Matlovich

By Mike Hippler

Book Overview

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 155583129X
• ISBN13: 9781555831295
• Release Date: January 1989
• Publisher: Alyson Books
• Length: 187 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.5" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

The life of a remarkable military man

"Matlovich: The Good Soldier," by Mike Hippler, is the biography of an Air Force sergeant who, as an openly gay man, challenged the United States military's policy of kicking gay people out of the service. The book looks at many aspects of Leonard Matlovich's life: his background as the son of an Air Force sergeant; his combat duty in Vietnam, where he was severely wounded; his relationship with the Mormon church; his post-Vietnam Air Force duties as a drug and alcohol counselor and race relations instructor; his legal battle with the Air Force after he decided to challenge the policy on homosexuality; his life as a public figure after his case got media attention; his work as a businessman after leaving the Air Force; his political life as a conservative but pro-gay rights Republican; and his final years as an AIDS activist. I found Hippler's look at Matlovich's relationship with his parents to be particularly moving. Matlovich is a well-balanced book; Hippler looks frankly at the choices Matlovich made. The book covers Matlovich's failures and disappointments as well as his successes. Throughout the book Hippler includes extensive quotes from Matlovich himself. There are also many quotes from important people in Matlovich's life and times, among them lifelong friend Michael Bedwell, ACLU lawyer David Addlestone, journalist Randy Shilts, and Metropolitan Community Church founder Troy Perry. This blend of voices is balanced quite well and complemented by Hippler's own narrative voice. The book also includes an epilogue that discusses subsequent court cases that challenged the ban on gays serving openly in the military; the specific cases are those of Navy petty officer Dennis Beller, Navy petty officer James Dronenburg, Army Reserve soldier Miriam ben-Shalom, and Army soldier Perry Watkins. There is also a gallery of photographs showing Matlovich through the many chapters of his life. This is a very informative and well-written book. In the end Matlovich emerges as a true hero: a man of courage, conviction, compassion, and personal integrity. And his words show him further to be a man who had hope and faith in humanity. "Matlovich" is a fitting tribute to a remarkable man; it's essential reading for anyone interested in the ongoing "gays in the military" debate.

More Military Insanity

Lenoard Matlovich, with three tours in Viet Nam, an unblemishedservice record, and several medals including citations for bravery andthe purple heart is dismissed from the military because he is gay. The book is a well written documentary of the legal challanges that follow as well as the metamorphisis of Matlovich from political conservative to gay activist. The reader gains insight into the absurdity of the military's position and how difficult the struggle to challange it. Frustrating, but interesting story.