Don't Fall in Love (The Secret Lives of Two Gay Soldiers Hiding in Plain Sight)

An epic work of multi-decade reporting immersed in the lives of two gay soldiers before, during, and after Don't Ask, Don't Tell, from the author of the bestselling contemporary classic, Columbine.

Years before he became a celebrated author, Dave Cullen, in denial about his own sexuality, enlisted in the Army infantry praying it would teach him to be a “real man.” His own experience informs this sweeping yet intimate account of two career soldiers who between them have served in three wars. Cullen first meets Steve and Todd, two army buddies caught in the same predicament, in the year 2000, in a gay bar in Colorado, on assignment to report on the impact of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Todd is a Southern charmer following in his Special Ops older brother’s footsteps; Steve is the dutiful son of Korean immigrants who were determined he attend West Point and find a suitable bride. Reported over 25 years, this sprawling saga takes us from barracks to gay chat rooms and clubs to foreign lands, conflict zones and senior Pentagon meetings. Seen from the eyes of two brave soldiers locked in battle with an insidious foe, this is the quintessential story of closeted military service men and women and the societal pressures and political policies that to this day limit and constrain their lives.

Written with the ambition, narrative power and deep human understanding that made Columbine one of the most celebrated works of nonfiction books of the century, Don't Fall in Love is the story of two unforgettable warriors who faithfully served our country while being denied the most basic human value: the right to love.