Edie Windsor, Joshua Lyon

Edie Windsor and Joshua Lyon co-authored "A Wild and Precious Life," a memoir that tells Windsor's story as a pioneering LGBTQ+ rights activist. Windsor gained national prominence as the plaintiff in United States v. Windsor, the 2013 Supreme Court case that struck down the federal Defense of Marriage Act. Her legal victory occurred after the federal government denied her the spousal tax exemption following the death of her wife, Thea Spyer, to whom she had been married for over four decades. Windsor's activism began decades before her Supreme Court case. She worked as a computer programmer at IBM during an era when being openly gay could result in job termination. Her relationship with Spyer spanned 44 years, including two years of marriage before Spyer's death from multiple sclerosis in 2009. Lyon, a journalist and author, collaborated with Windsor to document her life story. The memoir chronicles Windsor's journey from her early life through her groundbreaking legal battle. Windsor died in 2017 at age 88, two years before the book's publication.

Readers respond positively to the personal storytelling and historical documentation in "A Wild and Precious Life." Many appreciate the intimate portrait of Windsor's relationship with Thea Spyer and the detailed account of their decades together. Readers find value in the book's documentation of LGBTQ+ history and Windsor's role in advancing marriage equality. Some readers praise the book's accessible writing style and the way it balances personal narrative with legal and social history. The memoir receives recognition for preserving Windsor's voice and perspective on significant civil rights events. Critical responses focus on pacing issues and organizational structure. Some readers note that certain sections feel rushed while others drag. A few reviewers mention that the collaboration between Windsor and Lyon occasionally creates inconsistencies in narrative voice. Some readers express disappointment that the book does not delve deeper into certain legal aspects of the Supreme Court case or provide more analysis of its broader implications for LGBTQ+ rights.