As a boy, William Lee Adams spent his days taking care of his quadriplegic brother, worrying about his undiagnosed bipolar Vietnamese mother, and steering clear of his openly racist, war veteran father. Too shy and anxious to even speak until he's six years old, it seems unlikely William will ever leave Georgia. He passes the time alone in his room, studying maps and reading encyclopedias, dreaming of the day he'll leave all of this behind.
Decades later, as a journalist in London, William discovers the Eurovision Song Contest--an annual singing competition known for its extravagant performers and cutthroat politics. William is instantly hooked. Initially just a fan, he starts blogging about the contest, ultimately becoming the most sought-after expert. From Albania, Finland, and Ukraine, to Israel, Sweden, and Russia, William is soon jetting across the continent to meet divas, drag queens, and aspiring singers, who welcome him to their beautiful, if dysfunctional, family of choice.
An uplifting memoir about glitz, glamour, geopolitics and finding your people, no matter how far you have to travel, Wild Dances celebrates the power of pop music to help us heal and forgive.