Good Times, Bad Times

This novel is sweet and charming and chronicles the slow progression of the main character into realizing that he is gay. James Kirkwood is a very proficient play-write with some big blockbusters under his belt. This book is much more reserved and makes the reader remember just how hard it was to "come out" in the 70's. A pleasant read.

Good Times Bad Times by James Kirkwood was a wonderful discovery for a teenage boy living in northern British Columbia (that would be me). It was about being different and about surviving. Like the title suggests, the main character will go through both the good times and the bad times and survive (maybe, just barely) and both types of times were, in the end, okay because it was all a part of life. This book takes up many of the themes of A Separate Peace and mixes them with a lot more humour and comes a little closer to the truth at times and builds an unforgettable relationship between two boys in a private school and their reaching out to each other to find the things they think they have missing in themselves. This book states that life will have many suprises. This is one of the good ones.

Kirkwood didn't realize he'd written a classic story at the time. This is beautiful storytelling with identifiable people who whistle past our heads, and draw us into their universe. Too bad the movie, which was to star Dorothy Louden, Cliff Robertson, and Keith McDermott, shut down during production. What a thing it would have been. An all time favorite, and by the way, it also turned me on to " Turandot"

James Kirkwood has the wonderful ability to allow the reader to preside as the jury in this fabulous story. Peter Kilburn, the main character, is driven to murder in this touching story about a young man in a somewhat fragile New Hampshire prep school. Should he be condemned for his action or is what drove him to do it more than enough justification? Kirkwood allows the reader to make the decision and keeps the reader entertained with wit, laughs and an easy ability to identify with Peter Kilburn, along the way.

Good times, Bad times was truly a wonderful story. A good friend of mine, whom I've since lost touch with, introduced me to the writings of James Kirkwood. And life was never the same again! Kirkwood was a brilliant, insightful author who had a way of pulling you in and really making you feel for the characters he wrote about. This book was very appropriately titled, as it made me laugh during my good times and afforded me a great cry during my bad times. I have been searching everywhere for a copy. James Kirkwood and his novels were a very important part of the best and worst of times for me. I miss them.

I am shocked that this title could be out of print. I first read it when I was in my early teens and have returned to the story many times since. Providing some serious competition to Salinger, Kirkwood truly enters the skin of his characters. They are completley true in their words and their actions. I felt terribly sad, a sense of loss, at the pointless destruction of their innocent lives. Yet what makes this story crackle is the constant humor and driving plot. Kirkwood keeps you glued up until (and after) the final page.