
Oddly Normal
One Family's Struggle to Help Their Teenage Son Come to Terms with His Sexuality
John Schwartz(Author)
Gotham Books (Publisher)
Published on 3. September 2013
Book
Paperback/Softback
320 pages
978-1-59240-840-5 (ISBN)
Description
A heartfelt memoir by the father of a gay teen, and an eye-opening story for families who hope to bring up well-adjusted gay adults.
Four years ago, John Schwartz, a national correspondent at The New York Times, got the call that every parent hopes never to receive: his thirteen-year-old son, Joe, had tried to commit suicide. Hours before, he had come out to his classmates— and was met by dismay and confusion. After school he took an overdose of pills.
Oddly Normal is Schwartz's very personal attempt to address his family's own struggles within a culture that is changing fast, but not fast enough to help gay kids like Joe. Schwartz follows Joe through childhood to the present day, interweaving his narrative with common questions, including: Are effeminate boys and tomboy girls necessarily gay? Is there a relationship between being gay and suicide or mental illness? Should a child be pushed into coming out? Parents, teachers, and counselors alike will welcome Oddly Normal and its crucial lessons about helping gay kids—and any kid who is different—learn how to cope in a potentially hostile world.
Four years ago, John Schwartz, a national correspondent at The New York Times, got the call that every parent hopes never to receive: his thirteen-year-old son, Joe, had tried to commit suicide. Hours before, he had come out to his classmates— and was met by dismay and confusion. After school he took an overdose of pills.
Oddly Normal is Schwartz's very personal attempt to address his family's own struggles within a culture that is changing fast, but not fast enough to help gay kids like Joe. Schwartz follows Joe through childhood to the present day, interweaving his narrative with common questions, including: Are effeminate boys and tomboy girls necessarily gay? Is there a relationship between being gay and suicide or mental illness? Should a child be pushed into coming out? Parents, teachers, and counselors alike will welcome Oddly Normal and its crucial lessons about helping gay kids—and any kid who is different—learn how to cope in a potentially hostile world.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
Penguin Putnam Inc
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 203 mm
Width: 135 mm
Thickness: 17 mm
Weight
369 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-59240-840-5 (9781592408405)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

John Schwartz
Oddly Normal
One Family's Struggle to Help Their Teenage Son Come to Terms with His Sexuality
E-Book
11/2012
Avery
€17.99
Available for download
Person
John Schwartz is a national correspondent with The New York Times. He currently lives in New Jersey with his college sweetheart, Jeanne Mixon. They have three children and two difficult cats.