Reader Reviews

“At times, I could not actually read the words because the tears were streaming.”

“I’m not kissing your ass when I say how good it is. I genuinely can’t put it down. I read 7 chapters straight yesterday. I’m already talking it up to random friends.”

“I loved reading your memoir.  It was powerful, painful, and inspiring.”

“It’s not only your story.  It’s our story.  The story of a generation of gay men.”

“So relatable to people like me who have little personal experience with AIDS.  You paint a truly harrowing picture of life at that time.  It’s devastating.”

“So deeply painful and heartfelt, but with a sly humor still through the darkness.”

“My heart really went out to you as you told your story.  The book works on many levels, which is a real achievement.  A history of the AIDS pandemic in a particular time and place, and the coming of age story of a young man who learns the hard way how to become an honorable man.  It's a very moving story.”

“It was incredibly emotional for me to read your book.  I actually cried most of the day yesterday and still this morning/today I am quite emotional.  For you see, it has opened up a great deal of sadness and pain inside of me.  I could relate heavily to your struggle, pain, and the incredible amount of loss, abandonment, and shame.”

“The Storm metaphor is very apt, powerful.  Your story certainly has the tidal wave like experience of AIDS-HIV and how ominous it felt on a global scale.  You are a badass.  Phooey on anyone who can’t handle TRUTHFUL America.”

“For anyone in our age group and gay, this will resonate hugely and bring up a great deal of our coming out emotions, and a lot of loss and sadness, but also youth.  (Thus, read at your own risk.)”

“WOW!!  It is so amazing!!  I am weeping right now over the last few pages.  I'm right there with you and have had similar experiences — so I know you're not smoking anything.  Life is so incredible, and I know there is so much more than just what is happening on this plane.”

“It’s a human story about the madness of human relationships, especially during times of high stress, which reveals the best and worst of our species.”

"I’m loving it.  I remember 1984 so well because I graduated from high school that year.  So, all your references are bringing back so many memories for me.  You write so effortlessly and simply that it’s easy to get caught up in your story."

“It is uncompromising and frank and captures in dramatic close-ups your life as a young man growing up in Los Angeles during the AIDS crisis and the dramatic twists and turns of the roads you traveled.  I have enjoyed every minute of reading.”

“I savored reading your story…was always eager for the next chapters!  Laughed, cried, held my breath more than once.”

“Your book does a great job of making people who aren’t gay understand what happened in the gay community and what it was like in those years.”

“Your book put this into a finer focus than I could have ever imagined.  What a world you have pictured, such a picture of justice.  This book so moved me - you have no idea.”

“I love it!  Extraordinarily emotional.  Never seen before aspect of the AIDS crisis from a corporate America perspective.  So triumphant at the end.  Great storytelling.”