Prayers for Bobby: A Mother's Coming to Terms with the Suicide of Her Gay Son

Be the first to write a review
Pick Up In Store

Pick Up in Store

Reserve and pick up in 60 minutes at your local store

Paperback
$11.98
BN.com price
$14.99 List Price (Save 20%)
Marketplace (New and Used)
from
$1.46
$14.99 List Price (Save 90%)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
All (50)  
Used (27)  
New (23)  
Close
Sort by
Page 1 of 5
Showing 1 – 10 of 50 (5 pages)
$1.46
(Save 90%)
OwlsBooks-TRM
Seller since 2009

Feedback rating:

(22568)

Condition:

New — never opened or used in original packaging.

Like New — packaging may have been opened. A "Like New" item is suitable to give as a gift.

Very Good — may have minor signs of wear on packaging but item works perfectly and has no damage.

Good — item is in good condition but packaging may have signs of shelf wear/aging or torn packaging. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Acceptable — item is in working order but may show signs of wear such as scratches or torn packaging. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Used — An item that has been opened and may show signs of wear. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Refurbished — A used item that has been renewed or updated and verified to be in proper working condition. Not necessarily completed by the original manufacturer.

Good
Giving great service since 2004: Buy from the Best! 4,000,000 items shipped to delighted customers. We have 1,000,000 unique items ready to ship! Find your Great Buy today!

Ships from: Lakewood, WA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$1.90
(Save 87%)
Books From California CA
Seller since 2005

Feedback rating:

(1913)

Condition: Acceptable
1996 Paperback Acceptable Over 500, 000 Internet Orders FIlled.

Ships from: Simi Valley, CA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$1.99
(Save 87%)
Sierra Nevada Books
Seller since 2012

Feedback rating:

(0)

Condition: Good
Book has some visible wear on the binding, cover, pages. Biggest little used bookstore in the world!

Ships from: Reno, NV

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$1.99
(Save 87%)
thriftbooks-com
Seller since 2007

Feedback rating:

(5906)

Condition: Very Good
Book has appearance of light use with no easily noticeable wear. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. ... Read More. Read more Show Less

Ships from: Auburn, WA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$1.99
(Save 87%)
Free State Books
Seller since 2012

Feedback rating:

(1010)

Condition: Good
Book shows minor use. Cover and Binding have minimal wear, and the pages have only minimal creases. Free State Books. Never settle for less.

Ships from: Halethorpe, MD

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$1.99
(Save 87%)
thriftbooks-com
Seller since 2007

Feedback rating:

(5906)

Condition: Good
Light shelf wear and minimal interior marks. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More.

Ships from: Auburn, WA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$2.49
(Save 83%)
Penntext
Seller since 2012

Feedback rating:

(292)

Condition: Good
Ships within 24 hrs of your order. Open Mon - Fri. May have minimal notes/highlighting, minimal wear/tear.

Ships from: Downingtown, PA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$2.50
(Save 83%)
Campus_Bookstore
Seller since 2011

Feedback rating:

(308)

Condition: Good
Used - Good May contain highlighting/underlining/notes/etc. May have used stickers on cover. Ships same or next day. Expedited shipping takes 2-3 business days; standard shipping ... takes 4-14 business days. Read more Show Less

Ships from: Fayetteville, AR

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$2.90
(Save 81%)
booksfromca
Seller since 2008

Feedback rating:

(2546)

Condition: Acceptable

Ships from: Simi Valley, CA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$3.75
(Save 75%)
spellbound PA
Seller since 2005

Feedback rating:

(9714)

Condition: Like New
Fine 0062511238 LIKE NEW/UNREAD! ! ! Text is Clean and Unmarked! ! ! --Be Sure to Compare Seller Feedback and Ratings before Purchasing--Has a small black line on the ... bottom/exterior edge of pages. Read more Show Less

Ships from: McKeesport, PA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
Page 1 of 5
Showing 1 – 10 of 50 (5 pages)
Close
Sort by
NOOK Book (eBook)
$10.99
BN.com price

Available on NOOK devices and apps

  • Nook Devices
  • NOOK
  • NOOK Color
  • NOOK Tablet
  • Tablet/Phone
  • NOOK for iPad
  • NOOK for iPhone
  • NOOK for Android
  • NOOK for Android (Tablet)
  • NOOK Kids for iPad
  • PC/Mac
  • NOOK Study
  • NOOK for PC
  • NOOK for Mac

Want a NOOK? Explore Now

Sending request ...

More About This Book

Overview

Bobby Griffith was an all-American boy ...and he was gay. Faced with an irresolvable conflict-for both his family and his religion taught him that being gay was "wrong"-Bobby chose to take his own life.

Prayers for Bobby, nominated for a 1996 Lambda Literary Award, is the story of the emotional journey that led Bobby to this tragic conclusion. But it is also the story of Bobby's mother, a fearful churchgoer who first prayed that her son would be "healed," then anguished over his suicide, and ultimately transformed herself into a national crusader for gay and lesbian youth.

As told through Bobby's poignant journal entries and his mother's reminiscences, Prayers for Bobby is at once a moving personal story, a true profile in courage, and a call to arms to parents everywhere.

Editorial Reviews

Library Journal
Mary Griffith prayed that her gay son Bobby would be "healed." After his suicide, her anguish led her on a journey from faithful churchgoer to national crusader for gay and lesbian youth. (LJ 5/15/95)

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780062511232
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
  • Publication date: 8/28/1996
  • Edition number: 1
  • Pages: 288
  • Sales rank: 240,210
  • Product dimensions: 5.31 (w) x 8.00 (h) x 0.64 (d)

Meet the Author

Leroy Aarons, an award-winning journalist and playwright, was a national correspondent for The Washington Post and executive editor of The Oakland Tribune. He is the founder and past president of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association.

Read an Excerpt

One



The Plunge



August 27, 1983
Portland, Oregon



Bobby Griffith left the Family Zoo lounge about midnight and walked northwest through downtown Portland, past office buildings and lofts that still bore the ornate imprint of another century. It was a warm but cloudy western night in late August 1983. Blond, green eyed, six feet tall, and muscular, he wore a light plaid shirt and green fatigue pants, and walked with a deliberate, loping gait. To a passerby he would have looked like any other young man on his way home after a night out.

He headed up a hill and onto a plateau through which sliced Interstate 405, the main north-south artery. From this vantage point one could see most of the city, aligned on either side of the Willamette River. Lights flickered in the foreground, yielding to patches of darkened residential neighborhoods where most of Portland slept. The steady roar of freeway traffic played counterpoint to the still night.

Bobby approached the Everett Street overpass. Once on the bridge he could see the 405 traffic rush by, then disappear beneath the concrete span. The fragrance of diesel and petroleum hung in the air.

What was he thinking? Perhaps he voiced the silent wish, often repeated in his Journals, to lift off, set sail to the heavens, forever drifting. Perhaps the familiar dark depression engulfed him, strangling hope.

"My life is over as far as I'm concerned," he wrote in his diary exactly one month before. "I hate living on this earth.... I think God must get a certain amount of self-satisfaction watching people deal with theobstacles he throws in their path.... I hate God for this and for my shitty existence."

He must have seen the large tractor trailer approaching from under the Couch Street overpass and timed the jump. Bobby executed a sudden and effortless back flip and disappeared over the railing. The driver tried to swerve, but there was no time.

Two witnesses later reported they at first thought it was a prank. They rushed to the railing expecting to see Bobby dangling. No. He had descended twenty-five feet directly into the path of the trailer, which tossed his body fourteen feet under the overpass.

The impact had ripped away most of his clothes and strewn them on the highway. Beneath his body paramedics found a two-dollar bill and seventy-seven cents in change.

The medical examiner said later that Robert Warren Griffith, age twenty years and two months, had died instantly of massive internal injuries.

Customer Reviews

Be the first to write a review
( 0 )

Rating Distribution

5 Star

(0)

4 Star

(0)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines
Add Recommendations
Your Name: Create a Pen Name or Leave Anonymously

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identiy on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously

We're sorry, but penname is already taken.

Please select one of the following:
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously

penname is available!

By visiting the BN.com website or marking a purchase on BN.com, a User is deemed to have accepted the Terms of Use.

Continue Anonymously

Welcome, penname

You have successfully created your Pen Name. Start enjoying the benefits of the BN.com Community today.

Sort by: Showing all of 17 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 13, 2005

    A GOOD STORY BUT SO SAD

    I think this book was so sad, but it was so good. It tells the story of a gay teenager who's family cant accept him because hes gay. And when they finally do accept him its too late.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 23, 2011

    Recommended!!

    I haven't read it yet, but have friends who highly recommended the book to me!

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 22, 2010

    Sad, but Ultimately Uplifting Story

    I read this story with interest and felt an overwhelming sadness for Mary and for Bobby and for what could have been. I didn't exactly buy into the alternate, modernized explanation for the Lot story in the bible. However, though I am a Christian, I have always seen bible stories as just that--stories that have been told through the ages, that get a little (or a lot) twisted in the retelling over and over through thousands of years. I mean-really?--does anyone think an ENTIRE TOWN would be inhabited only by violent homosexuals? And is there anyone out there that isn't appalled by the idea of Lot, a supposedly just man, offering to toss his daughters to the wolves? The story, like many in the bible, is just not plausible. The bible was written by man--and who is to say what words were inspired by God and what were inspired by men who think they were inspired by God? As sad as the story was, it was also uplifting. I hope Mary's efforts to reach out to others will give her comfort that Bobby had not died in vain.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted June 5, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    Moving, touching amazing

    This is a sad story but it is really worth the read for any parent who is struggling with their child being gay or with a sibling then you need to read this book. The gay thing is not all this book is about it is about a mother realizing that the love for a child goes farther than the surface but to the heart, this story is ultimately about a mothers love and sadly regret.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 30, 2009

    How Bobby left his mark, and how you should learn from it...

    As a young American and as a gay myself, I was inspired by the courage that Bobby held and the strength he developed through his life experiences and the obstacles that were thrown at him. It doesn't matter if you are straight, gay, black, white, short or tall, this book is one that you need to read to understand how the 'Fundamentals' of this American nation can go unobserved, or even forbidden. On the other hand this nation and it's people developed through struggle, it's just that it is now the time for the gay struggle... I hope you read this book not for its content, but for the story and the message Bobby and his family are sending to you.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted February 16, 2009

    Best book I've read in awhile

    And It truly is a keeper. The story, all of it, is just so heart-wrenching, yet heart warming at the same time. You go on a journey with a mother of a gay man who commits suicide, as she tries to find reconciliation, and eventually becomes a leading advocate for gay rights.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 11, 2007

    I'm Bobby

    Except for the suicide I am Bobby. He was born six months before me but our lives have run a parallel course. Fortunately, I have struggled to find meaning in all of it and am hopeful that my work in religious studies and philosophy will allow me to write a book that helps other gay people reconcile their faith with their sexuality. I wish I could meet and talk with Mary.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted August 29, 2006

    Sad but great

    This is an amazing book, and well written. It is extremely sad-I know I cried reading it-but as a lesbian from a conservative southern baptist family, I could relate and take strength from it. I think it would also be a good book for parents who discover their child is gay, and have religious problems with it--if they'll read it, it will show them a lot.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted June 30, 2005

    A must-read

    Prayers for Bobby details the struggle that Mary Griffith and her son Bobby endured as they tried to come to terms with his sexuality. This story brings to light the devastating consequences that can result from a parent's inability or refusal to accept their loved one's sexual orientation.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted September 15, 2004

    Excellent

    Words cannot discribe the pain Mary Griffith must have gone through, but this book does a good job conveying the message and the pride she must feel today at having had a gay son.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 17, 2004

    Heart Wrenching & Moving, Prayers For Bobboy Captivates

    Being a gay male, I picked this book up at Temecula Barnes & Noble, looking for something with a gay theme. It was by sheer luck that I chose this book. It was beyond amazing. I actually think I cried while reading this book. It shows how much society, and family has an affect on homosexual youth. I would reccomend this book to anybody. It is awesome.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 8, 2003

    A book that changed the way I see myself. A must read for gay and even non-gay people

    I read this book when I was 20. And it was really amazing how I could relate myself to Bobby, Too bad he couldn't end up as I did -or I am doing for that matter- Reading this book was greatly helpful.If you are a gay man striving for self acceptance, you really should read and own this book.It will change the way you see yourself, and It will help you understand that you are not alone -and have never been- It should also be read by all those who see us -gay people- as evil and who portray us at the Gates of Hell. They should know better... and they should know how much words can hurt, so they might try to consider who is doing wrong... Anyways, no matter how good this bood will do. it will keep you reading for hours.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 29, 2000

    I know this family and they are amazing

    I stumbled across this book at the Barnes & Noble in San Mateo, and couldn't believe that this was about a family that I knew and grew up with. I have recently come out and live with my girlfriend. The story was heart wrenching, and I can't wait to pass this book onto my parents (who are nonetheless struggling with my announcement of being a lesbian). It was wonderful to read about the coming to terms spiritually, as this was a big struggle for me as well. Excellent book, and really well written.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted May 22, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted June 8, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 2, 2008

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 12, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

Sort by: Showing all of 17 Customer Reviews
If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble
Why is this product inappropriate?
Comments (optional)
500 character limit