Dreamcatcher — Cassandra Barnes

This is not a book for those looking to escape from today's politics. Sure, this is a steamy lesbian teen romance and a view of lesbian teens in the Sixties. There are vast similarities between the demonstrations of 2020-2021 and the protest marches of the Sixties. The author's life has been one deep politic, and she has always been very active in demonstrating for civil rights. Dreamcatcher is a personal and fictionalized memoir from her coming of age in the Sixties. The 1964 Civil Rights Act and 1965 Voting Rights Act freed Black Americans from the terrors of the violent white racist American south under Jim Crow and set off many liberation movements in which the author was delighted to join including the anti-war movement that rid the United States of the military conscription known as "the draft" in 1973. She also worked for Gay Liberation and Women's Liberation. The author has met Gloria Steinem, and went to a live anti-war event featuring Jane Fonda. She supported the abortion-on-demand movement, a woman's right to choose and marched in the first Gay Pride parade in Chicago. She was a super hippie with feathers in her hair just like Julietta Bonaventura, our main character. The intimate love between Julie and Shainah and their struggles with family and community are the same today with some glaring exceptions. In the Sixties, no lesbian was normally allowed to keep her children. No matter how abusive the father was - or how long and violent a felony record he had, he was always awarded custody. Homosexuality was considered a crime against nature. It was not seen as natural to love someone of the same gender. The characters in this novel should ring true today loud and clear. Peace, Love and Happiness...Know Justice, Know Peace! Stay Safe, Stay Strong!