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These Things Happen
These Things Happen is set in Manhattan and focuses on two couples – one gay, one straight. They share a 15-year-old son, Wesley, who lives on the upper East Side with his mother and doctor stepfather. Trying to get to know his impressive, distant father better, he moves in for a semester with him and his male partner in a mid-town brownstone. George, the partner, is a former actor — by his own account “fifteen years past fabulous.” Charming, funny, smart and compassionate, George manages a struggling theater district restaurant and becomes the model for the kind of man Wesley would someday like to be.
257 pages, Paperback
First published November 7, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
April 6, 2013
The opening chapters of "These Things Happen" are very funny - because of the spot-on first-person narrative of Wesley Bowman, a fifteen-year-old preppy whose best friend Theo has unexpectedly outed himself while giving his class president acceptance speech.
But the tone of the entire book soon begins to fade to almost black; and from a lighthearted romp that has you smiling at the character's teen-boy quirks and verbal wit, you make your way into a profound emotional journey through the eyes of each of the main characters who surround Wesley and through whom he sees his life.
We hear from Wesley, and from Theo; we hear from his father Kenny, a high-profile lawyer and national spokesperson for gay rights; and his father's longtime partner George, who owns and runs the restaurant above which they live. We also see through the eyes of Wesley's mother, Lola, a driven book editor and maternal perfectionist, and her older, adoring ophthalmologist husband, Ben. Wesley has grown up in their home, but has recently moved into his father and George's crowded little flat in order to "get to know" Kenny better. We also, oddly enough, hear from George's business partner in the restaurant, who has known George since they were chorus boys on Broadway together; and from a hospital administrator who coincidentally tricked with George once when they were both much, much younger.
And what is the point of all these first-person perspectives? To let us into each person's mind; to help us understand what an emotional minefield simply loving someone can be, especially when that someone is a teenaged boy and just emerging into manhood. There are indeed moments toward the end of the book where the inner and outer dialogues become so snarled with hesitation and self-doubt that it takes a lot of focus to keep on track. But the ultimate payoff is in the realization that there are a few people in this book who, in the end, are people to whom we would entrust our souls. And they're not necessarily the ones we'd expect.
But the tone of the entire book soon begins to fade to almost black; and from a lighthearted romp that has you smiling at the character's teen-boy quirks and verbal wit, you make your way into a profound emotional journey through the eyes of each of the main characters who surround Wesley and through whom he sees his life.
We hear from Wesley, and from Theo; we hear from his father Kenny, a high-profile lawyer and national spokesperson for gay rights; and his father's longtime partner George, who owns and runs the restaurant above which they live. We also see through the eyes of Wesley's mother, Lola, a driven book editor and maternal perfectionist, and her older, adoring ophthalmologist husband, Ben. Wesley has grown up in their home, but has recently moved into his father and George's crowded little flat in order to "get to know" Kenny better. We also, oddly enough, hear from George's business partner in the restaurant, who has known George since they were chorus boys on Broadway together; and from a hospital administrator who coincidentally tricked with George once when they were both much, much younger.
And what is the point of all these first-person perspectives? To let us into each person's mind; to help us understand what an emotional minefield simply loving someone can be, especially when that someone is a teenaged boy and just emerging into manhood. There are indeed moments toward the end of the book where the inner and outer dialogues become so snarled with hesitation and self-doubt that it takes a lot of focus to keep on track. But the ultimate payoff is in the realization that there are a few people in this book who, in the end, are people to whom we would entrust our souls. And they're not necessarily the ones we'd expect.
August 9, 2017
I complain that most novels are set in the Big Apple—but the stage is ripe for literary occurrences aplenty, I won’t lie. In Richard Kramer’s first novel, we nab a sliver of a glimpse of what all those non-NYers out there (like, what, the rest of the unlucky 99% of us) are rarely afforded: the true neo-Yorker in his habitat—as important to know, as emblematic of the nation as a whole, as eye-opening, as Edith Wharton’s NY was at the turn of the 20th century. How lucky are we to live in a world where the overstuffed, overinformed youth can have several father figures, where his best friend has the liberty, the audacity, to come out in front of his entire school? All these are norms of the new, gleaming ‘10s. Everything occurs in a day, lessons are learned, psyches are explored (the novel is told through several points of view—not an easy feat)—& what I got out of it was a sense that ultra-liberalism (sometimes, sure, with its blatant bourgeois tendencies, with an ease to overstate feelings…) cannot ever be equated with ignorance. It is not that. & also, thankfully, that we do live in better, DEFINITELY better, times. Being gay in 2013 is, no doubt, pretty frickin' awesome!
December 27, 2012
A lot can happen in a day, although sometimes its full effects aren't apparent till a few days later. If it's a day when your best friend decides that his student-government victory speech is a fine opportunity to announce his homosexuality to the entire school, and then enlists you to ask the adults you're living with--your gay father and his long-term partner--a couple of questions about their own experiences with "gayness," it's one of those days when a lot happens. And when that day is followed by one in which you learn that some of your school associates may not be entirely okay with your best friend's announcement, even more happens, and you start to see the effects.
Longtime television writer Richard Kramer worked on several TV series noted for character depth and authentic voices (thirtysomething, My So-Called Life, Once and Again), and those attributes also stand out in his debut novel, These Things Happen. The third-person narration shifts among a half-dozen closely connected characters, but the central ones are fifteen-year-old Wesley Bowman and George, the actor-turned-restauranteur who has been his father Kenny's partner for a decade. Wesley has been living with his mother, Lola, and her older second husband, Ben, since his parents split up, but it's been decided that he should spend a semester living with his father so the two can re-connect. Kenny is a prominent attorney and in-demand spokesperson within the gay community, and he's just not around all that much for Wesley (or George, for that matter), so the arrangement isn't quite going as anticipated. And when Wesley is caught up in a gay-bashing incident directed against his best friend, Theo, bigger questions are raised.
Although not all of his characters will engage the reader to the same degree, Kramer makes each member of his large cast stand out as an individual, and he draws an involving picture of the complexities of modern family life--particularly if that life is being lived in Manhattan, which is effectively also a character in the novel. New York-centricity tends to be one of my sweet spots in fiction, and it added to the story's appeal for me. The third-person narration allows for exploration of each character's inner life without immersing the reader in it the way alternating first-person voices might. As the family's situation grows more fraught later in the novel, the style becomes more stream-of-consciousness. I'm not sure if that choice was made in order to make the reader feel the emotional currents more strongly, but if it was, it had the opposite effect on me--I found concentrating on those sections more difficult as a reader, and felt less involved with the story as it led up to its conclusion.
Despite that, I'd say Richard's Kramer's first venture into novel-writing succeeds, for the most part. Its greatest strengths are in areas that aren't too surprising for a writer whose prior work has been on acclaimed television dramas: the dialogue shines, and the characters are affectingly, recognizably human. These Things Happen is being marketed as adult fiction with potential crossover to young-adult, largely for its coming-of-age GLBTQ themes. Its attributes suggest appeal to wide potential audience, and I hope it finds it.
Longtime television writer Richard Kramer worked on several TV series noted for character depth and authentic voices (thirtysomething, My So-Called Life, Once and Again), and those attributes also stand out in his debut novel, These Things Happen. The third-person narration shifts among a half-dozen closely connected characters, but the central ones are fifteen-year-old Wesley Bowman and George, the actor-turned-restauranteur who has been his father Kenny's partner for a decade. Wesley has been living with his mother, Lola, and her older second husband, Ben, since his parents split up, but it's been decided that he should spend a semester living with his father so the two can re-connect. Kenny is a prominent attorney and in-demand spokesperson within the gay community, and he's just not around all that much for Wesley (or George, for that matter), so the arrangement isn't quite going as anticipated. And when Wesley is caught up in a gay-bashing incident directed against his best friend, Theo, bigger questions are raised.
Although not all of his characters will engage the reader to the same degree, Kramer makes each member of his large cast stand out as an individual, and he draws an involving picture of the complexities of modern family life--particularly if that life is being lived in Manhattan, which is effectively also a character in the novel. New York-centricity tends to be one of my sweet spots in fiction, and it added to the story's appeal for me. The third-person narration allows for exploration of each character's inner life without immersing the reader in it the way alternating first-person voices might. As the family's situation grows more fraught later in the novel, the style becomes more stream-of-consciousness. I'm not sure if that choice was made in order to make the reader feel the emotional currents more strongly, but if it was, it had the opposite effect on me--I found concentrating on those sections more difficult as a reader, and felt less involved with the story as it led up to its conclusion.
Despite that, I'd say Richard's Kramer's first venture into novel-writing succeeds, for the most part. Its greatest strengths are in areas that aren't too surprising for a writer whose prior work has been on acclaimed television dramas: the dialogue shines, and the characters are affectingly, recognizably human. These Things Happen is being marketed as adult fiction with potential crossover to young-adult, largely for its coming-of-age GLBTQ themes. Its attributes suggest appeal to wide potential audience, and I hope it finds it.
September 14, 2012
Extremely funny so far--I'm hooked. I never watched the tv shows this author wrote for, other than the occasional episode of My So-Called Life, so I didn't know what to expect. I'd say that it's a cross between the humor of Joss Whedon and the dialogue of John Green--which makes for good entertainment, if not always entirely realistic characters. I don't think there is a pair of 15-year-old boys living in the US who talk like that, but that doesn't mean I think this is a bad thing.
I'm torn between a 3 and 4 star rating for this book. There's a point in the book, about 3/4 of the way in, where the story starts to dissolve a little for me, but the final chapter redeems a lot. I think that Kramer addresses gayness in a way that is new, at least to me. Yes, he explores the friendship between a gay boy and a straight boy, and yes, the relationship between a straight boy and his gay father & his gay father's partner--these don't seem to be new territories, but they're done well and convincingly. What seems to me to be new here is the inclusion of liberal, NPR-listening, Democratic-voting, organic food-eating, sophisticated denizens of New York who support gay rights, but discover to their dismay that they're not as accepting as they thought they were when it comes to ways gayness might "rub off" on their impressionable children.
To go into it more would be spoilerish, but I'll explain more on my blog when the review posts there. In short, this is a very funny book with a few moments of gravitas that was a real treat to read.
I'm torn between a 3 and 4 star rating for this book. There's a point in the book, about 3/4 of the way in, where the story starts to dissolve a little for me, but the final chapter redeems a lot. I think that Kramer addresses gayness in a way that is new, at least to me. Yes, he explores the friendship between a gay boy and a straight boy, and yes, the relationship between a straight boy and his gay father & his gay father's partner--these don't seem to be new territories, but they're done well and convincingly. What seems to me to be new here is the inclusion of liberal, NPR-listening, Democratic-voting, organic food-eating, sophisticated denizens of New York who support gay rights, but discover to their dismay that they're not as accepting as they thought they were when it comes to ways gayness might "rub off" on their impressionable children.
To go into it more would be spoilerish, but I'll explain more on my blog when the review posts there. In short, this is a very funny book with a few moments of gravitas that was a real treat to read.
October 4, 2014
Although generally I enjoy narratives that are told from multiple points of view--because it's always interesting to see how a situation can change depending in who's looking--this book does not accomplish this successfully. This is because although each chapter was titled with the name of the current narrator, and we were clearly seeing things from a different perspective, I was constantly flipping back to remind myself who was talking, due to the fact that the voice and the tone remained exactly the same no matter who the narrator was. There were too many conversations full of small talk and one word exchanges that were difficult to follow, which compounded the confusion.
The only characters who really seemed at all fleshed out were George and Wesley and I think if the story had stuck with them, and stuck with third person narrative (because then the consistency in tone would be welcome rather than annoying) it would have been more effective. It was a story about their relationship, after all, and it's an interesting dynamic.
Perhaps some of my dislike is also due to the fact that so much weight is hung on a question to which the answer seems obvious before it is asked and I cannot help but wonder if it's just meant for an older generation of LGBT readers to appreciate.
The only characters who really seemed at all fleshed out were George and Wesley and I think if the story had stuck with them, and stuck with third person narrative (because then the consistency in tone would be welcome rather than annoying) it would have been more effective. It was a story about their relationship, after all, and it's an interesting dynamic.
Perhaps some of my dislike is also due to the fact that so much weight is hung on a question to which the answer seems obvious before it is asked and I cannot help but wonder if it's just meant for an older generation of LGBT readers to appreciate.
July 10, 2012
I want to like this book, but found the trite dialog interspersed with detailed mental ramblings difficult to follow. The main premise of the story is excellent, but I was hoping for more of a story and fewer self- conscious anecdotal tangents. Over the course of about 36 hours, two intense life events occur (a boy comes 'out' to the student body, and later he and his best friend are gay-bashed - beaten in the school basement). I don't feel the gravity of these situations because the characters' ramblings - the 'ums' and 'I guess so's' and statements that start 'to be clear..' - are distracting do nothing to place you into the struggle of how to deal with these events. The characters are described as 'New York's liberal elite' and their thoughts are very high-brow, self-conscious and judgmental, yet they don't seem to have the vocabulary or depth to carry on even one full conversation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2012
Just knowing the author was the producer of Thirtysomething, My So-called Life and Once and Again was enough for me to pick this up, though I also read a good review. Each chapter is told from a different character's perspective.
Unfortunately, while the beginning was promising, the story dissolved toward the end. For some reason, I found the dialogue annoying the way it was written. The whole premise kind of bugged me, too, because there wasn't much of a resolution. Wesley moves in with his father because he needs to get to know him, but in the end, they're no better off. I also wanted to see more of Wesley and Theo as I liked their friendship.
Unfortunately, while the beginning was promising, the story dissolved toward the end. For some reason, I found the dialogue annoying the way it was written. The whole premise kind of bugged me, too, because there wasn't much of a resolution. Wesley moves in with his father because he needs to get to know him, but in the end, they're no better off. I also wanted to see more of Wesley and Theo as I liked their friendship.
November 21, 2012
I loved this book. I want everyone I know to read it. Why because it makes you laugh, it makes you cry, and boy does it make you feel , all the while making you think. Quite a feat.
Mr. Kramer weaves multiple character's points of view and voices together to create a chorus of humanity. Each one of his characters is relatable, either you are them, or you know them. Wesley, the sixteen year old hero of the story is just that, sixteen. He's trying to figure out where he is going both literally and figuratively living the hell that is adolescence, knowing more than he should and not enough to do anything with it. George is the anchor that holds together two interwoven families, Wesley and his father (George's long time lover), and Wesley and his mother Lola, and her husband Ben. George is the man every man and woman wants to marry, handsome, witty, self- deprecating, and sensitive, yet not aware of what a good man he truly is. Kenny is Wesley's father, a lawyer who spends all of his time trying to right every wrong committed against gay people. His time is consumed by Senate hearings, New York times interviews, sit-in's, lobbying, and standard bearing. Kenny wants the best for everybody, perhaps even more than he wants it for his own family, certainly more than he can show it. Lola, Wesley's mother wants the best for her son and is convinced she knows what it is. But , being a modern, liberal sort, she also doesn't want to shove her opinions down her son's throat, until a moment of crisis when she goes off the deep-end and on the attack in a befuddled and misguided effort to protect her son from himself. The action of the story revolves around two days in Wesley's life that he will look back at later and go Ahh...that's when I became me.
But it's not only the story and the characters that make me want to buy hundreds of copies of this book and hand it out to the people I care about, it's the amazingly lyrical way that Mr. Kramer expresses their thoughts. The writing is magnificent. I've highlighted lines I want to go back and read over and over again. SO treat yourself and read These Things Happen, I promise you won't regret it.
Mr. Kramer weaves multiple character's points of view and voices together to create a chorus of humanity. Each one of his characters is relatable, either you are them, or you know them. Wesley, the sixteen year old hero of the story is just that, sixteen. He's trying to figure out where he is going both literally and figuratively living the hell that is adolescence, knowing more than he should and not enough to do anything with it. George is the anchor that holds together two interwoven families, Wesley and his father (George's long time lover), and Wesley and his mother Lola, and her husband Ben. George is the man every man and woman wants to marry, handsome, witty, self- deprecating, and sensitive, yet not aware of what a good man he truly is. Kenny is Wesley's father, a lawyer who spends all of his time trying to right every wrong committed against gay people. His time is consumed by Senate hearings, New York times interviews, sit-in's, lobbying, and standard bearing. Kenny wants the best for everybody, perhaps even more than he wants it for his own family, certainly more than he can show it. Lola, Wesley's mother wants the best for her son and is convinced she knows what it is. But , being a modern, liberal sort, she also doesn't want to shove her opinions down her son's throat, until a moment of crisis when she goes off the deep-end and on the attack in a befuddled and misguided effort to protect her son from himself. The action of the story revolves around two days in Wesley's life that he will look back at later and go Ahh...that's when I became me.
But it's not only the story and the characters that make me want to buy hundreds of copies of this book and hand it out to the people I care about, it's the amazingly lyrical way that Mr. Kramer expresses their thoughts. The writing is magnificent. I've highlighted lines I want to go back and read over and over again. SO treat yourself and read These Things Happen, I promise you won't regret it.
July 19, 2013
I loved this writing! All the different perspectives were very interesting and enlightening. It allowed a very clear picture of each character to emerge from relatively brief glimpses. I felt like I was in that tiny apartment with them and at that restaurant table having that awkward discussion and on and on through every little scene in the book. And George's experience at the hospital? Heartbreaking. He was the real star of this book for me. It was fascinating to see how his own opinion of himself differed from everyone else's.
I also loved how these teenagers bantered with each other and how Wes talks with everyone. They were clever, but not out of the realm of possibility. They felt like real young adults.
This was a five-star read right up until the very last section between George and Wesley. That bit felt muddled. The way they talked around things that they really wanted to say was maddening. I guess I wanted (finally!) a clearer discussion of what they meant to each other. And I didn't think the things George told Wes (in answering his earlier questions) were as revealing or significant as was apparently intended. It just wasn't quite the denouement I was hoping for.
Overall, though, a very enjoyable book and I'll be watching for more from this writer.
I also loved how these teenagers bantered with each other and how Wes talks with everyone. They were clever, but not out of the realm of possibility. They felt like real young adults.
This was a five-star read right up until the very last section between George and Wesley. That bit felt muddled. The way they talked around things that they really wanted to say was maddening. I guess I wanted (finally!) a clearer discussion of what they meant to each other. And I didn't think the things George told Wes (in answering his earlier questions) were as revealing or significant as was apparently intended. It just wasn't quite the denouement I was hoping for.
Overall, though, a very enjoyable book and I'll be watching for more from this writer.
December 31, 2013
An enjoyable read from a debut novelist well recognized for his work in TV. Parts are very funny -- there's an early scene involving a clown that's so hilarious I had to read it aloud to my husband and barely could -- and other parts are heartbreaking. Ultimately it's very earnest. This is a story told with a lot of love.
For me the main story is about a man, George, who's trying to feel his way toward a connection with teenager Wesley, the son of his longtime partner. In a perfect world George would be able to call Wesley his son, or at least his step-son, and everything about their relationship would be explained (to them and to everyone else) by that term. But in a world still bitterly divided over same-sex marriage, there is also no easy name for the relationship between a man and his partner's child. In that void lurk hospital administrators who turn George away from Wesley's room, as well as painful accusations about what might happen when George and Wesley are alone together. But George does feel parental love for Wesley, enough so that he spends this novel pushing against this adversity and trying to shape a relationship out of an accumulation of moments, many of which are awkward, hesitant, fragile, and wrought with George's fear of overstepping his bounds. George himself seems to have bought into the idea that a gay man's motives for being close to any teenage boy must inherently be suspicious, and part of his journey must be to accept that that's crap.
I won't say whether he succeeds, just that his progress is beautiful to read. Kramer is a master at dialogue -- as a writer myself, one whose favorite thing to write is dialogue, I feel like I've learned from his work here. The way the characters talk around each other is gorgeous and feels realistically frustrating. I haven't seen any of Kramer's television work but it's no surprise to me that he's so respected for it.
Still, the novel suffers a bit from an abundance of voices; each chapter is narrated by a different character, sometimes very minor characters, and I was always hoping to get back to George or Wesley. I suspect Kramer, as a TV writer, is accustomed to being in all of his characters' heads, and it may have been unnatural for him to narrow things down to just one or two here; but I think the novel would've been more focused if he had.
But it's a small quibble. As I said, Kramer is clearly in love with this story and these characters. His passion comes through loud and clear and swept me up. These days one of the best, rarest things that can be said about a book -- and it can be said of this one -- is that the author cares.
I look forward to reading more of Kramer's work. Perhaps he'll try his hand at YA fiction too -- the repartee between Wesley and his friend Theo is gold and deserves a book of its own!
For me the main story is about a man, George, who's trying to feel his way toward a connection with teenager Wesley, the son of his longtime partner. In a perfect world George would be able to call Wesley his son, or at least his step-son, and everything about their relationship would be explained (to them and to everyone else) by that term. But in a world still bitterly divided over same-sex marriage, there is also no easy name for the relationship between a man and his partner's child. In that void lurk hospital administrators who turn George away from Wesley's room, as well as painful accusations about what might happen when George and Wesley are alone together. But George does feel parental love for Wesley, enough so that he spends this novel pushing against this adversity and trying to shape a relationship out of an accumulation of moments, many of which are awkward, hesitant, fragile, and wrought with George's fear of overstepping his bounds. George himself seems to have bought into the idea that a gay man's motives for being close to any teenage boy must inherently be suspicious, and part of his journey must be to accept that that's crap.
I won't say whether he succeeds, just that his progress is beautiful to read. Kramer is a master at dialogue -- as a writer myself, one whose favorite thing to write is dialogue, I feel like I've learned from his work here. The way the characters talk around each other is gorgeous and feels realistically frustrating. I haven't seen any of Kramer's television work but it's no surprise to me that he's so respected for it.
Still, the novel suffers a bit from an abundance of voices; each chapter is narrated by a different character, sometimes very minor characters, and I was always hoping to get back to George or Wesley. I suspect Kramer, as a TV writer, is accustomed to being in all of his characters' heads, and it may have been unnatural for him to narrow things down to just one or two here; but I think the novel would've been more focused if he had.
But it's a small quibble. As I said, Kramer is clearly in love with this story and these characters. His passion comes through loud and clear and swept me up. These days one of the best, rarest things that can be said about a book -- and it can be said of this one -- is that the author cares.
I look forward to reading more of Kramer's work. Perhaps he'll try his hand at YA fiction too -- the repartee between Wesley and his friend Theo is gold and deserves a book of its own!
February 24, 2013
Book jacket promised it to be funny. I couldn't relax as a reader because Kramer was trying to be TOO clever with every single bit of dialog. I am not fond of the different-chapter-different-point-of-view narrative device, either. If it could be told from the boys' point of view I might be more compelled to finish it, because the author, at least through George's character, really gets adolescence. There was one passage, on page 39, that captured the insecurities of parenting:
"I...doubted Wesley would like me; even after these couple of months here I still don't know if he does. But I've found it doesn't matter, with a kid, if you know that or not, because from what I can see as to how the Boy mind works, they may not know themselves. What does matter is that you hurtle forward with them, listen without being caught at it, wrap yourself around the endless bumpers they're crashing into and hope you can limit the bruises. Afer nine minutes with him I'm wasted, pretty much; he may be almost sixteen, but I have some idea of how a parent feels, watching an infant race across the rug to pit bulls and light sockets."
I still feel like "cheating" and finding out what the life-changing event was.
"I...doubted Wesley would like me; even after these couple of months here I still don't know if he does. But I've found it doesn't matter, with a kid, if you know that or not, because from what I can see as to how the Boy mind works, they may not know themselves. What does matter is that you hurtle forward with them, listen without being caught at it, wrap yourself around the endless bumpers they're crashing into and hope you can limit the bruises. Afer nine minutes with him I'm wasted, pretty much; he may be almost sixteen, but I have some idea of how a parent feels, watching an infant race across the rug to pit bulls and light sockets."
I still feel like "cheating" and finding out what the life-changing event was.
March 23, 2025
I absolutely adored this book. I never re-read stuff, but I've read this one twice, and I don't imagine I'm done.
Probably my favorite piece of gay lit of all time. It's truly a beautiful thing.
c.t.h.
Probably my favorite piece of gay lit of all time. It's truly a beautiful thing.
c.t.h.
December 14, 2012
Wesley is a high school sophomore attending a progressive Manhattan private school that prides itself on its strong sense of community. His mother sends him downtown to get to know his father, Kenny, a gay activist lawyer, who lives above the Hell’s Kitchen restaurant that his partner George owns. Instead of growing closer to his father, Wesley realizes that he father is too busy being the voice of the gays to pay him much attention. He finds himself developing a stronger relationship with George, a self-described “aging Broadway queen”, who listens to him and speaks honestly with him in a way that the "olders" in his life do not.
As he struggles to understand the fixations of the “olders”, with their inexplicable fixations with New York’s culture of literature, theater, and the Frick, he and his best friend Theo have their own obsessions. They share daily facts about genocide, and keep track of how the people around them speak, categorizing them to better make sense of the world. When Theo surprises Wesley, and the entire school, by coming out as gay after winning the class presidency, the reactions of their utopian community show that deep-seeded prejudices are not dead. Friendships and family bonds are tested, and characters are forced to prove who they are.
Richard Kramer, a writer for My So Called Life, one of the best depictions of the inner lives of adolescents and their parents in the nineties, shows the same insights and emotional depth in his first novel set in present day New York. Although technology allows unconstrained access to information through ubiquitous communications devices, his characters are more estranged than ever and grasping to figure out how to connect with and understand the people they love.
This funny poignant novel provides a first-person glimpse into the perspectives of characters in different stages of life who are attempting to define their identities as adolescents, as friends, as parents, as stepparents, as homosexuals, as heterosexuals, as twenty-first century New Yorkers.
As he struggles to understand the fixations of the “olders”, with their inexplicable fixations with New York’s culture of literature, theater, and the Frick, he and his best friend Theo have their own obsessions. They share daily facts about genocide, and keep track of how the people around them speak, categorizing them to better make sense of the world. When Theo surprises Wesley, and the entire school, by coming out as gay after winning the class presidency, the reactions of their utopian community show that deep-seeded prejudices are not dead. Friendships and family bonds are tested, and characters are forced to prove who they are.
Richard Kramer, a writer for My So Called Life, one of the best depictions of the inner lives of adolescents and their parents in the nineties, shows the same insights and emotional depth in his first novel set in present day New York. Although technology allows unconstrained access to information through ubiquitous communications devices, his characters are more estranged than ever and grasping to figure out how to connect with and understand the people they love.
This funny poignant novel provides a first-person glimpse into the perspectives of characters in different stages of life who are attempting to define their identities as adolescents, as friends, as parents, as stepparents, as homosexuals, as heterosexuals, as twenty-first century New Yorkers.
September 25, 2014
These Things Happen is a big little book. A big little funny book. Two days, a handful of characters, a school, a restaurant, a cramped Manhattan apartment and a roof. We take a peek and Kramer opens up the world.
The skinny: Wesley, a sixteen-year old, is living with his gay dad and his long-term partner, George, as a way to get closer to his dad. Wesley’s mom is happily remarried. As the story begins, Wesley’s best friend, Theo, announces at school he is gay. The opening scenes between Wesley and Theo are worth the price of admission alone.
For me, this book is about parenting, in the broadest sense. We all pretty much agree on how to take care of babies and toddlers; it’s mostly feeding, cuddling and damage control. And during the grade school years, it’s much the same, plus a discussion about which parent really is better at math. But the older the kid gets, the trickier the job. How much truth are they ready for? (How truthful can I stand to be?) When do I peel off the bubble wrap and let them feel the jolts, suffer the bruises? And what do I do if my kid, at sixteen, is begging for answers, for guidance, and the only person strong enough to provide it isn’t his parent at all?
Kramer’s observations are nuanced and his attention is unwavering: a five-minute conversation can run twenty pages and when it’s done, you say, “No, it’s not time for lemon almond ricotta cake. Keep talking.” (Beware: This book will make you hungry.) With great patience and insight, Kramer shows us that the significance of words lies in the gaps between them, in the pauses during which we grapple with how to spell the truth. And no one understands this better than Wesley and George.
The skinny: Wesley, a sixteen-year old, is living with his gay dad and his long-term partner, George, as a way to get closer to his dad. Wesley’s mom is happily remarried. As the story begins, Wesley’s best friend, Theo, announces at school he is gay. The opening scenes between Wesley and Theo are worth the price of admission alone.
For me, this book is about parenting, in the broadest sense. We all pretty much agree on how to take care of babies and toddlers; it’s mostly feeding, cuddling and damage control. And during the grade school years, it’s much the same, plus a discussion about which parent really is better at math. But the older the kid gets, the trickier the job. How much truth are they ready for? (How truthful can I stand to be?) When do I peel off the bubble wrap and let them feel the jolts, suffer the bruises? And what do I do if my kid, at sixteen, is begging for answers, for guidance, and the only person strong enough to provide it isn’t his parent at all?
Kramer’s observations are nuanced and his attention is unwavering: a five-minute conversation can run twenty pages and when it’s done, you say, “No, it’s not time for lemon almond ricotta cake. Keep talking.” (Beware: This book will make you hungry.) With great patience and insight, Kramer shows us that the significance of words lies in the gaps between them, in the pauses during which we grapple with how to spell the truth. And no one understands this better than Wesley and George.
November 12, 2012
Possibly the most effective feel-good book I've read all year. Wesley and Theo are 16 and best friends; Theo's gay, Wesley's not. But Wes has got two sets of parents: his mom and her husband, and his dad and partner George. The novel examines a few crucial days in the lives of this group, as adults come to terms with themselves and kids become adults. It's all chronicled with a sure hand that blends comedy with drama so effectively that you never notice the line that customarily separates the two.
This is a terrific gift book for the holidays. (And if you happen to know who Chita Rivera is, all the better.)
This is a terrific gift book for the holidays. (And if you happen to know who Chita Rivera is, all the better.)
April 28, 2014
These Things Happen is a beautifully written novel. Richard Kramer brings his experience in writing exemplary television to craft a tightly choreographed piece of prose. Each character is in a personal dance with each other, and the reader, their lucky private audience. Those readers who enjoy witty, sophisticated, thoughtful writing will fall in love with These Things Happen, as I have done. In fact, the novel made me fall in love with reading all over again. It reminded me of exactly why a book can be a magical vehicle for escape, for learning, for self discovery. I didn't want to put it down, and once I was done, I wanted to start right back at the beginning.
May 7, 2013
A story that initially seemed simple, but is actually quite profound.
April 28, 2013
Now and then along comes a candidate for the Great American Novel
A very odd thing happens when reading Richard Kramer's utterly brilliant novel THESE THINGS HAPPEN: after reading each page there is a reluctance to turn to the next one, as though doing so just might let all the little wonders of the story, the characters, the words, the ideas, the wholly original manner of intermingling the spoken word tattooed into fragments of thought processes or descriptions of place evaporate. But of course they don't and by the end of the first chapter the reader realizes that every page is just as unique and satisfying, allowing these little technical bits of magic to flutter around the atmosphere as we grow into the story itself.
And what a way to make that story! Kramer's tale is a poignant one: Wesley is a bright young sophomore in high school who is living with his father Kenny and Kenny's life partner (it takes a full book to finally come to a name for their relationship) George in an apartment above the little New York City theater district restaurant that George owns (with Kenny). Wesley's parents are divorced and his mother Lola has remarried an ophthalmologist Ben and Wesley has been living with Lola and Ben until it was decided that Wesley and Kenny needed to nurture their father son relationship. George, a wondrous character this George, comes from a theater background and lives in that world psychologically much of the time. He is close to Wesley and bonds more with the boy than Kenny does.
The turning point of the story comes when Wesley's best friend Theo wins an election in school and abruptly announces to the audience that he is gay. Wesley is a bit surprised but accepting and the two boys wonder is being gay a choice and when and how do you `discover' you're gay? The boys decide that the question should be posed to Wesley's father and his lover since they are very comfortably gay - or are they? Kenny is a major legal figure in the Gay Rights movement and George is not secretive about his theatrical/domestic/culinary existence. But when the question is posed, neither Kenny nor George knows how to respond. And then tragedy happen: Wesley and Theo are victims of a gay bashing, a factor that draws Lola and Ben into the arena with Kenny and George and from there the remainder of the story dissects the lives and thoughts of these characters who discover aspects of their philosophies and feelings about each other in a manner that can only be termed transcendent.
Each chapter is named for one of the characters - Wesley, George, Kenny, Lola, Ben, Theo and an insert from two sidebar characters Jerry and Lenny - and each of these chapters allows that named character to reveal his side of the story. In addition to writing one of the most touching and revealing novels about contemporary people and how we relate and communicate, Kramer inserts passages that are so perfectly sculpted they deserve sharing: George and Kenny - `We don't know each other; we never have. Knowing is the father of cherishing. It is where it begins, and ends, too. To allow that is the gift. And it has not, in this time, been given.' George says to Wesley "But all you need to do is `be, alive. Don't worry about `being' it." and `Time can afford to be lazy because it has nothing but time.' and from Kenny `But you press on; you can't turn away, you face the world not as you find it but as it finds you, because it will. Definitely use that, I think; it's the sort of statement by someone who will one day be assassinated.' and from Lola, `But I always know what I think, I have to; it matters to me. It's what civilized people do.'
But writing this note about Richard Kramer's gift of a book immediately feels ludicrous. Can anyone do justice in commenting on such a phenomenal achievement? Perhaps. But the only real joy will come in reading this book yourself, not once, but several times. If this novel is not selected for the major literary prizes of the year, this reader will be surprised. Think Jamie O'Neill's `At Swim, Two Boys', think Colm Tóibín's `Mothers and Sons' or `The Master.' No, just read Richard Kramer.
Grady Harp
A very odd thing happens when reading Richard Kramer's utterly brilliant novel THESE THINGS HAPPEN: after reading each page there is a reluctance to turn to the next one, as though doing so just might let all the little wonders of the story, the characters, the words, the ideas, the wholly original manner of intermingling the spoken word tattooed into fragments of thought processes or descriptions of place evaporate. But of course they don't and by the end of the first chapter the reader realizes that every page is just as unique and satisfying, allowing these little technical bits of magic to flutter around the atmosphere as we grow into the story itself.
And what a way to make that story! Kramer's tale is a poignant one: Wesley is a bright young sophomore in high school who is living with his father Kenny and Kenny's life partner (it takes a full book to finally come to a name for their relationship) George in an apartment above the little New York City theater district restaurant that George owns (with Kenny). Wesley's parents are divorced and his mother Lola has remarried an ophthalmologist Ben and Wesley has been living with Lola and Ben until it was decided that Wesley and Kenny needed to nurture their father son relationship. George, a wondrous character this George, comes from a theater background and lives in that world psychologically much of the time. He is close to Wesley and bonds more with the boy than Kenny does.
The turning point of the story comes when Wesley's best friend Theo wins an election in school and abruptly announces to the audience that he is gay. Wesley is a bit surprised but accepting and the two boys wonder is being gay a choice and when and how do you `discover' you're gay? The boys decide that the question should be posed to Wesley's father and his lover since they are very comfortably gay - or are they? Kenny is a major legal figure in the Gay Rights movement and George is not secretive about his theatrical/domestic/culinary existence. But when the question is posed, neither Kenny nor George knows how to respond. And then tragedy happen: Wesley and Theo are victims of a gay bashing, a factor that draws Lola and Ben into the arena with Kenny and George and from there the remainder of the story dissects the lives and thoughts of these characters who discover aspects of their philosophies and feelings about each other in a manner that can only be termed transcendent.
Each chapter is named for one of the characters - Wesley, George, Kenny, Lola, Ben, Theo and an insert from two sidebar characters Jerry and Lenny - and each of these chapters allows that named character to reveal his side of the story. In addition to writing one of the most touching and revealing novels about contemporary people and how we relate and communicate, Kramer inserts passages that are so perfectly sculpted they deserve sharing: George and Kenny - `We don't know each other; we never have. Knowing is the father of cherishing. It is where it begins, and ends, too. To allow that is the gift. And it has not, in this time, been given.' George says to Wesley "But all you need to do is `be, alive. Don't worry about `being' it." and `Time can afford to be lazy because it has nothing but time.' and from Kenny `But you press on; you can't turn away, you face the world not as you find it but as it finds you, because it will. Definitely use that, I think; it's the sort of statement by someone who will one day be assassinated.' and from Lola, `But I always know what I think, I have to; it matters to me. It's what civilized people do.'
But writing this note about Richard Kramer's gift of a book immediately feels ludicrous. Can anyone do justice in commenting on such a phenomenal achievement? Perhaps. But the only real joy will come in reading this book yourself, not once, but several times. If this novel is not selected for the major literary prizes of the year, this reader will be surprised. Think Jamie O'Neill's `At Swim, Two Boys', think Colm Tóibín's `Mothers and Sons' or `The Master.' No, just read Richard Kramer.
Grady Harp
August 3, 2013
I may expand this review soon, but my computer is down and I'm forced to use my iPhone to write this. So, typing with one finger, I need to get to the point. Richard Kramer's THESE THINGS HAPPEN is a very well-observed novel about a fifteen-year-old boy's coming-of-age in present-day Manhattan. He (Wesley) is straight, while his best friend is gay. He is living, only very recently, with his father and his father's boyfriend. His mother has raised him for the most part, and she is married to a man whose grown son has died of AIDS. This novel is very realistic in its depiction of the failures, hypocrisies and successes of the adults in the boy's life. Each chapter gives the point of view of a different character, but it is the story of Wesley's growth in a world which seems to minimize him. The chief relationship in the story is the one most of the characters don't accept: That of Wesley and George, his father's lover. I should say that Wesley and George are the two main characters, but at the heart of the novel is the question of how Wesley will deal with George. As I write this it occurs to me that George may be the true central character, but I think what it is is this: He is the most three-dimensional character in the book. This may be due to the fact that he is the only main character who isn't an overachiever. Wesley's friend who gets bashed is bashed immediately after winning election as class president. Wesley's father is a serious mover-and-shaker in the world of gay activism. His mother is a successful book editor. Wesley's mother's husband is a dedicated eye doctor. Wesley is showing a penchant for Latin. He is distinct from the others in that he clearly is going to stand up for himself. He will intervene at his own peril, on behalf of others. But George is the character I find refreshing, because he is honest before he is heroic. He is a pariah, in much the same way Leopold Bloom in ULYSSES is. People THINK he's going to do the wrong thing. Wesley trusts him. It is Wesley's story, but George is the character I sympathize with, if simply because I believe he exists. On some level, the flawed do-gooders who populate Wesley's world are people we've come to know in many books and movies. Even Wesley is a type. He's a bit of a throwback to golden age Hollywood. His instincts are good. But George sounds like a person. My one question about him is: Am I right in gathering he's born around 1970? Because his cultural landmarks make me think of him as coming into this world no later than the start of Eisenhower's second term. If you know New York, you'll recognize many of the places described here and you'll get some references. I'm from Long Island, but visiting the city ten or more times a year, I can say Richard Kramer describes it to a "T."
June 1, 2014
Awesome. And I apologize for the use of that word, but this is not hyperbole. This book truly is a beautiful little gem of a novel. I wished I wasn't reading it on my Kindle because I often found myself wanting to quickly flip the pages and return to that sentence that made me laugh out loud or the one that took my breath away.
One that made me laugh: "Only Maggie Smith can answer this question properly and since she lives inside me, I have no trouble summoning her up." That belongs to George and he is the hero of the story. I wanted him to be my best friend. I wanted to hang around at his restaurant and eat his focaccia and pasta fagioli. If he weren't gay, I would be the one proposing to him. I could have highlighted his entire dialogue if I knew how to use the highlight option on my Kindle.
I also wish I had him around when I was raising my teenagers. This is a line I could have kept in my pocket and referred to often during those years: "I've learned that about kids; never let them know you already know something; let them believe they've brought it to you."
I love coming of age stories. Wesley is a character who belongs right up there with Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird. He is a highly intelligent, thoughtful young boy who lives with his Dad, Kenny, and his partner, George. Richard Kramer does an excellent job bringing us into their intimate moments. One of my favorite scenes in the book was a work day morning when George taught Wesley to make waffles and Kenny fielded dozens of phone calls. The dialogue sang here and as a writer I know how difficult it can be to get dialogue pitch perfect.
The characters were nuanced and real. Kenny reminded me of my uncle and godfather who was also married before he "came out." There is an important discussion in the book about sexual orientation and choice. Kenny tells his son "why would anyone actually choose a way of life that they only know will make life harder." Two years ago, at my uncle's funeral, I thought back to when I was much younger, when he was married. I thought about how difficult it must have been for him to finally come to terms with who he was and I understood Kenny's sentiments, because life was harder back then and despite our progress, still is if you are gay in America, even in a progressive, liberal school in the heart of New York City. I thought this whole issue was handled really well, including Wesley's mother's reaction. I loved the honesty here.
All I can say is, read this book. Another reviewer expressed his reluctance to turn the page for fear of losing all the wonderful thoughts and words he had just read. I felt the same way. My solution? I am going to read it again. Right away. While I wait for Mr. Kramer's next book.
One that made me laugh: "Only Maggie Smith can answer this question properly and since she lives inside me, I have no trouble summoning her up." That belongs to George and he is the hero of the story. I wanted him to be my best friend. I wanted to hang around at his restaurant and eat his focaccia and pasta fagioli. If he weren't gay, I would be the one proposing to him. I could have highlighted his entire dialogue if I knew how to use the highlight option on my Kindle.
I also wish I had him around when I was raising my teenagers. This is a line I could have kept in my pocket and referred to often during those years: "I've learned that about kids; never let them know you already know something; let them believe they've brought it to you."
I love coming of age stories. Wesley is a character who belongs right up there with Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird. He is a highly intelligent, thoughtful young boy who lives with his Dad, Kenny, and his partner, George. Richard Kramer does an excellent job bringing us into their intimate moments. One of my favorite scenes in the book was a work day morning when George taught Wesley to make waffles and Kenny fielded dozens of phone calls. The dialogue sang here and as a writer I know how difficult it can be to get dialogue pitch perfect.
The characters were nuanced and real. Kenny reminded me of my uncle and godfather who was also married before he "came out." There is an important discussion in the book about sexual orientation and choice. Kenny tells his son "why would anyone actually choose a way of life that they only know will make life harder." Two years ago, at my uncle's funeral, I thought back to when I was much younger, when he was married. I thought about how difficult it must have been for him to finally come to terms with who he was and I understood Kenny's sentiments, because life was harder back then and despite our progress, still is if you are gay in America, even in a progressive, liberal school in the heart of New York City. I thought this whole issue was handled really well, including Wesley's mother's reaction. I loved the honesty here.
All I can say is, read this book. Another reviewer expressed his reluctance to turn the page for fear of losing all the wonderful thoughts and words he had just read. I felt the same way. My solution? I am going to read it again. Right away. While I wait for Mr. Kramer's next book.
April 20, 2021
"These Things Happen" has its flaws; all novels do. I found them increasingly easy to dismiss -- and ultimately no longer notice -- as I was drawn along by compelling characters and sparkling dialogue. It's no surprise that author Richard Kramer made his career as writer and director of family dramas "thirty something" and "My So-Called Life." In his novel, Kramer presents another family drama, of teen boys, divorced parents, new partners, as they encounter school, work, and life drama. It's a little exotic to this suburban Midwestern -- one character is a noted activist, both boys attend a progressive private school, and all are somewhat sophisticated Manhattanites. Yet each character is an individual, interesting and realistic, unusual and approachable. We meet good guys who are flawed and bad guys who do try to do the right thing, but fail. I have my favorites: Wesley and George broke my heart a bit. The boys are still kids, but they live in a world that expects them to behave even better than the adults around them. Mostly because the adults realize that they haven't gotten it right. So much is expected of the characters, all the time. Every day is a test for which they haven't been fully prepared. And they better ace it. In addition to the characters, the dialogue is a treat. The characters speak and write as an art form, to advocate, to entertain. I've included here one of my favorite exchanges, between Wesley and his mom, who wants to know why he is so focused on his friend,Theo.
Enjoy.
"You mean Jake Greenspan. Who got bit by a tick, in Quogue, who's near death."
"Oh my God, how awful..."
"It might not be so awful," Wesley says, "It might help at Yale. Death is a plus at Yale."
"Wesley!"
"We hear stuff like that every minute. Like you open your locker, a voice says, 'Be interesting! Be varied!' And I talk about Theo because he actually is. He's like avid, about everything there is in life. Not so he could say, 'I'm avid,' on applications but because he actually is. It's who he is. And it's how I'd like to be , and when we hang out I even am, a little. And you don't have to say any supportive stuff, or anything, because I have self-esteem." (p 153-154)
Enjoy.
"You mean Jake Greenspan. Who got bit by a tick, in Quogue, who's near death."
"Oh my God, how awful..."
"It might not be so awful," Wesley says, "It might help at Yale. Death is a plus at Yale."
"Wesley!"
"We hear stuff like that every minute. Like you open your locker, a voice says, 'Be interesting! Be varied!' And I talk about Theo because he actually is. He's like avid, about everything there is in life. Not so he could say, 'I'm avid,' on applications but because he actually is. It's who he is. And it's how I'd like to be , and when we hang out I even am, a little. And you don't have to say any supportive stuff, or anything, because I have self-esteem." (p 153-154)
July 25, 2013
I can't believe how much I enjoyed this novel. I read it over three days, which is very unlike me. I typically either savor a book (i.e., read very slowly) or give up. So three days means I'm hooked. For some context, the only book I've read in 24 hours is Frankenstein, FWIW.
There are so many characters and situations that are too good to be true, yet the story has plenty of reality to bring the reader back to earth. Even in families and schools and neighborhoods gilded by privilege, some folks have to make a living, and bad shit goes down.
As a writer, I admire that the novel gets at--addresses--timely issues through characters and plot. The way events unfold, and the ways characters react, are all believable. The various first-person narrators reveal the complexity of the family's life yet keep the narrative moving forward. The prose is very smart, particularly the dialogue, which is packed with inside jokes and asides as real people talk but that so rarely works this well in fiction. I end up with a strong sense of who the characters are as people. They all mean well, and the author lets us like them without letting them off the hook. In particular, the adults need to grow up and step up. Will they do it? That is the question--again, just like real life.
Most of all, I love how much the character talk and that we're let into the various narrators' minds. We're not allowed in to get all the answers or for easy exposition. As satisfied as I felt with the arc and sense of closure the final scene creates, the novel leaves me with questions. That's as it should be.
There are so many characters and situations that are too good to be true, yet the story has plenty of reality to bring the reader back to earth. Even in families and schools and neighborhoods gilded by privilege, some folks have to make a living, and bad shit goes down.
As a writer, I admire that the novel gets at--addresses--timely issues through characters and plot. The way events unfold, and the ways characters react, are all believable. The various first-person narrators reveal the complexity of the family's life yet keep the narrative moving forward. The prose is very smart, particularly the dialogue, which is packed with inside jokes and asides as real people talk but that so rarely works this well in fiction. I end up with a strong sense of who the characters are as people. They all mean well, and the author lets us like them without letting them off the hook. In particular, the adults need to grow up and step up. Will they do it? That is the question--again, just like real life.
Most of all, I love how much the character talk and that we're let into the various narrators' minds. We're not allowed in to get all the answers or for easy exposition. As satisfied as I felt with the arc and sense of closure the final scene creates, the novel leaves me with questions. That's as it should be.
Read
January 8, 2016This was a really enjoyable book. All of the characters seem like real people that you would know; something that in enhanced by the shifting POV's. Wesley and George were the ones that I enjoyed reading about the most, as they felt the most fully developed.
One thing I wasn't aware of when I started it was how "gay" it was going to be, but that's OK on account of me being a gay. But it was so easy to get swept up in the story of these couple of days that I finished this book in only 4 days - the quickest I've ever read a book by far!
One thing I wasn't aware of when I started it was how "gay" it was going to be, but that's OK on account of me being a gay. But it was so easy to get swept up in the story of these couple of days that I finished this book in only 4 days - the quickest I've ever read a book by far!
October 8, 2013
What begins as a sunny, urbane picture of "post-gay" relationships in New York City becomes much more darkly philosophical and psychological as characters grapple with (or succumb to) homophobic violence, secrets, and prejudice. Things may be "getting better" -- and we see the political trappings of "acceptance" here -- but to read this book is to understand that in many ways, they are getting worse. The story raises many insightful questions (with no easy answers) about how well we can ever really know ourselves, much less those whom we profess to love.
June 3, 2013
Once in awhile, a book will grab you by the throat and shake you hard, until you either weep or laugh out loud.(perhaps on every page) It is allowed to do this because it gives you a gift for your trouble... a gift that reveals the absolute truth of what is is to be the sad, damaged,under loved, blissful human, ambulating this world of ours as a child disguised as an adult. Do not pass 'Go'-- until you read this masterpiece.
December 23, 2012
I just picked this one up off the shelf at Barnes and Noble and was hooked by the compelling, sparse writing style. The author uses a pretty cool device in character development - writing chapters from the perspectives of the different people. You just need to remember who's doing the talking.
April 24, 2013
Observed with a virtuosic rotating cast of narrators, THESE THINGS HAPPEN is so fast and funny and true that it'll make you wish you'd written it, a little regretful that you didn't, and a lot HAPPY that Richard Kramer did. It's like a beach read that went to college first.
December 17, 2012
Interesting and engaging addition to the contemporary gay fiction genre.
Read the full review: http://wp.me/p1n6kW-13y
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July 3, 2014
I loved it! Reminded me of Michael Cunningham, Wally Lamb and John Irving.....but different. It's own style. I wished it did not end as I wanted to know these lives more, like they were family.
April 11, 2020
This proved an excellent read for me – not just because it was a nice change from the gay genre fare I’ve been ploughing through for the past few months, but it captured my attention with the distinct voices and richly textured characters and retained my focus through the intrapersonal musings and complex interpersonal dynamics.
Wesley is 15 – he’s at that age where he’s trying out ‘his voice’, experimenting with language through his everyday dialogue with friends and parental figures, selectively adopting phrases and mannerisms from those around him as well as from books he’s read and notable historical figures. His best friend Theo (also 15) has just ‘come out’ whilst giving his acceptance speech for year level presidency at school. The two boys have done everything together since they were children - martial arts, soccer practice etc.
Since his mother feels Wesley needs to get to know his father (divorced) better – he’s currently living for a school term with Kenny (dad) and George (Kenny’s long-time lover/partner). Kenny is your classic golden-child socio-politico-legal gay (imagine a gay Atticus Finch) … a guiding hand in every legal rights case, sits on every important LGBTIQ board, attends every major LGBT function and gives his opinion or comment to all newpapers, journals and TV program requiring a LGBTIQ perspective/opinion/slant. George has barely passed high school, comes from a theatrical acting young adulthood background and currently runs an Italian restaurant catering to the pre and post-theatre crowds with his restaurant business partner Lenny (also gay).
Lola is Wesley’s literary editor mother, who’s concerned for his overall development, his educational progress, his eventual pathway to Yale and Harvard (so as to follow in his father’s big footsteps) and his emotional well-being. She’s married to Ben (older than her by a decade or more) who provides a steady rudder and emotional foil to Lola’s more turbulent drive through life. They have parented Wesley through most of his childhood and early teenage years and still wonder if it was the best decision or not to send the boy off to live with his gay dad and George.
The plot takes place over just a couple of days, set primarily in a few settings in modern day Manhattan, with each chapter being viewed through the lens / POV of one of a handful of main characters – more so of Wesley and George than the others. The event that brings everything to a head is an act of premeditated violence which brings underlying fears, uncertainties, suspicions and inadequacies to the fore for each of the MCs. Parental figures doubt their capacity and wisdom. Adults wonder just to what extent can and do they influence their child’s life … their belief systems, their choices and decision-making processes. Young adults question what they’ve been told, why bad things happen to good people, which adults they can truly rely upon and trust, which adult they would rather choose to emulate or take after. Liberal and gay-accepting straight characters are confronted with their own well-hidden bigotry, which escapes carefully guarded social barriers. Gay characters question and evaluate the quality of their relationships – how well does one really ‘know’ one’s long-time partner; how much does one allow a significant other to know about us or how one really feels about things deep down? The author provides a treasure trove of goodies for readers as each MC face and come to terms with the explosive and emotional post-attack aftermath.
Not all is angst and high drama thank goodness. Kramer skilfully interjects numerous witty bon mots / humorous observational asides to lighten the undulating tensions. The discussion and exploration (between teenaged Wesley and Theo) as to what it means to ‘be gay’ in today’s accepting world proved quite amusing and enlightening for me (coming from a middle-aged adulthood).
Here’s a delightful snippet taken after Theo asks Wesley (since he lives with two qualified examples) as to what ‘old gay guys are like’ – what they talk about. Wesley, having the upper hand, cheerfully provides several pointers to his newly-out friend and then adds after some consideration …
Wesley: “And there’s something called Merman.”
Theo: “Merman? What’s that?”
Wesley: (I’m not really sure, but I don’t let on, as I like Theo thinking I might know things he doesn’t.) “That’s more a subject of George’s than it is my dad’s. He gets into that a lot with Lenny.”
Theo: “Lenny the gay guy, you mean?”
Wesley: “Well, they’re all gay guys. But to varying degrees, which you’ll find out about. Same with Merman.”
Theo (getting mildly concerned): “It’s probably a sex thing, right?”
Too, too funny! This is a book about relationships, love, trust, acceptance, finding one’s anchor in a oft-times uncertain and dangerous world. I was emotionally gratified and extremely moved in the final few chapters. A wonderfully worthwhile read taking readers into the hearts and minds of middle-aged gay men and adolescent sexual awakenings.
Wesley is 15 – he’s at that age where he’s trying out ‘his voice’, experimenting with language through his everyday dialogue with friends and parental figures, selectively adopting phrases and mannerisms from those around him as well as from books he’s read and notable historical figures. His best friend Theo (also 15) has just ‘come out’ whilst giving his acceptance speech for year level presidency at school. The two boys have done everything together since they were children - martial arts, soccer practice etc.
Since his mother feels Wesley needs to get to know his father (divorced) better – he’s currently living for a school term with Kenny (dad) and George (Kenny’s long-time lover/partner). Kenny is your classic golden-child socio-politico-legal gay (imagine a gay Atticus Finch) … a guiding hand in every legal rights case, sits on every important LGBTIQ board, attends every major LGBT function and gives his opinion or comment to all newpapers, journals and TV program requiring a LGBTIQ perspective/opinion/slant. George has barely passed high school, comes from a theatrical acting young adulthood background and currently runs an Italian restaurant catering to the pre and post-theatre crowds with his restaurant business partner Lenny (also gay).
Lola is Wesley’s literary editor mother, who’s concerned for his overall development, his educational progress, his eventual pathway to Yale and Harvard (so as to follow in his father’s big footsteps) and his emotional well-being. She’s married to Ben (older than her by a decade or more) who provides a steady rudder and emotional foil to Lola’s more turbulent drive through life. They have parented Wesley through most of his childhood and early teenage years and still wonder if it was the best decision or not to send the boy off to live with his gay dad and George.
The plot takes place over just a couple of days, set primarily in a few settings in modern day Manhattan, with each chapter being viewed through the lens / POV of one of a handful of main characters – more so of Wesley and George than the others. The event that brings everything to a head is an act of premeditated violence which brings underlying fears, uncertainties, suspicions and inadequacies to the fore for each of the MCs. Parental figures doubt their capacity and wisdom. Adults wonder just to what extent can and do they influence their child’s life … their belief systems, their choices and decision-making processes. Young adults question what they’ve been told, why bad things happen to good people, which adults they can truly rely upon and trust, which adult they would rather choose to emulate or take after. Liberal and gay-accepting straight characters are confronted with their own well-hidden bigotry, which escapes carefully guarded social barriers. Gay characters question and evaluate the quality of their relationships – how well does one really ‘know’ one’s long-time partner; how much does one allow a significant other to know about us or how one really feels about things deep down? The author provides a treasure trove of goodies for readers as each MC face and come to terms with the explosive and emotional post-attack aftermath.
Not all is angst and high drama thank goodness. Kramer skilfully interjects numerous witty bon mots / humorous observational asides to lighten the undulating tensions. The discussion and exploration (between teenaged Wesley and Theo) as to what it means to ‘be gay’ in today’s accepting world proved quite amusing and enlightening for me (coming from a middle-aged adulthood).
Here’s a delightful snippet taken after Theo asks Wesley (since he lives with two qualified examples) as to what ‘old gay guys are like’ – what they talk about. Wesley, having the upper hand, cheerfully provides several pointers to his newly-out friend and then adds after some consideration …
Wesley: “And there’s something called Merman.”
Theo: “Merman? What’s that?”
Wesley: (I’m not really sure, but I don’t let on, as I like Theo thinking I might know things he doesn’t.) “That’s more a subject of George’s than it is my dad’s. He gets into that a lot with Lenny.”
Theo: “Lenny the gay guy, you mean?”
Wesley: “Well, they’re all gay guys. But to varying degrees, which you’ll find out about. Same with Merman.”
Theo (getting mildly concerned): “It’s probably a sex thing, right?”
Too, too funny! This is a book about relationships, love, trust, acceptance, finding one’s anchor in a oft-times uncertain and dangerous world. I was emotionally gratified and extremely moved in the final few chapters. A wonderfully worthwhile read taking readers into the hearts and minds of middle-aged gay men and adolescent sexual awakenings.
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