Rating: 
Summary: Both thoughtful and enjoyable
Review: Dan Savage, a parent? THE Dan Savage, gay sex-column adviser, whose sarcastic take on sex and outrageous writing style have made him a cult figure in "alternative" publications around the country?Well, yup. In this entertaining book, Savage details the decisions and processes involved when his partner Terry and him decided to adopt, using the Portland "open adoption" method. Emotional without being sentimental, Savage describes his supportive family and friends (as well as the non-supportive ones), and makes no apologies for his choices. Far more than a simple "gay couple wants baby" polemic, this book describes the trials and tribulations of adoption faced by ALL parents; indeed, what makes it so startling is its matter-of-factness. In the end, Dan and Terry come off as no better or worse than any other prospective parents, and it is this which is probably most revolutionary. An entertaining, yet intellectual, read.
Rating:
Summary: Raw honesty, emotion, and humor
Review: I was reading this book while on a flight from Seattle when the guy next to me, a Seattle resident, commented that some of his friends in the Seattle gay community think that Dan Savage tends to be too open with his comments on social issues. Perhaps that's true, but it's just that sense of raw honesty that makes this book such a great read -- Savage tells it like it is, from agonizing over giving up a degree of sexual/social freedom to have a kid, his real reasons for wanting to adopt (so he can let himself get fat), to handling poopy diapers, to his concern over his slowness to feel a bond for his son once he was born. Nothing is sugar-coated with false sentimentality -- in fact, a couple of passages made me stop and think, "I can't believe he admitted that!" Especially interesting is the detailed account of the mechanics of open adoption and how they met the birth mother, a teenage street punk, and the relationship Savage and his partner developed with her. An engaging, humorous and touching story, whether you are planning to adopt or not.
Rating:
Summary: Challenging!
Review: Frankly, my conservative mind had to stretch like a rubber band to get into the My Boyfriend And I decided To Go Get Pregnant story, and love its charming account of real family values. Love knows no sexual preferences, and add to this the photo of the little child on the book cover and the real-life photo of the author on the inside cover, and you're hooked.
Gisela Gasper Fitzgerald, author of ADOPTION: An Open, Semi-Open or Closed Practice?
Rating:
Summary: Terribly Funny, Surprisingly Touching
Review: I expected this book to be funny. I expected to laugh -- a lot. What I didn't expect were the moments I started to cry. Dan Savage is irreverent, hedonistic, and egotistical, and he doesn't hesitate to say exactly what he means. He invites us to share his life as he and his boyfriend explore the world of parenthood. On their path, nothing is sacred or sugar-coated. Whatever Savage's own reservations (not to mention those of his friends and his enemies) about becoming a father, by the end, it's clear that D.J. has the one thing every child needs -- a family that loves him. _The Kid_ isn't just a book for gay people, or just gay parents, or just people looking into adoption. It's an excellent look at the decision to become a parent, and what happens to families when they begin to expand.
Rating:
Summary: As Heartfelt and As Funny as It Gets.....
Review: Having heard Dan Savage's reading on NPR on how having a kid enables him now to be able to cruise straight men, I was at first irked at Savage for using a baby as a writing prop. Or, maybe I was just irked because I didn't do it first. Anyway, amidst shopping in Provincetown for baby clothes for my partner's and my own impending adoption, I picked up this book, however begrudgingly. Dan, all is forgiven. "THE KID" is so laugh-out-loud funny, poignant and heartfelt that my only regret is that I didn't read it sooner. If you're gay or straight and even considering adopting, this book should be required reading as Savage bravely sets up to the plate with extreme candor about all of the things over which adopting parents fret endlessly. Not to mention all of the things that fastlane big city boys and circuit queens fret (or should be fretting) over endlessly -- aging, one's purpose in the universe, and what the heck do we do now with our lives other than stand around listening to trance music. My boyfriend thought I was insane while reading the book, one minute laughing hysterically and the next minute weeping uncontrollably. Now that he's reading it, he's doing the same. Even if you're not adopting, buy this book as Savage is the new homo heir to Shirley Jackson's wonderfully funny "Life Among the Savages". Highest recommendation.
Rating:
Summary: Hilarious and Touching!
Review: I had a great time reading this book. I have a newfound respect for everyone who participates in adoption.
If you are a Savage fan- you will definetly enjoy this one.
Rating: 
Summary: A very touching book - a good read
Review: First I admit that I am a Dan Savage fan. I try to read every SAVAGE LOVE column in my local alternative paper and I love his columns in gay periodicals. I was shocked that the tone of this book was more serious than i expected and I have to admit being a little concerned about Dan's reasons for adopting. I.E. A hobby and to get fat etc. but he does make the point that straight couples often have babies totally on accident for no reason whatsoever. Then I really was into the book learning all about the intricate adoption process and by the time there was a birth mother in the story I was hooked. Then I started laughing along with Dan and by the end of the book tears were streaming down my face. Lots of em. I did not expect to be touched by something written by Dan. I highly highly recommend this book! For the negative comments left by other readers - One of them obviously didn't read the book and is just homophobic and the other tries to make the point that gays break up alot so they shouldn't adopt. Shouldn't this person push for gay marriage then? How can you blame us for breaking up when we don't have the support of our families, church or community that you do through marriage. Give me a break. READ THIS BOOK! LOVE YOU DAN!
Rating:
Summary: ADORABLE!!!!
Review: This was a FABULOUS true story by a FABULOUS author on a FABULOUS subject! There aren't words...this was just a FABULOUS book! Honest, hilarious, so real...Inspiring...I cried, I laughed, I sighed in happiness and melancholy. And its a TRUE STORY! Not fiction! Priceless story! Read it! Now! Don't wait!!!
Rating:
Summary: Precious
Review: Like other reviewers, I found this book hilarious, brazenly honest (adopting a baby to fulfill a book contract?!), and engagingly written. The initial, pre-kid chapters describing the relationship with his boyfriend and their decision to become parents are, as expected, opinionated and funny. Although he is by no means reserved, Savage tones down his aggressive sex columnist style and maintains an even humor throughout. The tale becomes more than merely fun with the introduction of the pregnant street kid who agrees to give them her baby. Savage puts away the soapbox and tells a rather affecting story about pregnancy and birth without becoming cloying, cynical, or overly self-involved. Incidental details about the open adoption process and gutter punk culture add a lot to the narrative. In the end I was amused to see that the only people who seemed concerned about the adopting parents' sexuality were the happy fathers themselves and that, political rhetoric aside, Savage is quite a family-values man.
Rating:
Summary: Offbeat journey into parenthood
Review: This book playfully recounts the author's offbeat path into parenthood. As Savage and his boyfriend venture into an open adoption, they face situations that alternate between the serious (e.g., deciding whether to adopt a baby at risk of fetal alcohol syndrome), and the ironically humorous (e.g., being part of a group of hopeful parents being advised to "acknowledge the pain" of their infertility--this couple had never hoped for fertility together!). Since getting their own "bio-kid" is not an easy option, they enter a reality in which every homeless teenager is suddenly a prospective birth parent. Much of the joy of this book lies in the author's candor and ability to laugh at himself. I could have done without the author's habit of throwing in vulgarities where they weren't needed, but other than that, a great read.
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