Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Out of A Far Country, by Christopher Yuan and Angela Yuan


For years, Chris struggled with the fact that he way gay, mostly because he knew how his parents would respond.  When he is home from dental school for a visit, his parents confront him, and he confirms their suspicions that he is gay.  He turns away from his family.  His mother goes to visit him, preparing to say goodbye before she commits suicide.  Instead, she finds new faith, a faith that saves her, and may one day save her son.

I really wanted to dislike this book, because I thought it was going to be one of those "let's reprogram the gays and make them straight" types of books.  I was shocked to find something entirely different.  This book is written in such an honest manner, and while the parts from the mom's point of view may come across as homophobic, it becomes clear that she is merely confused, dealing with Asian cultural norms, and trying to love her son as best as she can.

I really liked that we got the story from both the mom and Chris at the same time.  I found the chapters in Chris' voice painfully honest, and heartbreaking.  I like that this book did not shy away from him talking about his actively gay lifestyle, nor was the message that Chris needed to become straight in order to become a good Christian.

This is a delicate and private topic for many Christian families, and while this book may not mirror every experience out there, it certainly could be a good resource, or at least a starting point.

I received a review copy courtesy of the publisher.


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