Be Safe
by Doug Weaver
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Pub Date 2 Feb 2017 | Archive Date 30 Jul 2017
Description
The worst of the AIDS epidemic has passed with the discovery of new medications. But not everyone rejoices. Certain groups of gay men rebel when they find it impossible to embrace the notion that they're suddenly expected to slough off their "end dates" and become useful, vibrant members of society.
Two pairs of men experience a chance meeting on their way to a burrito joint in Hollywood. All are gay men with HIV/AIDS, all are drug addicts/sellers (Gallagher and Rogarth are recent alumni of a local drug rehab.; Bert and Korn are simply out of drugs for the moment and fear that they’re about to get busted.) Through the use of multiple focalizers, the lives and values of all characters are explored, shedding light on Queerness (including homosexuality), the nature of chronic disease (especially AIDS), addiction, recovery facilities, 12-Step programs, and, it’s hoped, revelation.
Advance Praise
“Calling the storytelling style ‘stream of consciousness’ would be a disservice, as Weaver has mastered the art of eternal derailment. Be Safe is not a sordid peek into addiction. It's the revelation of normalcy in a messed-up portion of society.” —Dave Elsensohn, author Vanni’s Choice
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781612968087 |
| PRICE | US$17.95 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Ken C, Reviewer
I wanted to read Be Safe. I tried several times to get into it, but the writing set me off. It's a stream of consciousness sort of thing coming from a meth head. The sentences go on and on and very little can be easily conjugated. Had the author toned it down a bit, it would have helped, even with the numerous sexual references.
Librarian 211567
Brilliantly written, funny, sad, searing. It's pretty perfect.
Terri George A, Reviewer
If you like hilariously WEIRD books > here it is. My mind was stretched so far..... I think it exploded.
Mind blown > going to go pick up all the pieces now.
Did this author get dropped on his head as an infant or what?
Can a book's characters ever be TOO well described? In this book, the answer just might be YES!
Did the book have me “laughing out loud” and “rolling on the floor”? Yes, between the parts where I was literally asking ….. wtf? …. ohhh..... my mercy …... interspersed with the random ugh..... awe hell naw.
The story begins with the main character, Albert Sykes, being in the Criminal Courts Building. He has been subpoenaed to be a witness in a theft case. HIS truck was stolen by 2 “queers” that he was having a wild homosexual orgy with. When you think the book can't possibly get any more whacked … it does. Insert the duck quacking boyfriend, no “insertion” pun intended. Not even going to describe that “festival”... that was my awe hell naw moment.
Albert is, by his own description, a middle aged, HIV+ queer, methamphetamine addict and seller.
The book is written from Alex's point of view..... which bounces around from topic to topic, memory to memory.
Other than being funny as hell, what was this thought wandering rant about? Bodies of over-dosed addicts thrown in the lotus patch (in the park), having HIV and a homosexual orgy that he “only watched”??
Purpose: brain scatter ramblings like the meth head the character is.
Although hilariously funny, I struggled to read this book. It was just too far out there for me [and I like weird, off the wall books].
I don't know exactly WHY it is that I just couldn't get into this book better. The methamphetamine seller/addict lifestyle? The HIV+, homosexual, xxxxx festival, meth addict lifestyle? It all transpires in the uber weird State of California. It just had me saying the author is one big whacked in the brain person … OR
if California is REALLY like this....... well, Bless their lil homo, duck quacking, meth addicted hearts. So glad I Iive in a rural Southern State where nobody quacks like a duck unless they're duck hunting.
Y'all Be Safe, ya hear.
I received the book free in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my rating or review.
My review will be posted on amazon, goodreads, netgalley and moonshineartspot.blogspot.com
