Robert Taylor, the author of All We Have is Now and Whose Eye is on Which Sparrow?, brings you a complex, moving novel of love and life. A Few Hints and Clews traces the pasts of two men-from their parents' lives through the historic events of the 20th century—reliving the experience of being gay in America during those years. The novel travels through the confusion of the 1940s and 50s to the Stonewall Revolution through the horror of AIDS and beyond, ultimately emerging as a warm, loving, and hopeful celebration of the courage it takes to throw off fear and uncertainty and live proudly as an openly gay couple.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
Growing-up-and-coming-out novels are now numerous in American literature. But Robert Taylor does the unusual with this kind of story--like every good Southern writer, he DEFTLY WEAVES A RICH TEXTURE OF MANY GENERATIONS of family sun and shadow, joy and pain, along with family religious belief, into what would have been a simple love story and long-time relationship between two men. -- Patricia Nell Warren, Author of bestselling novels The Front Runner, Harlan's Race, The Wild Man and other books
Novels telling the story of the woven lives of two gay men over several decades were once fairly rare, a situation which the diversification of gay and lesbian writing since 1969 has rectified in a variety of voices. -- Robert B. Ridinger, Northern Illinois University, editor of Speaking for Our Lives: Historic Speeches and Rhetoric for Gay and Lesbian Rights (1892-2000)
Robert Taylor SUCCEEDS YET AGAIN in enchanting readers with the power of romance. The author illustrates Adam and Tony's committed relationship through all of its challenges as well as its triumphs, weaving past and present into a compelling narrative. -- Teresa Theophano, author of Queer Quotes
Novels telling the story of the woven lives of two gay men over several decades were once fairly rare, a situation which the diversification of gay and lesbian writing since 1969 has rectified in a variety of voices. -- Robert B. Ridinger, Northern Illinois University, editor of Speaking for Our Lives: Historic Speeches and Rhetoric for Gay and Lesbian Rights (1892-2000)
Robert Taylor SUCCEEDS YET AGAIN in enchanting readers with the power of romance. The author illustrates Adam and Tony's committed relationship through all of its challenges as well as its triumphs, weaving past and present into a compelling narrative. -- Teresa Theophano, author of Queer Quotes
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gay love story of the ages,
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This review is from: A Few Hints and Clews (Paperback)
Coming of age, and coming out, in a small Southern town. It's been done many times by many authors, but never with such background, depth, detail and emotion as in Taylor's latest novel.
Plain and simple, "A Few Hints And Clews" is the love story of Adam and Tony, told in flashbacks starting at a time way before they met in their mid-20's. They had a very different upbringing, with their parents, grandparents and siblings, through their life experiences as children, Adam's military stint in VietNam, the evolution of the dating scene during the early days of gay liberation, the uncertainty and fear when the AIDS epidemic was first revealed, having to make the transition from the "do what you feel" 1970's to the responsibilities of monogamy. We get to witness their first fight, their first house, dealing with aging and often difficult parents, financial choices, career pressures and changes, and a terrifying medical diagnosis. Throughout it all, the couple manage to focus on the task of redefining and strengthening their love and devotion to each other, making everything else in their lives ultimately more bearable. One review mentioned that the novel is somewhat autobiographical with regard to the author and his longtime lover, and it shows in the heartfelt, emotionally-rich telling of the tale. Reads almost like an old Southern gothic novel, but flows smoothly and engages the reader thanks to the talent of the author. Much recommended, five stars out of five.
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Tender Romantic Read,
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This review is from: A Few Hints and Clews (Paperback)
When I was a child it was fairly common that family events, holidays, and vacations were recorded with noisy hand held movie cameras or slides made - friends and family visited and the slide projector was pulled out and you gave a show with running commentary. As I read "A Few Hints and Clews", it evoked the nostalgic mood of recorded moments related by the narrator Adam, but projected across pages rather than a screen. I enjoyed Mr. Taylor's story chronicling long time partners Adam and Tony over decades. I found it a quick read featuring scenes of personal history apart and together with nothing too heavy to ponder - just something to enjoy like a slide show that isn't overly long. However, I don't want to give the impression that the writing style or story is simplistic or maudlin - rather it's a wonderfully layered story of two ordinary (dare I say normal) people who could be neighbors/friends that you admire for their length of time and commitment together. I recommend it for the beauty of its easy style - the author isn't trying to impress you with overblown prose (unlike my review) or a convoluted implausible story. It's good...okay, I'll stop now.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Few Hints and Clews by Robert Taylor,
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This review is from: A Few Hints and Clews (Paperback)
Loosely based on the author's life and that of his charming and lovable partner, Ted, this is the tale of Adam Hunter and Tony Marchak. The author begins with the "official versions," then makes the reader privy to "recollections of whispers, faint murmurs behind almost closed doors, snatches of conversations no one knew he was overhearing." What emerges from these whispers and conversations is a story of two very different families, each of which is traced back several generations.
Adam, the middle child of three, grows up in Texas with a handsome, gregarious father who has difficulty holding down a job, thus necessitating many moves. His mother is a somewhat frail woman who in childhood had to stay in bed for a year because of "Scarlet Fever, Rheumatic Fever, maybe even Tuberculosis." Nobody knows for sure. Tony, on the other hand, is the youngest of seven children and grows up on a potato farm on Long Island. His parents are both new immigrants from Russia. What are the relationships Adam and Tony have with each set of parents and how do they change over the years? How do these two young men from such diverse backgrounds meet and subsequently weave their lives together? In his simple and direct style Robert Taylor reveals the answers to these questions. This book is a page turner and a joy to read. Eva Greenberg Oberlin, Ohio
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