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The mother of Matthew Shepard shares her story about her son's death and the choice she made to become an international gay rights activist. Today, the name Matthew Shepard is synonymous with gay rights, but before his grisly murder in 1998, Matthew was simply her son. For the first time in book form, Judy Shepard speaks about her loss, sharing memories of Matthew, their life as a typical American family, and the pivotal event that changed everything. The book follows the Shepard family in the days after the crime, when their incapacitated son was on life support; how they learned of the response from strangers all across America who held candlelit vigils and memorial services for their child; and finally, how they struggled to navigate the legal system as Matthew's murderers were on trial. It not only captures the historical significance and civil rights issues, but it also chronicles one ordinary woman's struggle to cope with the unthinkable.--From publisher description.… (more)
User reviews
In October 1998 Matthew Shepard was tied to a fence in Laramie, Wyoming and beaten to death for being gay. Few Americans could avoid the media coverage of the horrible hate crime, not long after the dragging death of a African American man in Jasper, Texas. But despite all the coverage, my impressions of Matthew were rather flat and one dimensional. Judy Shepard's memoir of her son changed that. As Matthew's mother reminds us, Matthew was a human, not a saint, and not a stereotype. His life was complex but loving, and in writing the book, Judy Shepard conveys that in an honest, unpitiying way that drew me in and wouldn't let me go.
I would recommend this book to everyone as a reminder that we cannot let hate win, but must actively seek to counter it emphatically and with persistence.
What I found so wonderful about this book was that Judy brought to us, the tale of a young man, who was flawed and still in a state of finding himself. Too often do we martyr people who
I cannot imagine having to write about your son, who was murdered in the fashion that Matthew was. However, Judy does so beautifully and openly. My heart ached as she recounted her time in the hospital at his side, and how she had to be a rock in a time when she certainly deserved to fall apart.
Judy's is a tale worth telling. She certainly could have disappeared after Matthew's funeral and lived her life in quiet solitude, remembering her son, but she chose to fight. She chose to champion a cause, and attempt to make some good out of her son's murder. That is admirable.
This biography was insightful, and allowed us to see a boy through a mother's eyes that was struggling with sexuality and sense of self. It also allowed us to see into a woman who held strong for family and friends and who is by all accounts the hero of this story. She has effected change, and I am so glad she chose to write this account of hers and her son's life.
I would love to read someday a biography of her time after his death in more detail. It would be great to read about all the change she has fought for, and the strides she has taken to continue his legacy. Maybe one day.
Matthew's life was one of light and love, and how many of us have found ourselves with strangers, off on an adventure? The portrayals and descriptions of Matthew's killers after his murder were especially well-done. And the portrayal of Matthew was honest and heartfelt, too.