For two years, Philip Gambone traveled the length and breadth of the United States, talking candidly with LGBTQ people about their lives. In addition to interviews from David Sedaris, George Takei, Barney Frank, and Tammy Baldwin, Travels in a Gay Nation brings us lesser-known voices—a retired Naval officer, a transgender scholar and “drag king,” a Princeton philosopher, two opera sopranos who happen to be lovers, an indie rock musician, the founder of a gay frat house, and a pair of Vermont garden designers.\ In this age when contemporary gay America is still coming under attack, Gambone captures the humanity of each individual. For some, their identity as a sexual minority is crucial to their life’s work; for others, it has been less so, perhaps even irrelevant. But, whether splashy or quiet, center-stage or behind the scenes, Gambone’s subjects have managed—despite facing ignorance, fear, hatred, intolerance, injustice, violence, ridicule, or just plain indifference—to construct passionate, inspiring lives.

Dorothy Allison -- Kwame Anthony Appiah -- Tammy Baldwin -- Christopher Barnhill -- Alison Bechdel -- Mandy Carter -- Jennifer Chrisler -- Beth Clayton and Patricia Racette -- Kate Clinton -- Judy Dlugacz -- Arthur Dong -- Mark Doty -- Zoe Dunning -- Joe Eck and Wayne Winterrowd -- Lillian Faderman -- Barney Frank -- Malik Gillani and Jamil Khoury -- Hillary Goodridge -- Judith (Jack) Halberstam -- Kim Crawford Harvie -- Scott Heim and Michael Lowenthal -- Jennifer Higdon -- Frank Kameny -- Randall Kenan -- Sharon Kleinbaum -- Andrew Lam -- Joan Larkin -- Stephin Merritt -- Greg Millett -- P.J. Raval -- Gene Robinson -- Richard Rodriguez -- David Sedaris -- Carl Siciliano -- Dean Spade -- George Takei -- Rachel Tiven -- Urvashi Vaid -- Modesto "Tico" Valle -- Russell van Kraayenburg.