Download The Cool Part of His Pillow Rodney Ross 9781613725047 Books
Download The Cool Part of His Pillow Rodney Ross 9781613725047 Books
Download As PDF : The Cool Part of His Pillow Rodney Ross 9781613725047 Books
The mid-40's are that time in a gay man's life when his major paradigm shifts from sexy to Sansabelts. But when Barry Grooms's partner of twenty years is killed on Barry's forty-fifth birthday, his world doesn't so much evolve as it does explode. After navigating through the surreal conveyor belt of friends and family, he can't eat another casserole or swallow much more advice, and so, still numb, he escapes to Key West, then New York. He embraces a new mantra Why the hell not? First, he gets a thankless new job working for a crazy lady in a poncho, then has too many drinks with a narcissistic Broadway actor. Next, it's a nude exercise class that redefines flop sweat, and from there he's on to a relationship with a man twenty years his junior, so youthfully oblivious he thinks Karen Carpenter is a lesbian woodworker. Yet no matter how great the retreat from the man he used to be, life's gravity spins Barry back to the town where he grew up for one more ironic twist that teaches him how to say goodbye with grace.
Download The Cool Part of His Pillow Rodney Ross 9781613725047 Books
"5/12 This is a good novel in dire need of editing. Barry and Andy at age 45 have succeeded in business and love far beyond their wildest dreams. This story reminds us just how fragile that crazy little thing called life is. The story is told with humor and heart. However, much of the story telling could have been edited out with no loss to without diminishing the author's point. This is both a love story and a survivor's story which is not a Hallmark gay happy guys story... yet, despite the difficult realities the story is often amusing and is a good solid read."
Product details
|
Tags : The Cool Part of His Pillow [Rodney Ross] on . The mid-40's are that time in a gay man's life when his major paradigm shifts from sexy to Sansabelts. But when Barry Grooms's partner of twenty years is killed on Barry's forty-fifth birthday,Rodney Ross,The Cool Part of His Pillow,Dreamspinner Press,1613725043,FICTION / LGBT / Gay,FICTION / Romance / Contemporary,FICTION / Romance / General,Fiction,Fiction - General,Fiction/Romance - Contemporary,Fiction/Romance - General,Gay,Modern contemporary fiction (post c 1945),Romance - Contemporary,Romance - General
The Cool Part of His Pillow Rodney Ross 9781613725047 Books Reviews :
The Cool Part of His Pillow Rodney Ross 9781613725047 Books Reviews
- This book made me laugh many times, which is quite a feat considering the subject matter. Yes, I certainly cried at times, too. Death is an uncomfortable subject for most of us, and the death of one's partner can be unbearable to think about. Ross did an excellent job of making me feel Barry's loss. Everything was there the disbelief, the hope of it being a just a nightmare, the grief, the anger, and the acceptance.
Barry and Andy both seemed like real people to me. In fact, all of the characters in this novel were well developed. I got a kick out of many of them, including Big M. More often than not, the humor is biting, a cover for the characters' hurts and insecurities. We all have plenty of both, and using bitchy humor is one way some find to cope. While funny, it at times made me think a bit less of the characters uttering those criticizing words.
The story is one that puts us in a place most of us don't want to be—but half of all relationships will, unfortunately (unless they die together). Seeing how Barry went on with his life was poignant, humorous, frustrating, and finally fulfilling.
I would recommend this book to others. - I thought it a lovely, amusing, beautifully written book. I have to admit that I found it somewhat difficult in places. Some truth can be difficult and there is much in this book that feels true. When that happens one brings one's own grief to help color the margins of the story. Still, there are many wickedly funny passages. This may be a book about a year in grief, but it is never gloomy.
Really, though, I think the interesting way to look at The Cool Part of His Pillow, is not as the main character's encounter with loss, but in a more general way What happens when a character's world is blown apart? How will this character reconstruct his world? When nothing but rubble remains, the question of what things mean really does have to be considered piecemeal, nothing can be taken for granted. What a way to learn about what makes a character tick. Fictional characters can do this in a crucible, but this fictional character, Barry, does what all of us, sooner or later, must do pick up the pieces, examine them for meaning, and reconstruct a life from them. - This story is one painful year in the life of Barry Grooms. He is celebrating his 45th birthday with Andy Morgan, his partner of 23 years, and a group of their close friends. Both men are successful in their careers, live comfortable lives, and are still deeply in love. Barry's life is shattered when he learns that Andy and their pugs, Gertie and Noel , are killed instantly when a crane and empty 10-story building collapsed on his parked car while they were inside. Barry's not even sure why Andy was there in the first place.
Now Barry has to deal with the sudden emptiness in his life and while reading his first-person perspective, I suffered right along with him. It took me four days to get through Barry's story, not because it failed to hold my interest, but because it was so painful to me. Barry was like the close friend I didn't know how to comfort. Spending too much time with him was emotionally draining, and I felt completely helpless in the face of his grief. I was thankful for his colorful friends and his supportive mom who were there to ease his grief when it became too much for me.
Andy's very public accident hasn't managed to stay out of the paper, and Barry is not in the mood for Christmas, so he takes off to their house in Key West, Florida. More friends, more reminders of Andy, and Barry sells his home and his business, and is off to New York City.
I loved Barry's reminiscing that showed some of the problems he and Andy had as well as their deep love for each other
"If only I'd known. I would have been the first to apologize, not just then, but every time we battled. Early in our relationship, my suitcase had been packed by me and, a couple of times, for me, once being told, "Go home to mother!" I scurried for the front door, screaming, "At least I have one!" This made him cry. Over time, the luggage got nicer and the arguments remained petty, but we were careful they left no permanent nicks."
"Andy and I carried a kindergarten school photo of the other in our wallets, behind our driver's license, a reminder of who we were before we knew the other existed."
It's not all sad. There were wonderfully humorous moments too, like the one that nearly had me flying off the treadmill at the gym when Barry and his sister, Olivia, were working a summer job at Winky's and Barry had to help her find her missing wart. Yes, you read that right.
Barry's empty life fills up again as he starts dating and takes a management job at Theatrilicious, a shop specializing in rare and unusual theatre collectibles. He eventually meets a young man who makes him feel desirable, but this is not a romance story. Barry has work to do to move past his grief. There is more loss and heartbreak before Barry does find some healing and closure.
Though this story was sad and painful at times, it was also thoughtful and humorous. If my husband should suddenly die, I have a feeling I will be looking for Barry's story to comfort me. - 5/12 This is a good novel in dire need of editing. Barry and Andy at age 45 have succeeded in business and love far beyond their wildest dreams. This story reminds us just how fragile that crazy little thing called life is. The story is told with humor and heart. However, much of the story telling could have been edited out with no loss to without diminishing the author's point. This is both a love story and a survivor's story which is not a Hallmark gay happy guys story... yet, despite the difficult realities the story is often amusing and is a good solid read.
- Amazing!
- With every giggle and roll of the eyes I felt like the author was sitting next to me, retelling the story with every read. His unique and irreverent voice was all at once hilarious, poignant, and true. Told with intelligence, topical commentary, and humor, it's a great ride from start to finish. And starting again...
Comments
Post a Comment