Synopses & Reviews
Milestones of gay and lesbian life in the United States are brought together in the first-ever nonfiction book published specifically for teens.
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Profusely illustrated with archival images, the groundbreaking Gay America reveals how gay men and women have lived, worked, and loved for the past 125 years. Gays and lesbians play a very prominent role in American life today, whether grabbing headlines over political gains, starring in and being the subject of movies and television shows, or filling the streets of nearly every major city each year to celebrate Gay Pride. However, this was not always the case, and this book charts their journey along with the history of the country.
and#160;First touching on colonial times, the book moves on to the Victorian period and beyond, including such historical milestones as the Roaring and#8217;20s, the Kinsey study, the McCarthy witch hunts of the 1950s, the Beat generation, Stonewall, disco, AIDS, and present-day battles over gay marriage. Providing a sense of hope mixed with pride, author Linas Alsenas demonstrates how, within one century, gay women and men have gone from being socially invisible to becoming a political force to be reckoned with and proud members of the American public living openly and honestly. The book includes a bibliography and an index.
Review
"[A]n honest portrayal of the cluelessness inherent in early high schoolers... A comedy of errors for readers still figuring out modern adolescence."
Review
"With a diverse group of characters, Beyond Clueless meets a very important need for young adult collections."
Synopsis
Marty Sullivan’s life ends, basically, when her parents enroll her in a private high school. A private, Catholic, girls-only high school. Meanwhile, at their local public school, her best friend, Jimmy, comes out of the closet and finds himself a boyfriend and a new group of friends. Marty feels left out and alone, until she gets a part in the school musical, Into the Woods, and Jimmy and his new crew are in it, too! Things start looking even better when Marty falls for foxy fellow cast member Felix Peroni. And Felix seems to like her back. But the drama is just beginning. . . . Can Marty and Jimmy keep up their friendship? And is Marty’s new beau everything he appears to be? Or is Marty too clueless to figure it all out before it’s too late?
About the Author
Linas Alsenas, originally from Cleveland, Ohio, studied art history at Harvard University, where he was introduced to queer studies. After graduation, he worked for a year as an editor at a design magazine before embarking on his career in book publishing, in which he worked on The Art of Maurice Sendak: 1980 to Present, by award-winning playwright Tony Kushner, and Male Desire: The Homoerotic in American Art, by noted art historian Jonathan Weinberg, and many childrenand#8217;s books. Linas is a US citizen who lives with his partner in Stockholm, Sweden.