
Through
it Came Bright colors
by
Trebor healey
Paperback
232 pages, $19.95
ISBN 1560234520
Harrington Park Pr, 2003
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From
the book’s back cover, “Through It Came Bright Colors is the story of
Neill Cullane, a closeted, conflicted, 21-year-old who lives in two
worlds, light-years and a short drive of his beat-up VW bug
apart. At home, he’s the dutiful son of Frank and Grace, and
devoted brother to Peter, whose battle with a cruel, disfiguring cancer
pulls the Cullane family together, however reluctantly. But in
the shadows of the San Francisco underworld, Neill finds release with
his secret lover Vince Malone, a beautiful junkie/philosopher/thief
whose burning desire for truth lights the path Neill always knew he’d
travel. Through Vince, Neill learns about honesty and love, and
finds the courage to confront his family in the face of tragedy and
loss.
“Author Trebor Healey’s rich, lyrical prose provides a unique and
intimate look at one man’s struggle to live openly and honestly, to
love and to be loved, free from shame and guilt. Through It Came
Bright Colors is a compelling saga of emotional, spiritual, and poetic
depth.”
In brief: this is a well written book. Healey’s use of
analogy and prose is artistic, if not enlightening, while not being
burdensome. As the description implies, there are two plots
interwoven through the book, with alternating chapters carrying the
reader through both simultaneously. The plots are concurrently
mutually exclusive and synergistic. Neill is a 21 year-old virgin
when he meets Vince, a troubled, street-wise genius, who seems to
border on schizophrenia. Conservative, middle-class, college
student Neill learns from Vince the raw facts of life, from which he
has been sheltered. On the other side of Neill’s life, he has
dropped out of college to help his parents care for his beloved
brother, Peter, a modest, athletic, high school student, whose
disfiguring cancer is stealing his good looks, but not his sense of
well-being. Neil learns how to be strong in the face of adversity
from his younger brother, while learning how to nurture love in the
face of adversity from Vince. This is one of the many
opportunities the title of the book can be applied.
Through It Came Bright Colors is a book about real life, with no
punches pulled. It’s believable enough for you to identify with
one or more of the characters, and become involved in the
plot(s). It is both tender and violent. This is not a “feel
good” book. In a world of books offering pap and pabulum, this
book is meat and potatoes. It may well survive the test of time
to become known as a memorable book in gay literature. Reading it
is not likely to make you sigh and smile, and think pretty
thoughts. It does have vignettes of sweet, and sometimes
passionate, tenderness which give relief to the periods of
tension.
If you have to have an easy reading book with a happy ending, look
elsewhere. If you would rather read a book that will expose you
to real life, and involve you in its development and unpredictable
outcome, put this one on your reading list. I had a lump in my
throat most of the time that I was reading it. At the bittersweet
end, I wept. Admittedly, I am emotional and I prefer a happy
ending. However, this has become one of my favorite books.
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Ken
Newman grew up in the desert of southern California, and has a Bachelor
of Science in Engineering from San Diego State University. He is
currently employed as a mechanical engineer. He devotes his spare
time to acting, reading, traveling and writing, and is currently
working on his first book. He and his partner of 24 years live in
a historic “National Register” house in a small town in central Texas.
He can be contacted by email, here.
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Comfort & Joy
by
Jim Grimsley
ISBN:
1565123964
Paperback,
291pages
Algonquin
Books of Chapel Hill 2003
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From the book’s back
cover: “Ford McKinney is a handsome, successful doctor raised in
a well-to-do Savannah family. His longtime boyfriend, Dan Krell,
is a shy hospital [assistant] administrator with a painful childhood
past. When the holidays arrive, they decide it’s time to go home
together. But the depth of their commitment is tested when Ford’s
parents cannot reconcile themselves to their son’s choices and
long-kept family secrets are revealed by a visit to Dan’s mother.
“Comfort
and Joy is a poetic and finely wrought novel that explores the
difficult journey two men make toward love.”
The
book begins toward the end of the plot, then flashes back to Ford’s
difficult coming out process with a drunken next door neighbor, cum
temperamental lover. Ford throws him out, and becomes very
lonely, until he finds love-from-afar with Dan, a handsome tenor,
singing a Christmas song on the lobby of the hospital where Ford is an
intern. Dan’s voice is that of an angel, and haunts Ford’s
thoughts. It turns out that this shy young man has fallen in lust
with the hunky Ford, who he catches glimpses of, incidental to his
duties in the hospital. Ford finally contrives to meet Dan.
The development of their relationship is torrid but rocky. The
book’s title comes both from the song that Ford heard echoing in the
cavernous lobby, as well as the feeling both end up providing for each
other.
The
first part of the book is colored with analogy and poetic prose, luring
the reader well into the book until the hook is well set. The
book flows smoothly from thought to thought, while not being
interrupted with the convention of chapters. It is mostly an easy
read, and deals with sensitive, emotional, and heart stirring romantic
situations, while captivating the readers’ interest.
The
plot takes Ford from his most closeted moments, to his complete coming
out. Dan is taken from a frightened, introverted young man,
seemingly incapable of allowing himself into a relationship, to a
devoted, self-assured partner to Ford. Both Ford and Dan grow as
individuals, for the sake of the other, and each encourages development
in the other. The struggle they encounter with themselves and
each other is frustrating and rewarding at the same time. They
finally become dependent on each other for love and fulfillment.
I heartily recommend this book to all who love love and its nurturing.
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