As gay kids we have to get through so much that we end up not remembering a lot of our childhoods.

Today we meet K Jason Bryan and we’re talking about the book that saved his life: Becoming A Man: Half A Life Story by Paul Monette.

Jason is a Sr Client Consultant for corporate insurance, and used to chair his company’s LGBT & Allies ERG. He is a former member of the Governors Board at the Human Rights Campaign. He also served as the Membership Director at Quorum, Minnesota's LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce.

Becoming A Man: Half A Life Story won the National Book Award and the LAMBDA Literary Award. Paul Monette was haunted, and finally saved, by a dream, "The thing I'd never even seen: two men in love and laughing." This searingly honest, witty, and humane merging of memoir and manifesto has become the definitive coming out story--and a classic of the coming-of-age genre.

Hear more Romanovsky and Phillips!
website: romanovskyandphillips.com
Featured song in this episode: "When Heterosexism Strikes" from their album Be Political, Not Polite (1991)

Connect with Jason
Facebook: facebook.com/kjason.bryan

Our Bookshop
Visit our Bookshop for  new releases, current bestsellers, banned books, critically acclaimed LGBTQ books, or peruse the books featured on our podcasts: bookshop.org/shop/thisqueerbook

To purchase Becoming a Man: Half a Life Story visit: https://bookshop.org/a/82376/9780060595647

Become an Associate Producer!
Become an Associate Producer of our podcast through a $20/month sponsorship on Patreon! A professionally recognized credit, you can gain access to Associate Producer meetings to help guide our podcast into the future! Get started today: patreon.com/thisqueerbook

Credits
Host/Founder: J.P. Der Boghossian
Executive Producer: Jim Pounds
Associate Producers: Archie Arnold, K Jason Bryan and David Rephan, Natalie Cruz, Jonathan Fried, Paul Kaefer, Nicole Olila, Joe Perazzo, Bill Shay, and Sean Smith
Patreon Subscribers: Stephen D., Stephen Flamm, Ida Göteburg, Thomas Michna, and Gary Nygaard.
Creative and Accounting support provided by: Gordy Erickson
Permission to use a clip from "When Heterosexism Strikes" provided by Romanovsky and Phillips
Music and SFX credits: visit thiqueerbook.com/music

Quatrefoil Library
Quatrefoil has created a curated lending library made up of the books featured on our podcast! If you can't buy these books, then borrow them! Link: https://libbyapp.com/library/quatrefoil/curated-1404336/page-1

Support the show

A new episode of This Queer Book Saved My Life drops next week on April 2nd! In our off weeks, we air the most recent episode of The Gaily Show which J.P. hosts for AM950 Radio.

On today’s episode, Greg Wrenn joins me to talk about his new book Mothership: A Memoir of Wonder and Crisis - which drops March 26th. Plus, Jeff Hiller is going to be at The Parkway Theater in Minneapolis on March 29.

Buy Greg's book here: https://bookshop.org/a/82376/9798888452141

Watch on YouTube
We're in video too! You can watch this episode at: youtube.com/@thegailshow

Credits
Host/Founder: J.P. Der Boghossian
Executive Producer: Jim Pounds
Production and Distribution Support: Brett Johnson, AM950
Marketing/Advertising Support: Chad Larson, Laura Hedlund, Jennifer Ogren, AM950
Accounting and Creative Support: Gordy Erickson

No one ever told me that I could be divine. That my sexuality was a gift.

Today we meet Sandy Hope and we’re talking about the book that saved her life: Swinging on the Garden Gate by Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew. And Elizabeth joins us for the conversation!

Sandy is a licensed mental health counselor whose practice focuses Internal Family Systems theory. She works with people around sexuality, spirituality, couples therapy, and people who struggle with eating disorders.

Elizabeth is an author, writing coach, spiritual director, and co-founder of the Eye of the Heart Center.

Swinging on the Garden Gate: A Memoir of Bisexuality and Spirit describes a period of time in award-winning writer and teacher Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew's life when she came to know bisexuality as an embodied manifestation of divinity. Andrew not only reconciles her United Methodist faith with her sexuality but realizes that her body is holy, her sexuality is holy, and the word she carried within her has always been holy.

Connect with Sandy and Elizabeth
Sandy's website: sandrahopecounseling.com
Elizabeth's websites: elizabethjarrettandrew.com and spiritualmemoir.com
Eye of the Heart Center: eyeoftheheartcenter.org

Our Bookshop
Visit our Bookshop for  new releases, current bestsellers, banned books, critically acclaimed LGBTQ books, or peruse the books featured on our podcasts: bookshop.org/shop/thisqueerbook

To purchase Swinging on the Garden Gate visit: https://bookshop.org/a/82376/9781558968783

Become an Associate Producer!
Become an Associate Producer of our podcast through a $20/month sponsorship on Patreon! A professionally recognized credit, you can gain access to Associate Producer meetings to help guide our podcast into the future! Get started today: patreon.com/thisqueerbook

Credits
Host/Founder: J.P. Der Boghossian
Executive Producer: Jim Pounds
Associate Producers: Archie Arnold, K Jason Bryant and David Rephan, Natalie Cruz, Jonathan Fried, Paul Kaefer, Nicole Olila, Joe Perazzo, Bill Shay, and Sean Smith
Patreon Subscribers: Stephen D., Stephen Flamm, Ida Göteburg, Thomas Michna, and Gary Nygaard.
Creative and Accounting support provided by: Gordy Erickson
Music and SFX credits: visit thiqueerbook.com/music

Quatrefoil Library
Quatrefoil has created a curated lending library made up of the books featured on our podcast! If you can't buy these books, then borrow them! Link: https://libbyapp.com/library/quatrefoil/curated-1404336/page-1

Support the show

A new episode of This Queer Book Saved My Life drops next week on March 19th! In our off weeks, we air the most recent episode of The Gaily Show which J.P. hosts for AM950 Radio.

On today’s episode, Hairspray is at the Ordway and the New Eagle Creek Saloon is at the Walker Art Center. Young Royals drops on Netflix. Problemista is (almost) here. Edouard Louis is back with his novel Change. Tales of The City has its tenth (!) novel out this month. And our Executive Producer Jim Pounds joins us to talk about the new film I Love You More.

Watch and Listen
Visit our show page to see all the different ways you can listen and watch The Gaily Show: thisqueerbook.com/gailyshow

Credits
Host/Founder: J.P. Der Boghossian
Executive Producer: Jim Pounds
Production and Distribution Support: Brett Johnson, AM950
Marketing/Advertising Support: Chad Larson, Laura Hedlund, Jennifer Ogren, AM950
Accounting and Creative Support: Gordy Erickson

Everyone calls me ma'am on the phone. I love it.

Today we meet Jacob Budenz and we’re talking about the book that saved their life: Dress Your Family In Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris.

Jacob is a true multi-hyphenate: musician, author, performance artist, director, and witch. Jacob published their new book Tea Leaves in 2023 and is the front person for the band Moth Broth.

Dress Your Family In Corduroy and Denim is an essay collection where David Sedaris lifts the corner of ordinary life, revealing the absurdity teeming below its surface. His world is alive with obscure desires and hidden motives -- a world where forgiveness is automatic and an argument can be the highest form of love.

Connect with Jacob
Website: jakebeearts.com
Instagram: @dreambabyjake

Our Bookshop
Visit our Bookshop for  new releases, current bestsellers, banned books, critically acclaimed LGBTQ books, or peruse the books featured on our podcasts: bookshop.org/shop/thisqueerbook

To purchase Dress Your Family In Corduroy and Denim visit: https://bookshop.org/a/82376/9780316010795

Become an Associate Producer!
Become an Associate Producer of our podcast through a $20/month sponsorship on Patreon! A professionally recognized credit, you can gain access to Associate Producer meetings to help guide our podcast into the future! Get started today: patreon.com/thisqueerbook

Credits
Host/Founder: J.P. Der Boghossian
Executive Producer: Jim Pounds
Associate Producers: Archie Arnold, K Jason Bryant and David Rephan, Natalie Cruz, Jonathan Fried, Paul Kaefer, Nicole Olila, Joe Perazzo, Bill Shay, and Sean Smith
Patreon Subscribers: Stephen D., Stephen Flamm, Ida Göteburg, Thomas Michna, and Gary Nygaard.
Creative and Accounting support provided by: Gordy Erickson
Permission to use clips from the tracks Baba Yaga and Fairy Queen performed by Moth Broth provided by Jacob Budenz.
Audio clip from Dress Your Family In Corduroy and Denim read by David Sedaris is used here under the Fair Use doctrine for the purposes of literary commentary and criticism.
Music and SFX credits: visit thiqueerbook.com/music

Quatrefoil Library
Quatrefoil has created a curated lending library made up of the books featured on our podcast! If you can't buy these books, then borrow them! Link: https://libbyapp.com/library/quatrefoil/curated-1404336/page-1

Support the show

A new episode of This Queer Book Saved My Life drops next week on March 5th! In our off weeks, we air the most recent episode of The Gaily Show which J.P. hosts for AM950 Radio.

On today’s episode, J.P. interviews Amy Spalding about her new novel At Her Service that dropped this week. Plus, a review of BOOM BOOM Bruno on HBO Max. Then, the upcoming Queer Writes Festival on February 25 and the new rom com Love and Other Wild Things by Alyson Root.

Watch and Listen

Visit our show page to see all the different ways you can listen and watch The Gaily Show: thisqueerbook.com/gailyshow

Credits

Host/Founder: J.P. Der Boghossian
Executive Producer: Jim Pounds
Production and Distribution Support: Brett Johnson, AM950
Marketing/Advertising Support: Chad Larson, Laura Hedlund, Jennifer Ogren, AM950
Accounting and Creative Support: Gordy Erickson
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When a closeted queer kid meets his fairy godfather what does he wish for?

Today we meet Ricardo Galaviz and we’re talking about the book that saved his life: Am I Blue? by Bruce Coville. And Bruce joins us for the conversation!

Ricardo (all pronouns) is the Associate Director of the Milwaukee LGBT Center.

Bruce (he/him) is the author of over 100 books including My Teacher is an Alien, Into the Land of Unicorns, and Jeremy Hatcher, Dragon Hatcher.

Am I Blue? Coming Out From The Silence is an anthology of short stories edited by Marion Dane Bauer and the title comes from the Bruce's short story Am I Blue? in which a fairy godfather offers a young queer kid three wishes.

Read more!
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel wrote a fantastic article about this episode. Many thanks to Amy Schwabe!

Connect with Ricardo and Bruce
Ricardo's website: mkelgbt.org
Bruce's website: brucecoville.com

Our Bookshop
Visit our Bookshop for  new releases, current bestsellers, banned books, critically acclaimed LGBTQ books, or peruse the books featured on our podcasts: bookshop.org/shop/thisqueerbook

To purchase Am I Blue? visit Bruce's website: brucecoville.com

Become an Associate Producer!
Become an Associate Producer of our LGBT podcast through a $20/month sponsorship on Patreon! A professionally recognized credit, you can gain access to Associate Producer meetings to help guide our podcast into the future! Get started today: patreon.com/thisqueerbook

Credits
Host/Founder: J.P. Der Boghossian
Executive Producer: Jim Pounds
Associate Producers: Archie Arnold, Natalie Cruz, Jonathan Fried, Paul Kaefer, Nicole Olila, Joe Perazzo, Bill Shay, and Sean Smith
Patreon Subscribers: Stephen D., Stephen Flamm, Ida Göteburg, Thomas Michna, and Gary Nygaard.
Creative and Accounting support provided by: Gordy Erickson
Music and SFX credits: visit thiqueerbook.com/music

Quatrefoil Library
Quatrefoil has created a curated lending library made up of the books featured on our podcast! If you can't buy these books, then borrow them! Link: https://libbyapp.com/library/quatrefoil/curated-1404336/page-1

Support the show

A new episode of This Queer Book Saved My Life drops next week on February 20th! In our off weeks, we air the most recent episode of The Gaily Show which J.P. hosts for AM950 Radio.

On today’s episode, James Rocco shares with me about his Broadway Songbook Series which returns to Park Square Theater this month with a special Valentine’s edition. Then, I sit down with Taleen Voskuni to talk about her upcoming queer rom com: Lavash at First Sight. Plus, You Are My Happy Ending: Schitt's Creek and the Legacy of Queer Television by Emily Garside is out now.

Watch and Listen
Visit our show page to see all the different ways you can listen and watch The Gaily Show: thisqueerbook.com/gailyshow

Credits
Host/Founder: J.P. Der Boghossian
Executive Producer: Jim Pounds
Production and Distribution Support: Brett Johnson, AM950
Marketing/Advertising Support: Chad Larson, Laura Hedlund, Jennifer Ogren, AM950
Accounting and Creative Support: Gordy Erickson

Check out Banned Camp - Season 4!
We want to support all efforts to fight back against book bans. SO, check out the podcast Banned Camp! Banned Camp is a hilarious and unique podcast that takes on the serious subject of censorship and banned books. This season, they're reading Mark Twain's classic The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, one chapter at a time, out loud. Why was this book banned in the first place? Listen to Banned Camp to find out on all streaming platforms.

A tomboy who wants to be Perry Mason (and has a crush on Della) included this book on job applications.

Today we meet Jean M. Gustafson and we’re talking about the book that saved her life: To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

Jean M. Gustafson is a seasoned attorney who specializes in various branches of law, including employment law, elder law, criminal and family law. She is licensed in the states of Minnesota, South Dakota, Utah and Federal Court of the District of Minnesota. She has also received training in Basic Mediation. Jean is a firm believer in mediation and she has seen it obtain better results for her clients than adversarial court battles. She is currently highly involved in the Minnesota bar association serving as a diverse attorney in two affinity bars, Elder Law Education committee member and former chair of the Elder Law Institute Planning Committee.

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a gripping, heart-wrenching, and wholly remarkable tale of coming-of-age in a South poisoned by virulent prejudice, it views a world of great beauty and savage inequities through the eyes of a young girl, as her father--a crusading local lawyer--risks everything to defend a black man unjustly accused of a terrible crime.

Connect with Jean
website: guslaw.net
email: [email protected]

Our Bookshop
Visit our Bookshop for  new releases, current bestsellers, banned books, critically acclaimed LGBTQ books, or peruse the books featured on our podcasts: bookshop.org/shop/thisqueerbook

To purchase To Kill A Mockingbird: https://bookshop.org/a/82376/9780060935467

Become an Associate Producer!
Become an Associate Producer of our podcast through a $20/month sponsorship on Patreon! A professionally recognized credit, you can gain access to Associate Producer meetings to help guide our podcast into the future! Get started today: patreon.com/thisqueerbook

Credits
Host/Founder: J.P. Der Boghossian
Executive Producer: Jim Pounds
Associate Producers: Archie Arnold, Natalie Cruz, Jonathan Fried, Paul Kaefer, Nicole Olila, Joe Perazzo, Bill Shay, and Sean Smith
Patreon Subscribers: Stephen D., Stephen Flamm, Ida Göteburg, Thomas Michna, and Gary Nygaard.
Creative and Accounting support provided by: Gordy Erickson
Music and SFX credits: visit thiqueerbook.com/music

Quatrefoil Library
Quatrefoil has created a curated lending library made up of the books featured on our podcast! If you can't buy these books, then borrow them! Link: https://libbyapp.com/library/quatrefoil/curated-1404336/page-1

Support the show

Are you ready to un-ban LGBT books in real time? 

I share with you about The Banned Book Club and then I sit down with the head of the project: John Bracken who is the Executive Director of The Digital Public Library of America.

How to start reading: 

1. Download the Palace Project App for iOS or Android in the Apple App store or Google Play.
2. Open the app
3. Select Banned Book Club
4. Start reading!

Banned Book Club website: thebannedbookclub.info
Digital Public Library of American website: pro.dp.la

Credits
Host/Founder: J.P. Der Boghossian
Executive Producer: Jim Pounds
Associate Producers: Archie Arnold, Natalie Cruz, Jonathan Fried, Paul Kaefer, Nicole Olila, Joe Perazzo, Bill Shay, and Sean Smith
Patreon Subscribers: Stephen D., Stephen Flamm, Ida Göteburg, Thomas Michna, and Gary Nygaard
Creative and Accounting support provided by: Gordy Erickson
Music and SFX credits: visit thiqueerbook.com/music

Support the show