A Fairy Tale edition by John Saul Literature Fiction eBooks
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It's San Francisco in the early 1970s, and thirty-something Solly Steinberg still isn't married, much to the consternation of his Aunt Sylvia who is determined to correct this calamitous state of affairs before Solly's next birthday. The only trouble is, Aunt Sylvia wants Solly to marry a nice Jewish girl, but Solly wants to marry a nice boy, Jewish or otherwise. Aunt Sylvia is, of course, aghast when she is told of this small problem, and promptly dispatches Uncle Hymie to straighten their nephew out. Needless to say, many things get straightened out, but Solly isn't among them.
A WARNING If you're looking for the kind of thriller John Saul is famous for, this is not one of them. But if you're wondering what life was like for a lot of gay men nearly half a century ago in San Francisco, barely after they found their voices with Stonewall but still long before AIDS, or are just in the mood for a good old-fashioned gay Jewish sex comedy, (is there such a genre, or is this the only one?) this book is for you.
A Fairy Tale edition by John Saul Literature Fiction eBooks
John Saul has written 37 + international bestsellers. He has millions of readers and fans. Since women make up the highest percentage of readers in the U.S. we must assume that millions of those fans are females. If you look at earlier photos of him on Google you see he was once movie-star handsome (at one time an actor) and though a little older today, Saul is still handsome. Readers like to fantasize about their favorite authors, so I'm sure many women have mooned over John Saul's author photos, perhaps dreaming of meeting him, even running away with him.In his new book, A FAIRY TALE, he writes about coming 'out' as a gay man in the 1970s, which means he's been 'out' now for almost four decades. (With an equally attractive partner, Mike Sack for 37 years!) Still, I'm sure there are legions of women readers unaware of this, still mooning over his photos, still updating their private fantasies. Which makes A FAIRY TALE even more impressive. Because at the risk of alienating all those readers, Saul is saying. "THIS IS WHO I AM. AND THIS IS HOW IT WAS AS A GAY MAN IN THE 1970s." Kudos to you, John Saul.
The book is hilarious, but the subtext is often poignant, almost a journal of what it was like in the 1970's for millions of young gay men trying to explain themselves to their families, their colleagues, even to themselves. There's a line in the book that explains that, when faced with their son's homosexuality, "...a lot of families were ready to accept terminal illness rather than [their son's] 'alternate lifestyle.'
Solomon Steinberg confesses over and over to his Aunt Sylvia that he prefers men to women. For most of the book she's in massive denial, but when she begins to understand his 'condition' is permanent, she tells him, "Stop being what you are!" As if he could, as if his gayness were just a passing mood! (I thought of all the young men who were told their homosexuality was 'just a passing phase.')
To counter-balance Aunt Sylvia's obtuseness is Uncle Hymie, a dapper, sensitive and delightful character who comes to visit Solomon to find out what 'this gay thing' is all about. He meets Solly's gay friends (by now Solly had changed his name to Murray), he even dresses in drag (fishnet shirt, high heels!) to blend with his nephew's drag-queen friends. One of whom who puts the make on him. But through it all, even getting arrested, Uncle Hymie remains wonderfully non-judgemental, looking for the positive aspects of his nephew's gay life, gay friends.
In a scene with a shrink, a Dr. Coleman, whom Aunt Sylvia has forced him to consult, Murray listens to the man digress on the dilemma of young men who discover they're gay. "They suddenly realiize that all the conventional rules they've been taught don't apply to them. They have to grow up all over again. The morals of their youth no longer work. And when you chuck one moral, you chuck them all. There's no framework for their lives, they make a lot of mistakes." It's an important and educational digression that gives readers more insight into the tormenting issues that gays of both genders have had to deal with.
In the end, the handsome Dr. Coleman admits that he himself is gay. Though he and Murray are increasingly attracted to each other, both are shy, and make no headway in starting a romance. It is only through the subtle conspiring of Uncle Hymie and Aunt Sylvia, (making the two men share a 'queen' bed in the guestroom) that they finally become lovers. This is Aunt Sylvia's coming-out, her way of saying she finally understands, she accepts Murray's way of life.
Though the book is over-long with a few too many digressions on drag-dressing, decorating, and party-planning, once Aunt Sylvia accepted Murray's 'gayness,' she became my almost-favorite character except for Uncle Hymie! At the end of the book the old couple become like demon-angels in a fairy-tale, setting out to help other gay men out of the closet, and to help their parent's accept them. On the last page I cheered! A great, insightful read. Highly recommended. Thank you, John Saul!
Kiana Davenport, author of THE SPY LOVER, (August 28)
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A Fairy Tale edition by John Saul Literature Fiction eBooks Reviews
Very unexpected from one of my favorite authors!! Bravo, what an awesome book! The characters are hysterical and you fall in love with them instantly.
excellent book written in a humorous way, and is all about accepting people as they really are beyond form and ;lifestyle. It is a good expose of the way we are slaves to the to entrenched beliefs and how they can be overcome if only we accept difference and give ourselves time to know the real person.
If you want to be entertained and to remember what it was like to come of age as a gay man in the 70's, this book will not disappoint. Funny, entertaining and heartwarming story of lust, friendship and love. I loved the jewish aunt angle and the casual gay sex drama of the 70's. It is what it was like and it was nice to reminisce. I especially liked the letter to Aunt Sylvia telling her how it is. It's a letter that every disapproving person should read to be enlightened on the subject of being different from one another, from any point of view. I wish John Saul wrote more books in this genre. A refreshing change. More please Mr. Saul.
As a huge fan of the author, I also enjoyed reading his book. It's not like anything else he has written, so prepare yourself, but he is, as always, a great and wonderful author. I have never been disappointed in any of his books.
This was a very fun adventure into the world of the gay community as it grew in San Francisco. I love the letters back and forth between Solly and Aunt Sylvia. On several ocassions, the book had me snickering outloud at my desk as I ate my lunch. As always, well written but expect nothing less from John Saul - he is a master word smith, for sure. Love it,, recommend it to anyone who wants a walk down memory lane through the eyes of a gay man who is trying not to kill his Aunt and Uncle with the truth of his lifestyle.
I agree wholeheartedly with your publisher, not John Saul the author I have come to stalk over the years. I loved this book so much! It was clever and insightful, brave and a hoot, and so far from the type of book I normally gravitate towards. I absolutely loved it. I am not pretty, or young, or a boy, or Jewish, or gay, I do think - after many years as an editor - I know a good book when I find one, and A Fairy Tale definitely constitutes as one.
I don't really care if John Saul, or Steinberg is a gay man. He is my favorite author. This book. although very different from John Saul writings, is extremely well written, sometimes funny, sometimes sad, and if you want to know what can be the life of a gay man or woman; this book can be an eye opener. I truly feel like I got to know a lot more about the writers life as a gay, and the sad but funny relationship he has with his family, and partners.
John Saul has written 37 + international bestsellers. He has millions of readers and fans. Since women make up the highest percentage of readers in the U.S. we must assume that millions of those fans are females. If you look at earlier photos of him on Google you see he was once movie-star handsome (at one time an actor) and though a little older today, Saul is still handsome. Readers like to fantasize about their favorite authors, so I'm sure many women have mooned over John Saul's author photos, perhaps dreaming of meeting him, even running away with him.
In his new book, A FAIRY TALE, he writes about coming 'out' as a gay man in the 1970s, which means he's been 'out' now for almost four decades. (With an equally attractive partner, Mike Sack for 37 years!) Still, I'm sure there are legions of women readers unaware of this, still mooning over his photos, still updating their private fantasies. Which makes A FAIRY TALE even more impressive. Because at the risk of alienating all those readers, Saul is saying. "THIS IS WHO I AM. AND THIS IS HOW IT WAS AS A GAY MAN IN THE 1970s." Kudos to you, John Saul.
The book is hilarious, but the subtext is often poignant, almost a journal of what it was like in the 1970's for millions of young gay men trying to explain themselves to their families, their colleagues, even to themselves. There's a line in the book that explains that, when faced with their son's homosexuality, "...a lot of families were ready to accept terminal illness rather than [their son's] 'alternate lifestyle.'
Solomon Steinberg confesses over and over to his Aunt Sylvia that he prefers men to women. For most of the book she's in massive denial, but when she begins to understand his 'condition' is permanent, she tells him, "Stop being what you are!" As if he could, as if his gayness were just a passing mood! (I thought of all the young men who were told their homosexuality was 'just a passing phase.')
To counter-balance Aunt Sylvia's obtuseness is Uncle Hymie, a dapper, sensitive and delightful character who comes to visit Solomon to find out what 'this gay thing' is all about. He meets Solly's gay friends (by now Solly had changed his name to Murray), he even dresses in drag (fishnet shirt, high heels!) to blend with his nephew's drag-queen friends. One of whom who puts the make on him. But through it all, even getting arrested, Uncle Hymie remains wonderfully non-judgemental, looking for the positive aspects of his nephew's gay life, gay friends.
In a scene with a shrink, a Dr. Coleman, whom Aunt Sylvia has forced him to consult, Murray listens to the man digress on the dilemma of young men who discover they're gay. "They suddenly realiize that all the conventional rules they've been taught don't apply to them. They have to grow up all over again. The morals of their youth no longer work. And when you chuck one moral, you chuck them all. There's no framework for their lives, they make a lot of mistakes." It's an important and educational digression that gives readers more insight into the tormenting issues that gays of both genders have had to deal with.
In the end, the handsome Dr. Coleman admits that he himself is gay. Though he and Murray are increasingly attracted to each other, both are shy, and make no headway in starting a romance. It is only through the subtle conspiring of Uncle Hymie and Aunt Sylvia, (making the two men share a 'queen' bed in the guestroom) that they finally become lovers. This is Aunt Sylvia's coming-out, her way of saying she finally understands, she accepts Murray's way of life.
Though the book is over-long with a few too many digressions on drag-dressing, decorating, and party-planning, once Aunt Sylvia accepted Murray's 'gayness,' she became my almost-favorite character except for Uncle Hymie! At the end of the book the old couple become like demon-angels in a fairy-tale, setting out to help other gay men out of the closet, and to help their parent's accept them. On the last page I cheered! A great, insightful read. Highly recommended. Thank you, John Saul!
Kiana Davenport, author of THE SPY LOVER, (August 28)
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