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pattydsf's review against another edition
3.0
When Borrowed Time came out in 1988, I was deep into my life as a librarian, wife, mother. I was expecting my second child and I believed like so many others that AIDs was a disease that would never touch my life. However, for whatever reason, I read Monette's memoir Borrowed Time, of his life with Rog and found the book touching and the events tragic.
More than 25 years later, I was reading about the books published by Open Road Media and there was Paul Monette's name. I had not thought of him in years. So I looked to see what my library had by him and this is the only book. I may have read it back in 1994, but it was time to revisit those years. The Normal Heart by Larry Kramer has finally made it to television and I am reading Paul Monette.
The only problem with this was I am angry all over again. Too many good people died before everyone found some answers. Our country really did treat AIDs and HIV as if only gay men were ever going to be affected. (My anger has extra fuel now, thanks to the Supreme Court and the Hobby Lobby.)
I know change can be slow, but it often does arrive. I was just sad that we lost a writer like Monette. His essays were all wonderful - he made me look at life and love in new ways. I am very grateful to him - I just wish our society could pay more attention to radial justice, good medical care for all, enough food, women's bodies, etc., etc., etc.
More than 25 years later, I was reading about the books published by Open Road Media and there was Paul Monette's name. I had not thought of him in years. So I looked to see what my library had by him and this is the only book. I may have read it back in 1994, but it was time to revisit those years. The Normal Heart by Larry Kramer has finally made it to television and I am reading Paul Monette.
The only problem with this was I am angry all over again. Too many good people died before everyone found some answers. Our country really did treat AIDs and HIV as if only gay men were ever going to be affected. (My anger has extra fuel now, thanks to the Supreme Court and the Hobby Lobby.)
I know change can be slow, but it often does arrive. I was just sad that we lost a writer like Monette. His essays were all wonderful - he made me look at life and love in new ways. I am very grateful to him - I just wish our society could pay more attention to radial justice, good medical care for all, enough food, women's bodies, etc., etc., etc.
enoughgaiety's review against another edition
5.0
Confession: I've actually never finished this collection (the two last essays and afterthoughts remain unread), because I know that when I do, I'll have read everything Paul Monette wrote from the 1980s on. And I'm not emotionally prepared for that yet. But I've read the majority of it, and it's just. so. good. Almost every single essay is a knockout, though I'm particularly partial to "Puck" and "A One-Way Fare." It's almost unbearably sad to think how much more beautiful writing we might have had if he were still around.
pattydsf's review
3.0
When Borrowed Time came out in 1988, I was deep into my life as a librarian, wife, mother. I was expecting my second child and I believed like so many others that AIDs was a disease that would never touch my life. However, for whatever reason, I read Monette's memoir Borrowed Time, of his life with Rog and found the book touching and the events tragic.
More than 25 years later, I was reading about the books published by Open Road Media and there was Paul Monette's name. I had not thought of him in years. So I looked to see what my library had by him and this is the only book. I may have read it back in 1994, but it was time to revisit those years. The Normal Heart by Larry Kramer has finally made it to television and I am reading Paul Monette.
The only problem with this was I am angry all over again. Too many good people died before everyone found some answers. Our country really did treat AIDs and HIV as if only gay men were ever going to be affected. (My anger has extra fuel now, thanks to the Supreme Court and the Hobby Lobby.)
I know change can be slow, but it often does arrive. I was just sad that we lost a writer like Monette. His essays were all wonderful - he made me look at life and love in new ways. I am very grateful to him - I just wish our society could pay more attention to radial justice, good medical care for all, enough food, women's bodies, etc., etc., etc.
More than 25 years later, I was reading about the books published by Open Road Media and there was Paul Monette's name. I had not thought of him in years. So I looked to see what my library had by him and this is the only book. I may have read it back in 1994, but it was time to revisit those years. The Normal Heart by Larry Kramer has finally made it to television and I am reading Paul Monette.
The only problem with this was I am angry all over again. Too many good people died before everyone found some answers. Our country really did treat AIDs and HIV as if only gay men were ever going to be affected. (My anger has extra fuel now, thanks to the Supreme Court and the Hobby Lobby.)
I know change can be slow, but it often does arrive. I was just sad that we lost a writer like Monette. His essays were all wonderful - he made me look at life and love in new ways. I am very grateful to him - I just wish our society could pay more attention to radial justice, good medical care for all, enough food, women's bodies, etc., etc., etc.
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