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Horrigan’s novel vacillates between the late 1980s and 2016, examining a gay man, James Fitzgerald, his relationship with the literary critic F.O. Matthiessen, and gay culture. In 2016, James is a college professor who teaches American literature and who has written and spoken about Matthiessen. He is married to Fran while also having a boyfriend, Snyder. In contrast, the narrative set in the 1980s explores James' budding political and social consciousness, his work regarding gay culture, the AIDs epidemic, and his relationship with Gregory, who is both a mentor and his partner. It also focuses on his dissertation and his beginning work about Matthiessen.
In 2016, James is given an envelope and a box of Gregory’s belongings from Gregory’s sister, which leads James to examine more deeply his relationship with this first love, who died many years ago. As he continues to focus on Matthiessen’s life, he sees the connection between Matthiessen and his partner and his own life and relationships.
This thought-provoking book is a study of past and present American culture. It examines masculinity, gay relationships, feminism, Marxism, and art. It is a theoretical discourse that provokes self-examination by the reader through its vivid images and studies. A serious novel, it explores gay culture, past and present, while also looking at turbulent times in America. There is a significant juxtaposition regarding James and his politics and gay relationships, his intense focus on Matthiessen’s work and his homosexuality, and his own writing regarding Matthiessen, especially as he had a personal relationship with a man who was similar to Matthiessen. This feature expands the work’s literary qualities. The book is rather pedantic, making it a heavy read at times. Yet overall, Horrigan has written a deep and interesting novel.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review