Rating: 
Summary: Stunning, heart-breaking slice of reality.
Review: Simply put, this book changed my life. I only wish everyone could read it and understand what it is sometimes like to be a young gay man living (and sometimes dying) in America today. Heart-breaking, but amazingly empowering, this is a tale that needs to be told.
Rating: 
Summary: Thanks for response, and news about movie version of book
Review: Thanks to those fans who submitted such insightful reviews of "Bobby" and here's a bit of news: Susan Sarandon has signed on to produce a major television film of "Prayers for Bobby." This exciting development leads us to hope that the story and its message may reach millions of people ---about a year from now. Thanks again. I welcome E-mail comments, too.
Rating: 
Summary: Tragic and, paradoxically, somehow triumphant
Review: The subject of teen suicide is a difficult one and one never easy to deal with. The suicide of a gay teen is even more of a problem because it is difficult to study without enough documented research. Inserting religious beliefs into the equation, along with family values, make for a very interesting story. The suicide of any teen or anyone is tragic. The initial teachings/actions of Mary Griffith make for difficult reading for a gay Christian; however, her ultimate acceptance of her son (and herself) in a way make this book somewhat validating. After the tradgedy, she does begin to review her thinking, but the point is, she is referencing it with the same scripture that she had been reading all along. After her son's death, there was a time where she seemed to act in a way that was against her families wishes and yet she was doing it just for that reason (part of her family.) "Prayers for Bobby" blends many common problems/themes together of being gay or having a gay son in a "straight" world, and yet, it is candidly honest and intelligent. My main praise for the book is this: It blends many difficult themes and reveals enough of each to educate the reader. It is important not to forget the difficulty of the subject matter when reading this book. It doesn't give answers or attempt to sway the reader into believing one thing or another, it only speaks.
Rating: 
Summary: A dangerous book that distorts biblical truths
Review: The suicide that formed the basis for this book is a tragedy, as is any death that could have been avoided. A mother's torment over the loss of her son is also a tragedy. But the biggest tragedy presented in these pages is the blatant attempt to distort biblical truths to try and make things right that went terribly wrong. I realize, of course, that the biblical stance against homosexuality is not a popular one. But it presented very clearly in the pages of the bible and this book attempts to take that stance and twist it based on rationalizations that have no foundation in God's word. I have no idea where Bobby is right now; it is not up to me to make that judgement. But I do know that God offers us forgiveness if we earnestly seek it, and if we are willing to let Him take over our lives and cleanse us of wrongdoing. But to continuously defy Him and reject that forgiveness because we selfishly insist on defining our own rules is the spiritual equivalent of sticking our tongue out at our parents and putting our hand on the hot stove despite their warnings. Unfortunately, that is precisely the path this book encourages us to take.
Rating:
Summary: wow
Review: This book is a deeply moving, myth shattering triumph of gay literature! All I can say is, wow....Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Prayers For Bobby is one of the most inspirational books!
Review: This book PRAYERS FOR BOBBY is about a a young adult named Bobby Griffith who was an all american guy, but who also happened to be gay, and his mother who has to come to terms with the suicide of her gay son. In this book you see how Bobby faced with the pressure of his family and his religion telling him it is wrong to be gay. You will also read many bone chilling excerpts of Bobbys most personal thoughts straight out of his journal, which shows how much Bobby had been going through from the fight with his religious beliefs to selling himself on the streets as a SUBSTITUTE FOR LOVE. There seems like no other answer and soon the pressure is to much to take and Bobby decides to take his own life. Bobbys mom Mary Griffith who was fearful of her sons sexuality and who was a churchgoer used to pray her son would be healed from this sickness, but once her son dies she decided to transform her life by being a national crusador for gay and lesbian youth. This book realy touched my heart and soul because when I was 10 I lost my uncle who was 20 to suicide. We were very close my uncle was NOT gay, but suicide became something I had no choice but to learn at an early age. This book was a life changing book for me as it made me confront many of my own issues I had to face growing up as a teen and now in to my early twenties. PRAYERS FOR BOBBY is one of those books that inspire you to be better and to not judge others by there sexual preferences, as it is such a small part of ones self. I say if you have not read this book you really need to. This book is sad, but yet one of the most inspirational true stories I have ever read, but this is about real life and real life does not always have the storybook happy ending!
Rating:
Summary: AMAZING AND HELPFUL BOOK FOR PARENTS OF GAY CHILDREN
Review: This book really helped my whole family. I had a gay nephew who committed suicide in 1999 and it shocked our whole extended family. His parents had been in an ex-gay group called... and tried to get him into forced treatment to become heterosexual. He had been such a sweet, bright, and cheerful boy until they tried to change him like that. He began to hate himself so much and feel worthless in his parents eyes because he couldn't become straight that he killed himself with a handgun one night crying in his room. 'Prayers for Bobby' is a similar tragedy that anyone with a gay relative should read. Thank you so much for such a beautiful book of healing.
Rating:
Summary: Very Sad and Heartrendering!!
Review: This book was a very sad one inasmuch as Bobby's mom couldn't accept him for who and what he was so he ended up killing himself in a most horrific way! The story goes on to tell of the mother's strong religious background, and how she at first used it against not accepting Bobby. It was a hard lesson to learn for the family involved to say the least. Once Mary, his mother, got past the issues of Bobby's soul going to heaven or not, and all of her grief, (at least some of it), she sets out about to help in the gay community, and helps set up programs to help other gay youngsters as Bobby was. This book is a must read for many people. Especially if you have a gay loved one in your own family.
Rating:
Summary: Poignant; painful; reflective: READ THIS BOOK!
Review: This is one of those books that should appear on the shelves of every high school, college, and church library in the country. The statistics about gay teen suicide are frightening; this true story about the suicide of Bobby Griffiths puts a human face on this tragic and avoidable phenomenon. As an gay adult, I cried in anguish as I read Bobby's journal entries; they touched too close to home for comfort. As an adult human being I cried tears of compassion for Bobby's mother, who wanted nothing more than for her son to be pleasing in God's eyes, but because of her fundamentalist understanding of God was blinded to the fact that Bobby was already the person God created him to be. Perhaps this book will help other mothers and other sons (and fathers and daughters and sisters and brothers) see through the veil of misinformation which so destroys a young person's self esteem that he or she gives up on life itself. And perhaps it will awaken the church to the truly destructive consequences of its outdated understanding of the human person. As a minister I have given away copies of this book to youths struggling with their sexual identity, to their parents, and to their own ministers. And I have heard back words of thanks, especially from the young people, who have begun to realize that they are God's creation, and that they are good and acceptable in God's sight precisely because they are God's creatures. Thank you, Mary Griffiths, for having the courage to share this very important story. God bless you!
Rating:
Summary: A Must Read
Review: This is the story of a remarkable woman's struggle to accept her gay son and his suicide. She is a role model
for us all and through this book, she is now a friend for
many who are engaged in their own struggle to accept themselves as gay in this horribly homophobic society.The author gives us the power to feel her pain, to experience her growth, to live her liberation. One place he muses...
will it take a figurative land mine in each case to make other people change. I was very moved by her comments on the church..."I have a certain amount of guilt, but the church doesn't seem to have any." And, "We are the guardian angels. We have the power." And, "Once my beliefs were my reality; now my reality forms my belief." This book shows us the
deadly sins of the church and allow us to share in a woman's
journey to find a truth and a faith that gave her life real meaning.
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