It Gets Better, Dan Savage
It Gets Better, Dan Savage
List: $19.95 | Sale: $13.97
Club: $9.97

It Gets Better
Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living

Author: Dan Savage, Terry Miller

Narrator: Richard Powers, Marguerite Gavin

Unabridged: 9 hr 54 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/14/2011


Synopsis

Every story can change a life.Growing up isn’t easy. Many young people face daily tormenting and bullying, making them feel like they have nowhere to turn. This is especially true for LGBT kids and teens who often hide their sexuality for fear of being bullied. Without other openly gay adults and mentors in their lives, they can’t imagine what their future may hold. In many instances, gay and lesbian adolescents are taunted—even tortured—simply for being themselves.After a number of tragic suicides by LGBT students who were bullied in school, syndicated columnist and author Dan Savage uploaded a video to YouTube with his partner, Terry Miller, to inspire hope for LGBT youth facing harassment. Speaking openly about the bullying they suffered as teenagers and how they both went on to lead rewarding adult lives, they launched the It Gets Better Project YouTube channel and initiated a worldwide phenomenon. With over six thousand videos posted and over twenty million views in the first three months alone, the world has embraced the opportunity to provide personal, honest, and heartfelt support for LGBT youth everywhere.It Gets Better is a collection of expanded essays and new material from celebrities, everyday people, and teens who have posted videos of encouragement, as well as new contributors who have yet to post videos to the site. While many of these teens couldn’t see a positive future for themselves, others can. We can show LGBT youth the levels of happiness, potential, and positivity their lives will reach if they can just get through their teen years. By sharing these stories, It Gets Better reminds teenagers in the LGBT community that they are not alone—and it WILL get better.

About Terry Miller

Terry Miller is a DJ, event promoter, musician, and music critic/blogger. He is Dan Savage’s partner of sixteen years.

About Richard Powers

Richard Powers has published thirteen novels. He is a MacArthur Fellow and received the National Book Award. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for The Overstory, and Bewilderment was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

About Marguerite Gavin

Marguerite Gavin is a seasoned theater veteran, a five-time nominee for the prestigious Audie Award, and the winner of numerous AudioFile Earphones and Publishers Weekly awards. Marguerite has been an actor, director, and audiobook narrator for her entire professional career, and has over four hundred titles to her credit.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Thomas

The fact that this book exists makes me happy. It really does. I know so many people who wish that there had been a book like It Gets Better when they were a teenager. Not just people who contributed to this book itself, but people I talk to in real life. Better late than never, right? This book fulf......more

Goodreads review by Eileen

Thanks to our son Lawrence and son-in-law Teddy, my husband and I speak up for our family on page 240. Just learned that this hardcover sampling of over 10,000 Youtube videos made for the "It Gets Better" project has hit the NY Times bestseller list! Could not be more pleased. All proceeds to anti-b......more

Goodreads review by Justin

For roughly three years of my teenaged life, I was the target of anti-gay bullying. The fact that I am quite heterosexual did nothing to alleviate it; in fact, the bullies harassed my girlfriend, too, just for good measure. Granted, it wasn’t nearly as bad as it could have been. The main instigator......more


Quotes

“A masterstroke…Revolutionary!” Armistead Maupin, author of Tales of the City

“Surely we can’t do enough to prevent the tragedy of teen suicide, and I hope every library serving teens will make this book available to their readers.” Library Journal

“Particularly noteworthy are essays from President Obama and David Sedaris, and a bilingual entry from a Mexican student now living in Canada…A resource every library should have on hand.” Booklist

“Narrators Paul Garcia and Marguerite Gavin emotionally connect with listeners as they deliver this impassioned rallying cry for understanding LGBT children and teens. Both narrators handle horrific stories of bullying so relentless it led to suicides with quiet dignity and heartfelt sorrow that never cross into the maudlin…Garcia employs a wry humor that helps lighten the mood, and Gavin’s vocal sweetness invites empathy. Both narrators make this an outstanding listening experience.” AudioFile