Infomaniac: July 2021

Monday, July 05, 2021

Help Mr. DeVice Find a New Book

Please help Mr. DeVice find a new book to read. And perhaps we could throw in this chap as a bonus...

When I read this post by Mr. DeVice, listing some of the books he's been reading, I noticed that he made the following comment...

Well, I re-read Bridget Jones's Diary (for the third or fourth time, I think) because what little news and stuff I'd been exposed to was bringing me down, and I fancied a light bit of fluff - something that I knew would be ridiculous and fun - to cheer me up.

Four times? He read Bridget Jones's Diary FOUR times?

CAN YOU SUGGEST A LIGHT, FUN BOOK FOR Mr. DeVICE TO READ? If so, please leave a comment.

The Mistress will weigh in with her suggestion, "The Guncle" by Steven Rowley, published in 2021.

The Mistress read The Guncle recently and agrees with its description as "a novel with some real depth beneath all its witty froth." Here's a publisher's blurb...

From the bestselling author of Lily and the Octopus and The Editor comes a warm and deeply funny novel about a once-famous gay sitcom star whose unexpected family tragedy leaves him with his niece and nephew for the summer.

Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP, for short), has always loved his niece, Maisie, and nephew, Grant. That is, he loves spending time with them when they come out to Palm Springs for weeklong visits, or when he heads home to Connecticut for the holidays. But in terms of caretaking and relating to two children, no matter how adorable, Patrick is, honestly, overwhelmed.

So when tragedy strikes and Maisie and Grant lose their mother and Patrick’s brother has a health crisis of his own, Patrick finds himself suddenly taking on the role of primary guardian. Despite having a set of “Guncle Rules” ready to go, Patrick has no idea what to expect, having spent years barely holding on after the loss of his great love, a somewhat-stalled acting career, and a lifestyle not-so-suited to a six- and a nine-year-old. Quickly realizing that parenting–even if temporary–isn’t solved with treats and jokes, Patrick’s eyes are opened to a new sense of responsibility, and the realization that, sometimes, even being larger than life means you’re unfailingly human.

With the humor and heart we’ve come to expect from bestselling author Steven Rowley, The Guncle is a moving tribute to the power of love, patience, and family in even the most trying of times.

Since Mr. DeVice is a guncle (a gay uncle) we think this book may be just the ticket to cheer him up and replace Bridget Jones, at least temporarily.

Your suggestons for a light, fun book are welcome.