I found this to be an interesting insight into being gay in South Korea. It is also about a mother/son relationship. I always find it fascinating to read about gay life in other countries and compare the parallels with gay life in the US. This is a good read about a young gay man figuring out his place in the world and his relationship to family.
Marc Chagall created the stained glass windows when he was in his 90s as a contribution to Jewish – Germann reconciliation.
Completed French! Working on maintaining it.
Berliner Christopher Street Day (CSD) abgebrochen - mutmaßlich Fahrzeug in Menschenmenge gefahren
What a story! Having been raised in a small rural town, I could understand the atmosphere of constant scrutiny and judgement. Luckily for me, I wasn’t held to strict religious beliefs that prevail in the book, although there was a heavy, judgmental evangelical presence in the area. Having used academia to escape that environment, I hoped for the same for the characters in the book. And maybe there was some element of that in the book, but different from my own experience of escape. Maybe the ties to the area were simply stronger than the desire to get away. >!I also found interesting Cal’s internalization of rejection.!< Maybe it’s human nature to look internally for reasons for rejection when it’s actually quite possible there are unknown reasons. I thought it seemed typical in the gay world but the more I think about it, I think it’s probably more universal. We only have access to the information we know, so I think we try to explain things to ourselves based on that limited information. Although it didn’t end how I expected or maybe even would have liked, I think there was a glimmer of hope in the ending. >!The ending seemed to indicate a desire to live authentically in a place where the majority may reject you as a person, but you’re accepted by those you care most about.!<
The Golden Gate Bridge towering over Fort Point.
This book was described as The Big Chill for a new generation and it does have that vibe. It’s an interesting look at college friends who experienced a tragedy during college who then promise to help each other through difficult times.
It made me think about my group of college friends, and even some high school friends, who I’ve remained close to. It’s nice to have people who remember who you were then and who you’ve become. I liked the book’s perspective on friendship. Although unlike in the book and in The Big Chill, I don’t have a super wealthy friend in my circle who occasionally picks up the tab!
A few wild neighbors in bloom.
Caught the tiny crescent moon above these Saguaro Cactus at twilight.
I’ve always enjoyed historical fiction that places the reader in the life of someone you might never have thought about before. From history lessons, I knew a very basic sketch of the Pullman porters. I thought it was a path into a stable income. I did not think about all the pitfalls that the job also entailed. Nor did I think about the job being a stepping stone or the limits thereof. I thought this book was a great introduction to an average gay man in the late 1920’s trying to get something out of life.
I heard about this book on an NPR segment about national book awards late last year. With the ongoing war in the Middle East, I was interested in the book’s perspective. The book was not at all what I expected! It’s sort of a biography of the narrator’s life, told in a series of flashbacks. The life lessons, the hopes, the losses, the understanding, the love are all there, woven into the tales. It’s both sad and sweet. And for me, a different perspective on being gay in Lebanon.
This sounded like an interesting read. The end of the world is coming and a gay couple set off on a road trip to deal with something they had left undone. As the book progresses, you discover the reason for the trip. I found it a little sad for all the work the couple put in. I suppose it’s a typical story about trying to do the right thing but still not getting the prize. Anyone else have any thoughts about this story?
Just finished The Lost Book of Lancelot by John Glynn. Having grown up reading about King Arthur and even studying the Arthurian legend in English Literature in college, I really enjoyed this gay retelling of the story.