I've read hundreds of books over the years, but I have a very short list of books that have truly changed my life. These include: Savage Inequalities, Queer Spirits, and A History of God.

And without a doubt, Leslie Feinberg's first novel Stone Butch Blues will forever be on my top 10 list. It should be required reading for the universe.

That's why I was thrilled when the publisher sent me a copy of Leslie's latest book, Drag King Dreams, I could not wait to read it, and I was not disappointed.

This book is fiction, but set in post September 11th New York City, the stories are painfully familiar. If you attended one of the anti-war rallies prior to the invasion of Iraq, if you know an Arab American that was unjustly detained by the Bush Administration, if you spoke out against the Patriot Act, well then you will find your story in the pages of this book.

And true to our experiences, there's no one hero to save the day in this story, but rather a small group of concerned people doing what they can; a group of wonderfully flawed and often frail humans who somehow find the power of their collective voice.

Leslie Feinberg, much like fellow visionary Harry Hay, holds political views far left of what most of us consider the mainstream. Don't let that stop you from opening yourself up to the experience of this novel. Drag King Dreams made me weep for our most recent past and gave me hope for our future. It is a triumph and I encourage you to get a copy.

Posted by David at June 30, 2006 05:19 AM