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Kept Boy [Paperback]

Robert Rodi (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)


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Book Description

November 1, 1997
Kirkus calls him "the undisputed doyen of the effervescent gay novel of manners". Which, in his characters' vernacular, means he's a total scream.

Having made a career of deconstructing the denizens of the modern gay world, Robert Rodi now turns his hand to -- and twists the knife in -- yet another gay archetype: the kept boy.

Dennis Racine is 31, but looks 23...which might be considered his good fortune, except that even 23 is a bit old for his chosen profession: pampered "companion" to the fiftyish, filthy rich Chicago theatrical impresario Farleigh Nock (a.k.a. "the Papp of the Provinces"). In fact, Farleigh has lately become so resistant to Dennis's charms that he's conferred the ultimate indignity on him: demanding that he get a job.

Dennis proves himself astonishingly unemployable, then learns that his old job is in peril as well; for Farleigh's affections have been snared by the lithe young pool boy Jasper Moran. When Jasper is promoted from chlorination duties to directing Farleigh's production of Lady Windermere's Fan, Dennis knows he's in danger of losing his place in Farleigh's life (not to mention his Last Will and Testament).

Lending him a hand in a spirit of common cause are his two best friends. Lonnie Roach is the kept boy of an ancient gossip columnist; Paulette Ng is retained by a member of Congress whose anonymity she protects by referring to him only as "the Spanker of the House".

Together they devise a plan to whisk Farleigh away from Jaspers influence, landing him in Greece, where Dennis can re-seduce him in exotic privacy. The scheme provokes bigger repercussions than Dennis ever expected and he finds himself fighting for his man -- and his man's legacy-- more fiercely than ever before, aided only by two Iowa co-eds and a maniacal Santorini grandmother.

His satiric eye sharper than ever, but never straying from the deep humanity that makes his characters and stories so appealing, Robert Rodi once again delivers a fabulous, unforgettable farce of the kind that has made him so enduringly popular.



Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Rodi (Fag Hag; Closet Case; What They Did to Princess Paragon and Drag Queen) once again skewers an archetype of contemporary gay life. This time, it's the figure of the kept boy who's subject to Rodi's characteristic wit and sauce. Dennis Racine is 31, looks 23 and is fighting claw to claw with Jasper Moran, a 20-year-old poolboy, for the attentions of his companion (and keeper) of 10 years, 65-year-old theatrical impresario Farleigh Nock. What ensues is a cat fight worthy of Clare Booth Luce. From present-day Chicago to the islands of Greece, Dennis must outwit Jasper and expose him to Farleigh for the money-grubbing phony he is. Luckily, he has the help of two confidants (a woman kept by a male congressman, and a man kept by a female gossip columnist). What results is a series of riotous, if sometimes far-fetched, plot twists that keep the pages turning, culminating with a hysterical visit to Jasper's 100-year-old grandmother on the Greek island of Santorini. Eccentric, wildly exaggerated characters add to this farce, which, although completely insubstantial, provides a delightfully juicy distraction.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

When Dennis Racine realizes that his long-held position as the pampered companion of aging Chicago theatrical impresario Farleigh Nock is threatened, he employs every device he knows to keep his man. Farleigh, increasingly resistant to Dennis's gym-toned body, demands that he get a job after a dozen years of indolence. Dennis proves himself unemployable in a zany series of short-lived situations and, with the help of two colorful friends, whisks Farleigh away to a romantic Greek island in a last-ditch effort to remain "kept boy." The ending is a romantic twister that will thrill aficionados of Rodi's previous four capers (e.g., Drag Queen, LJ 10/1/95) and win him many new fans. This farce is recommended for most fiction collections.?Joseph M. Egan, Enoch Pratt Free Lib., Baltimore
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 336 pages
  • Publisher: Plume (November 1, 1997)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0452273455
  • ISBN-13: 978-0452273450
  • Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #950,552 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Robert Rodi (b.1956) was born in Chicago, a town seething with literary and musical energy, and he has spent his life immersed in their currents. His first novels, which quickly gained him cult status, were deftly drawn satires of the city's gay scene. While continuing to write fiction (most recently, "The Sugarman Bootlegs") he's branched out into nonfiction, the better to share his enthusiasm for the world of canine agility (in "Dogged Pursuit") and all things Italian, specifically the great Tuscan horse race, the Palio ("Seven Seasons In Siena").

He also writes comic books for both Vertigo and Marvel, pens a self-described "guerilla lit-crit" blog about Jane Austen called "Bitch In a Bonnet", and covers the local performing arts scene for The Huffington Post. He's a performer himself, being an auxiliary member of Chicago's esteemed monologuist ensemble BoyGirlBoyGirl; he's also the front man for the fusion rock band 7th Kind (whose CD "Sea Monster" is available on Amazon).

For more information, visit his website, http://www.robertrodi.com

 

Customer Reviews

10 Reviews
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4 star:
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3 star:
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Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (10 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars FUN FUN FUN, August 28, 2000
By 
Scott E. Lopriore "scottlop" (Chicopee, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Kept Boy (Paperback)
Robert Rodi's KEPT BOY is a fun novel to read. This is a book one could read before bed. The story is funny, the characters are interesting, and the read is easy. The ending is a tad perdictable, but who cares. It's hard to believe that this book is Rodi's lastest (which came out about around 1998). I hope Mr. Rodi would come out with a new novel soon enough.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Rock On Rodi !, June 14, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Kept Boy (Paperback)
OK - It's my turn!! Here I was stuck for a month in some ridiculous backwater business assignment so I took a chance and bought all the Rodi books to keep me company. The GayMuse of Entertainment was watching over me! This guy is literate, amusing, profound, and definitely has the ear of his audience. I could go on and on about all his books: comparing & contrasting & up-thumbing and down-thumbing... but the bottom line is that this man WRITES with a wit and wisdom that is oh! so rare in Gay Fiction today. Now do a little 'search' here at amazon.com on 'rodi' and pluck up anything that pops up. I guarantee you that you will be pleased... if not just a little bit moved!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Book Worth Reading Twice, January 7, 2000
By 
J. Shaver (Hot Springs, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Kept Boy (Paperback)
A delightful book worth reading twice. Which I did in order to see the scenes from a different perspective. How cleverly Rodi manages to let us be misinformed.And what a surprise to discover the truth. I don't often stay up reading til 3 a.m. but I did with this one. There are numerous facical scenes that will have you not just giggling, but laughing outloud; and clever insight into characters one enjoys being with. I wish there was a sequel. Since there isn't I'll just have to read other Rodi books!
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
The surface of the moon, it looked like. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
pool boy
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Lady Windermere, War Room, Dennis Racine, Farleigh Nock, Cindy Bassey-Esterhazy, Dierdre Diamond, Patterson Dance, Debbie Stebbe, Oscar Wilde, Uncle Kostas, New Yorker, Bix Zimmer, East Indian, Super Paradise, Varsity Playhouse, Fatima Howitzer, Pimm's Cup, Alain Bertholde, Charles Busch, Granny Ioannou, Newtown Copy Shop, Uncle Denny
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