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On Picking Fruit: A Novel [Paperback]

Arthur Wooten
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)

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Book Description

June 30, 2011
"You don't have to be single, male or gay to appreciate the hilarity and hazards of the dating world! I was pleasantly surprised at the number of times I laughed out loud when I read this book! I may not have had the same experiences, but everyone has or knows a "date from hell" story. All of this is set against a believable backdrop of building a life and career at the same time. Arthur has a keen wit and great pacing. I also enjoyed Fruit Cocktail just as much (sequels are almost always a disappointment - not in this case!!)" - Rebecca P., San Diego

EDITORIAL REVIEW:

Although he was born gay, Curtis Jenkins has trouble picking fruit. Now a successful, middle-aged New York City writer, he is still searching for that elusive man of his dreams. Unfortunately, Curtis has already formed a self-destructive pattern of choosing all the wrong men in all the wrong places.

After a bizarre yet comical attempt at suicide, Curtis becomes a reluctant patient of the aging and eccentric psychiatrist Dr. Magda Tunick. Her gruff and unethical approach to therapy relentlessly pushes him to explore the real reasons why he hasn't found love and helps him to discover the important qualities he desires in a man.

Eager to help Curtis on his quest to find his true soul mate is his irreverent and unpredictable mother, Mrs. J., and his incorrigible best friend and soap opera writer, Quinn Larkin.

Will Curtis discover who and what he truly wants in his life? While he barely survives dates that are funny, frightening, sexy and even shocking, Curtis may just uncover the fortitude to fine Mr. Right (or even Mr. Pretty Close).

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"If gallantry in our day is defined as facing adversity with screams of laughter, then this is the most gallant book I know of." - Edmund White

"...this is the great gay memoir you always wanted to write." - HX Magazine - New York City

"FINDING HIS NICHE: Arthur Wooten recently discovered a mid-career talent for writing plays and a new novel, On Picking Fruit. His work has been nominated for several awards -- the Lambda Literary Award, the Stonewall Book Award, and the Publishing Triangle Award." - The Boston Globe

"You don't have to be single, male or gay to appreciate the hilarity and hazards of the dating world! I also enjoyed Fruit Cocktail just as much (sequels are almost always a disappointment - not in this case!!)" - Rebecca P., San Diego

About the Author

ARTHUR WOOTEN is the author of the critically acclaimed novels Dizzy, Leftovers, Birthday Pie, On Picking Fruit and Fruit Cocktail. He's also penned the children's picture book Wise Bear William: A New Beginning and the collection of short stories, Arthur Wooten's Shorts. A playwright, his works include the award winning Birthday Pie, which had its world premiere at the Waterfront Playhouse, Key West, FL. His one act plays, Lily and The Lunch, have been produced in New York City and most recently in Te Anau, New Zealand. For two years he was the humorist for the London based magazine, reFRESH. Arthur grew up in Andover, MA, and now resides in New York City.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 206 pages
  • Publisher: Galaxias Productions (June 30, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0983563136
  • ISBN-13: 978-0983563136
  • Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,213,055 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Authors

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Customer Reviews

Arthur has a keen wit and great pacing. R. Phillips  |  6 reviewers made a similar statement
Once it's started, it's hard to put down! Anonymous  |  4 reviewers made a similar statement
We have all dated the men in this book. JONS43  |  2 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars When is the next offering??? July 4, 2005
Format:Paperback
One of those stories where some of us will say "I know those people", as their names pop into your head from your past and even your present. For a first attempt, Arthur Wooten has captured so many familiar moments and emotions. To a certain extent, I felt somewhat cheated. The book pulls you in and before you know it, you have finished it, hungry for more. Wooten's timing and quick wit can only be enhanced with a sequel and I surely hope he will have one soon. I left this book saying "what would Curtis do" and no matter how hard you try to do the opposite, you can identify with how easy it is to get consumed by the process of "picking fruit" and having done just what Curtis did.. well done and thanks for a reality check.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars MOVE OVER SEX AND THE CITY AND QUEER AS FOLK May 24, 2005
Format:Paperback
BRAVO! FINALLY A NOVEL ABOUT THE OFTEN INVISIBLE MINORITY IN GAY LITERATURE - THE MIDDLE AGED MAN. ARTHUR WOOTEN ESCORTS US ON A PERSONAL JOURNEY THAT IS BOTH HYSTERICALLY FUNNY AND AT TIMES, HEARTBREAKINGLY HONEST. "ON PICKING FRUIT" IS A GIFT OF THIS TALENTED WRITER'S HUMANITY. YEARS AGO, WHEN LILY TOMLIN WAS ASKED WHAT SHE WANTED THE AUDIENCE TO GET OUT OF "SEARCH FOR SIGNS", SHE RESPONDED WITH A QUOTE FROM JANE WAGNER, WHO SAID, " I WANT THE AUDIENCE TO LEAVE WITH A HIGHER OPINION OF THEMSELVES." I NEVER LIKE TO COMPARE ONE PERSON'S WORK WITH ANOTHER, BUT I THINK THAT THOSE OF US WHO WANDER DOWN MR. WOOTEN'S YELLOW BRICK ROAD OF ROMANTIC MISADVENTURES, WILL CLOSE THE BOOK WITH A HIGHER OPINION OF THEMSELVES, TOO. I KNOW I DID.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A fun, frothy romp November 25, 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Looking for a fast and sassy read, full of laughs and good cheer? "On Picking Fruit" delivers all this, and more, as the lead character searches for love in NY, only to encounter everyones worst dating nightmares. Whether you are a romantic or the most cynical of readers, "On Picking Fruit" will leave you with a smile on your face and hope in your heart.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Cleverly Funny! June 30, 2011
Format:Paperback
Wooten has a knack for making the gay man's plight for love seem fresh. Too many times, I've read gay authors who attempt humor for the sake of humor and it seems forced and repeated. Everything that happened to Curtis Jenkins as he was looking for mister right made me laugh (sometimes literally outloud) and turn the page to see what would happen next. Though I've been in a loving relationship for years, I still related to the story and to the many places in the book. (Even my old neighborhood on Amsterdam Ave in NYC got a nice little shout-out.) Wooten's style is very clever without getting tired or bogged down. The perfect summer cocktail read! Speaking of cocktail...guess it's time I read the sequel to this book "Fruit Cocktail."
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars entertaining read inspired by our own reality September 26, 2007
Format:Paperback
It's deliciously funny. It's a page turner. It's fiction but also reality. In "On Picking Fruit" Arthur Wooten delivers a lesson in life--in our modern love and dating life that is--in an entertaining way and with the help of a funny, yet insightful character, Curtis Jenkins. After reading the last page of "On Picking Fruit," one can only wonder what Jenkins is up to next, in the sequel "Fruit Cocktail."
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Very entertaining, a must read. November 6, 2006
By JONS43
Format:Paperback
Arthur Wooten has done an outstanding job on portraying an average gay man in his "midlife" trying to do what we all want in life,find a companion. There were parts where I laughed out loud and wanted to share the scene with everyone. The twists and turns in the book catch you off guard. I can relate to Curtis..not Curt. We have all dated the men in this book. I can laugh about it now.
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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Outrageous? Hardly August 9, 2005
Format:Paperback
Mr. Wooten has a quirky and enjoyable sense of humor. Initially, this quality holds the reader's attention. But inevitably, the humor wears off

when it is apparent that it cannot take the place of a good, unpredictable

plot. Consequently, this reader soon lost interest in the progress of the

action, which seemed to repeat itself incessantly.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable March 21, 2013
By Eva
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book started out a little over the top for me but ended up being a really sweet story about the trials and tribulations of finding love. Whether you're gay or straight this book is a delightful read!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars On Picking Fruit
While often funny, the book seemed to have an underlying theme of negative gay stereotypes--many of the characteris were loose canons, and I grew tired of the silly thoughtless... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Dean Diggins
5.0 out of 5 stars A Hysterical Romp!
On Picking Fruit: A Novel

Arthur Wooten, a man with an incredible sense of humor, has written a hysterically funny romp through a man's quest to find someone to love... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Jodi Hanson
5.0 out of 5 stars This Fruit is Ripe to be picked NOW
Arthur Wooten has such style in writing that he picks you up from your chair and carries you away with him in this fast-paced romp of a gay man's search for the right 'fruit'. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Drake Braxton
5.0 out of 5 stars A story for singles of any team!
You don't have to be single, male or gay to appreciate the hilarity and hazards of the dating world! Read more
Published 17 months ago by R. Phillips
2.0 out of 5 stars Maraschino Cherry
It sounds like a good idea. Take a middle aged gay, mix with the wacky world of dating and serve with whipped cream. I just didn't find it satisfying. Read more
Published on March 15, 2011 by Seth A. Hager
5.0 out of 5 stars How to pick the finest fruit
Curtis Jenkins had the worst luck when it came to dating. His own mother, who openly smoked joints and drank beer while breast-feeding his younger brother, was a seasoned veteran... Read more
Published on March 27, 2008 by Suzanne Kopoulos
5.0 out of 5 stars Book Review
A very charming and delightful read. I related to more than one of the characterspersonally. I look forward to more adventures with this very personable icon. Read more
Published on October 23, 2005 by Steven P. Cauley
4.0 out of 5 stars Picked fruit
A good, quick read! Some funny and amusing moments, not outragously gay or even sexual...just entertaining! Read more
Published on September 29, 2005 by Captain RowBoat
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