It’s so easy to get caught up in our own day-to-day lives: our jobs, our families, our hobbies. But sometimes we can all benefit by getting a little perspective from the lives of others… and not just through the glamor of gossip magazines or the stark visions of documentaries. A well-written biography can really open our eyes to the issues others face, issues that may affect us in ways we’ve never considered, issues that may be a reality for people that we love or issues that may be part of our own futures someday. If you’re looking for some fresh perspectives on others, read on for some of the best new biography releases.
The path to parenthood is rarely linear and simple, but it’s often even more challenging for same-sex couples. Add a third partner into what’s traditionally always been a two-parent game and things get even more complex, and yet that’s exactly what Ian Jenkins and his two partners found themselves facing when they decided to embark on their mission to mutual fatherhood. As a polyamorous group, they faced more than the usual scrutiny when it came to finding donors, surrogates, and more. This book chronicles the process for them, and how they ultimately became the first polyamorous family declared the legal parents of a child.
Susan Hartzler is a fixer, both in her overall life and in relationships in particular. Not surprisingly, most of the men she feels drawn to are those she fervently believes she can transform into the perfect partner… and those relationships never end well. In an attempt to change her usual course, she decides to adopt a dog, one who will help give her life a different purpose. As she learns to finally put herself first, she discovers the meaning of true unconditional love, as well as how to finally put an end to unhealthy relationships.
Author Jeremy Atherton Lin has spent large portions of his life in gay bars. Whether stateside or overseas, located in tiny towns or in sprawling metropolises, there are certain elements that are consistent between many gay bars, and the author has experienced them all in detail. But the prevalence of gay bars has been declining in recent years, and the covid-19 pandemic hit them really hard. This book is primarily a memoir of the author’s experiences in various bars, over the years, and around the world. Readers will enjoy various insightful revelations as the writer explores how these establishments have shaped an entire highly nuanced group of people, and how so many individual personalities and images have been forever changed along the way.
Francis Bacon is a well-known twentieth-century artist, whose work caught the public eye in a very big and bold way. His unforgettable paintings influenced countless others throughout his life and after his death, but he made huge impressions on popular society in more ways than just art. His sense of humor and his unabashed openness about his sexuality made him into an unforgettable force of nature, and this biography shows how his legacy lives on in more than just his art. Author Mark Stevens gives readers a uniquely detailed, fully-fleshed-out vision of Bacon that will show just how and why he was so influential during and after his time.
When Kate Washington and her husband, Brad, learned that he had cancer, they had no idea what the future would hold, and just how much her life would end up shifting to accommodate his care. As Brad’s condition deteriorated, Kate gave nearly all her time to him: coordinating appointments, filling prescriptions, administering medications. And she, like millions of other caregivers in the United States, was not paid for any of it… and the burnout that comes as a result of such selfless devotion is a reality for many. Her book aims to shed light on the crucial role unpaid caregivers play in supporting America’s lopsided medical system.