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Prayers for Bobby: A Mother's Coming to Terms With the Suicide of Her Gay Son [Hardcover]

Leroy Aarons
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)

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Book Description

May 15 1995
Bobby Griffith was an all-American boy ...and he was gay. Faced with an irresolvable conflict-for both his family and his religion taught him that being gay was "wrong"-Bobby chose to take his own life.

Prayers for Bobby, nominated for a 1996 Lambda Literary Award, is the story of the emotional journey that led Bobby to this tragic conclusion. But it is also the story of Bobby's mother, a fearful churchgoer who first prayed that her son would be "healed," then anguished over his suicide, and ultimately transformed herself into a national crusader for gay and lesbian youth.

As told through Bobby's poignant journal entries and his mother's reminiscences, Prayers for Bobby is at once a moving personal story, a true profile in courage, and a call to arms to parents everywhere.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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From Library Journal

Mary Griffith prayed that her gay son Bobby would be "healed." After his suicide, her anguish led her on a journey from faithful churchgoer to national crusader for gay and lesbian youth.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From Booklist

Very painful and personal, this is the story of a mother's struggle to reconcile the tension between her deeply held religious beliefs and the suicide of her gay son. Mary Griffith came from a religious family and raised her four children to believe in God and live a Christian life. Their conservative Presbyterian church was the center of family life for every family member except Mary's husband, Bob. When 17-year-old Bobby confided to older bother Ed that he was gay, the family's life changed. Mary convinced Bobby to pray that God would cure him and to seek solace in church activities. Bobby did it all, but the church's hatred of homosexuality and the obvious pain his gayness was causing his family led him increasingly to loathe himself. Excerpts from a diary he kept, family photos, and letters written by Mary to her dead son make the book intense reading for both high-school and public library patrons. Charles Harmon --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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I first learned of the Griffith family in a 1989 article in the San Francisco Examiner. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Gut Wrenching, Could not put it down Dec 5 2003
Format:Paperback
As soon as a child comes out to their parents this book should become required reading for the parents. It shows the struggles of a boy between his religion, family and his own sexuality. Somehow the family considered themselves the same as their religion and forgot their role as parent and unconditional love. The son paid for it from his agony and eventual suicide. This book will rip at you, it is an emotional read. It is a necessary read.
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5.0 out of 5 stars wow Aug 5 2003
Format:Paperback
This book is a deeply moving, myth shattering triumph of gay literature! All I can say is, wow....

Highly recommended!

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5.0 out of 5 stars Tragedy leads to understanding and outreach Jun 28 2003
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Aarons does a superior job in weaving together the complex, multi-dimensional story of the Griffith family, and the subsequent metamorphosis of Mary Griffith following the suicide of her son, Bobby. The book documents the ignorance, intolerance and hate found in much of society in the United States, as well as in many fundamentalist Christian churches as it relates to homosexuality. Aarons reveals much about Bobby's agony - we learn first hand through numerous quotes from his personal journal and through interviews with the family and friends. It is wonderful that Mary was able to evolve personally and spiritually. Her outreach to the gay community has been wonderful. Mary's message to young gay people everywhere to "not give up on love" is very poignant, profound, and timely.
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Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars A heartbreaking and thought-provoking story
"Prayers for Bobby: A Mother's Coming to Terms with the Suicide of Her Gay Son," by Leroy Aarons, tells a powerful true story. Read more
Published on April 8 2003 by Michael J. Mazza
5.0 out of 5 stars "Prayers for Bobby" is a Blessing!
Author Leroy Aarons chroniles Betty Griffith's journey after the suicide death of her gay son, Bobby. Read more
Published on Nov 14 2002 by Michael S. Waren
5.0 out of 5 stars Very Sad and Heartrendering!!
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! Read more
Published on Sep 29 2002 by J. Kirkman
5.0 out of 5 stars AMAZING AND HELPFUL BOOK FOR PARENTS OF GAY CHILDREN
This book really helped my whole family. I had a gay nephew who committed suicide in 1999 and it shocked our whole extended family. Read more
Published on Jan 4 2002 by Tom Markus
2.0 out of 5 stars A mother's pain is on each page.....
Prayers for bobby could be any of our chidren, but what really grabbed me was the realization that our society is so lost in understanding homosexuality. Read more
Published on Jan 4 2002 by "jolie1015"
3.0 out of 5 stars Prayers For Bobby
Although it's a heratbreak whenvever sa child dies, I found the author using this womans tragedy to blame religion and society for her son's death. Read more
Published on Dec 29 2001
5.0 out of 5 stars Uplifting & Life-Changing
Born in 1963, Bobby Griffith was raised as a devout Christian child, much like I have been for most of my life. Read more
Published on Sep 18 2001 by R. Michael
5.0 out of 5 stars Prayers For Bobby is one of the most inspirational books!
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... Read more
Published on July 30 2001 by Porfie Medina
5.0 out of 5 stars What a wonderful book this is
Well, I feel sorry for Bobby and his mom, from the bottom of my heart. I feel sorry for all of the Christians who are so deep into their beliefs that they cannot see what is going... Read more
Published on July 19 2001
4.0 out of 5 stars A sad but powerful story that everyone should read
One of the best books I have ever read. Sad but extremely powerful. It is a must read for anyone, especially mothers who are having a difficult time coming to grips with the... Read more
Published on May 3 2001
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