August Book Club

Thursday, August 23, 7:30 PM

Location: 2001 Royalwood Dr., Arlington

Email Bill or call for directions 817-718-2424

Dancer From the Dance (by Andrew Holleran) Synopsis: “One of the most important works of gay literature, this haunting, brilliant novel is a seriocomic remembrance of things past -- and still poignantly present. It depicts the adventures of Malone, a beautiful young man searching for love amid New York's emerging gay scene. From Manhattan's Everard Baths and after-hours discos to Fire Island's deserted parks and lavish orgies, Malone looks high and low for meaningful companionship. The person he finds is Sutherland, a campy quintessential queen -- and one of the most memorable literary creations of contemporary fiction. Hilarious, witty, and ultimately heartbreaking, Dancer from the Dance is truthful, provocative, outrageous fiction told in a voice as close to laughter as to tears."

1. Get the book. (Books available at Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com.)
2. Read it.
3. Sign-in on the comments for this blog entry so we know how much dessert to get.
4. Come share dessert, as well as your thoughts and insights on the book.

All are welcome. See you there!Upcoming Book Club Selections:
• September: Maurice by E. M. Forster
• October: The Front Runner by Patricia Nell Warren
• Nov-Dec: Call Me by Your Name by Andre Aciman
• January: The Dreyfus Affair: A Love Story by Peter Lefcourt
• February: At Swim, Two Boys by Jamie O'Neill
• March: How I Paid For College: A Novel of Sex, Theft, Friendship & Musical Theater by Marc Acito
• April: A Home At The End of the World by Michael Cunningham
• May: Like People in History by Felice Picano
• June: Becoming a Man: Half a Life Story by Paul Monette

July Book Club

Thursday, July 26, 7:30 PM

Location: 2001 Royalwood Dr., Arlington

Email or call Bill for directions: 817-718-2424

Giovanni's Room (by James Baldwin) Synopsis: "Set in the 1950s Paris of American expatriates, liaisons, and violence, a young man finds himself caught between desire and conventional morality. With a sharp, probing imagination, James Baldwin's now-classic narrative delves into the mystery of loving and creates a moving, highly controversial story of death and passion that reveals the unspoken complexities of the human heart." This novel appears near the too of the AfterEllen’s Best Gay Books and Best Gay Fiction reading lists.

1. Get the book. (Books available at Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com.
2. Read it.
3. Sign-in on the comments for this blog entry so we know how much dessert to get.
4. Come share dessert, as well as your thoughts and insights on the book.

All are welcome. See you there!

Upcoming Book Club Selections:

• August: Dancer From the Dance by Andrew Holleran
• September: Maurice by E. M. Forster
• October: The Front Runner by Patricia Nell Warren
• Nov-Dec: Call Me by Your Name by Andre Aciman
• January: The Dreyfus Affair: A Love Story by Peter Lefcourt
• February: At Swim, Two Boys by Jamie O'Neill
• March: How I Paid For College: A Novel of Sex, Theft, Friendship & Musical Theater by Marc Acito
• April: A Home At The End of the World by Michael Cunningham
• May: Like People in History by Felice Picano
• June: Becoming a Man: Half a Life Story by Paul Monette

June Book Club

Thursday, June 28, 7:30 PM

 

Hero

Location: 2001 Royalwood Dr., Arlington, 76006

Email or call Bill for directions: 817-718-2424

Hero (by Perry Moore). Synopsis: "The last thing in the world Thom Creed wants is to add to his father’s pain, so he keeps secrets. Like that he has special powers. And that he’s been asked to join the League – the very organization of superheroes that spurned his dad. But the most painful secret of all is one Thom can barely face himself: he’s gay. But becoming a member of the League opens up a new world to Thom. There, he connects with a misfit group of aspiring heroes, including Scarlett, who can control fire but not her anger; Typhoid Larry, who can make anyone sick with his touch; and Ruth, a wise old broad who can see the future. Like Thom, these heroes have things to hide; but they will have to learn to trust one another when they uncover a deadly conspiracy within the League. To survive, Thom will face challenges he never imagined. To find happiness, he’ll have to come to terms with his father’s past and discover the kind of hero he really wants to be." This novel appears on the AfterEllen’s Best Gay Books, Top 100 Gay Books, and Best Gay Fiction reading lists.

1. Get the book. (Books available at Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com)
2. Read it.
3. Sign-in on the comments for this blog entry so we know how much dessert to get.
4. Come share dessert, as well as your thoughts and insights on the book.

All are welcome. See you there!

Upcoming Book Club Selections:

• July: Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin
• August: Dancer From the Dance by Andrew Holleran
• September: Maurice by E. M. Forster
• October: The Front Runner by Patricia Nell Warren
• Nov-Dec: Call Me by Your Name by Andre Aciman
• January: The Dreyfus Affair: A Love Story by Peter Lefcourt
• February: At Swim, Two Boys by Jamie O'Neill
• March: How I Paid For College: A Novel of Sex, Theft, Friendship & Musical Theater by Marc Acito
• April: A Home At The End of the World by Michael Cunningham
• May: Like People in History by Felice Picano
• June: Becoming a Man: Half a Life Story by Paul Monette

May Book Club

Thursday, May 22, 7:30 P.M.

Location: 2001 Royalwood Dr., Arlington, 76006

Email or call Bill for directions: 817-718-2424

Mahu Surfer: A Hawaiian Mystery (by Neil S. Plakcy) "Mahu is a generally negative Hawaiian term for homosexual, and for police detective Kimo Kanapa’aka, being gay doesn’t make for an easy life. Especially when you’re publicly outed. Now, semi-retired, Kimo must go undercover and stop a brutal killer. Already three surfers have been shot dead, and Kimo must infiltrate the close-knit surfing community, knowing his only way back to active duty is to catch a killer he may know all too well."

1. Get the book. (Books available at Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com)
2. Read it.
3. Sign-in on the comments for this blog entry so we know how much dessert to get.
4. Come share dessert, as well as your thoughts and insights on the book.

All are welcome. See you there!

March Book Club

NEW DATE: Thursday, March 29, 7:30 PM

Location: 2001 Royalwood Dr., Arlington

Email Bill or Call for directions: (817) 718-2424

The 19th Wife: A Novel (by David Ebershoff) It is 1875, and Ann Eliza Young has recently separated from her powerful husband, Brigham Young, prophet and leader of the Mormon Church. Expelled and an outcast, Ann Eliza embarks on a crusade to end polygamy in the United States. A rich account of her family’s polygamous history is revealed, including how both she and her mother became plural wives. Yet soon after Ann Eliza’s story begins, a second exquisite narrative unfolds–a tale of murder involving a polygamist family in present-day Utah. Jordan Scott, a young man who was thrown out of his fundamentalist sect years earlier, must reenter the world that cast him aside in order to discover the truth behind his father’s death. And as Ann Eliza’s narrative intertwines with that of Jordan’s search, readers are pulled deeper into the mysteries of love, family, and faith. (Author's video description)

1. Get the book. (Books available at Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com)
2. Read it.
3. Sign-in on the comments for this blog entry so we know how much dessert to get.
4. Come share dessert, as well as your thoughts and insights on the book.

All are welcome. So that we know how much dessert to have ready, please add your NAME and EMAIL to the comment section for this event. See you there!

February Book Club

Thursday, February 23, 7:30 PM

Location: 2001 Royalwood Dr., Arlington

Email Bill or Call for directions: (817) 718-2424

Insignificant Others (by Stephen McCauley)  Publishers Weekly: Narrator Richard and his partner, Conrad, are a well-adjusted gay couple living in Boston at “the end of the American Century” in McCauley’s adroit latest (after Alternatives to Sex). They have an understanding that allows for the occasional infidelity, but when Richard realizes that Conrad’s current fling may be luring him away, he begins to worry. It doesn’t help that Richard is becoming infatuated with his own insignificant other, Benjamin, who leads a double life as a supposedly happily married father of two. Richard’s problems, though, go well beyond his love life, and with a dry, caustic wit and the occasionally weighty social observation, he describes how he’s coping with his own exercise addiction, his suspicious sister, a client at work who may or may not be on the brink of going crazy, a friend who can’t bring himself to tell his wife about his health problems, and his deeply confused feelings about Conrad and Benjamin. But it’s an unlikely alliance with Conrad’s business partner and the slow unraveling of his problems that adds an unexpectedly and refreshingly sentimental dimension to this accomplished comedy.

1. Get the book. (Books available at Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com)
2. Read it.
3. Sign-in on the comments for this blog entry so we know how much dessert to get.
4. Come share dessert, as well as your thoughts and insights on the book.

All are welcome. So that we know how much dessert to have ready, please add your NAME and EMAIL to the comment section for this event. See you there!

January Book Club

Thursday, January 26, 7:30 PM

Host: Bill

Location: 2001 Royalwood Dr., Arlington, 76006

Call for directions: (817) 718-2424

NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn. From School Library Journal: (Grade 9-Up) What happens when two witty, wise, but vulnerable teens meet by accident at a chaotic punk rock club? They fall in love, of course. While both are dealing with the fallout of failed relationships and the infinite hurt that accompanies them, they are questioning everything about themselves, their friends, and their future paths. The passion and intelligence of these characters, along with the authors' intimate knowledge of and complete respect for their audience, make this novel unique. Told in alternating chapters over the course of a single night, the narratives create a fully fleshed-out picture of both teens, informed by their love of music, their devotion to their friends, and their clear-eyed view of the world. These kids don't drink or do drugs and it's solely their obsession with music that takes them to these clubs. One of Norah's relatives calls her a potty mouth, and that's no exaggeration. Throughout the book, the expletives fly fast and furious, but they are more about personal expression and in-your-face attitude than about strong emotions. Yet, there is also considerable depth and sensitivity. Norah explains the Jewish concept of tikkun olam the responsibility to heal a fractured world and Nick comes up with an original spin on it. There are many heart-stopping, insightful moments in this supremely satisfying and sexy romance. A first-rate read.
 
1. Get the book. (Books available at Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com)
2. Read it.
3. Sign-in on the comments for this blog entry so we know how much dessert to get.
4. Come share dessert, as well as your thoughts and insights on the book.
 
All are welcome. So that we know how much dessert to have ready, please add your NAME and EMAIL to the comment section for this event. See you there!

P.S. Insignificant Others by Stephen McCauley is the February book club selection.

Book Club for November/December

NEW DATE: Thursday, December 8, 7:30 PM

Host: Bill

Location: 2001 Royalwood Dr., Arlington, 76006

Call for directions: (817) 718-2424

Probation by Tom Mendicino (Publishers Weekly) A middle-aged married man whose indiscretion in a men's bathroom forces him to re-evaluate his chosen life becomes a surprisingly sympathetic narrator in this potent debut. When Andy Nocera is arrested at a public highway rest stop, his wife leaves him, prompted by her father, for whom Andy works. Resigned to putting his life back together, he moves home with his mother, recently diagnosed with cancer, and takes a job as a traveling salesman around which he schedules his court-ordered therapy with a stubborn Jesuit priest. Andy attempts to detangle his motivations for both getting married when his emotions lay elsewhere and settling for an existence as a dutiful son. Like a contemporary Ethan Frome, Mendicino's protagonist struggles to reconcile his desires with the expectations of the people around him, and despite the occasional melodramatic moment, sure-footed plotting keeps the narrative from lapsing into a confessional slump.

Get the book. (Books available at Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com)

1. Read it.
2. Sign-in on the comments for this blog entry so we know how much dessert to get.
3. Come share dessert, as well as your thoughts and insights on the book.

All are welcome. So that we know how much dessert to have ready, please add your NAME and EMAIL to the comment section for this event. See you there!

Book Club for October

Thursday, October 27, 7:30 PM

Host: Bill

Location: 2001 Royalwood Dr., Arlington, 76006

Call for directions: (817) 718-2424

Letters to Montgomery Clift: A Novel (by Noel Alumit) This occasionally radiant coming-of-age tale crams human rights violations, the cultural and emotional turmoil of immigrant life, self-mutilation, family ties, abortion, coming out and the ubiquitous search for self all into a brisk, sometimes jarring read. In the midst of the atrocities of the Marcos regime in the Philippines in 1970s, eight-year-old Bong Bong Luwad is smuggled to Los Angeles, where he stays with his abusive, alcoholic Auntie Yuna, who writes "letters to God and dead relatives." Each chapter begins with missives to the eponymous dead movie star who catches Bong's imagination, filling in for his missing parents and rousing his burgeoning sexuality. Bounced around the foster care system after Auntie Yuna goes to the liquor store and never returns, Bong ends up with a well-to-do foster family, the Filipino Arangans, who are picture-perfect on the outside, but harbor their own mysteries, disillusionments and shames, one of which drives Bong away from them. He finds a confidante in their rebellious daughter, Amada, and a range of opportunities provided by their wealth, but he connects with Amnesty International and holds on to the hope that his parents are still alive. The obsessive letters are a rather clumsy expository device and the ending is less than credible, but Alumit's debut is affecting enough to suggest that when he hits his stride, he will be a writer to reckon with. Forecast: Though unlikely to find a large mainstream audience, this should strike a chord with gay and/or Filipino readers.

Get the book. (Books available at Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com)

1. Read it.
2. Sign-in on the comments for this blog entry so we know how much dessert to get.
3. Come share dessert, as well as your thoughts and insights on the book.

 All are welcome. So that we know how much dessert to have ready, please add your NAME and EMAIL to the comment section for this event. [If you are having trouble leaving a comment, please email dfwteddy1955@yahoo.com and I will add your "reservation. The comment program is erratic lately, and I'm trying to get info from Blogger to fix it.]

See you there!

September Book Club

Thursday, September 29, 7:30 P.M.

Host: Bill

Location: 2001 Royalwood Dr., Arlington, 76006

Call for directions: 817-718-2424

The Hour Between: A Novel (Sebastian Stuart) When Arthur McDougal is kicked out of Manhattan’s toniest boys’ school, his parents ship him off to the only place that will take him in—the Christian Science–inflected Spooner School. There, in the woods of Connecticut, Arthur meets Katrina Felt, the charming, troubled daughter of a Hollywood movie star. As Arthur struggles with his sexuality and Katrina’s beauty and talent land her in a Broadway musical, the two forge a tender friendship. But while Arthur’s confidence grows, Katrina is pulled down by the heartbreaking secrets and sorrows of her past. By year’s end, their lives will be changed forever, and their friendship will be over. Set in the late 1960s, The Hour Between is a compelling portrait of a time and place, replete with drugs, sex, Andy Warhol, a cast of truly memorable secondary characters, and some of the sharpest and funniest dialogue in recent memory. “This simple but wholly moving coming-of-age story features a worthy successor to Holden Caulfield coming to grips with what (and who) he cannot change. – Reed Business Information”

1. Get the book. (Books available at Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com)
2. Read it.
3. Sign-in on the comments for this blog entry so we know how much dessert to get.
4. Come share dessert, as well as your thoughts and insights on the book.

All are welcome. See you there!

GROUP RATING OF THIS FOLLOWING DISCUSSION (10=HI, 1=LO): 7.6

Book Club for August

Thursday, August 25, 7:30 P.M.

Host: Bill

Location: 2001 Royalwood Dr., Arlington, 76006

Call for directions: 817-718-2424

First You Fall: A Kevin Connor Mystery (Scott Sherman) When his friend's death is ruled a suicide, Kevin Connor -- a hustler by trade, sleuth by default -- sets out to prove a case of murder. It doesn't help matters that the victim's grown children, who disapproved of their father's gay lifestyle, are only concerned about their inheritance. But they are not Kevin's only problem. His high-strung mother has moved in with him-and she knows nothing about his questionable . . . job.


1. Get the book. (Books available at Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com)
2. Read it.
3. Sign-in on the comments for this blog entry so we know how much dessert to get.
4. Come share dessert, as well as your thoughts and insights on the book.

All are welcome. See you there!

GROUP RATING OF THIS FOLLOWING DISCUSSION (10=HI, 1=LO): 7.3

Book Club for July

Thursday, July 28, 7:30 P.M.

Host: Bill

Location: 2001 Royalwood Dr., Arlington, 76006

Call for directions: 817-718-2424

Selfish and Perverse (Bob Smith) From Publishers Weekly: Standup comedian and television writer Smith, who published the Lambda Award–winning memoir Openly Bob in 1997, throws his hat into the gay fiction ring with this absorbing, funny and smoldering romantic comedy. Nelson Kunker, a miserably single, mid-30s unproductive novelist and Hollywood script coordinator for late night TV's Aftertaste, is burning out: endless cat-fighting at work, a boss from hell and the nagging notion that he's either really talented or just gay. Safeguarded by best friend Wendy (a gigantic lesbian), Nelson's love life finally gets a boost after a chance meeting with burly Alaskan salmon fisherman–cum–student archeologist Roy Briggs, cousin to Aftertaste's star performer Joe Benedetti. The two are immediately smitten, but Nelson gets fired for smoking marijuana with sexually ambiguous guest star Dylan Fabizak, on parole and postrehab after a drug arrest. Cut to Nelson, Roy and Dylan at Roy's home in Coffee Point, Alaska, with all the sex, danger, salmon fishing lore and sarcastic dialogue one reader could want, and an appearance from mother-hen Wendy to sort it all out. Pithy zingers (and a fair share of apparently intentional groaners), a chatty gang of likable characters, a simple yet sexy plot line and camera-ready prose combine with panache in this immensely entertaining story.

1. Get the book. (Books available at Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com)
2. Read it.
3. Sign-in on the comments for this blog entry so we know how much dessert to get.
4. Come share dessert, as well as your thoughts and insights on the book.

All are welcome. See you there!

GROUP RATING OF THIS FOLLOWING DISCUSSION (10=HI, 1=LO): 6.8

May-June Book Club

Thursday, June 16, 7:30 P.M.

Host: Bill
Location: 2001 Royalwood Dr., Arlington, 76006

Call for directions: 817-718-2424

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister (Gregory Maguire) From Publishers Weekly: The inspired concept of Maguire's praised debut, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, was not a fluke. Here [in his second novel] he presents an equally beguiling reconstruction of the Cinderella story, set in the 17th century, in which the protagonist is not the beautiful princess-to-be but her plain stepsister. Iris Fisher is an intelligent young woman struggling with poverty and plain looks. She, her mother, Margarethe, and her retarded sister, Ruth, flee their English country village in the wake of her father's violent death, hoping to find welcome in Margarethe's native Holland. But the practical Dutch are fighting the plague and have no sympathy for the needy family. Finally, a portrait painter agrees to hire them as servants, specifying that Iris will be his model. Iris is heartbroken the first time she sees her likeness on canvas, but she begins to understand the function of art. She gains a wider vision of the world when a wealthy merchant named van den Meer becomes the artist's patron, and employs the Fishers to deal with his demanding wife and beautiful but difficult daughter, Clara. Margarethe eventually marries van den Meer, making Clara Iris's stepsister. As her family's hardships ease, Iris begins to long for things inappropriate for a homely girl of her station, like love and beautiful objects. She finds solace and identity as she begins to study painting. Maguire's sophisticated storytelling refreshingly reimagines age-old themes and folklore-familiar characters. Shrewd, pushy, desperate Margarethe is one of his best creations, while his prose is an inventive blend of historically accurate but zesty dialogue and lyrical passages about saving power of art. The narrative is both "magical," as in fairy tales, and anchored in the reality of the 17th century, an astute balance of the ideal and sordid sides of human nature in a vision that fantasy lovers will find hard to resist.

1. Get the book. (Books available at Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com)
2. Read it.
3. Sign-in on the comments for this blog entry so we know how much dessert to get.
4. Come share dessert, as well as your thoughts and insights on the book.

NOTE: Although Book Club normally meets the fourth Thursday of the month, due to the holiday weekends at the end of May and June, we'll split the difference for the next meeting. Book Club will resume its fourth Thursday of the month schedule in July.

All are welcome. See you there!

April Book Club

Thursday, April 28, 7:30 P.M.

Host: Bill

Location: 2001 Royalwood Dr., Arlington, 76006 (map)

Call for directions: 817-718-2424

The Confession (James E. Mcgreevey) In August 2004, Governor James E. McGreevey of New Jersey made history when he stepped before microphones, declared "My truth is that I am a gay American," and announced his resignation. The story made international headlines---but what led to that moment was a human and political drama more complex and fascinating than anyone knew. Now, in this extraordinarily candid memoir, McGreevey shares his story of a life of ambition, moral compromise, and redemption. ... More than a coming-out memoir, The Confession is the story of one man's quest to repair the rift between his public and private selves, at a time in our culture when the personal and political have become tangled like frayed electric cables. Teeming with larger-than-life characters, written with honesty, grace, and rare insight into what it means to negotiate the minefields of American public life, it may be among the most honest political memoirs ever written.

1. Get the book. (Books available at Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com)
2. Read it.
3. Sign-in on the comments for this blog entry so we know how much dessert to get.
4. Come share dessert, as well as your thoughts and insights on the book.

All are welcome. See you there!

NEW DATE: March Book Club

Thursday, March 31, 7:30 P.M.

Host: Bill

Location: 2001 Royalwood Dr., Arlington, 76006 (map)

Call for directions: 817-718-2424

The Chicken Asylum (Fred Hunter)- When Alex Reynolds, his lover Peter Livesay, and his mother Jean-occasional freelance operatives for the CIA-are asked to stash an Iraqi military defector in their home, all three are less than thrilled. It turns out the defector is an 18-year-old soldier who has ties to a terrorist organization and, to further complicate matters, is gay. But the real trouble begins when the young man mysteriously disappears, and suddenly Alex, Peter and Jean find themselves in the middle of a very dangerous game.

1. Get the book. (Books available at Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com)
2. Read it.
3. Sign-in on the comments for this blog entry so we know how much dessert to get.
4. Come share dessert, as well as your thoughts and insights on the book.

All are welcome. See you there!