Download Mama Boy Preacher Son A Memoir of Growing Up Coming Out and Changing America Schools Kevin Jennings 9780807071472 Books

Product details Paperback 280 pages Publisher Beacon Press (May 15, 2007) Language English ISBN-10 0807071471

Mama Boy Preacher Son A Memoir of Growing Up Coming Out and Changing America Schools Kevin Jennings 9780807071472 Books Reviews

• We decided to read this for our book club. I was not really excited by the title, but the more I read, the closer I felt to the author and his expereiences. It is a tremendous book filled with poignant insights into family life and the difficulty youth face coming to terms with their sexuality as children and adults. I hope people will read this book and consider how socio economic conditions and our perceptions of our parents lack of intelligence and compassion for their survival in difficult times impact the choices they make and how we view them and ourselves. I highly recommend this book to any reader.
• I thought this book was very moving. I couldn't relate to the growing up poor part but I certainly connected to the growing up gay part.
  I was particularly impressed with the descriptions of how the author perservered through some of his most challenging times fighting the homophobia in the different schools.
  Personally I had a hard time imagining myself in the same situations being so brave and committed to doing the right thing.
  I would highly recommend this book to any person working in the education system who would like to make a difference.
• Thank you Kevin Jennings for a very important book about the gay experience. This book is unique because it also addresses the area of intolerance based directly on Fundamentalist Christianity. If you have been hurt by Fundamentalist finger pointing and judgement then this is the book to read. If you want a real example of courage and grace under fire, then this is the book to read.
• I was very impressed with Kevin Jennings' memoir--well written, even inspirational. At the same time, realistic and ambitious. A very impressive guy doing very important work in both the LGBT and straight worlds.
• Though Jennings has become a very successful and well-known advocate for LGBT equality, he walked a long yet familiar road. Many readers will identify with the paradoxical situations posed by figuring out how to navigate the waters of faith and family in light of one's own sexual orientation. Jennings ability to share of his family and growing up experiences with clarity, honesty, and genuine love and reflection make this a must read.
• This is a great story and one that can resonate with a huge audience. What amazes me the most, is how a boy that is semi-lost and under-loved turned the school climate of the United States upside down for betterment. It is a story of hope, motivation and persistence. A great read.
• One might expect the life of a gay son of a Southern minister to be miserable and brief, but this one is truly inspirational, both because of the quality of the son, and of the extraordinary tenacity of his uneducated but street-smart mother. Jennings has a memory for and eye for detail that is astonishing. Anyone who believes that homosexuality is a "lifestyle choice" should be convinced otherwise by this memoir, though some will be troubled by Jennings' brazen attitude during his Harvard years. My experience with teaching at a "private school" paralleled his -- not the place for a liberal-minded person with an independent streak. One has to admire the man Jennings became and appreciate the strength required to get there.
• Great insight into the challenges facing the LGBT community not just as students but teachers too. Read this if you would like to know how not to treat people .