Wild Dances

My Queer and Curious Journey to Eurovision

By: William Lee Adams

Narrated by: William Lee Adams

As a boy, William Lee Adams spent his days taking care of his quadriplegic brother, while worrying about his undiagnosed bipolar Vietnamese mother, and steering clear of his openly racist and homophobic father. Too shy and anxious to even speak until he was six years old, it seemed unlikely William would ever leave small-town Georgia.

In time, William discovered that learning was both a refuge and a ticket out. So even as he struggled to understand and to get others to accept both his sexuality and his biracial identity, William focused on his schoolwork, his extracurricular activities, and building community with the students and teachers who embraced him for who he truly was. Though his scholarship to Harvard parachuted him into a whole new world, he still carried a lifetime of secrets and unanswered questions that would haunt him no matter how far he traveled.

Years later, as a journalist in London, William discovered the Eurovision Song Contest—an annual competition known for its extravagant performers and cutthroat politics. Initially just a fan, he started blogging about the contest, ultimately becoming the most sought-after expert on the subject. William was soon jetting across the continent to meet divas, drag queens, and aspiring singers, who welcomed him to their beautiful, if dysfunctional, family of choice.

©2023 William Lee Adams (P)2023 Tantor

Heartfelt Memoir Beautifully Told

I came for the Eurovision stories but got much more. William Adams tells the story of his challenging sometimes precarious childhood with honesty, love, and humor. Child of a military veteran and Vietnamese mom William grew up gay in Georgia and eventually becomes the primer blogger for the Eurovision Song Contest living in London. I was familiar with his voice from listening to his blog and I felt the story was improved by his reading of it. Normally I don’t like to hear men read women’s voices but Adams gives his mom a voice and character so rich you won’t forget her. Recommended!

A beautiful, queer and curious story

Adams tells his story so beautifully that it leaves the listener feeling as though they have been right beside him through his journey, feeling every emotion and crying or laughing along with him. What a brilliant memoir from such a beautiful soul.