gaybookclubpaloalto : Messages : 281-310 of 310

No consensus. Dick, Marv, and Lou liked it. Tom, Don, Doug, and I didn't
like it.

-s


tsanc1@... wrote:
>
>
> I'm so glad you liked it.  What was the consensus of the group?  I wish
> I didn't have to work.  Tony
>
> In a message dated 12/8/2009 11:51:38 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,
> ceci_lga@... writes:
>
>
>
>     I finished it last night and I *still* like it.  Ain't that peculiar?
>     I felt nothing but pity for the Sarveali, whose life never went far
>     beyond misery, except when he attended his dying master.  What a waste
>     of a life and a soul.
>
>     --Lou
>
>     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>     *From:* gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com
>     [mailto:gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com] *On Behalf Of *Tom Schmidt
>     *Sent:* Monday, December 07, 2009 8:46 AM
>     *To:* gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com
>     *Cc:* Don Diltz; pauldori@...
>     *Subject:* [gaybookclubpaloalto] REMINDER: Book Club Meets Today
>     (Monday 12/7) at 8 pm
>
>     Hey All,
>
>     Just a quick reminder that we are meeting today at Marv's house in
>     Palo Alto for the Book Club.  The book for tonight is the Quince
>     Seed Potion.
>
>     T.
>
>     Tom Schmidt
>     M(650)714-0351
>
>
>
>     Begin forwarded message:
>
>>     *From: *Tom Schmidt <pekoedelarosa@...
>>     <mailto:pekoedelarosa@...>>
>>     *Date: *November 3, 2009 9:52:52 AM PST
>>     *To: *gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com
>>     <mailto:gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com>
>>     *Subject: **[gaybookclubpaloalto] Book Club for December*
>>     *Reply-To: *gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com
>>     <mailto:gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com>
>>
>>
>>
>>     Book Club,
>>
>>     The next meeting of the Gay Book Club is Monday December 7 at 8
>>     pm.  We are meeting at the home of Marv Karasek in Palo Alto.
>>     Marv's address is 2100 Cornell Street in Palo Alto.
>>
>>     The book for December is The Quince Seed Potion by Morteza
>>     Baharloo.   This book is only available in hard cover, but there
>>     are some very cheap editions available both new and used via Amazon.
>>
>>     Please let me know if you have any questions.
>>
>>     T.
>>
>>     Tom Schmidt
>>     pekoedelarosa@... <mailto:pekoedelarosa@...>
>>
>>
>>     ----------  description from Amazon.com <http://amazon.com/>
>>     -----------
>>
>>     Does the pharmaceutically sophisticated lady of the house in which
>>     short, dark, ugly Sarveali is factotum really know her quinces?
>>     She claims a potion made from quince seeds is a cure-all for
>>     ailments physical and metaphysical, and wishing to remedy his
>>     unnatural, self-disgusting same-sex urges, her miserable servant
>>     clings to the hope that it is. Arranged marriage to his scheming,
>>     grasping cousin's daughter has not cured him, for she refuses him
>>     while welcoming others behind his back. Furious, the shy little
>>     man explodes in drunken violence. He is imprisoned and in jail
>>     becomes addicted to opium. Baharloo's engrossing, elegantly told
>>     story of a sweetly pathetic, supremely loyal family retainer
>>     unfolds in the first person against the backdrop of Iran's history
>>     from 1928 to 1981. As the once encompassing power of dynastic
>>     families unravels, giving way to the Islamic revolution of 1979,
>>     readers view the changes overtaking the household in which barely
>>     literate, politically untutored Sarveali labors and obtain a
>>     humanizing perspective on a history too many Americans know only
>>     through authoritarian stereotypes. /Whitney Scott/
>>     /Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved/
>>
>>
>
>

#309

From: tsanc1@...
Date: Tue Dec 8, 2009 3:44 pm
Subject: Re: REMINDER: Book Club Meets Today (Monday 12/7) at 8...

tr.sanchez

Offline

I'm so glad you liked it. What was the consensus of the group? I wish I didn't have to work. Tony

In a message dated 12/8/2009 11:51:38 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, ceci_lga@... writes:

I finished it last night and I *still* like it. Ain't that peculiar?

I felt nothing but pity for the Sarveali, whose life never went far

beyond misery, except when he attended his dying master. What a waste

of a life and a soul.

--Lou

From: gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com [mailto:gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Tom Schmidt
Sent: Monday, December 07, 2009 8:46 AM
To: gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com
Cc: Don Diltz; pauldori@comcast.net
Subject: [gaybookclubpaloalto] REMINDER: Book Club Meets Today (Monday 12/7) at 8 pm

Hey All,

Just a quick reminder that we are meeting today at Marv's house in Palo Alto for the Book Club. The book for tonight is the Quince Seed Potion.

T.

Tom Schmidt

M(650)714-0351

Begin forwarded message:

From: Tom Schmidt <pekoedelarosa@sbcglobal.net>

Date: November 3, 2009 9:52:52 AM PST

To: gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com

Subject: [gaybookclubpaloalto] Book Club for December

Reply-To: gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com

Book Club,

The next meeting of the Gay Book Club is Monday December 7 at 8 pm. We are meeting at the home of Marv Karasek in Palo Alto. Marv's address is 2100 Cornell Street in Palo Alto.

The book for December is The Quince Seed Potion by Morteza Baharloo. This book is only available in hard cover, but there are some very cheap editions available both new and used via Amazon.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

T.

Tom Schmidt

pekoedelarosa@sbcglobal.net

---------- description from Amazon.com -----------

Does the pharmaceutically sophisticated lady of the house in which short, dark, ugly Sarveali is factotum really know her quinces? She claims a potion made from quince seeds is a cure-all for ailments physical and metaphysical, and wishing to remedy his unnatural, self-disgusting same-sex urges, her miserable servant clings to the hope that it is. Arranged marriage to his scheming, grasping cousin's daughter has not cured him, for she refuses him while welcoming others behind his back. Furious, the shy little man explodes in drunken violence. He is imprisoned and in jail becomes addicted to opium. Baharloo's engrossing, elegantly told story of a sweetly pathetic, supremely loyal family retainer unfolds in the first person against the backdrop of Iran's history from 1928 to 1981. As the once encompassing power of dynastic families unravels, giving way to the Islamic revolution of 1979, readers view the changes overtaking the household in which barely literate, politically untutored Sarveali labors and obtain a humanizing perspective on a history too many Americans know only through authoritarian stereotypes. Whitney Scott
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

#308

From: "Louis Flint Ceci" <ceci_lga@...>
Date: Tue Dec 8, 2009 7:50 pm
Subject: RE: REMINDER: Book Club Meets Today (Monday 12/7) at 8 pm

ceci_lga

Offline

I finished it last night and I *still* like it. Ain't that peculiar?

I felt nothing but pity for the Sarveali, whose life never went far

beyond misery, except when he attended his dying master. What a waste

of a life and a soul.

--Lou

From: gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com [mailto:gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Tom Schmidt
Sent: Monday, December 07, 2009 8:46 AM
To: gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com
Cc: Don Diltz; pauldori@...
Subject: [gaybookclubpaloalto] REMINDER: Book Club Meets Today (Monday 12/7) at 8 pm

Hey All,

Just a quick reminder that we are meeting today at Marv's house in Palo Alto for the Book Club. The book for tonight is the Quince Seed Potion.

Tom Schmidt

M(650)714-0351

Begin forwarded message:

From: Tom Schmidt <pekoedelarosa@...>

Date: November 3, 2009 9:52:52 AM PST

To: gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com

Subject: [gaybookclubpaloalto] Book Club for December

Reply-To: gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com

Book Club,

The next meeting of the Gay Book Club is Monday December 7 at 8 pm. We are meeting at the home of Marv Karasek in Palo Alto. Marv's address is 2100 Cornell Street in Palo Alto.

The book for December is The Quince Seed Potion by Morteza Baharloo. This book is only available in hard cover, but there are some very cheap editions available both new and used via Amazon.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

T.

Tom Schmidt

pekoedelarosa@sbcglobal.net

---------- description from Amazon.com -----------

Does the pharmaceutically sophisticated lady of the house in which short, dark, ugly Sarveali is factotum really know her quinces? She claims a potion made from quince seeds is a cure-all for ailments physical and metaphysical, and wishing to remedy his unnatural, self-disgusting same-sex urges, her miserable servant clings to the hope that it is. Arranged marriage to his scheming, grasping cousin's daughter has not cured him, for she refuses him while welcoming others behind his back. Furious, the shy little man explodes in drunken violence. He is imprisoned and in jail becomes addicted to opium. Baharloo's engrossing, elegantly told story of a sweetly pathetic, supremely loyal family retainer unfolds in the first person against the backdrop of Iran's history from 1928 to 1981. As the once encompassing power of dynastic families unravels, giving way to the Islamic revolution of 1979, readers view the changes overtaking the household in which barely literate, politically untutored Sarveali labors and obtain a humanizing perspective on a history too many Americans know only through authoritarian stereotypes. Whitney Scott
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

#307

From: Tom Schmidt <pekoedelarosa@...>
Date: Tue Dec 8, 2009 7:56 am
Subject: Book Club for January

gaybookclub

Offline

Book Club,

Our book for January is Brendan Wolf by Brian Malloy. We will be meeting on Monday January 11 at 8 pm. We are meeting the second Monday of the month rather than the first to avoid the holiday weekend. We are meeting at the home of Doug Dexter in Los Altos. Doug's address is 844 Terrace Drive in Los Altos. This house can be very easy to drive by on the dark street. The number is on the mailbox at the start of a long driveway. The house itself is set back from the street.

Let me know if you have any questions. Happy New Year from the Gay Book Club.

T.

Tom Schmidt
pekoedelarosa@...

------ description of Brendan Wolf from Amazon.com -----

FFrom Publishers Weekly
A hard-luck Minneapolis guy hits the skids in a major way in Malloy's ambitious second novel (after The Year of Ice). Brendan Wolf, a gay 35-year-old perennial menial employee, can't cover rent and food on $7 an hour. His brother, Ian�in prison for fraud�directs him to Marv, a wealthy, withering elderly gay man. (Ian just met Marv's most recent houseboy in prison.) Though Brendan's plan is to trade housework for room and board, Marv has other transactions in mind. The setup isn't ideal, but Brendan tries to make it work as Cynthia, his sister-in-law, recruits him to play a major role in a plot to steal the proceeds of a pro-life march. The heist sounds surefire, but, sure enough, Brendan soon finds himself embroiled in a disaster that unfolds like a nightmare. The plot is dense if not entirely cohesive, and Malloy's stripped-down prose makes for quick and immersive reading; an interesting spin on classic noir. (Apr.)
Copyright � Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

PProduct Description
Who is Brendan Wolf? It all depends on who you ask.

* To the staff of a Minneapolis nursing home, he's the devoted partner of a much older man who's recently suffered a debilitating stroke.

* To the women of a conservative, Christian pro-life organization, he's the tireless volunteer grieving over the recent loss of his wife and their unborn child.

* To one gay activist, he's the unaffectedly charming, yet directionless and unemployed man that he's fallen hopelessly in love with

* To his brother and his brother's wife, he's the lynchpin of a scam that will net them enough money to start their lives over somewhere new.

* To the general public, he's an armed and dangerous fugitive

All of these people - and yet none of them - Brendan Wolf is an ambivalent lover, reluctant conspirator, counterfeit Christian, and, most of all, an unemployed daydreamer obsessed with a dead man.
From the author of the award-winning The Year of Ice, this is a tour-de-force - a compelling, hilarious, heart-breaking novel about one utterly typical, and completely original, figure: Brendan Wolf.

#306

From: Tom Schmidt <pekoedelarosa@...>
Date: Mon Dec 7, 2009 4:45 pm
Subject: REMINDER: Book Club Meets Today (Monday 12/7) at 8 pm

gaybookclub

Offline

Hey All,

Just a quick reminder that we are meeting today at Marv's house in Palo Alto for the Book Club. The book for tonight is the Quince Seed Potion.

Tom Schmidt

M(650)714-0351

Begin forwarded message:

From: Tom Schmidt <pekoedelarosa@...>
Date: November 3, 2009 9:52:52 AM PST
To: gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [gaybookclubpaloalto] Book Club for December
Reply-To: gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com

Book Club,

The next meeting of the Gay Book Club is Monday December 7 at 8 pm. We are meeting at the home of Marv Karasek in Palo Alto. Marv's address is 2100 Cornell Street in Palo Alto.

The book for December is The Quince Seed Potion by Morteza Baharloo. This book is only available in hard cover, but there are some very cheap editions available both new and used via Amazon.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

T.

Tom Schmidt
pekoedelarosa@sbcglobal.net

---------- description from Amazon.com -----------

Does the pharmaceutically sophisticated lady of the house in which short, dark, ugly Sarveali is factotum really know her quinces? She claims a potion made from quince seeds is a cure-all for ailments physical and metaphysical, and wishing to remedy his unnatural, self-disgusting same-sex urges, her miserable servant clings to the hope that it is. Arranged marriage to his scheming, grasping cousin's daughter has not cured him, for she refuses him while welcoming others behind his back. Furious, the shy little man explodes in drunken violence. He is imprisoned and in jail becomes addicted to opium. Baharloo's engrossing, elegantly told story of a sweetly pathetic, supremely loyal family retainer unfolds in the first person against the backdrop of Iran's history from 1928 to 1981. As the once encompassing power of dynastic families unravels, giving way to the Islamic revolution of 1979, readers view the changes overtaking the household in which barely literate, politically untutored Sarveali labors and obtain a humanizing perspective on a history too many Americans know only through authoritarian stereotypes. Whitney Scott
Copyright � American Library Association. All rights reserved

#305

From: D D <longdistance13.1@...>
Date: Thu Dec 3, 2009 11:04 pm
Subject: Re: Good news about COMFORT ME

longdistance13.1@...

Hey that's great Lou!� Good luck in the finals.� Oh, and we are meeting at Marve's home on the 7th at 8 PM - Tom sent out an e-mail.

Doug

On Thu, Dec 3, 2009 at 2:37 PM, Louis Flint Ceci <ceci_lga@...> wrote:

�

Huh. Come to think of it, neither can I. Doug's?

--Lou

-----Original Message-----
From: gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Surajit A. Bose
Sent: Thursday, December 03, 2009 2:34 PM
To: gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [gaybookclubpaloalto] Good news about COMFORT ME

Hey, that's great news, Lou! Congratulations.

Speaking of the book club, I can't remember where we're meeting on
Monday....

-s

Louis Flint Ceci wrote:
>
>
> Hello, fellow bookies.
>
> Some bits of good news about my novel, COMFORT ME.
>
> First, Midwest Book Reviews rated it "Highly Recommended" in their
> Small Press Bookwatch for November--and then they cross-posted the
> review on Amazon and gave it five stars. That makes three five-star
> reviews so far! You can read their complete review here:
>
> http://www.midwestbookreview.com/sbw/nov_09.htm#Fiction
> <http://www.midwestbookreview.com/sbw/nov_09.htm#Fiction>
>
> Second, ON Magazine, the GLBT magazine of record for the Bay Area and
> Silicon Valley, wrote a feature article on me in their December issue.
> It's about the journey I took getting COMFORT ME published, including
> the role the Palo Alto Gay Book Club took in keeping me going. Troy
> May, the magazine's editor, did the interview, and he used Tom
> Schmidt's portrait of me in the e-mail he sent out advertising it. You
> can read the whole story on line here:
>
> http://www.onbayarea.com/files/pdf/on_1109.pdf
> <http://www.onbayarea.com/files/pdf/on_1109.pdf>
> (the article is on page 8 of this PDF file)
>
> Last, COMFORT ME is among several books nominated for this year's
> Lambda Literary Foundation award (the Lammys) for best Children's/
> Young Adult novel of 2009. The finalists, which usually number 3 to 5,
> will be announced in March. Keep your fingers crossed!
>
> COMFORT ME would make a great holiday gift. It's available locally at
> Books Inc. on Market Street in San Francisco, and I always carry a few
> copies with me. Buy one from me and I'll not only give you a discount,
> but I'll throw in an autograph, too!
>
> See you at the discussion of The Quince Seed Potion. Holiday cheers to
> you all,
>
> --Louis Flint Ceci
>

------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

#304

From: "Surajit A. Bose" <psurajit@...>
Date: Thu Dec 3, 2009 10:59 pm
Subject: Re: Book Club for December

bosesurajit

Offline

That's unfortunate, Tony; wasn't The Quince Seed Potion your
recommendation?

-s

tsanc1@... wrote:
>
>
> Hey guys -- I'm sorry I won't be at the next meeting.  I have to work.
> Have a nice holiday season and a happy new year.  Tony
>
> In a message dated 11/3/2009 10:37:42 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,
> pekoedelarosa@... writes:
>
>
>
>     Book Club,
>
>     The next meeting of the Gay Book Club is Monday December 7 at 8 pm.
>      We are meeting at the home of Marv Karasek in Palo Alto.   Marv's
>     address is 2100 Cornell Street in Palo Alto.
>
>     The book for December is The Quince Seed Potion by Morteza Baharloo.
>       This book is only available in hard cover, but there are some very
>     cheap editions available both new and used via Amazon.
>
>     Please let me know if you have any questions.
>
>     T.
>
>     Tom Schmidt
>     pekoedelarosa@... <mailto:pekoedelarosa@...>
>
>
>     ----------  description from Amazon.com <http://amazon.com/> -----------
>
>     Does the pharmaceutically sophisticated lady of the house in which
>     short, dark, ugly Sarveali is factotum really know her quinces? She
>     claims a potion made from quince seeds is a cure-all for ailments
>     physical and metaphysical, and wishing to remedy his unnatural,
>     self-disgusting same-sex urges, her miserable servant clings to the
>     hope that it is. Arranged marriage to his scheming, grasping
>     cousin's daughter has not cured him, for she refuses him while
>     welcoming others behind his back. Furious, the shy little man
>     explodes in drunken violence. He is imprisoned and in jail becomes
>     addicted to opium. Baharloo's engrossing, elegantly told story of a
>     sweetly pathetic, supremely loyal family retainer unfolds in the
>     first person against the backdrop of Iran's history from 1928 to
>     1981. As the once encompassing power of dynastic families unravels,
>     giving way to the Islamic revolution of 1979, readers view the
>     changes overtaking the household in which barely literate,
>     politically untutored Sarveali labors and obtain a humanizing
>     perspective on a history too many Americans know only through
>     authoritarian stereotypes. /Whitney Scott/
>     /Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved/
>
>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (7)

#303

From: "Surajit A. Bose" <psurajit@...>
Date: Thu Dec 3, 2009 10:58 pm
Subject: Re: Good news about COMFORT ME

bosesurajit

Offline

Marv's place. I just saw that Tom sent something out about it
yesterday--it ended up in my spam folder for some reason.

-s


Louis Flint Ceci wrote:
>
>
> Huh. Come to think of it, neither can I. Doug's?
>
> --Lou
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com
> <mailto:gaybookclubpaloalto%40yahoogroups.com>
> [mailto:gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com
> <mailto:gaybookclubpaloalto%40yahoogroups.com>] On Behalf Of Surajit A. Bose
> Sent: Thursday, December 03, 2009 2:34 PM
> To: gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com
> <mailto:gaybookclubpaloalto%40yahoogroups.com>
> Subject: Re: [gaybookclubpaloalto] Good news about COMFORT ME
>
> Hey, that's great news, Lou! Congratulations.
>
> Speaking of the book club, I can't remember where we're meeting on
> Monday....
>
> -s
>
> Louis Flint Ceci wrote:
>>
>>
>> Hello, fellow bookies.
>>
>> Some bits of good news about my novel, COMFORT ME.
>>
>> First, Midwest Book Reviews rated it "Highly Recommended" in their
>> Small Press Bookwatch for November--and then they cross-posted the
>> review on Amazon and gave it five stars. That makes three five-star
>> reviews so far! You can read their complete review here:
>>
>> http://www.midwestbookreview.com/sbw/nov_09.htm#Fiction
> <http://www.midwestbookreview.com/sbw/nov_09.htm#Fiction>
>> <http://www.midwestbookreview.com/sbw/nov_09.htm#Fiction
> <http://www.midwestbookreview.com/sbw/nov_09.htm#Fiction>>
>>
>> Second, ON Magazine, the GLBT magazine of record for the Bay Area and
>> Silicon Valley, wrote a feature article on me in their December issue.
>> It's about the journey I took getting COMFORT ME published, including
>> the role the Palo Alto Gay Book Club took in keeping me going. Troy
>> May, the magazine's editor, did the interview, and he used Tom
>> Schmidt's portrait of me in the e-mail he sent out advertising it. You
>> can read the whole story on line here:
>>
>> http://www.onbayarea.com/files/pdf/on_1109.pdf
> <http://www.onbayarea.com/files/pdf/on_1109.pdf>
>> <http://www.onbayarea.com/files/pdf/on_1109.pdf
> <http://www.onbayarea.com/files/pdf/on_1109.pdf>>
>> (the article is on page 8 of this PDF file)
>>
>> Last, COMFORT ME is among several books nominated for this year's
>> Lambda Literary Foundation award (the Lammys) for best Children's/
>> Young Adult novel of 2009. The finalists, which usually number 3 to 5,
>> will be announced in March. Keep your fingers crossed!
>>
>> COMFORT ME would make a great holiday gift. It's available locally at
>> Books Inc. on Market Street in San Francisco, and I always carry a few
>> copies with me. Buy one from me and I'll not only give you a discount,
>> but I'll throw in an autograph, too!
>>
>> See you at the discussion of The Quince Seed Potion. Holiday cheers to
>> you all,
>>
>> --Louis Flint Ceci
>>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>

#302

From: "Louis Flint Ceci" <ceci_lga@...>
Date: Thu Dec 3, 2009 10:37 pm
Subject: RE: Good news about COMFORT ME

ceci_lga

Offline

Huh.  Come to think of it, neither can I.  Doug's?

--Lou

-----Original Message-----
From: gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Surajit A. Bose
Sent: Thursday, December 03, 2009 2:34 PM
To: gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [gaybookclubpaloalto] Good news about COMFORT ME

Hey, that's great news, Lou! Congratulations.

Speaking of the book club, I can't remember where we're meeting on
Monday....

-s

Louis Flint Ceci wrote:
>
>
> Hello, fellow bookies.
>
> Some bits of good news about my novel, COMFORT ME.
>
> First, Midwest Book Reviews rated it "Highly Recommended" in their
> Small Press Bookwatch for November--and then they cross-posted the
> review on Amazon and gave it five stars. That makes three five-star
> reviews so far! You can read their complete review here:
>
> http://www.midwestbookreview.com/sbw/nov_09.htm#Fiction
> <http://www.midwestbookreview.com/sbw/nov_09.htm#Fiction>
>
> Second, ON Magazine, the GLBT magazine of record for the Bay Area and
> Silicon Valley, wrote a feature article on me in their December issue.
> It's about the journey I took getting COMFORT ME published, including
> the role the Palo Alto Gay Book Club took in keeping me going. Troy
> May, the magazine's editor, did the interview, and he used Tom
> Schmidt's portrait of me in the e-mail he sent out advertising it. You
> can read the whole story on line here:
>
> http://www.onbayarea.com/files/pdf/on_1109.pdf
> <http://www.onbayarea.com/files/pdf/on_1109.pdf>
> (the article is on page 8 of this PDF file)
>
> Last, COMFORT ME is among several books nominated for this year's
> Lambda Literary Foundation award (the Lammys) for best Children's/
> Young Adult novel of 2009. The finalists, which usually number 3 to 5,
> will be announced in March. Keep your fingers crossed!
>
> COMFORT ME would make a great holiday gift. It's available locally at
> Books Inc. on Market Street in San Francisco, and I always carry a few
> copies with me. Buy one from me and I'll not only give you a discount,
> but I'll throw in an autograph, too!
>
> See you at the discussion of The Quince Seed Potion. Holiday cheers to
> you all,
>
> --Louis Flint Ceci
>


------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

#301

From: "Surajit A. Bose" <psurajit@...>
Date: Thu Dec 3, 2009 10:33 pm
Subject: Re: Good news about COMFORT ME

bosesurajit

Offline

Hey, that's great news, Lou! Congratulations.

Speaking of the book club, I can't remember where we're meeting on
Monday....

-s

Louis Flint Ceci wrote:
>
>
> Hello, fellow bookies.
>
> Some bits of good news about my novel, COMFORT ME.
>
> First, Midwest Book Reviews rated it "Highly Recommended" in their
> Small Press Bookwatch for November--and then they cross-posted the
> review on Amazon and gave it five stars. That makes three five-star
> reviews so far! You can read their complete review here:
>
> http://www.midwestbookreview.com/sbw/nov_09.htm#Fiction
> <http://www.midwestbookreview.com/sbw/nov_09.htm#Fiction>
>
> Second, ON Magazine, the GLBT magazine of record for the Bay Area and
> Silicon Valley, wrote a feature article on me in their December issue.
> It's about the journey I took getting COMFORT ME published,
> including the role the Palo Alto Gay Book Club took in keeping me
> going. Troy May, the magazine's editor, did the interview,
> and he used Tom Schmidt's portrait of me in the e-mail he sent out
> advertising it. You can read the whole story on line here:
>
> http://www.onbayarea.com/files/pdf/on_1109.pdf
> <http://www.onbayarea.com/files/pdf/on_1109.pdf>
> (the article is on page 8 of this PDF file)
>
> Last, COMFORT ME is among several books nominated for this year's
> Lambda Literary Foundation award (the Lammys) for best Children's/
> Young Adult novel of 2009. The finalists, which usually number 3 to
> 5, will be announced in March. Keep your fingers crossed!
>
> COMFORT ME would make a great holiday gift. It's available locally at
> Books Inc. on Market Street in San Francisco, and I always carry a few
> copies with me. Buy one from me and I'll not only give you a
> discount, but I'll throw in an autograph, too!
>
> See you at the discussion of The Quince Seed Potion. Holiday cheers
> to you all,
>
> --Louis Flint Ceci
>

#300

From: "Louis Flint Ceci" <ceci_lga@...>
Date: Thu Dec 3, 2009 10:21 pm
Subject: Good news about COMFORT ME

ceci_lga

Offline

Hello, fellow bookies.

Some bits of good news about my novel, COMFORT ME.

First, Midwest Book Reviews rated it "Highly Recommended" in their
Small Press Bookwatch for November--and then they cross-posted the
review on Amazon and gave it five stars.  That makes three five-star
reviews so far!  You can read their complete review here:

http://www.midwestbookreview.com/sbw/nov_09.htm#Fiction

Second, ON Magazine, the GLBT magazine of record for the Bay Area and
Silicon Valley, wrote a feature article on me in their December issue.  It's
about the journey I took getting COMFORT ME published,
including the role the Palo Alto Gay Book Club took in keeping me
going. Troy May, the magazine's editor, did the interview,
and he used Tom Schmidt's portrait of me in the e-mail he sent out
advertising it.  You can read the whole story on line here:

http://www.onbayarea.com/files/pdf/on_1109.pdf
(the article is on page 8 of this PDF file)

Last, COMFORT ME is among several books nominated for this year's
Lambda Literary Foundation award (the Lammys) for best Children's/
Young Adult novel of 2009.  The finalists, which usually number 3 to
5, will be announced in March.  Keep your fingers crossed!

COMFORT ME would make a great holiday gift.  It's available locally at
Books Inc. on Market Street in San Francisco, and I always carry a few
copies with me.  Buy one from me and I'll not only give you a
discount, but I'll throw in an autograph, too!

See you at the discussion of The Quince Seed Potion.  Holiday cheers
to you all,

--Louis Flint Ceci

#299

From: "Neil SF" <harrisson9876@...>
Date: Thu Dec 3, 2009 9:25 am
Subject: Hot Play Party in San Francisco - hope this is ok to post

harrisson9876

Offline

Hi guys, (sorry ladies)

I would like to inform you about my yahoo group:
SanFranciscoMensOnlyParty
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SanFranciscoMensOnlyParty/

The next party is on Saturday, December 5th, 2009
8 PM to 2 AM+

Get the info on this Men's only San Francisco Play and Massage Party.
Three floors of fun in a private residence, with a hot tub on the
premises.
Light refreshments and soft drinks/water are served.
There is a secured clothing check and complementary towel service.
The party is from 8 PM to 2 AM+
All ages and body types welcome. Please INVITE your friends and TELL
others that might enjoy this party.

For more information, join now.
You must have your age in your profile.

Future Parties (2009): December 5th, 2009. Other parties tba. There are
generally parties every two months.

BAY AREA COMMUNITY EVENTS AND PERSONALS ADS ARE ALSO POSTED IN THE
YAHOO GROUP

Thanks,

#298

From: tsanc1@...
Date: Wed Dec 2, 2009 10:00 pm
Subject: Re: Book Club for December

tr.sanchez

Offline

Hey guys -- I'm sorry I won't be at the next meeting. I have to work. Have a nice holiday season and a happy new year. Tony

In a message dated 11/3/2009 10:37:42 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, pekoedelarosa@... writes:

Book Club,

The next meeting of the Gay Book Club is Monday December 7 at 8 pm. We are meeting at the home of Marv Karasek in Palo Alto. Marv's address is 2100 Cornell Street in Palo Alto.

The book for December is The Quince Seed Potion by Morteza Baharloo. This book is only available in hard cover, but there are some very cheap editions available both new and used via Amazon.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

T.

Tom Schmidt

pekoedelarosa@sbcglobal.net

---------- description from Amazon.com -----------

Does the pharmaceutically sophisticated lady of the house in which short, dark, ugly Sarveali is factotum really know her quinces? She claims a potion made from quince seeds is a cure-all for ailments physical and metaphysical, and wishing to remedy his unnatural, self-disgusting same-sex urges, her miserable servant clings to the hope that it is. Arranged marriage to his scheming, grasping cousin's daughter has not cured him, for she refuses him while welcoming others behind his back. Furious, the shy little man explodes in drunken violence. He is imprisoned and in jail becomes addicted to opium. Baharloo's engrossing, elegantly told story of a sweetly pathetic, supremely loyal family retainer unfolds in the first person against the backdrop of Iran's history from 1928 to 1981. As the once encompassing power of dynastic families unravels, giving way to the Islamic revolution of 1979, readers view the changes overtaking the household in which barely literate, politically untutored Sarveali labors and obtain a humanizing perspective on a history too many Americans know only through authoritarian stereotypes. Whitney Scott
Copyright � American Library Association. All rights reserved

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (7)

#297

From: Tom Schmidt <pekoedelarosa@...>
Date: Tue Nov 3, 2009 5:52 pm
Subject: Book Club for December

gaybookclub

Offline

Book Club,

The next meeting of the Gay Book Club is Monday December 7 at 8 pm. We are meeting at the home of Marv Karasek in Palo Alto. Marv's address is 2100 Cornell Street in Palo Alto.

The book for December is The Quince Seed Potion by Morteza Baharloo. This book is only available in hard cover, but there are some very cheap editions available both new and used via Amazon.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Tom Schmidt

pekoedelarosa@...

---------- description from Amazon.com -----------

Does the pharmaceutically sophisticated lady of the house in which short, dark, ugly Sarveali is factotum really know her quinces? She claims a potion made from quince seeds is a cure-all for ailments physical and metaphysical, and wishing to remedy his unnatural, self-disgusting same-sex urges, her miserable servant clings to the hope that it is. Arranged marriage to his scheming, grasping cousin's daughter has not cured him, for she refuses him while welcoming others behind his back. Furious, the shy little man explodes in drunken violence. He is imprisoned and in jail becomes addicted to opium. Baharloo's engrossing, elegantly told story of a sweetly pathetic, supremely loyal family retainer unfolds in the first person against the backdrop of Iran's history from 1928 to 1981. As the once encompassing power of dynastic families unravels, giving way to the Islamic revolution of 1979, readers view the changes overtaking the household in which barely literate, politically untutored Sarveali labors and obtain a humanizing perspective on a history too many Americans know only through authoritarian stereotypes. Whitney Scott
Copyright � American Library Association. All rights reserved

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (7)

#296

From: Tom Schmidt <pekoedelarosa@...>
Date: Mon Nov 2, 2009 7:20 pm
Subject: REMINDER: Book Club Tonight at my house

gaybookclub

Offline

Hey All,

Just a quick reminder that the book club meets tonight at my house at 8 pm.

Tom Schmidt

Begin forwarded message:

From: Tom Schmidt <pekoedelarosa@...>
Date: October 5, 2009 10:34:32 PM PDT
To: gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [gaybookclubpaloalto] Book Club for November
Reply-To: gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com

Book Club,

The next meeting of the Gay Book Club will be Monday November 2 at 8 pm. We will be meeting at my house in Mountain View. My address is 193 Ortega Ave in Mountain View. Please let me know if you need directions. All are welcome. If you are interested, just read the book and come prepared to discuss.

The book for November is Finlater by Shawn Stewart Ruff.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

T.

Tom Schmidt
pekoedelarosa@sbcglobal.net

------- description of book from Amazon.com ---------

4**** Stars Time Out New York 8/13-19/08 Hold this heavy, beautifully designed book in your hands and you might wonder what sort of mediocre writing all the artistry is trying to obscure. Forget it, though, because it turns out that the new publishing company s debut is a winner, thanks to the spare, deeply affecting writing of Ruff, a New York City short-story writer who has penned a unique and arresting novel about two boys in love. Set in Cincinnati in 1969, the tale is told from the point of view of Cliffy, a 13-year-old African-American kid who has a high aptitude for (and slight obsession with) spelling. He lives in the Findlater Gardens Projects with his two brothers, his hardworking mom and his no-good dad, who has returned, in the first chapter, after a long absence. In that clever scene we get Cliffy sitting in a tub, catching sight of mysterious headlights in the window, then unceremoniously meeting his father as he barges into the bathroom to take a p*ss. The uncomfortable eroticism in the! air set s the stage for what s to come both with inappropriate loser-Daddy and also Noah, the precocious, brace-faced Jewish classmate who becomes Cliffys first lust and love. The two face plenty of prejudice just for walking down the street together, with passersby shouting b*tches and Oreos at them, but the real connection which starts out with mutual milking sessions and turns into highly charged sex romps of all kinds becomes a brave relationship of a whole different kind.The connection between the boys is priceless, from their wonderfully natural intimacy to their false bravado that gets quickly chipped down to honesty through discussions about how Jews are like blacks and about the boys fathers, each tragically flawed in very different ways. Though Ruff s language is a bit off at times peppered with colloquialisms like Us kids birthdays were different that seem jarringly out of step with his otherwise proper use of English it s mostly just evocative and mesmerizing. And the story itself is a gem. Beth Greenfield --Time Out New York --newyork.timeout.com/articles/gay/48411/finlater

Boys in love by Jim Piechota With Finlater, Shawn Ruff, a talented short-story writer and editor based in New York City, has produced an impressive debut novel rife with themes of race, poverty, love, family, and a boyhood friendship that transcends traditional boundaries. Set in racially-turbulent Cincinnati in the 1970s, it features Cliffy Douglas, a 13-year-old African-American spelling-bee champion living in the Findlater Gardens Housing Projects. He narrates his own story and tells of a chance meeting with Noah Baumgarten, a Jewish boy wearing the same striped-style shirt in math class one day, when a friendship like no other is born. As their relationship intensifies, both boys seek to adopt the other's heritage, and as they traverse Cincinnati's urban jungle discovering both the dangers and the wonders of inner-city life, things in! evitably get complicated. But both boys' home lives are mired in discord. Cliffy's heavy-drinking father, who had left for greener pastures, suddenly reappears to reclaim his family, which consists of rowdy brothers matured beyond their years and a hardworking mother who struggles to keep food on the table for her children. Noah's father becomes an increasingly difficult burden for a teenager to bear as his mental illness progresses beyond reason. The book is heavy and dense, published with thick, glossy pages as if the book itself is telling the reader it's material weighted with emotion and cultural significance. Ruff's dialogue is exceptionally raw and drenched in slang terminology (that may offend some readers), and he doesn't mince words when it comes to passages about race or sexuality. But keeping the novel authentic separates it from others on the same shelf. Finlater is unique, hard-hitting, and emotionally charged, as two boys discover that in the midst of their overwhelming troubles and their challenging cross-cultural exchange, there is love to be found and shared among the weeds. When Noah goes away for almost a month, Cliffy spends his time 'kissing Noah's postcard. Hugging his words. All things Noah. They carried me as steadily as his bicycle had.' Even with passages like these, there's not much in the way of a happy ending at the book's conclusion, but devotion and family allegiance end up trumping all the complicated misery that came before it. Simply put, this is brilliant writing from an edgy author brimming with promise. --Bay Area Reporter 11/20/2008 --bayareareporter.net/common/inc/article_print.php?sec=books&article=415

#295

From: "Louis Flint Ceci" <ceci_lga@...>
Date: Tue Oct 20, 2009 12:53 am
Subject: RE: Comfort Me gets 5-star review

ceci_lga

Offline

I'm counting on it. Ordinarily, I'd say to myself, "Don't quit your

day job," but in my case...

--Lou

From: gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com [mailto:gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of D D
Sent: Monday, October 19, 2009 5:50 PM
To: gaybookclubpaloalto@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [gaybookclubpaloalto] Comfort Me gets 5-star review

Hey Lou, that's terrific news! Maybe your royalty stream will take a sudden jump and you'll be able to go to those European swim competitions!

Doug

On Mon, Oct 19, 2009 at 4:43 PM, Louis Flint Ceci <ceci_lga@...> wrote:

Hi, Folks.

Grady Harp, one of Amazon's top-ranked reviewers, has just given my
novel, Comfort Me, their highest rating: 5 stars!

Here is some of what he says in his review, titled "Quilting: Stitching
Together Lives in Oklahoma":

"What Louis Flint Ceci manages to bring to the quilting table in this
atmospheric, genuinely tender story is not only a cast of people we
learn to love and understand, but also topics of sexual identity played
out in such a knowing detail that the bruises other writers bring to
the topic pale in comparison, of the Catholic Church and religion in
general, and of the fragility of the family unit assaulted by
rumors and truths that sound so familiar that they resemble our
neighbors and ourselves. This is a tale about the strength of the human
spirit challenged by painful histories and unspoken truths and the
powerful glue of friendships that allow us each to survive. COMFORT ME
is a book so well written that it can be enjoyed by anyone who enjoys
fine story telling, and should be read by teenagers who are
encountering the fragility of approaching meaningful adult lives.
Highly recommended."

You can read his entire review on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Comfort-Me-Louis-Flint-Ceci/dp/1603705546

On Goodreads:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/74839776

Or on Powell's Books:

http://www.powells.com/biblio/9781603705844

Pretty neat, huh?

--Lou

#294

From: D D <longdistance13.1@...>
Date: Tue Oct 20, 2009 12:49 am
Subject: Re: Comfort Me gets 5-star review

longdistance13.1@...

Hey Lou, that's terrific news!� Maybe your royalty stream will take a sudden jump and you'll be able to go to those European swim competitions!

Doug

On Mon, Oct 19, 2009 at 4:43 PM, Louis Flint Ceci <ceci_lga@...> wrote:

�

Hi, Folks.

Grady Harp, one of Amazon's top-ranked reviewers, has just given my
novel, Comfort Me, their highest rating: 5 stars!

Here is some of what he says in his review, titled "Quilting: Stitching
Together Lives in Oklahoma":

"What Louis Flint Ceci manages to bring to the quilting table in this
atmospheric, genuinely tender story is not only a cast of people we
learn to love and understand, but also topics of sexual identity played
out in such a knowing detail that the bruises other writers bring to
the topic pale in comparison, of the Catholic Church and religion in
general, and of the fragility of the family unit assaulted by
rumors and truths that sound so familiar that they resemble our
neighbors and ourselves. This is a tale about the strength of the human
spirit challenged by painful histories and unspoken truths and the
powerful glue of friendships that allow us each to survive. COMFORT ME
is a book so well written that it can be enjoyed by anyone who enjoys
fine story telling, and should be read by teenagers who are
encountering the fragility of approaching meaningful adult lives.
Highly recommended."

You can read his entire review on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Comfort-Me-Louis-Flint-Ceci/dp/1603705546

On Goodreads:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/74839776

Or on Powell's Books:

http://www.powells.com/biblio/9781603705844

Pretty neat, huh?

--Lou

#293

From: "Louis Flint Ceci" <ceci_lga@...>
Date: Mon Oct 19, 2009 11:43 pm
Subject: Comfort Me gets 5-star review

ceci_lga

Offline

Hi, Folks.

Grady Harp, one of Amazon's top-ranked reviewers, has just given my
novel, Comfort Me, their highest rating: 5 stars!

Here is some of what he says in his review, titled "Quilting: Stitching
Together Lives in Oklahoma":

"What Louis Flint Ceci manages to bring to the quilting table in this
atmospheric, genuinely tender story is not only a cast of people we
learn to love and understand, but also topics of sexual identity played
out in such a knowing detail that the bruises other writers bring to
the topic pale in comparison, of the Catholic Church and religion in
general, and of the fragility of the family unit assaulted by
rumors and truths that sound so familiar that they resemble our
neighbors and ourselves. This is a tale about the strength of the human
spirit challenged by painful histories and unspoken truths and the
powerful glue of friendships that allow us each to survive. COMFORT ME
is a book so well written that it can be enjoyed by anyone who enjoys
fine story telling, and should be read by teenagers who are
encountering the fragility of approaching meaningful adult lives.
Highly recommended."

You can read his entire review on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Comfort-Me-Louis-Flint-Ceci/dp/1603705546

On Goodreads:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/74839776

Or on Powell's Books:

http://www.powells.com/biblio/9781603705844

Pretty neat, huh?

--Lou

#292

From: Tom Schmidt <pekoedelarosa@...>
Date: Tue Oct 6, 2009 5:34 am
Subject: Book Club for November

gaybookclub

Offline

Book Club,

The next meeting of the Gay Book Club will be Monday November 2 at 8 pm. We will be meeting at my house in Mountain View. My address is 193 Ortega Ave in Mountain View. Please let me know if you need directions. All are welcome. If you are interested, just read the book and come prepared to discuss.

The book for November is Finlater by Shawn Stewart Ruff.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Tom Schmidt

pekoedelarosa@...

------- description of book from Amazon.com ---------

4**** Stars Time Out New York 8/13-19/08 Hold this heavy, beautifully designed book in your hands and you might wonder what sort of mediocre writing all the artistry is trying to obscure. Forget it, though, because it turns out that the new publishing company s debut is a winner, thanks to the spare, deeply affecting writing of Ruff, a New York City short-story writer who has penned a unique and arresting novel about two boys in love. Set in Cincinnati in 1969, the tale is told from the point of view of Cliffy, a 13-year-old African-American kid who has a high aptitude for (and slight obsession with) spelling. He lives in the Findlater Gardens Projects with his two brothers, his hardworking mom and his no-good dad, who has returned, in the first chapter, after a long absence. In that clever scene we get Cliffy sitting in a tub, catching sight of mysterious headlights in the window, then unceremoniously meeting his father as he barges into the bathroom to take a p*ss. The uncomfortable eroticism in the air sets the stage for what s to come both with inappropriate loser-Daddy and also Noah, the precocious, brace-faced Jewish classmate who becomes Cliffys first lust and love. The two face plenty of prejudice just for walking down the street together, with passersby shouting b*tches and Oreos at them, but the real connection which starts out with mutual milking sessions and turns into highly charged sex romps of all kinds becomes a brave relationship of a whole different kind.The connection between the boys is priceless, from their wonderfully natural intimacy to their false bravado that gets quickly chipped down to honesty through discussions about how Jews are like blacks and about the boys fathers, each tragically flawed in very different ways. Though Ruff s language is a bit off at times peppered with colloquialisms like Us kids birthdays were different that seem jarringly out of step with his otherwise proper use of English it s mostly just evocative and mesmerizing. And the story itself is a gem. Beth Greenfield --Time Out New York --newyork.timeout.com/articles/gay/48411/finlater

Boys in love by Jim Piechota With Finlater, Shawn Ruff, a talented short-story writer and editor based in New York City, has produced an impressive debut novel rife with themes of race, poverty, love, family, and a boyhood friendship that transcends traditional boundaries. Set in racially-turbulent Cincinnati in the 1970s, it features Cliffy Douglas, a 13-year-old African-American spelling-bee champion living in the Findlater Gardens Housing Projects. He narrates his own story and tells of a chance meeting with Noah Baumgarten, a Jewish boy wearing the same striped-style shirt in math class one day, when a friendship like no other is born. As their relationship intensifies, both boys seek to adopt the other's heritage, and as they traverse Cincinnati's urban jungle discovering both the dangers and the wonders of inner-city life, things inevitably get complicated. But both boys' home lives are mired in discord. Cliffy's heavy-drinking father, who had left for greener pastures, suddenly reappears to reclaim his family, which consists of rowdy brothers matured beyond their years and a hardworking mother who struggles to keep food on the table for her children. Noah's father becomes an increasingly difficult burden for a teenager to bear as his mental illness progresses beyond reason. The book is heavy and dense, published with thick, glossy pages as if the book itself is telling the reader it's material weighted with emotion and cultural significance. Ruff's dialogue is exceptionally raw and drenched in slang terminology (that may offend some readers), and he doesn't mince words when it comes to passages about race or sexuality. But keeping the novel authentic separates it from others on the same shelf. Finlater is unique, hard-hitting, and emotionally charged, as two boys discover that in the midst of their overwhelming troubles and their challenging cross-cultural exchange, there is love to be found and shared among the weeds. When Noah goes away for almost a month, Cliffy spends his time 'kissing Noah's postcard. Hugging his words. All things Noah. They carried me as steadily as his bicycle had.' Even with passages like these, there's not much in the way of a happy ending at the book's conclusion, but devotion and family allegiance end up trumping all the complicated misery that came before it. Simply put, this is brilliant writing from an edgy author brimming with promise. --Bay Area Reporter 11/20/2008 --bayareareporter.net/common/inc/article_print.php?sec=books&article=415

#291

From: "Louis Flint Ceci" <ceci_lga@...>
Date: Mon Oct 5, 2009 7:15 pm
Subject: I think we're meeting at my house tonight

ceci_lga

Offline

I think we're meeting at my house tonight to discuss
Selfish and Perverse.  I think.  If anyone thinks
otherwise, please speak up.

My house: 1857 Villa Street, Mountain View, CA 94041
My phone: 650.969.9556
When: 8 PM.

If you want snacks, bring 'em, 'cuz I'm broke.

--Lou

#290

From: "Louis Flint Ceci" <ceci_lga@...>
Date: Wed Sep 30, 2009 10:03 pm
Subject: perhaps we should have two kinds of vote

ceci_lga

Offline

I am a stickler for form, and when I read a novel that seems to me to be poorly
edited, my hackles rise.  This makes makes it hard for me to enjoy the other
aspects of the book because it is difficult to read with risen hackles.

But maybe we should judge a book on two counts: its technical merits,
such as proper editing, cover art (one of Marv's favorite topics), and
historical accuracy; and then again on its artistic merits, such a plot,
characters, use of language, and emotional or aesthetic impact.

Given that, I am going to try to approach Monday's book club meeting by setting
aside the many technical errors in Selfish and Perverse and focus my comments on
its artistic merits.  Anyone who wants my list of technical errors (or wants to
compare his with mine) is welcome to contact me off-group.  I greatly enjoy
being in high dudgeon and even have an outfit to wear for the occasion.

--Lou

#289

From: Tom Schmidt <pekoedelarosa@...>
Date: Tue Sep 15, 2009 5:51 am
Subject: Book Club for October

gaybookclub

Offline

Book Club,

The next meeting of the Gay Book Club is on Monday October 5 at 8 pm. We will be meeting at the home of Lou Ceci in Mountain View. His address is 1857 Villa Street in Mountain View.

The book for October is Selfish & Perverse by Bob Smith.

Everyone's assignment is to identify a book that the club might want to read, and come prepared to nominate it at our next meeting.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Tom Schmidt

------------ description of Selfish & Perverse from Amazon.com ------------

From Publishers Weekly
Standup comedian and television writer Smith, who published the Lambda Award�winning memoir Openly Bob in 1997, throws his hat into the gay fiction ring with this absorbing, funny and smoldering romantic comedy. Nelson Kunker, a miserably single, mid-30s unproductive novelist and Hollywood script coordinator for late night TV's Aftertaste, is burning out: endless cat-fighting at work, a boss from hell and the nagging notion that he's either really talented or just gay. Safeguarded by best friend Wendy (a gigantic lesbian), Nelson's love life finally gets a boost after a chance meeting with burly Alaskan salmon fisherman�cum�student archeologist Roy Briggs, cousin to Aftertaste's star performer Joe Benedetti. The two are immediately smitten, but Nelson gets fired for smoking marijuana with sexually ambiguous guest star Dylan Fabizak, on parole and postrehab after a drug arrest. Cut to Nelson, Roy and Dylan at Roy's home in Coffee Point, Alaska, with all the sex, danger, salmon fishing lore and sarcastic dialogue one reader could want, and an appearance from mother-hen Wendy to sort it all out. Pithy zingers (and a fair share of apparently intentional groaners), a chatty gang of likable characters, a simple yet sexy plot line and camera-ready prose combine with panache in this immensely entertaining story. (Sept.)
Copyright � Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist
Handsome, somewhat nerdy Nelson Kunker, Milwaukee's gift to L.A., has been in his ostensible stepping-stone job (script coordinator on a late-night sketch-comedy TV show with poor to mediocre ratings) for three years (in L.A., that's too long) and hasn't written a word more of his novel when he meets Roy, visiting scion of an Alaskan fishing family. Before you can say "long-distance relationship," Nelson, along with a devious movie star who needs to clean and sober up, is salmon fishing with Roy and discovering the depths of this lonely, "inquisitive, imaginative boy who'd used the tundra as his playground." Whew! Former MADtv scripter Smith charms with a true-love tale while amusing with sly insider's digs at the Hollywood machine, including truthy translations of code phrases; for instance, There's been a change in plans equals Here comes a lie, or a broken promise. Scott, Whitney --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

_______________________________________________
To subscribe, unsubscribe, get a digest or see archives for the BBS, go to: http://www.baylands.org/members/online.

#288

From: Tom Schmidt <pekoedelarosa@...>
Date: Mon Sep 14, 2009 4:43 pm
Subject: REMINDER: Book Club Tonight (Monday) at 8 pm

gaybookclub

Offline

The next meeting of the Gay Book Club is Monday September 14. We are meeting on the second Monday as the first is Labor Day. We are meeting at 8 pm at the home of Surajit Bose. See below for address.

The book for September is The Story of a Marriage by Andrew Sean Greer.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

T.

Tom Schmidt
pekoedelarosa@sbcglobal.net

----------- address for Surajit ------------

1982 W Bayshore Rd Apt 239
Palo Alto CA 94303

Google Maps gives good directions. Apartment 239 is building 2, floor 3,
unit 9. There's a gate that leads to buildings 2 and 3. You will need to
dial #235 (not a typo) on the phone at the gate so I can buzz you in.

---------- description of Story of a Marriage from Amazon.com --------

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. As he demonstrated in the imaginative The Confessions of Max Tivoli, Greer can spin a touching narrative based on an intriguing premise. Even a diligent reader will be surprised by the revelations twisting through this novel and will probably turn back to the beginning pages to find the oblique hints hidden in Greer's crystalline prose. In San Francisco in 1953, narrator Pearlie relates the circumstances of her marriage to Holland Cook, her childhood sweetheart. Pearlie's sacrifices for Holland begin when they are teenagers and continue when the two reunite a few years later, marry and have an adored son. The reappearance in Holland's life of his former boss and lover, Buzz Drumer, propels them into a triangular relationship of agonizing decisions. Greer expertly uses his setting as historical and cultural counterpoint to a story that hinges on racial and sexual issues and a climate of fear and repression. Though some readers may find it overly sentimental, this is a sensitive exploration of the secrets hidden even in intimate relationships, a poignant account of people helpless in the throes of passion and an affirmation of the strength of the human spirit.
Copyright � Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist
San Francisco in the 1950s may have seemed like a simpler time, but for African American wife and mother Pearlie Cook, it is anything but. Settled in the city�s Sunset District with her African American husband, Holland, she is wholly unprepared for the news imparted by a stranger who appears one Saturday morning at her door. He is Charles �Buzz� Drumer, a handsome white man who shared a room with Holland in a military hospital during World War II. (Holland had seen battle, Buzz had not. He was a conscientious objector, or, Pearlie wonders, was he just a coward?) Buzz�s astonishing admission (nope�not telling) and the request that follows rattle Pearlie�s peaceful world. She must make a heartbreaking decision, not only for herself, but for her polio-stricken son. Greer (The Confessions of Max Tivoli, 2004) sets this emotionally wrenching tale in a U.S. rife with strife�recovering from one war, mired in yet another, and grappling daily with the prickly issue of race. A haunting, thought-provoking novel about the liabilities of love. --Allison Block --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

_______________________________________________
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#287

From: Tom Schmidt <pekoedelarosa@...>
Date: Tue Aug 4, 2009 11:09 pm
Subject: Book Club for September

gaybookclub

Offline

The next meeting of the Gay Book Club is Monday September 14. We are meeting on the second Monday as the first is Labor Day. We are meeting at 8 pm at the home of Surajit Bose. See below for address.

The book for September is The Story of a Marriage by Andrew Sean Greer.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

T.

Tom Schmidt
pekoedelarosa@...

----------- address for Surajit ------------

1982 W Bayshore Rd Apt 239
Palo Alto CA 94303

Google Maps gives good directions. Apartment 239 is building 2, floor 3,
unit 9. There's a gate that leads to buildings 2 and 3. You will need to
dial #235 (not a typo) on the phone at the gate so I can buzz you in.

---------- description of Story of a Marriage from Amazon.com --------

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. As he demonstrated in the imaginative The Confessions of Max Tivoli, Greer can spin a touching narrative based on an intriguing premise. Even a diligent reader will be surprised by the revelations twisting through this novel and will probably turn back to the beginning pages to find the oblique hints hidden in Greer's crystalline prose. In San Francisco in 1953, narrator Pearlie relates the circumstances of her marriage to Holland Cook, her childhood sweetheart. Pearlie's sacrifices for Holland begin when they are teenagers and continue when the two reunite a few years later, marry and have an adored son. The reappearance in Holland's life of his former boss and lover, Buzz Drumer, propels them into a triangular relationship of agonizing decisions. Greer expertly uses his setting as historical and cultural counterpoint to a story that hinges on racial and sexual issues and a climate of fear and repression. Though some readers may find it overly sentimental, this is a sensitive exploration of the secrets hidden even in intimate relationships, a poignant account of people helpless in the throes of passion and an affirmation of the strength of the human spirit.
Copyright � Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist
San Francisco in the 1950s may have seemed like a simpler time, but for African American wife and mother Pearlie Cook, it is anything but. Settled in the city�s Sunset District with her African American husband, Holland, she is wholly unprepared for the news imparted by a stranger who appears one Saturday morning at her door. He is Charles �Buzz� Drumer, a handsome white man who shared a room with Holland in a military hospital during World War II. (Holland had seen battle, Buzz had not. He was a conscientious objector, or, Pearlie wonders, was he just a coward?) Buzz�s astonishing admission (nope�not telling) and the request that follows rattle Pearlie�s peaceful world. She must make a heartbreaking decision, not only for herself, but for her polio-stricken son. Greer (The Confessions of Max Tivoli, 2004) sets this emotionally wrenching tale in a U.S. rife with strife�recovering from one war, mired in yet another, and grappling daily with the prickly issue of race. A haunting, thought-provoking novel about the liabilities of love. --Allison Block --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

_______________________________________________
To subscribe, unsubscribe, get a digest or see archives for the BBS, go to: http://www.baylands.org/members/online.

#286

From: "Surajit A. Bose" <psurajit@...>
Date: Mon Aug 3, 2009 8:03 pm
Subject: Re: REMINDER: Book Club Tonight

bosesurajit

Offline

Tom Schmidt wrote:
>
>
> Hey All,
>
> Just a reminder that the book club meets tonight (Monday) at 8 pm. We
> are meeting at my house (see below) for address and directions.
>
> T.
>
> Tom Schmidt
>

I'll be there.

-s

#285

From: Tom Schmidt <pekoedelarosa@...>
Date: Mon Aug 3, 2009 5:53 pm
Subject: REMINDER: Book Club Tonight

gaybookclub

Offline

Hey All,

Just a reminder that the book club meets tonight (Monday) at 8 pm.  We
are meeting at my house (see below) for address and directions.

T.

Tom Schmidt

-================

from Central Expressway in Mountain View, turn onto Rengstorff toward
El Camino

take a right at the next light onto California Ave

take a right at the next light onto Ortega Ave

go 1/2 block and turn right into the Birchgreen Park Town houses.
This is easy to miss.  There is a sign to the left of the driveway.

Follow the long driveway to the very back.  I am in unit 193.  The
full address is 193 Ortega Ave.

If you have any problems, call me at (650)694-7705

#284

From: "tr.sanchez" <tsanc1@...>
Date: Sat Jul 18, 2009 3:49 am
Subject: mary woronov

tr.sanchez

Offline

Go to MaryWaronov.com to see this artist's work

#283

From: Tom Schmidt <pekoedelarosa@...>
Date: Tue Jul 14, 2009 11:28 pm
Subject: Re: Book Club for August

gaybookclub

Offline

Surajit,

There were just 3 of us last night (me, Lou, and Tony), but we had a great discussion (and great food!).

All of us agreed that the book had some problems, but we weren't quite as harsh as you were.

On Jul 14, 2009, at 3:59 PM, Surajit A. Bose wrote:

Shuck? Sounds corny.

Sorry, couldn't resist. When it comes to pun possibilities, I always
have my ear to the ground.

Oh dear, I did it again, didn't I. Guess I'm just a glutton for pun-ishment.

Aaargh. Chalk it up to jetlag.

Sorry I missed last night's meeting. Was it fun?

-s

Tom Schmidt wrote:
>
>
>
> Book Club,
>
> The next meeting of the Gay Book Club will be Monday August 3 at 8 pm.
> We will be meeting at my house in Mountain View (see below for address
> and directions). All are welcome. Just read the book and come prepared
> to discuss.
>
> The book for August is Shuck by Daniel Allen Cox. This is a fairly
> short book that should make a great summer read. Check it out.
>
> Please let me know if you have any questions.
>
> Also, I am looking for someone who wants to take over as leader of the
> book club. The duties are fairly minimal. Mainly you just make sure
> that announcements are sent out prior to our meetings. Of course, the
> new leader could also choose to try and grow the club, to sponsor
> additional events, recruit local authors, etc.
>
> T.
>
> Tom Schmidt
> pekoedelarosa@sbcglobal.net <mailto:pekoedelarosa@sbcglobal.net>
>
>

#282

From: "Surajit A. Bose" <psurajit@...>
Date: Tue Jul 14, 2009 10:59 pm
Subject: Re: Book Club for August

bosesurajit

Offline

Shuck? Sounds corny.

Sorry, couldn't resist. When it comes to pun possibilities, I always
have my ear to the ground.

Oh dear, I did it again, didn't I. Guess I'm just a glutton for pun-ishment.

Aaargh. Chalk it up to jetlag.

Sorry I missed last night's meeting. Was it fun?

-s

Tom Schmidt wrote:
>
>
>
> Book Club,
>
> The next meeting of the Gay Book Club will be Monday August 3 at 8 pm.
>  We will be meeting at my house in Mountain View (see below for address
> and directions).  All are welcome.  Just read the book and come prepared
> to discuss.
>
> The book for August is Shuck by Daniel Allen Cox.  This is a fairly
> short book that should make a great summer read.  Check it out.
>
> Please let me know if you have any questions.
>
> Also, I am looking for someone who wants to take over as leader of the
> book club.  The duties are fairly minimal.  Mainly you just make sure
> that announcements are sent out prior to our meetings.  Of course, the
> new leader could also choose to try and grow the club, to sponsor
> additional events, recruit local authors, etc.
>
> T.
>
> Tom Schmidt
> pekoedelarosa@... <mailto:pekoedelarosa@...>
>
>

#281

From: Tom Schmidt <pekoedelarosa@...>
Date: Tue Jul 14, 2009 6:21 am
Subject: Book Club for August

gaybookclub

Offline

Book Club,

The next meeting of the Gay Book Club will be Monday August 3 at 8 pm. We will be meeting at my house in Mountain View (see below for address and directions). All are welcome. Just read the book and come prepared to discuss.

The book for August is Shuck by Daniel Allen Cox. This is a fairly short book that should make a great summer read. Check it out.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Also, I am looking for someone who wants to take over as leader of the book club. The duties are fairly minimal. Mainly you just make sure that announcements are sent out prior to our meetings. Of course, the new leader could also choose to try and grow the club, to sponsor additional events, recruit local authors, etc.

Tom Schmidt

pekoedelarosa@...

---------- address and directions --------

My address is 193 Ortega Ave in Mountain View. Here are the directions...

- from Central Expressway in Mountain View turn on to Rengstorff going toward El Camino

- take the first right at the light onto California Ave

- take a right at the next light onto Ortega Ave

- go 1/2 block and turn right into the BirchGreen Park Townhouse complex. The driveway is easy to miss. The sign for the complex is to the left of the driveway and set a bit back from the street.

- follow the long driveway all the way to the back. I am in unit 193. If you have any problems, call me at (650)694-7705

------------ description of Shuck from Amazon.com ------------

"Set in the late 1990s, Shuck describes with great clarity and verve the last gasp of a gritty Manhattan."-Bruce LaBruce, film director

Shuck is the intense, dazzling diary of a male hustler in New York who tries to manage his reputation as the city's porn star du jour when he's not dumpster diving, tweaking, or trying to get published. A remarkable peep show of a novel about what binds artists and prostitutes, and the collateral damage of what happens when they try to recover what they have lost.

Daniel Allen Cox is a former porn star. This is his first novel.