Dancing to the Lyrics: Finding an Inner Rhythm

by Dwayne Ratleff

Dancing to the Lyrics is a timeless and timely coming-of-age tale. Through the eyes of the young protagonist, Grant Cole, we are offered a first-hand account of an African American gay youth who perseveres in spite of personal and family obstacles as well as the larger challenges of his era.As Grant struggles to comprehend his own nature, his world, and the adults who populate it, he observes and emotionally reacts to the assassinations of MLK and RFK, the Baltimore riots, the Vietnam War and more. Poverty, accompanied by crime, violence and fear, is his frequent companion, but his own vivid imagination and close relationships with his younger sisters, various family members and friends bring hope and humor into his life.While Grant witnesses the abuse of his mother at the hands of a cruel stepfather, and discovers the man he doesn’t want to be, he strives continually toward understanding the person he was born to be. He learns crucial lessons from his life faith and pragmatism from his grandparents, and open-mindedness and self-acceptance from a diverse cast of unconventional but kindly characters woven throughout his story.While very much an individual’s story of overcoming adversity during a specific point in time and place – 1960’s America – Dancing to the Lyrics also provides a lens through which we can view events in our current time. The lessons that young Grant learns are as relevant today as ever and discerning them through the eyes of such an insightful youngster is a revelation.

453 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 5, 2020

Reviews

[Sarah Bement · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little did I know the lyrics you heard

I remember where you and your sisters lived in Winchester. I know we rode on the bus together. Little did I know of your life and your story. You are an amazing person. Your ability to share your story interlaced with the history of the times brought tears to my eyes and awe of all you endured as I read the pages. Duane I thank you for sharing the lyrics of your life.

[Yanitee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written, thought provoking, and educational. An excellent book that will keep you engaged from beginning to end! This book takes you on a journey through 1960s Baltimore from the perspective of a young boy. It explores family, love, violence, and race with a backdrop of humor and resilience. I highly recommend this book and think it will be engaging to a wide audience of people.

[Sarah Schulman]

Dwayne A Ratleff did a huge labor of memory and recapture this story of growing up as a working class Black child in America. This self-published book is a bit overstuffed with lots of details, many of which are evocative of an era and an under recorded experience. I look forward to the volume in which the author details his life as a gay man with as much attention and historical specificity.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I sincerely hope that everyone reads this book. I couldn’t put it down from the start. The voice, the characters, are all so well developed and the wisdom and experience woven throughout the story gives the reader much to reflect on and think about.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing & important read

Although some of the topics in this book are quite heavy, knowing it is an entirely true story made me push through. The perspective of a gay Black man in the 1960s is not one we often get, and it was interesting to compare Dwayne’s story to my dad’s, who is the same age but White and grew up in California. I highly recommend reading this book to understand the perspective of other people.

[Best Indie Book Award · Rating 5 out of 5]

2021 Best Indie Book Award Winner!