Mama's Boy: A Story from Our Americas

What an amazing book! I don’t know where to start for this review. First of all, Lance Black is an excellent writer. I know he’s primarily a screenwriter but I am sure he would make an excellent novelist. He has an easy style that conveys emotion and events well. This is his autobiography in a way but it’s really the story of his strong, resilient and steadfast mother - an amazing woman, to say the least. If you really want to know the essence of this book, go to page 49, read the last paragraph of Chapter 3. It encapsulates everything. If you want to know the promise of this book, go to page 303, read the last paragraph of Chapter 19. It resonates determination and resolve. I am a prolific reader. Surprisingly though, few books really touch me. This one certainly did. Needless to say, I HIGHLY recommend this book. It will take you on a journey filled laughter, pride and, unfortunately a few tears as well.

Yesterday, balling my eyes out on a Minneapolis to LaGuardia flight. Today, weeping in the lobby of a hotel in Manhattan. If my physical reaction to Mama’s Boy isn’t a ringing endorsement, I don’t know what is? This is an important story about families. Yes, families are complicated and generally f###d up, but they are also are our source of strength and purpose. Families are the fabric of our lives — good and bad — and this book is an opportunity for all of us to reflect, laugh, and yes, cry, when reflecting on our families. This is not only an enjoyably-written book, but an important one that everyone should experience. Bravo!

This book is incredibly moving. I cried too many times to count.It’s also technically wonderful, an extremely well written book where each incident is framed by the storyteller’s gift. Black is an expert at building suspense, thwarting the reader’s expectations, and punchlines. The book consequently reads ultra-fast, a riveting story that races across clean, impeccably organised writing. I found it very difficult to stop reading. On the other hand, reading too much left me emotionally overwrought—in need of a nap or a weeping session, or in the grips of brutal introspection.But it’s pain that teaches. This is a book for now, for everyone. There’s ample opportunity for quality self-recrimination throughout the book as your own life is exposed under the bright lights of Lance’s mother’s gaze, her struggles, her perseverance and victories. When this book is over, you will know this person and she very likely will change you. You will definitely respect her and you will never forget her for the rest of your life. Dustin Lance Black has given us the gift of meeting his mother, and by so doing, a story that can change lives.

A lovely, loving tribute to the author’s mom + a gay Mormon coming of age story + a short history of the gay marriage struggle = a wonderful first book. The author is VERY candid about his family and his growing up, so I would have loved an additional chapter on his relationship with Tom, but I guess every author needs to hold a little back for the next book (get to writing, Lance).

Tom Daley won a couple of medals diving at the recent Olympics; in an interview he plugged his husband's film project 'Mama's Boy." Tom's the one who was knitting while everyone else was stressing during the competition. So I checked the novel out on Kindle. I hope the film does not get picked up. It is about the trials and tribulations of Lance Black's mother who is a saint for all the troubles she goes through. And Lance is a Hollywood hero after escaping from his redneck background, learning from his mom's pluck, going to UCLA film school and winning an Oscar for the movie 'Milk' with Sean Pann. In a twist of fate, he gives up his screenwriting career to work on marriage equality for gays and ends up marrying the Olympic diver Tom Daley. The Hollywood stereotype is that the novel is really about himself. He gets us cheering for him. Maybe Tom actually wrote the book. It is a fast paced read with plenty of fateful turns and a Hollywood ending. Sort of, but I hate spoilers, so you need to read it.

I’m not sure I can put into words what Lance’s story means to me. Everything that he and his family went through and not only did they not give up, they worked so hard to overcome and be more than dirt poor farmers and disabled Americans who gave up trying.Lance’s life is inspiring and I know that this book can change the views of so many and help others work to create bridges with those that mean so much to them.

...and I normally don't write a review of a book until I am finished, as well as being selective of the books I review, however, this book has grabbed me from page 1 and hasn't let up. Dustin is a wonderful writer, of screenplays as well (I have seen 'Milk' as well as other projects he has been involved with). The story of his mother's growing up in the South is tough to read, yet heartfelt and inspiring. I cannot wait to pick up the book so I can read more; unfortunately, my work, even from home during this time of COVID-19, keeps me busy most of the day. Cannot wait for this holiday weekend when I hope to finish it.

I want to give this book as gifts so that I have opportunities to discuss this beautiful story. I think we all knew that Dustin Lance Black could write a moving screenplay and an interesting thought-provoking television show, but I did not know that he could write a charming, heartbreaking personal memoir. This book only left me wanting to hear more about his history, family & experiences.

This book is ideal if you want to dive deep into the relationship between a son and a mother that grew up in a very religious environment.. How the son, Lance, discover his sexuality and how this could affect the relationship with the mother. It's a real and intense story, en eye-opener of situations that are pretty common even now a day! Hightly recommended

This is a fantastic memoir - full of pain and hope. It's truly gorgeous.

Ich weiß nicht, wie bekannt Dustin Lance Black in Deutschland ist - ich bin über Instragram auf ihn gestoßen und habe mittlerweile viele Videos von Vorträgen von ihm auf Youtube gesehen, die mich unglaublich angesprochen und inspiriert haben. Da war es selbstverständlich sofort sein Buch zu ordern - und ich bin tief berührt, herausgefordert und beeindruckt von seiner (Lebens-)Reise + all das, was er mit Leidenschaft + Hingabe erreicht hat. Geschichten verändern Leben, nicht Konfrontationen - oft sein Fazit in Vorträgen und nun in aller Ausführlichkeit im Buch. Eine der Schlüsselszenen mit den Freunden und seiner Mutter nach seinem Coming Out verursacht mir immer noch Gänsehaut. Ich wünsche mir mehr dieser "Brücken" in Deutschland und mehr Menschen, die von ihm inspiriert werden. Danke für dieses Buch!

Potrei limitarmi a scrivere: semplicemente perfetto, uno dei più bei libri che abbia mai letto (e ne ho letti migliaia). Ma, per rendere giustizia a un libro di quasi 400 pagine, occorre una recensione ben più articolata. Prima di tutto, la mia intenzione era aspettare che uscisse in italiano, ma alla fine ho deciso di rischiare e non me ne sono affatto pentita. Leggetelo in lingua originale se potete, perchè in italiano non sarà mai la stessa cosa. A noi piace considerare l'inglese come una lingua “povera” rispetto alla nostra, ma è anche una lingua “densa”, concisa, in cui molte parole non si possono tradurre precisamente in italiano senza una lunga perifrasi, che fa inevitabilmente perdere parte dell'immediatezza e della freschezza originale. Il senso di alcune espressioni si percepisce a livello subconscio, ma è difficile renderle in italiano. Sono felice di non essermi persa un ossimoro delizioso come “especially unremarkable”, o di aver colto la potenza espressiva di un “VERY” posto tra le parole “thank you” e “much”; inoltre, essendo il contenuto molto personale, è prezioso poter avere pieno accesso ai suoi pensieri così come sono stati formulati, con quelle esatte parole. Lance è una delle menti più geniali e una delle anime più grandi e profonde del nostro tempo, e vi assicuro che, arrivati alla fine delle quasi 400 pagine, vi chiederete perchè non ce ne siano altre 400. Venendo al contenuto, è molto complesso riassumere la trama in poche righe. Da una parte vi è la storia di come sua madre si sia faticosamente (e parzialmente) ripresa dalla poliomielite, fra difficoltà e sofferenze di ogni genere, fino a riuscire a partorire e crescere 3 figli, e a raggiungere successi professionali di assoluta eccellenza. Dall'altro c'è la storia di Lance, da un'infanzia e adolescenza contrassegnate da una timidezza quasi patologica fino a diventare un uomo incredibilmente coraggioso, capace di portare (ovviamente non da solo, ma comunque non con troppi aiuti) il problema dei diritti delle persone LGBT davanti alla Corte Suprema degli Stati Uniti, ottenendo prima l'abolizione dell'odiosa “Prop 8” e poi il matrimonio egualitario in tutti i 50 Stati. E poi c'è la straordinaria storia del loro rapporto, di una madre e un figlio che si capivano senza bisogno di parole, eppure lei non aveva mai capito il suo grande segreto, perchè lui lo aveva tenuto nascosto per il terrore di perdere il suo amore. E quando il segreto viene a galla, sembra davvero la fine, invece è solo l'inizio di un percorso che la porterà dalla più ostinata omofobia alla totale accettazione. L'ultima parte spiega il significato profondo, lo scopo ultimo per il quale questo libro è stato scritto, ed è illuminante. Ovviamente questo riassunto estremamente stringato non rende l'idea dell'incredibile numero di “microstorie” da cui la trama è costellata, delle fortissime emozioni che permeano ogni pagina, di come il dolore fisico e quello psicologico siano descritti in modo così vivido da poterseli letteralmente sentire addosso. Alcuni paragrafi fanno torcere lo stomaco e sanguinare il cuore, altri commuovono, altri sono incredibilmente divertenti...ognuno parla direttamente alle nostre anime. E' un libro che tutti dovrebbero leggere, un messaggio di speranza, una linea guida per la costruzione di un futuro migliore per le nuove generazioni. Imperdibile.

My only criticism of this book is with whoever put two stickers on it, and the ones they used left horrible residue and stickiness. As someone who loves things pristine and takes pride in it, it was kind of disappointing on that front. Especially since I had been wanting and searching for this book in hardback for ages.