Reviews for Between Darkness and Dawn: A Saga of the Hehalutz

The average rating for Between Darkness and Dawn: A Saga of the Hehalutz based on 2 reviews is 2.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2012-06-07 00:00:00 Thomas Pacioni I added this book to my list twenty years ago out of curiosity to see how the story of Chastity Bono's coming out had played out in her famous family. That is discussed in the book, although not in the exhaustive detail I would have expected. Instead, because she had begun working with a couple of Gay Rights organizations, Chastity expands her own story to include those of about a dozen other families of gay men and women and their difficulties with coming out. She also includes some guidelines and suggestions for people wanting to come out and for their families. She particularly addresses the issue of parents coming out - admitting to themselves and others that they have a family member who is a homosexual. This aspect of the book was sort of wasted on me, but I can see how it would be useful to gays and their families when they are in that position even now. The book ends on a sad note. Chastity indicates that her father, Sonny Bono, was initially more supportive of her when she came out than her mother was. But after he went into politics, he began to officially espouse a conservative anti-gay position, and at the time of his death, they had not been speaking for some time. This book was written in 1998, shortly after Sonny's death. It does not cover the events of the years since then when Chastity became Chaz, which is likely another story on its own. This was a library book.

Review # 2 was written on 2008-05-10 00:00:00 Scott Helm Brilliant piece of writing. See Chastity (as she was named at birth) go through several huge life changes. As her mother Cher asked her once, "are you gay Chastity or are you just pro-gay?" Chastity answered "pro-gay" but it was not way at all. She thought she was gay, but in the end was quite different. Read it with an open mind. Chastity/Chaz has a bold, clear, and honest way of telling a story. She sometimes paints Cher as a non-caring, career-driven mother. Cher would leave Chastity alone with weird baby sitters when she was doing a Broadway play. Just any old warm body would do for watching her child. That part was sad. Also the parts where Chastity was able to wander New York City and ride the bus and subways at quite a young age--alone and unchaperoned. That stuff really creeped me out. And she spoke with much love and affetion to her step-mother, Sonny's second wife. She was a loving and accepting woman who always listened to Chastitiy's problems, wants, and desires. Eyeopening.