Conceived and written by Erin McHugh, and containing stunning portrait work by Jennifer May, The L Life is a glossy and selective Who’s Who of American lesbians today. Part of its appeal is that it is not just a list of “power lesbians†― though many of the individuals described in this book certainly qualify ― but rather all women who are continually working to improve the world in which we live. McHugh selected lesbians from vastly different walks of life, including a rabbi, a judge, a comedian, an actress, a sheriff, and, my personal favorite, an urban gardener. As a relatively new lesbian longing for role models, I read this book with relish, enjoying each portrayal as I encountered real life versions of individuals in roles I had previously only met through The L Word’s storyline.
The book’s tone is casual, almost conversational, as though McHugh is talking directly to us, such as when she exclaims, “[I]f you don’t know Beebo Brinker, oh, do you have a treat in store for you†(95). This is both the book’s strength and its flaw, as some individuals are described with more enthusiasm than others. The text, however, is at its best when it allows the reader to meet these highly successful women as authentic people, describing their lives outside of their jobs, detailing their coming out stories, and sharing their insights about life, love, happiness, and being a change agent.
As the author states in her introduction: lesbians are everywhere, in every field, “the secret love child of the invisible sex†(6). As such, in the future I would love to see a more extended version of similar texts with greater diversity, particularly in terms of age, race, and ethnicity, but The L Life is a good start. It is a book to be shared publicly, whether that display is in the front of the library or on top of your coffee table. There is some strong language, but nothing out of line for teen audiences.
Recommended for public and school libraries.
Reviewed by, Katy Vance
UNC SILS alumna, May 2011
