A Book Review

It might seem strange for my first post to be a review of someone else's work, but you can't be a writer if you're not a good reader, right?

After having worked two summers in Western Nebraska, I now have a special place in my heart for (for lack of a better term) country-folk.  I have a new-found respect for country lifestyles, country people, and country music.  This, along with my interest in GLBT studies, prompted me to read Chely Wright's book entitled Like Me: Confessions of a Heartland Country Singer.  Once I opened it, I couldn't put it down until I finished it yesterday.

For those of you who've been living under a rock, Chely has been in the news a lot over the past few months, having just come out as the first openly gay country music star.  In her book, I find much to admire, but one facet of her narrative struck me in particular.  Although her book is essentially all about her newly publicized homosexuality, Chely found a way to use that part of her life to provide context to her anecdotes, without overshadowing them.  Chely also doesn't commit the compositional sin of using her life to preach or somehow attack those who disagree with her.

Furthermore, you don't have to be gay to find comfort in Like Me.  Chely Wright and other famous actors and musicians who write memoirs often share a special secret with bottom dwellers like us: Famous people are just like us and they have the same problems; they have struggled with money, family, friends, and sexual identity.

A final word on the book: In the opinion of this blogger....God (Goddess, Buddah, Allah,  etc.) bless Chely Wright.  Young people today (gay and straight) are so lucky to have people like her sharing their stories with us.  I wish I had her book a few years ago.  I might have been braver.

Like Me: Confessions of a Heartland Country Singer.  Buy it and read it.