Thursday, January 23, 2020

HASKELL HIMSELF | by Gary Seigel #Historical #LGBTQ+ #YA #BookReview #giveaway #XpressoTours



Haskell Himself
Gary Seigel
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: January 19th, 2020
Genres: Historical, LGBTQ+, Young Adult
Meet Haskell Hodge. At sixteen he’s already garnered some fame as a former child actor and star of a popular cereal commercial. But that doesn’t do much for him when he’s dumped at his aunt’s house in the suburbs of Los Angeles to face an assortment of neighborhood bullies.
He thinks he might be gay. In fact, he could be the only gay person in the valley, maybe on the entire planet. Even if he does manage to find a boyfriend, their relationship would have to be secret and invisible.
After all it’s 1966. And though Time Magazine claims the sexual revolution is in full swing, the freedoms straight people are enjoying don’t seem to apply to everyone. And as much as Haskell attempts to hide his true self, carefully navigating the tricky and risky terrain of being queer, he’s still taunted and teased relentlessly.
Rather than give in to the irrationality of this hate, Haskell fights back, eventually finding an unlikely outlet to vent his frustration and angst—playing a bully in a screen test for a major motion picture. If he plays his cards right, it could catapult him into Hollywood stardom.
Of course, like most things in life, it comes with a heavy price Haskell’s not certain he’s willing to pay.

My Review:

A truly touching story of a young man coming-of-age trying to find himself. HASKELL HIMSELF was truly relatable for everyone, no matter their age or sexual orientation.

While the book was centered in the '60s, it could just as easily been written for today.  The same teenage issues exist - bullying, self-acceptance, self-worth and being true to one's self. I'd say this is a must-read for all YA as it captures their issues so well.  As the mom of teens, I found it engrossing and one that I just could not put down.  Perfect for family discussions.

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received this book free of charge and am gratefully and voluntarily leaving my review. All opinions are my own.


Author Bio:
Gary Seigel was raised in Encino, California where his debut novel, Haskell Himself, takes place. After completing a PhD in English at Rutgers University, Gary taught at several colleges and universities, but his most memorable experience was a brief 12 week stint at the same high school he (and Haskell) graduated from, teaching side by side with some of the same teachers he once endured. Currently, Gary gives grammar and proofreading classes to business professionals eager to write error-free emails. He also has spent the past two decades helping employees control their inner jerk when texting or holding conversations with an impossible boss. His book The Mouth Trap: Strategies, Tips and Secrets for Keeping Your Feet out of Your Mouth, published in 2008, has been translated into over a dozen languages. He is the father of three sons and currently lives in South Pasadena.

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4 comments:

  1. This sounds well written and thought provoking! Great review! :)

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  2. An interpreting time period to read about.

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  3. Sounds like a very interesting story.

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  4. Sounds different from most books that I read.

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