Bruce Gillespie

Philip K. Dick, Electric Shepherd

At no other time in history have lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) relationships and families been more visible or numerous. A Family by Any Other Name recognizes and celebrates this advance by exploring what "family" means to people today. The anthology includes a wide range of perspectives on queer relationships and families--there are stories on coming out, same-sex marriage, adopting, having biological kids, polyamorous relationships, families without kids, divorce, and dealing with the death of a spouse, as well as essays by straight writers about having a gay parent or child.

Exploring Queer Relationships

A Family by Any Other Name

Selected as a Finalist for the 27th Annual Lambda Literary Awards for Best LGBT Anthology and Winner of the Silver Medal for Gay / Lesbian / Bi / Trans Non-Fiction at the 2015 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Book Awards At no other time in history have lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) relationships and families been more visible or numerous. A Family by Any Other Name recognizes and celebrates this advance by exploring what “family” means to people today. The anthology includes a wide range of perspectives on queer relationships and families—there are stories on coming out, same-sex marriage, adopting, having biological kids, polyamorous relationships, families without kids, divorce, and dealing with the death of a spouse, as well as essays by straight writers about having a gay parent or child. These personal essays are by turns funny, provocative, and intelligent, but all are moving and honest. Including writers from across North America, this collection offers honest and moving real-life stories about relationships and creating families in the twenty-first century.

Lynne Van Luven

Our quest for origin and, by extension, identity is universal to the human experience. For the twenty-five contributors to Somebody’s Child, the topic of adoption is not—and perhaps never can be—a neutral issue. With unique courage, each of them discusses their experience of the adoption process. Some share stories of heartbreak; others have discovered joy; some have searched for closure. Somebody’s Child captures the many unforgettable faces and voices of adoption. The third book in a series of anthologies about the twenty-first-century family, Somebody’s Child follows Nobody’s Mother and Nobody’s Father, two essay collections from childless adults on parenthood, family and choices. Together, these three books challenge readers to reexamine traditional definitions of the concept of “family.”

Stories About Adoption

Somebody's Child

Stories of origin and creation govern how all cultures understand themselves. For the 25 contributors to Somebody's Child, the topic of adoption is no—and perhaps never can be—a neutral issue. With unique courage, each of them talks about his or her experience of the adoption process. Some speak of heartbreak; some have found modified “happy endings”; others have discovered joy. All have been changed by discovering the vital facts of their own birth and origin. Somebody's Child contains a wide array of true stories: a young man explores his love for his adopted sister; a woman comes to grips with the truth about her birth parents; a mother of two talks about meeting her “first son,” the baby she gave up; and, a lawyer tells about discovering her Nigerian family. Somebody's Child captures the many unforgettable faces and voices of adoption. he third book in a family of anthologies about the 21st-century family, Somebody's Child follows up on Nobody's Mother and Nobody's Father, two essay collections from childless adults on parenthood, family and choices. Together, these three books challenge readers to redefine our traditional definitions of the concept of “family.”

Stories about Adoption

In a sequel to the celebrated collection of stories Nobody's Mother comes an honest and poignant collection of essays from men who have forgone fatherhood. Statistics Canada data show that seven per cent of women and eight per cent of men intend to remain childless. Nobody's Father gives readers fresh, honest insights into that male eight per cent. Ranging in age from young manhood to late middle age, some gay and some straight, and making their homes across North America, the contributors explore the issues of what it means to live a life without children. While some writers admit they are haunted by feelings of failure to live up to their own fathers' expectations and to carry on the family name, others admit to knowing from an early age that parenthood was not for them and are content with the alternative lives they lead.

Bruce Gillespie

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