer and activist, it's worth taking a breather and understanding the life Black was raised in. Above all, this autobiography of his is a challenging read. While it is heartwarming to read about the accomplishes, accolades and overall love that Black received over the decades, it's just a heartbreaking look at where the author came from, what he's been through, and what makes him who he is. I hadn't realised all that he has fought for and accomplished in his life until now.
The LGBT Community is a mostly informal alliance encompassing those who to varying degrees are sexually oriented toward same-sex individuals and those whose gender identity does not fully match the sex of their birth. While there were likely minor movements and alliances since the sexual revolution of the '60s, a formal nationwide association did not manifest until 1985, when the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) was formed as a response sensationalist AIDS-related news coverage. The notion of an alliance became quickly popular among gay and lesbian individuals, with BBSes of the like forming on a budding internet. LGBT as a term is a broad umbrella abbreviation that stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender. It implicitly covers a broader variety of individuals along with sexual orientation and gender identity on a grander scale. While initially conceived as a political alliance, it has evolved to refer to the various communities who face similar societal and political challenges related to their orientation and identity. Terms like "LGBT community" and "LGBT youth" are standard in political discourse.
Seeing how it's about people with a different sexual preference, the book doesn't dive into too much detail about the history of the LGBT community, even though I kind of wanted that coming from a talented writer and activist, it's worth taking a breather and understanding the life Black was raised in. Above all, this autobiography of his is a challenging read. While it is heartwarming to read about the accomplishes, accolades and overall love that Black received over the decades, it's just a heartbreaking look at where the author came from, what he's been through, and what makes him who he is. I hadn't realised all that he has fought for and accomplished in his life until now.
fdr_girl's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the best books I have ever read, and I feel very privileged to know the story of this wonderful family and the way they used love, force of will and dreaming big to fight their way through life.
varunmalik's review
5.0
This book is so pure. Truly a love letter to his mother and a memoir filled with fights were fighting. Absolute must read for everyone.
Dustin Lance Black shows us that everything you believe in is worth fighting for. Promises have a greater meaning than we understand, and promises are a sacred thing.
Dustin Lance Black shows us that everything you believe in is worth fighting for. Promises have a greater meaning than we understand, and promises are a sacred thing.
booksonabike's review
5.0
I just finished Mama's Boy. My eyes are still red from crying. This is a complete tear-jerker. I had chosen to read this book because I've wanted to learn a bit more about Mormons because we are contemplating a move to Utah. I wanted something with an LDS family, not a more extreme polygamist sect, and one which wasn't preachy. This was the perfect book for that.
Most reviews I've read for this book focus on how amazing his mom is. And she is amazing. But Dustin is just as strong. He fights so many battles. Just like her, he remains hopeful through everything. This story, in addition to containing the incredible lives of Dustin and Roseanna, contains a store of the fight for marriage equality and bringing together two very different Americas that often do not see eye to eye
But, if you decide to read this book be ready for a tear-jerker.
Most reviews I've read for this book focus on how amazing his mom is. And she is amazing. But Dustin is just as strong. He fights so many battles. Just like her, he remains hopeful through everything. This story, in addition to containing the incredible lives of Dustin and Roseanna, contains a store of the fight for marriage equality and bringing together two very different Americas that often do not see eye to eye
But, if you decide to read this book be ready for a tear-jerker.
caliesha's review
5.0
Man oh man, this was fantastic. I've been following Lance for a little while now, so I knew some parts of his story already, but I can confidently say that this is a book for everyone. His writing is so captivating and his message is so important. Absolutely loved it!