<p>Who is the author of American Savage?</p>

<p>The author of American Savage is Dan Savage.</p>

Society & Culture

American Savage Book Summary - American Savage Book explained in key points

Listen to the Intro

00:00

American Savage summary

Name: American Savage
Rating: 4.1 (37 reviews)
Author: Dan Savage

Dan Savage

Insights, Slights and Fights on Faith, Sex, Love and Politics

4.1 (37 ratings)

20 mins

Brief summary

American Savage by Dan Savage is a bold and humorous memoir that challenges pervasive cultural stereotypes about sexuality, race, religion, and politics while revealing a deeply personal tale of love, marriage, and family.

Topics

Simplify Podcast Sex

Table of Contents

American Savage
Summary of 8 key ideas

Audio & text in the Blinkist app

Key idea 1 of 8

What’s in it for me? Follow Dan Savage’s quest for a more tolerant United States.

During his long career as a gay rights activist, Dan Savage has inspired countless Americans to stand up to the hatred and discrimination that the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community face on a daily basis in a country still plagued by intolerance and religious dogmatism.

Through his sex columns and his podcast Savage Love, he’s challenged many common misconceptions about sex and sexuality, and has helped people shed their inhibitions to lead more sexually fulfilling lives.

In these blinks, you’ll learn about some of Savage’s more controversial ideas and advice for the sex-deprived, his quest to end bullying of young LGBT people and why American sex education needs an overhaul.

In these blinks, you’ll learn

why cheating is sometimes a good idea;
the real meaning of the word “santorum;” and
why American gun laws need to change.

Using the Bible to condemn homosexuality and justify antigay bigotry is extremely hypocritical.

Even though the author, Dan Savage, was raised Catholic, he isn’t the kind of man the Church welcomes with open arms.

After all, Savage is a candid sex columnist and outspoken gay rights activist who is happily married to his husband, Terry Miller. Meanwhile, both the Church and the Bible itself openly condemn homosexuality.

Antigay Christians often justify their hatred of LGBT people by citing the Old Testament, which says that any man who “lies with” another man “shall surely be put to death.”

Savage has met with countless people who tell him they can’t help but bully gay people since the Bible says it is wrong to be gay.

The Church also has a long history of persecuting gay people by throwing its significant political power behind antigay legislation. Over the years, the Church has tried to ban gay marriage and same-sex adoption rights, as well as block advances in LGBT civil rights.

What many people don’t realize is that they’re being rather hypocritical when they focus their attention on one part of the Bible.

The Old Testament also advocates for slavery and the stoning of women who have premarital sex. Yet the majority of people are quick to discount these verses and say that the Old Testament isn’t considered a relevant text in modern Christianity.

So there is a choice to be made: people can either accept they are being hypocritical when adhering to one part of the Bible while ignoring others, or we need to agree that the Old Testament is out of touch with the values of modern societies.

Just as we’ve come to accept that the Bible was wrong about slavery, we should agree that the Old Testament is not an appropriate lens through which to interpret something as complex as human sexuality.

Some relationships can benefit from extramarital sex, and all partners should be good, giving and game.

Most people have a hard time accepting the idea that having sex with someone other than their partner might be good for their relationship.

But in certain cases, Dan Savage has recommended cheating as a way to keep a couple’s relationship alive.

The Church’s view of sex is far removed from reality, and sex education in the United States is woefully inadequate.

You might not think of the Catholic Church and the US school system as having much in common – yet they both teach damaging lessons when it comes to sex.

For the Church’s part, its take on sex has been incredibly counterproductive and is entirely disconnected from reality.

Arguments against marriage equality and same-sex parenting are hypocritical and illogical.

As you can imagine, Dan Savage’s husband was none too happy when he found out that the author had invited the staunch antigay marriage advocate Brian Brown over to their house for dinner.

As expected, a lively debate ensued, and it illustrated just how ridiculous the argument against gay marriage is.

Gay pride events and BDSM fairs are liberating and promote safe sex, and straight people can benefit from them as well.

According to some right-wing bigots, all gay people are depraved perverts, and you can witness this behavior during gay pride parades and BDSM fairs.

The Oklahoma state legislator, Sally Kern, uses these examples to support her bigoted argument that homosexuality is a bigger threat to the nation than “terrorism and Islam.”

Contrary to what Christian conservatives argue, being gay isn’t a choice – but remaining in the closet is.

Can you imagine your sexual orientation being something you decide upon when you wake up in the morning? When choosing your outfit for the day, could you then also choose who you’re attracted to?

Sounds impossible, right? Yet conservatives and antigay bigots are still arguing that sinful people are choosing to be gay.

The LGBT movement has helped save lives and encouraged people to stand up for themselves.

Even Dan Savage has his limits. And he’d certainly had enough when Rick Santorum, the US Senate’s third-ranking Republican, compared gay people to child rapists and dog fuckers.

Savage wasn’t alone; his readers were pretty upset as well, so they worked together to come up with an appropriate response. Eventually, they found a way to forever link the name Santorum to the dirtiest thing they could think of.

The US health care system and gun control laws are in desperate need of repair.

It can seem ironic that even though Jesus told his followers to care for the sick, the most religious states in the United States are the ones with the fiercest opposition to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare.

But one of the biggest reasons for this is the mistaken idea that the Affordable Care Act is an act of socialism.

Want to see all full key ideas from American Savage?

Key ideas in American Savage

More knowledge in less time

Read or listen

Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.

Find your next read

Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.

Shortcasts ^New

We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

What is American Savage about?

American Savage (2014) explores some of the most contentious social and political issues in the US today, ranging from religion to gay rights, and from health care to education. It offers a fresh, humorous and unconventional perspective on today’s most divisive subjects, while also sounding a rallying cry to fight oppression and stand up for human rights.

This is a Blinkist staff pick

“Podcast fans will no doubt know Savage from shows like This American Life and his own wildly popular podcast, Savage Love. His unflinching, playful style provokes honest thought about gender, orientation, love, sex, and why we all have a blinkered view of what constitutes a healthy relationship. Read, think, enjoy — and never, ever Google “Santorum”. ”

– Carrie, Managing Editor of Blinkist Magazine

American Savage Review

American Savage (2013) is a thought-provoking book that challenges societal norms and explores controversial topics with wit and humor. Here's why this book is worth reading:

It offers a refreshing perspective on issues such as sex, love, politics, and religion, encouraging readers to question their own beliefs and think critically.
Through personal anecdotes and interviews, Dan Savage presents a diverse range of voices and experiences, creating a nuanced and multifaceted exploration of the subject matter.
The book's engaging writing style keeps readers invested, making it a page-turner that is both entertaining and thought-provoking.

Best quote from American Savage

Being game is about being willing to give something a whirl, and happily so.

—Dan Savage

Who should read American Savage?

Advocates of LGBT issues
Partners looking for relationship and sex advice
Readers interested in health care, gun laws and gay rights

About the Author

Dan Keenan Savage is the man and voice behind the nationally syndicated sex and relationship advice column “Savage Love” and its podcast version, the Savage Lovecast. A vocal gay rights activist, Savage is also the editorial director for the weekly Seattle newspaper, the Stranger, and the author of a number of books including The Commitment: Love, Sex, Marriage, and My Family and The Kid: What Happened After My Boyfriend and I Decided to Go Get Pregnant.

Categories with American Savage

Society & Culture Sex & Relationships

Book summaries like American Savage

Adaptive Markets

Andrew W. Lo

Financial Evolution at the Speed of Thought

20 min

4.1

Marriage Be Hard

Kevin and Melissa Fredericks

12 Conversations to Keep You Laughing, Loving, and Learning with Your Partner

A Straightforward 8-Week Protocol for Learning Focus

19 min

4.3

A Handbook for New Stoics

Massimo Pigliucci and Gregory Lopez

How to Thrive in a World Out of Your Control

How Love Conquered Marriage

15 min

4.2

Your Money or Your Life

Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez

9 Steps to Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence

The Smart Way to Balance Family Life and Career

23 Techniques to Relieve Stress, Stop Negative Spirals, Declutter Your Mind, and Focus on the Present

A Philosophical Journey Into Alienation

Vengeance and Justice in Mycenae

Better Business Decisions with Human Personality Science

16 min

4.4

You Are Your Best Thing

Edited by Tarana Burke and Brené Brown

Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience

Building Meaning in Yourself, Your Role, and Your Organization

18 min

4.2

Negotiation Genius

Deepak Malhotra & Max H. Bazerman

How to Overcome Obstacles and Achieve Brilliant Results at the Bargaining Table and Beyond

15 min

4.1

Leading Without Authority

Keith Ferrazzi with Noel Weyrich

How the New Power of Co-Elevation Can Break Down Silos, Transform Teams, and Reinvent Collaboration

Knowing When to Give It, When to Withhold It, How to Earn It, and How to Fix It When It Gets Broken

Your Seven Triggers to Persuasion and Captivation

The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself

29 min

4.6

Millennial Money Makeover

Conor Richardson

Escape Debt, Save for Your Future, and Live the Rich Life Now

25 min

4.4

Walmart

Natalie Berg and Bryan Roberts

Key Insights and Practical Lessons from the World's Largest Retailer

17 min

4.6

The Beginning of Infinity

David Deutsch

Explanations That Transform the World

20 min

4.2

Being and Nothingness

Jean-Paul Sartre

A Phenomenological Essay on Ontology

14 min

4.4

The Problems of Philosophy

Bertrand Russell

Explore the Fundamental Questions and Ideas of Philosophy

A Very Short Introduction

21 min

4.4

Then I Am Myself the World

Christof Koch

What Consciousness Is and How to Expand It

17 min

Well-Designed

Jon Kolko

How to Use Empathy to Create Products People Love

In Search of a Fundamental Theory

10 Secrets to Transform Anyone's Life: 10th Anniversary Edition

12 min

4.3

What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew

Sharon Saline

Working Together to Empower Kids for Success in School and Life

21 min

4.6

Didn't See That Coming

Rachel Hollis

Putting Life Back Together When Your World Falls Apart

Stop Pleasing, Start Living

26 min

3.8

The Fine Art Of Small Talk

Debra Fine

How To Start a Conversation, Keep It Going, Build Networking Skills – and Leave a Positive Impression!

Get More Done One Thing at a Time

The Science of Conversation

Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators

Feminism and the Subversion of Identity

17 min

3.5

Zero to One

Peter Thiel with Blake Masters

Notes on Startups, or How to Build The Future

A Kinder, Funner Usage Guide for Everyone Who Cares About Words

The Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essential ... in Business and in Life

14 min

4.5

A Monk's Guide to Happiness

Gelong Thubten

Meditation in the 21st Century

22 min

4.7

So You Want to Talk About Race

Ijeoma Oluo

An examination of the complex system of racism in the United States

Healing Rejection, Guilt, Failure, and Other Everyday Hurts

21 min

4.4

Wherever You Go, There You Are

Jon Kabat-Zinn

Mindfulness Meditation In Everyday Life

A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children

17 min

4.4

The Lost Art of Connecting

Susan McPherson

The Gather, Ask, Do Method for Building Meaningful Business Relationships

18 min

4.3

The Science and Technology of Growing Young

Sergey Young

An Insider's Guide to the Breakthroughs That Will Dramatically Extend Our Lifespan . . . and What You Can Do Right Now

Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream

22 min

4.4

How to Hug a Porcupine

Sean K. Smith

Easy Ways to Love the Difficult People in Your Life

Successful Habits of Visionary Companies

19 min

4.4

In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts

Gabor Maté

Close Encounters with Addiction

19 min

4.4

People ❤️ Blinkist

Sven O.

It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

Thi Viet Quynh N.

Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

Jonathan A.

Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

Renee D.

Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.