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The Meaning of Matthew: My Son's Murder in Laramie, and a World Transformed |  | Author: Judy Shepard
Publisher: Hudson Street Press
Category: Book
List Price: $25.95
Buy New: $2.99
as of 11/22/2009 18:16 CST details
You Save: $22.96 (88%)
New (53) Used (21) Collectible (1) from $2.99
Seller: jwbooks10
Rating:  22 reviews
Sales Rank: 5072
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 273
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.2
ISBN: 1594630577
Dewey Decimal Number: 364.1523092
EAN: 9781594630576
ASIN: 1594630577
Publication Date: September 3, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
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 Judy Shepard's 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 in the small college town that changed everything.
The Meaning of Matthew follows the Shepard family in the days immediately after the crime, when Judy and her husband traveled to see their incapacitated son, kept alive by life support machines; how the Shepards learned of the incredible 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. Heart-wrenchingly honest, Judy Shepard confides with readers about how she handled the crippling loss of her child, why she became a gay rights activist, and the challenges and rewards of raising a gay child in America today.
The Meaning of Matthew not only captures the historical significance and complicated civil rights issues surrounding one young man's life and death, but it also chronicles one ordinary woman's struggle to cope with the unthinkable.
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 22
The Meaning of Matthew November 20, 2009
Peter M. Ghiorso (Denver, Co.)
A must read for anyone who feels that tolerance is a term that has been forgotten in our world today.
The meaning of a life November 17, 2009
M. A. Fussell (Orange County, CA)
This story was one I hesitated to read. Having lived through the nightmare of it's reality years before, and knowing this is the fear every parent has, I had to think about it before I bought it. As hard as it was to read in many places, you will be glad you did. Judy sets the facts straight and brings you into the story of Matthew and those who knew him best. It is beautifully written and particularly a "must read" for those of us who have a child who happens to be gay.
Amazing Find! November 12, 2009
N. Goodman
This book is so touching and amazing, You see Matthew's life through his mothers eyes.
Its a sad thing it happened.. But through this book we find not to hate people who are different, not to judge them or treat them badly because everyone has a story.
 fill in the blanks November 10, 2009
Michael C. Miller (New York)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This left me and our book club perplexed as to who Judy was writing this for? Why aren't there pictures of the family and the murderers?
There seem to be a lot of details left out about the family that left us wondering. If you are going to do this type of book you have to really go there.
The book unfortunately left us with a less positive image of Matthew Shepard than we had prior to reading it.
 A meaningful look at Matthew October 29, 2009
L. Jonsson (Charleston, SC United States)
The book "The Meaning of Matthew" is about the life of Matthew Shepard, an openly gay teen in Wyoming. His life and brutal death at the hands of two antisocial youths gave new meaning to the term "hate crime." Left for dead after a horrific attack, he then impossibly held on to life for five days in a hospital in ICU after being discovered on the ground (with his hands still tied to a fence rail). His terrible death started a unusual response from strangers around the world reacting to this hate crime, many candlelight vigils and memorial services were held, and Matthew Shepard's name became synonymous with the recognition of hate crimes towards gays.
Ms. Shepard covers the story well, as she and her family lived the tale. Judy Shepard, Matthew's Mother, covers Matthew's birth, and early life. She also discusses his homosexuality and how it did not affect her family's love for Matthew. After Matthew's death, she discusses the trial in depth, and her feelings about the two offenders who killed Matthew, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson. The trial of the two, and the depiction of what the two did with their lives up until the murder is riveting. The untold story of the girlfriends of the Russell and Aaron, who knew their boyfriends did something horrible, but DID NOTHING and lied to the police to protect them at first, is morally hard to swallow. The writing is plain yet not simple-Ms. Shepard deals with not only the love that Matthew's life and death lead to from strangers and from family, but the hate from the separatist Baptist church Westboro Baptist Church-who protested outside of Matthew's memorial service given by the family and the trial too. Ms. Shepard covers all angles of a moving yet disturbing tale.
I found myself praying for all the members of this family immediately after I read this book. Parts of this book, such as when Matthew calls his Mother to confess that he was gay, moved me to tears. The only thing that could have made this book better was if pictures of Matthew had been available in the middle of the book as some publishers decide to do in true accounts. I would have loved to have seen pictures of Matthew growing up, and of some of the people who were really important in Matthew's life, such as his friend Romaine (who created the group Angel Action to encircle the Westboro Baptist protestors).
At least things have been learned from this horrible tragedy, one that should never befall a family. No one should outlive their children. Ms. Shepard and her husband founded the Matthew Shepard foundation immediately after his death, which is committed to the causes of social injustice, diversity awareness and education; and equality for all gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual people. I hope this organization thrives and makes an impact on our society.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 22
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