Chely Wright

The book starts out detailing Chely Wright's low point in life; alone and teetering on the edge of a breakdown, she contemplates suicide. But, thankfully, she doesn't do it. Instead, she decides to come out of the closet, in spite of the potential consequences to her career, not only to her family and friends, but to the world.

While a typical memoir in many regards - Ms. Wright details her childhood, which wasn't idyllic, as well as her rise to stardom and her involvement in USO shows for show more the troops stationed overseas - she also talks about gay rights, why being gay isn't a choice (I honestly do not know HOW anyone could argue with a straight face that being gay is a choice nowadays), and how being closeted might have made her career happen but she lost a lot, and hurt many people, along the way.

Sometimes the book seems disjointed and out of order - there's an anecdote about how her parents treated her sister Jeny, calling her fat and tying her up to the back of a car to make her run, that feels out of place (and horrifying!) - but, altogether, the memoir is a great read. It shows how keeping secrets about your sexual identity harms both you and those around you.

There are times when the book made me cry, because I could so relate to what Ms. Wright had experienced. I'm obviously not a country star, and I don't live my life in any sort of limelight, but I understand how she struggled with keeping her secret quiet from her family in fear of how they would react (I still haven't told anyone in my family, and likely never will), and how sometimes those who are most vocal about homosexuality being a sin are struggling with their own gayness (sigh...been there, done that). And to keep going through the tired tracks of convincing yourself that you're not REALLY gay, that it's just a phase, or just this person, or whatever. It's hard and sad and depressing.

I recommend this book; you don't have to be interested in country music to enjoy it. show less

I had heard about Chely Wright way back when but didn't really take notice. And I don't remember what prompted me to start listening to her music now and ultimately read her book. I'm glad I've done both. Her music is exceptional and her autobiography enlightening.

Unlike many celebrities who write their stories and who appear semi-illiterate in the process, Ms. Wright has an easy style about her writing (both her book and her verses) and the anguish and pain she felt as a lesbian in an show more unforgiving country music world is apparent. I have yet to watch her documentary, Wish Me Away, but it's on my desk ready for viewing.

Ms. Wright has lived a tough life and I'm glad she now has found the love she needs. Like Me: Confessions of a Heartland Country Singer is well worth the read. She also has a new avid fan.

By the way, you should listen to her CDs before and after her coming out. Many of the pre- songs you can see in the book. Her CDs from that time period appear to be semi-autobiographical. Some are frightening! show less

Sadly...we live in our world where preconceived (and false) ideas about gays and lesbians make coming out as relevant and important as ever ...Ms. Wright breaks a lot of the stereotypes about gay women both in her appearance and her strong Christian background and the pain that she's lived and kept hidden ('til now) is all too real and raw.


Just ask anyone who is still in closet (hypothetically of course since they are, after all, in the closet) and they most likely will speak of the show more heartache and loneliness and inner shame of being gay.


Until we live in a world where homosexuality is not seen as sinful and understood to be just as real and vital as heterosexual love, books like Ms. Wright's will always be needed and read...my soul aches for anyone who has known the excruciating struggle to be "normal" in a world where same gender love is so often met with hate.


I am so glad Chely Wright wrote Like Me ...I can't even begin to imagine the good that could have been done if books like this one had been written in earlier decades when there was no one to look to who could show (and tell) us that who you happened to fall in love with did not determine whether you were a freak or not.

Wright's book, though, isn't all about her sexuality. There is tons more to this wonderfully written autobiography! show less

This memoir is about homophobia and the effects of homophobia on an individual and on her relationships. It’s written in a simple, conversational way. Life in the closet, for an all-American girl, is not an easy thing. Wright stunted every aspect of her life except her career. She couldn’t see being a country music star as compatible with being a lesbian, and her life had to become pretty intolerable before she could even come out to herself. She has a story to tell, and it’s a brave show more thing for her to tell it. show less