Selfish and Perverse

This was an interesting book, set as it was for the most part, in Alaska. Gay men in Alaska? Never even crossed my mind! However, it turned out to be one of my favorite books in 2019 (although published over a decade earlier). The book shows just how much a man will change/give up when love knocks on his door from an unexpected source. I believe this is my first read from the author, Bob Smith, so I can't compare it to others he has written. All in all, an enjoyable book which I recommend to all gay readers out there.

Much of Bob Smith's novel SELFISH & PERVERSE is set in and around Anchorage, Alaska, where there is no IKEA store, enough to make me want to move there. The narrator is Nelson Kunker, from Los Angeles, who is stalled on a novel he has been writing for far too long. He meets Roy Briggs, a fisherman/archeology student from Alaska. They ride off into the Alaskan sunset but not quite. A recently-sprung-from-prison actor named Dylan Fabizak gets in the way of this romance, particularly on the side of the narrator who is a sucker for good abs and the rest of the perfect male body. Actually all three main characters are hotter than a stove in the cold of Alaska, but this is a requirement for a good beach novel. In short, these men look like no one many of us will ever know. Muscles ripple and temptation is never far from the surface. Mr. Smith lets his narrator say some extremely funny things, the best thing about this novel, as well as giving pungent opinions. Nelson on older men, which for him is anyone over 40: "Their beauty was like the sunshine in winter: I could see the light but didn't feel the heat and my appreciation remained dispassionate." His take on reading: "My reading tended to proceed like a row of falling dominoes, one book leading me to the next." Bittersweet chocolate tastes like "an adults only confection sold in the no-one-under-21-admitted backroom of a candy store." Nelson believes that normal men think about sex all the time but sex addicts have sex all the time. He describes modern Scandinavian furniture as "mission furniture designed by agnostics." Then there's Roy's hierarchial catalogue of body odors (page 311), a little too risque to be quoted here. After all these witty and often insightful observations, near the end of the novel Nelson contemplates writing a sketch about Lucille Ball and Ethel Rosenberg that is in such bad taste and so not funny that you have to wonder what Mr. Green was thinking. Had he done his homework, he would have known that the authorities in June of 1953 had difficulty carrying out her execution. It took her a long time to die (think cruel and unusual punishment), and the executioner kept giving her more electrial jolts. Additionally while the case of the Rosenbergs still remains controversial, many scholars contend that Mrs. Rosenberg was innocent of the charge of conspiracy to commit espionage for which she was executed. Be that as it may, to attempt to make something funny abut such a horrific event in our history is totally inappropriate, at least to me. I suspect the Rosenberg children, Robert and Michael Meeropol, who have written eloquently about their parents and whom no relative would adopt, would agree with me.

This is a truly delightful book. Living outside the US, I was not familiar with this author's background in TV comedy. But I have to say that I have not read such a truly witty, funny novel since Christian McLaughlin's "Glamourpuss". The book sparkles with wit. And yet it is not a superficial novel. It grapples with growing up (which we can still be doing in our 30s!), searching for direction, and - of course - love. The characterisation of two of the main 'actors' in the novel - the narrator (Nelson) and the actor Dylan - is rich and complex. One of them (Nelson) slowly evolves before our eyes. The other (Dylan) is slowly *revealed*. In fact, he reminds me very much of a Frank Churchill (from 'Emma') for the 21st century - a complex and incredibly egotistical almost-villain whose depth and schemes are slowly revealed, and yet whom you can't help liking enormously. It may seem odd to compare the author of a 21st century 'gay' novel to Jane Austen, but there are a lot of similarities. Both sparkle with wit, both have very clever dialogue, both like revealing more and more complex layers to what appeared at first to be simple characters, and both have a lot to say about love. Of course, Mr Smith's book is very sexy as well (Jane Austen - not so much). It's a rare treat to find good comedy successfully combined with sexiness. Again, I'm reminded of Christian McLauglin's books. My main criticism of the novel is that the third corner of the triangle - Roy the manly fisherman/archaeologist - is not as well drawn. Compared to the other two, his character is fairly static and doesn't have the same depth. That's disappointing. Maybe it's not so surprising, though, when you consider that the author is a writer who has also done TV acting :) If you find (like me) that you've written two pages refuting Mr Smith's theory about how the eagles could have just dropped the ring in Mount Doom and saved everyone a lot of trouble, then you'll realise that there's a lot for geeks in this book! The author has a love of books and good writing that I hope will encourage readers to try some of the works that he mentions. The standout comic moment (for me), without any spoilers, was Nelson's sudden conversion to belief in the literal reality of Shakespearean soliloquies. Very very funny! But don't be put off by the idea that this is a wanky kind of literary novel. Not at all - the literary references are not opaque or off-putting Overall, this is a very well written novel and I look forward very eagerly to anything further from this author.

I always loved Bob Smith's comedy, and I loved his prior books as well. When the new one, 'Selfish and Perverse' arrived, I greedily devoured it in the course of a long weekend. As usual, Bob's insights are always clever and often hilarious. I also very much enjoy his use of language, and his witty turn of a phrase often had me laughing out loud! The book also has enough that's campy/trashy to keep you tittilated, so it would work as a beach-read as well. It's nice to find a story with gay charaters that doesn't take place exclusively in a big city. Kudos to you, Mr Smith!

Selfish and Perverse is a captivating, hilarious, very gay and very unique book. Smith knows his quirky characters and his settings, Los Angeles and Alaska, inside and out, and manages to make Nelson Kunker endearing, even if he's not the most exciting character in the fabulous first novel. That mantle is reserved for his two love interests, the hard-to-read, smart and cynical yet romantic Alaskan fisherman Roy and the flashy, annoying, but hot movie star Dylan. Staring out with the lowly life of a writer's assistant on a show in Hollywood, with a pit stop sinking into the La Brea Tar Pits, then moving on to remote Alaska, Smith captures each milieu and its inhabitants. This is also a brilliant book for anyone who's ever written, tried to write, or thought about writing a novel. Nelson's ongoing attempts to write, which we mostly hear about from him, and his agony over not having written, make for great fodder in Smith's hands. Nelson seems young at times, as he waits for the approval of those around him, and while he'll occasionally throw out a zinger or show his anger, for the most part he's cautious, taking his cues from those around him. He has big dreams of writing but is crushed when his boyfriend Roy doesn't ask to read his novel. It's also the kind of book that, in the midst of joking around, will bust out with a truthful or heartfelt statement that makes you stop to reread it and fully absorb it. There's a tenderness to Smith's sex scenes, as he describes Nelson luxuriating in each vein of Roy's arms, that's sweet and sexy at the same time. Nelson seems like an average, insecure guy, and in some ways, he is--he lacks the flamboyancy of many of the other characters, and yet its his very fears and uncertainties, his mistakes and meanderings, that make him someone it's a pleasure to spend time getting to know. Smith doesn't make anyone here a tragic figure but lets us know that everyone, in their own way, is looking for wholeness, in love and in their careers. It's to Smith's credit that he made this reader root for Nelson and Roy, but want Dylan to stick around if only to get in their way and be an annoying, showy, needy guy. He's a cheapskate movie star sex addict who needs constant approval and attention, yet I almost felt sorry for him for missing out on the real pleasures of life due to his shallowness. Even the more minor characters, like Roy's mom, Dee, and Nelson's bitchy/funny dyke friend Wendy, are vividly rendered. The unusual setting of a fishing town in Alaska makes for vivid imagery and all sorts of interesting details about things like salmon and nagoonberries. Smith plays up te drastic differences between Nelson's Alaskan life and LA life, the beauty and newness of one and the ludicrousness of the other.I got caught up in this novel and couldn't put it down, and I certainly hope there's more where that came from from Smith.

Smith, Bob. "Selfish & Perverse" Seductively Funny Amos Lassen Bob Smith is a very funny guy and a very good author. He is considered to be the first openly gay comedian to appear on "The Tonight Show as well as to have his own HBO comedy show. He has also appeared on "Politically Incorrect" "Entertainment Tonight" and "Out There" as well as having won the Lambda Literary Award for his first book, a collection of essays, "Openly Bob". His new book "Selfish & Perverse" is one of those books that will have you both laughing and crying and is a comedic tale in the grand tradition of wit and hilarity. Smith gives us the story of Nelson Kunker, a guy whose life has reached a standstill. He can't finish his writing of the great American novel, he works at a mediocre job in Hollywood and is unable to find a man to love him, He is 34 and questions himself, doubting whether he's really a gay man or just a man with a lot of talent. Nelson meets Roy Biggs who he thinks has the attributes that he is looking for in a man except that Roy has the unique profession of being an Alaskan salmon fisherman and a student of archeology. As Roy tells Nelson an eerie story about whales, the two find something in each other and just as they begin to think that there is something serious going on, a handsome and hunky movie star with a questionable past appears, He is Dylan Fabizak, owner of a fantastically beautiful body and a desire to learn a little about everything, but who just happens to be on parole after he had been involved in a very high brow drug bust. Nelson finds him himself mysteriously attracted to Dylan and the three men set out on a fishing trip in far away wilderness of Alaska. Nelson is amazed that after thinking that there was no one in the world for him, there are two men who both want him and are ready to fight over him. It is here that the hilarity of the novel really gets going and Nelson's life somewhat resembles that of a salmon. The salmon in an attempt to find a partner for sex will travel miles and in the process must avoid and be more intelligent than fishermen who want to catch him for food. Dylan, Hunter, Roy and their lesbian friend Wendy are only some of the characters you will meet in this wonderful book and you will laugh your way through the pages of "Selfish & Perverse". I love the comparison of Nelson to the fish and how both will stand up to all the obstacles and sacrifice all for the sake of love. The one-liners come fast and they are gems. Smith's takes on the way gay men court are also amazing and how he ties cruising to fishing for salmon will keep you laughing long after you have closed the covers of this very well written novel. There is also sex in this novel and Smith manages to inject humor into his very sexy way of writing. The book is not just funny but it a very clear observation of the way we date with several very touching scenes. Smith can write a really good story and this book shows us just that.