This updated reprint of the book that resulted from Miller's essay "What It Means to Be a Homosexual," first printed in The New York Times Magazine in 1971, includes the original essay, an afterword by the author, a foreword by Dan Savage, who initiated the It Gets Better Project, an afterword by Charles Kaiser, excerpts from personal letters and a never completed forward, and an obituary for Miller, all of which serve to emphasize the essay's importance to the gay rights movement. The essay was a response not only to a particular homophobic article, but to prevailing homophobia in American society, and Miller discusses the social consequences of his identification as a gay man, as well as his hopes and fears about the future. Though first published over forty years ago, the essay remains pertinent and powerful today. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)