Synopses & Reviews
There have been few cultural touchstones to open peopleand#8217;s eyes to everyday lesbian lifeand#8212;until now. Through fascinating interviews and stunning portrait photography, The L Life introduces us to the women who are changing our view of the world. This candid collection is a celebration of real women, alongside headline-makers such as breast cancer researcher and bestselling author Dr. Susan Love; groundbreaking authors Alison Bechdel and Ann Bannon; entertainers such as actress Jane Lynch and comedian Kate Clinton; Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin and longtime activist Phyllis Lyon; award-winning film producer Christine Vachon; and many more.
Praise for The L Life:
"The book will have lasting import. Add the exquisite images by photographer May, and it's more than a winning package that should be on your radar for upcoming gift giving opportunities such as Gay Pride and the holidays."and#160;
-Curve
"Author Erin McHugh has done the world a great service. Celebrating and commemorating Women's History Month with its release, McHugh's The L Life: Extraordinary Lesbians Making a Difference conveniently collects within one cover the best and brightest of those women whose work and spirit is a template not only of our past, but also for where we, as a culture, are headed."and#160;
-OutSmartand#160;
"With casually candid interviews by author Erin McHugh and stunning new portraits by photographer Jennifer May, this essential hardcover tribute, available March 1, celebrates newsmakers and ordinary inspirations like Dykes to Watch Out For's Alison Bechdel, comedian Kate Clinton, breast cancer researcher Dr. Susan Love, activist Phyllis Lyon, producer Christine Vachon, and Glee's Jane Lynch. Rosie and Ellen aren't even missed."and#160;
-Advocate.comand#160;
"You know you've arrived and are here to stay when you get your own coffee-table book-and Erin McHugh's photo-album tribute to out-proud gay women, The L Life: Extraordinary Lesbians Making a Difference, begs to be put on display."and#160;
-Ms. Magazine
Synopsis
Erin McHugh had spent the better part of her adult life doing community work, but in more recent years, the minutiae of life and working as a bookseller kept her busy and away from those higher impulses. Then one day she learned a distant relative was actually going to be canonized. Was this a sign? What followed next was McHughs sincere urge to recapture a sense of charity, and so she set out on her birthday to do one good deed every day for an entire year. Maybe she wouldnt be saving orphans from burning buildings, but she wanted to take one small, daily detour and make someone elses life just a little bit better. One Good Deed is the inspiring, smart, and frequently funny chronicle of that year, in which each page represents a day in McHughs journey to reclaim the better part of herself, inspiring readers to do the same.
Synopsis
Erin McHugh had spent the better part of her adult life doing community work, but in more recent years, the minutiae of life and working as a bookseller kept her busy and away from those higher impulses. Then one day she learned a distant relative was actually going to be canonized. Was this a sign? What followed next was McHughandrsquo;s sincere urge to recapture a sense of charity, and so she set out on her birthday to do one good deed every day for an entire year. Maybe she wouldnandrsquo;t be saving orphans from burning buildings, but she wanted to take one small, daily detour and make someone elseandrsquo;s life just a little bit better.
One Good Deed is the inspiring, smart, and frequently funny chronicle of that year, in which each page represents a day in McHughandrsquo;s journey to reclaim the better part of herself, inspiring readers to do the same.
Praise for One Good Deed:
andldquo;Her memoir will inspire you to flex your do-gooder muscle without being preachy or a Pollyanna.andrdquo; andndash;Fitness
andldquo;7 Good Deeds That Could Change Your Lifeandrdquo; andmdash;Redbook
andldquo;Engaging, funny, wise, and winning. One Good Deed is a measure of humanity and of McHughandrsquo;s own striving towards it.andrdquo;
andmdash;Susan Orlean, author of Rin Tin Tin and The Orchid Thief
andldquo;This instructive, funny, utterly relevant book reminds us that the simple (but not-so-simple) act of paying daily attention can make a profound differenceandmdash;to the world around us, and to our very selves.andrdquo;
andmdash;Dani Shapiro, author of Devotion: A Memoir
andldquo;The best book in the world...because it makes us our best.andrdquo;
andmdash;Nichole Bernier, author of The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D.
Synopsis
Erin McHughs last book, Like My Mother Always Said, collected a rainbow of helpful, humorous, and questionable wisdom from our moms and has been a solid success. Its not fair that mothers should get all the attention, so the next branch on the family tree to explore belongs to fathers. The same crowdsourcing that brought together the scores of quotations and stories for the first book is also at work here. From quips to short anecdotes, the book is divided up into all the sage and nutty information we garner from our fathers in chapters such as “Growing Up Right,” “The Facts of Life,” “Dads Soft Spot,” “Got It from Grandpa,” “The Sporting Life,” and “Ask Your Mother.”
About the Author
Erin McHugh is a former publishing executive and the author of 19 books, including the five-volume series The Portable Queer. She lives in New York City and South Dartmouth, Massachusetts.