Surprising Myself

This is a worthy book to read. It awakens us to the weaknesses of human beings. There were a number of meaningful lines in this book. I'd highly recommend it. I had the opportunity to meet Christopher Bram at a recent booksigning in the Village for his new book, CIRCUS ANIMALS. He was a delight and a true gentleman. This was Christopher Brams' first book (Surprising Myself)...and I found THE NOTORIOUS DR AUGUST a more well written novel...however...There were significant lines that will forever remain in my mind after enjoying this book... Better a letter than a silent, convenient forgetting.Nobody's life is ruined until they're dead.It's like Oscar Wilde says. We regret only those things we didn't do.You must be out of your tree. THERE ARE MORE LINES...but I can't give it all away. Smiles!We clearly all need to wake up periodically. I realized that I often wildly look around (in my own life) and 'at times' we MUST grab for something to prove that one really does control ones life. Surprise Yourself...by reading this real treat!

Christopher Bram's debut novel remains my favorite. It is in the category of books that would have changed my life if I'd read it at, say, 22. It's 1970 and Joel Scherzenlieb is a young straight man at summer camp, full of dreams of brokerage houses, and fantasies of hobnobbing with financiers. This dream all comes to a crashing halt when his father decides against his returning to the Swiss school he'd been attending. In short order his whole life comes crashing down. He has to live on his mother's farm and discovers he is in love with a guy. The book follows the twists and turns of his life and love throughout his 20's.