Customer Reviews

Generation Queer: A Gay Man's Quest for Hope, Love, and Justice

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Who would have thought a former Mr. Universe and Gay Activist would have so much going on upstairs! What I mean is that Bob Paris' new book, Generation Queer, is the kind of book that makes you stop and think, and reflect on your own experiences, then evaluate where to go from here. I enjoyed Bob's honesty and candor in dealing with the many problematic situations presented. His advice is insightful and not the typical "force-fed" rhetoric you find in so many of the gay activist books on the market. At last someone is addressing questions like, How to deal with spiritual concerns and family relationships from a realistic point of view. I found many of my own private questions were discussed in length and that I'm not alone in my concerns. I'm hoping there will be another edition in the near future. I had only two disappointments: (1) After so many mentions of the "mailbag", where's the address so others can share? (2) There's no pictures. (but, then its not that kind of book.) By the way, I was able to meet Bob Paris at a recent booksigning in West Hollywood, and found him to be as real and thoughtful as he is in print.

Bob Paris proves that there is an extraordinary heart and brain under his Mr. Universe muscles. He answers questions which will help to guide young people to live a moral, kind, loving life. His advice is helpful not only to gay persons, but to the relatives of the rapidly-growing "out" gay population - and their friends and associates. This book can serve as a guide to keeping families together, and it is filled with genuine love- even for people who actively hate and persecute gay persons just for being gay. It is a remarkable book which will help many to live a happier, more forgiving, and more loving life. Bob Paris will astonish many with the wisdom he has accrued, and the capacity he has to uplift and inspire.

I gotta admire Bob Paris for coming out and being a (somewhat unwilling) spokesperson for Gay Rights. And apparently he wrote this himself (no ghost writer). But this reads like a sophmoric treatise. Still, it's a gutsy attempt.
He covers much the same ground (not in as much detail) in "Straight from the Heart" (with Rod Jackson). I found that a better read.

Bob is a smart guy, but Generation Queer is so pat and superficial I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. It reminded me of Jonathan Livingston Seagull - a series of philisophical thoughts, most of them generally reflecting upon the need to be comfortable (or to love) oneself.

The Q & A section of the book was better, mostly because the questions were interesting. Bob's answers were common sense replies to difficult questions. Nothing wrong with the replies, but nothing exceptional about them either.

Don't bother with this one.

Bob Paris has produced a body of work in GENERATION QUEER that will undoubtedly create a new standard against which future books on this topic are judged. Yes folks, it is that informative, endearing and thought provoking. The book is written from the author's heart and his Spirit leaps off the page and touches the reader's heart in a magical and masterful way. The power behind his words of timeless wisdom actually transcend the written medium and create a golden opportunity for healing and integration between our humanity and divinity not only as gay men but as human souls. His writing style is not only picturesque and artful it is truly inspiring. GENERATION QUEER is not a book. It is an inner odyssey that is meant to be fully experienced and shared with every friend and loved one in your life. It is an adventure. My only regret is that this book has yet to be incorporated into the mandatory reading curriculum of every college so that each human being regardless of sexual orientation will be afforded such a rich treasure chest of uncoditional love and compassion in a world that desperately needs such lessons now more than ever. Save yourself some money on shipping. Buy five books at once since you will no doubt be giving them out as gifts to your friends like I have. I can not recommend this book highly enough. I can hardly wait for the sequel.