The Shared Heart: Portraits and Stories Celebrating Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Young People

by Adam Mastoon

Book Overview

In this stirring collection of photographs and personal narratives, forty lesbian, gay, and bisexual young people share their thoughts and experiences about family, friends, culture, and coming... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 006447304X
• ISBN13: 9780064473040
• Release Date: May 2001
• Publisher: Harperteen
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.0" x 7.0"
• Age Range: 12 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 12

Customer Reviews

Courageous life stories, personality-filled photos

These beautiful and complex photographs depict humor, integrity, joy, pain, and courage. The photographer's technical expertise is matched and perhaps even surpassed by his eye for the "soul" of his subjects. The photos are complemented by first-person stories that reveal the journeys and challenges these young people have faced and overcome. It sounds corny, but this book made me proud of both the photographer and his subjects. This book does what great art and literature are supposed to do. It is uplifting and inspiring, and it lights the path toward a brighter future.

Beautiful, moving book.

This is a beautiful book that I received as a gift from my boyfriend. Anyone will profit from reading it. The stories in it, written by a number of lesbian,gay,and bisexual youth, are honest and very moving. It says to all the people who are still in the closet: wherever you are, you're not alone! And it also shows how gay people are just as diverse, talented, and lovable as straight people anywhere.

Excellent

A beautiful and moving book. Had there been a book like this available when I was coming out, I would have felt less terrified and alone. Congratulations to the brave youth represented in this book, and thank you to Adam Mastoon for providing such a valuable resource.

Beautifully accomplished beyond my dreams

When I read this book, I cried. I cried because not only was I gay and still closeted, but I had lied to so many people I loved, and these people had the ocurage to come out. Thank you, thank you, thank you!! It was so lovely, and so elegantly mastered. I can't wait until Adam Mastoon does a sequel (HINT! HINT! HINT!) There are no words to describe how I felt when I realized that there are so many people out there that are like me. God bless you. God bless you all.

A Work of Art

Sometimes a book so special and intimate comes along that it draws the reader off the printed page and into a new possibility for life. Such is the case with "The Shared Heart," a collection of images and essays photographed and compiled by Adam Mastoon, a Massachusetts-based photographer, whose work has been exhibited nationally, and featured in Esquire, Forbes, Spin, and the Village Voice. The 87-page book offers a series of poignant glimpses at more than 30 young people, all of whom are lesbian, gay or bisexual."Meeting and photographing the young people in this book has been a profound experience for me," says Mastoon. "Their fearless commitment to be themselves deeply inspires me." Each young person's individuality is perfectly captured through the lens of Mastoon, and below each image is a short handwritten essay by the subject, as well as a longer, typewritten one. The attention to detail is evident-everything about this book says "crafted with care," including the young people themselves.They come from every background. Some are class presidents, others are artists. Some have endured family rejection because of religious beliefs or cultural issues. All of them speak with candor and courage. Their collective testimony amounts to a powerful account of the virtues of bravery and honesty.