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It broke through as a distraction for only a moment, the story overriding any momentary lapse. I would definitely listen to his narration again, no doubt. There are themes that wind and continue all throughout this book. Not just the search for love but the ability to allow it inside once found. Friendship as the foundation for just about everything, chosen connections. Being true to yourself and the consequences we may suffer for not doing so. Thomas is whose perspective from which this story is shared with us. The thing that struck me the most was how quietly he does all of this.
He manages to take care of everyone in some way or another, whether for a moment or forever. Matthew wants everything he thinks Dondi has refused to make a part of his life: He wants everything for Thomas and wants to work for the rest of his life to not just give it to him but share it with him. He has more than enough love for everyone who decides to accept and respect it. His brothers Dondi and Colin are worthy. I so enjoy reading about relationships between brothers, being both complicated and yet so simple.
It takes someone with the ability to recognize the truth hidden within that light, someone who sees him and wants to stay. No one belongs to themselves alone. We also belong to those who love us. The language is lush and deep and I felt like I could dive in and snuggle up and sink down into every word.
Enthralled is the word I would use, so I will. The dialogue is natural and consistent within each character. No one said anything that gave me pause, trying to decide if they would really express themselves in that way. It does wander into dreamland sometimes, the perfection and highly romantic, but again, it fit the characters and the tone of the overall story. Weird and funny, actions informed by fears and hopes, words said in anger, tenderness and support. I was staring up at the sky.
The first star had just appeared when Mr. Whyte stepped out onto the terrace. He handed me a snifter. I knew it contained rum. From this dirt springs all life. And to it all life must eventually return. You are the earth. There are serious subjects that are parts of the lives of these characters.
That blanket will have holes bored through by sadness, missed opportunities, death and pain. Yet, those threads maintain their connections, giving the strength that allows all of those memories to come, to remind us, to comfort us. Even through the horror, there is love. Even when our eyes fall upon death, there is understanding.
In life, there is but love and death. We all struggle to get one before the other comes to take our hand. In all honesty, no blurb, review, discussion notes or coffee convo could accurately convey the emotions I experienced while listening to this story. Nothing I say will fully tell you how it makes me feel.
This is one that will stay with me, in my memory, with all of those of my own, for a very long time. Words, memories and tears. Benjamin has expressed it for me, for many. View all 10 comments. Looking back now, I have highlighted so many paragraphs of beautiful writing that it's difficult to pick which to quote. Here is one of my favourite: The romance is one of the main subjects in the book but themes like love between friends and love in the family are equally concerned. It is not a fairytale but I often felt like reading one.
The Whytes — a mad king Geo , an evil queen Mrs Whyte , and their three sons Colin, Dondi and Matthew have all the riches in the world. And then Thomas — a middle class, ordinary, black young man shows up and changes everything for all of them. There are even three fairies the three furies in the story. Memories of a life shared and a life lost. What Binds Us has fantastic lead and supporting characters and I loved following their stories. View all 5 comments. Apr 17, Pavellit rated it really liked it Shelves: I must write it all down—quickly, before it leaves me. It's also rich in of supporting characters- Mr.
My only little issue was that somehow it gave me a sense for a bit more telling instead of showing by the narrative, BUT overall it's captivating,emotional and WISE in prose and message: So I've avoided the reviews for this one for ages and when I saw that it was on audio I decided it was time. Apparently what I've avoided was finding out that I was going to be thoroughly and utterly gutted Well this one needed to come with a warning But to be honest between the blurb and what I've seen and read in other reviews I've read 'A Little Life', 'Let's Hear It for the Boy' and a few others that basically left me feeling more than a little brokenhearted When I saw the book on audible.
I said 'nope, not yet. I laughed and I cried It starts with Thomas and Dondi when they first meet in college as roommates. Things progress between them to friendship and then something more and this is where things also start to get complicated. Dondi's a bit of a bigger than life person, who also happens to be a bit self absorbed. But ultimately he's one of those people who others are just drawn too and he's a creature of excesses. As Dondi and Thomas-Edward's relationship progresses and grows it also changes and they move back into the realm of being friends Like his brother, Matthew and Thomas-Edward start out as friends as well.
As things progress the lives of these three men become inextricably tangled. As Dondi and Thomas-Edward go from friends to lovers and back to friends while Thomas-Edward and Matthew explore their own friendship that ultimately sees them become lovers and partners and Dondi remains a permanent fixture in their lives as Thomas-Edward's best friend and Matthew's brother. What follows is a story of not just Matthew and Thomas-Edward but a story of love, friendship and partings There's not a lot of steam and sexy times in this one but this is about the relationships It's love between friends, family and lovers.
It's sweet and gently and beautiful and sometimes it's ugly and cruel but always it's a driving force in our lives. Richard Magnus narrated this story and I loved his narration from start to finish especially for Dondi This was actually my first time listening to a book narrated by this narrator and I'm looking forward to hearing more as well as re-listening to this story The ending of this one was good, really good it was happiness tinged with heartache Mar 13, Nic rated it really liked it Shelves: This was another book I listened to by audio version and I really enjoyed it.
The narrator, Richard Magnus, together with an engrossing story, kept me riveted for the whole 7 hour duration. This story was a journey. It is the story of Thomas Edward who is swept up into the world of Dondi and his brother Matthew. Dondi and Matthew's upbringing is a world away from Thomas Edward's own background and the character's themselves are unique. The story begins with Thomas Edward having a relationship wit This was another book I listened to by audio version and I really enjoyed it.
The story begins with Thomas Edward having a relationship with Dondi. But Dondi isn't the sort of man to be tied down in a relationship. However his friendship with Thomas Edward maintains steadfast and he flits in and out of his life. Importantly, he introduces Thomas Edward to his unusual family including his brother, Matthew. This is a story of love and family and craziness. It's interesting and unique. It's emotional and it's sad. Somewhat into the story I began to expect what the outcome might be but it made it no less emotional.
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Mar 23, Caroline Brand rated it it was amazing Shelves: It's a Sunday night. I am trying to write 2 reviews but the words have got stuck so I browse my TBR shelf and come across this book. That is a decision I won't regret. This book is beautiful. I love the authors prose and ended up awake until the early hours unable to put it down. Thomas and Dondi meet at College and form a deep friendship. For a while it is sexual but Dondi is like a whirlwind that can't stay still and shies away from love and commitment.
When Thomas spends the summer with Dondi a It's a Sunday night. When Thomas spends the summer with Dondi and his family he meets his brother Matthew and falls in love. When Matthew and Thomas finally get together it leaves a very strange relationship between the 3 men. There is fierce love and friendship but the 3 men work it out before bigotry drives them from their home.
This is the time of HIV and Dondi doesnt escape this terrible disease with his promiscuity.
They have seen the disease ravage their friends but suddenly the 3 men are living with this very real nightmare and no matter what they throw at it they cannot win. This is a beautiful story of love and friendship which stays strong and true even through the most difficult and heart breaking circumstances. Have your tissues ready. I am so glad the words didnt come and I found this book!
I don't think I can articulate how wonderful this book is without sounding corny. From happiness and melancholy and a deep, yet satisfying sadness. This is an amazing story. No review is going to do this book justice so just read it. The story has three parts: Sunrise, Eclipse and Sunset. And each part ha story for 3 main characters.
Iam goin to leave you with my favorite line from the book: May 22, Brandon Shire rated it it was amazing Shelves: Some books transport you, this was one of those books. Oct 02, Katie rated it really liked it Shelves: This is not a typical romance winding its way through the garden of tropes to an expected HEA. But it's definitely a love story. It's a powerful love story that spans about ten years from the 70s and into the 80s and encompasses an enormous amount of growth. My little issues, quick-like, before moving on--I want them out of the way because this story is so much bigger.
I found the writing to be almost There was some beau This is not a typical romance winding its way through the garden of tropes to an expected HEA. There was some beautiful imagery wrapped up in eloquent phrasing, but I felt it got overshadowed by a goodly amount of telling instead of showing. And, unfortunately, the most beautiful phrases I came across sometimes felt disjointed, separate from the greater whole, as they felt randomly planted amidst ordinary prose.
This is told in first-person, almost in the style of a memoir, recounting events, moving forward chronologically in small blocks of time. There were small bits of dialogue interspersed, that, unfortunately at times, also felt disjointed and didn't always help propel the story forward. But , the story itself was enough to keep me engaged.
Honestly, the gripeage above is minor for me in that was mostly eclipsed by the absolute beauty I found in the overall tale. This story really takes off in with Thomas-Edward's freshman year in college where he rooms with the filthy-stinking-incomprehensibly-rich, Dondi. Dondi shines brighter than the sun and has the sort of personality that everyone he meets gets sucked into his orbit. It's Dondi's brother, Matthew, who ends up stealing T's heart--and theirs is a love that is epic. It's kind, it's patient, it's respectful, it's sensual and lovely This story progresses into the s as these three men mostly mature into adulthood and are slotting themselves into life and companionship--forging their way with Thomas-Edward firmly a member of this family as a lover and a best friend to two brothers.
Let's take a pause. Do me a favor and think about this time before cell phones, personal computers, and social media, when books didn't have a power button. The 70's was a stew of upheaval and cultural significance clad in polyester bell-bottoms and earth shoes, mini skirts and go-go boots. There was the energy crisis, economic recession, and lots of unrest around the world. The Civil Rights Movement of the s began to unravel in the 70s. But, the gay movement took a few huge steps forward with some big names coming out of the closet. Then came the 80s with all its big aqua-net hair, acid-washed, shoulder-padded fluorescence.
Unfortunately, advancement in Civil Rights was at a crawl while rights for disabled, homosexuals, and Native Americans were broadened This is where I reached a part of the book were my own vivid memories sidled right up to the story in my hands and proceeded to slice my heart wide open. It reached in and gutted me. This book tells the story of love from beginning to an end that never ends, just strengthens, reshapes, and moves forward. It's the story of holding on while letting go and embracing the now while looking ahead but never forgetting the past. It's taken me some time to still my heart after reading this.
Tears keep coming because I'm thinking of the smiles of loved ones lost and whose memories have never left my heart. I'm a better person for reading it. For starters, I have to admit I wasn't that keen on the narrator, his bored nasally drawl for Dondi in particular seemed so affected, and there wasn't much variation in his characterisations so that one voice seemed to bleed into another sometimes. The story however is a different matte For starters, I have to admit I wasn't that keen on the narrator, his bored nasally drawl for Dondi in particular seemed so affected, and there wasn't much variation in his characterisations so that one voice seemed to bleed into another sometimes.
I did shed tears at the end. Thomas Edward, black and working class, who was the narrator and principal character of the story, was there for all of them. As far as the filthy rich Whyte family is concerned, I could honestly only gasp in wonder read This story gets all the stars from me. Well, I for one certainly believe that they could be true. The African-American population had already had their fair share of bigoted rubbish, and couldn't seriously be expected to put up with any more, so who was next in line — the gay population of course.
I don't often review books. They have to be fabulous or moving in some way. I usually let the stars I give them speak for themselves.
I have to say something about this book, and yet have no words to give What Binds Us justice. This book was an afterthought purchase. I bought it on a whim while buying a book I couldn't wait to read. I didn't get to the book I couldn't wait to read. Instead, I was drawn into I don't often review books.
Instead, I was drawn into this book and couldn't put it down! It is told in first person and the narrator of the story, Thomas-Edward has such a vivid and distinct voice. It is poignant and moving and yet it isn't filled with angst and grit. There is a love story here and it is beautifully told. I knew after a few chapters, and seeing the date this story takes place, what would happen I knew and yet wasn't prepared for it at all.
The story is great, but the writing is what kept me riveted! Larry Benjamin has such a way with words! This is his debut novel and I cannot wait for more! So, I went to buy a book I couldn't wait to read and found a book I had to read! Now, Larry Benjamin is added to the authors I cannot wait to read! A wonderfully written book that will stay with me for a very long time, if not for as long as my memory will still serve me.
This review will contain mild spoilers. I don't think its too much of a spoiler, because the blurb does hint at it. Such a wonderful book. And there is that in this book. This book has all kinds of love, romantic love, family love and love of friends. The story spans several years. Told This review will contain mild spoilers. Told by Thomas Edward who is a writer. I'm not good at writing reviews, but I want to just recommend this lovely story. Mr Benjamin writes in such a lovely lovely way. Mar 21, Jayhjay rated it it was amazing. This review was originally published on my blog Joyfully Jay Thomas-Edward and Dondi first meet as roommates when they begin college in Thomas is encountering the world for the first time outside the loving but somewhat smothering embrace of his family.
And he meets Dondi who is in many ways larger than life - gorgeous, sophisticated, dramatic, and wonderful. Dondi is wealthy beyond imagining and lives in a totally different world. Yet the two men become close friends, and over the course o This review was originally published on my blog Joyfully Jay Thomas-Edward and Dondi first meet as roommates when they begin college in Yet the two men become close friends, and over the course of the year, lovers as well.
Thomas loves Dondi fiercely, but when the men return to school after summer vacation, Dondi ends their relationship. Although he loves Thomas, Dondi knows he can never give Thomas the commitment that he deserves. Yet the two remain the best of friends and when summer comes again, Thomas joins Dondi at his family's magnificent summer home on Long Island. It is there that Thomas meets Dondi's brother Matthew. They are drawn to each other instantly, becoming incredibly close and spending nearly all their time together, especially as Dondi continues his restless wandering and constant whoring.
Matthew and Thomas become inseparable, each falling in love with the other but not realizing he is loved in return. When they finally find each other, their love is intense and wonderful. They are so sweet and lovely together, and it is clear that each has met the person for whom they are truly meant. At first Dondi is angry, threatened by their relationship, especially since his feelings for Thomas never really died. But he grows to not only accept, but to fully support the couple when he sees how right they are for one another.
The story follows the three men and their intertwining lives for over a decade. Thomas and Matthew's relationship blossoms and they are deeply and beautifully in love. They move towards domesticity while Dondi continues his life of activity and ever changing men. And yet Dondi is always an integral part of their lives, the three men so close and all loving one another.
Their story continues through the happy times, and ultimately through the very sad ones, but the bonds of love between them remain strong, holding them together. Oh, you guys, this story was so good. Beautiful, emotional, and so lovely. Benjamin writes so beautifully and the story is moving and engaging. I honestly could not put it down and read the entire book in a day. Although it is a nice length novel, the pacing of the story is so quick and lively, moving things along in a way that follows the men through the years without ever feeling slow. It is so lushly romantic and sweet as we see the world through Thomas' eyes.
So much of the book revolves around the Whyte family and their world, and he gives us that outside perspective to see them from a distance, while also being such an integral part of their lives. Benjamin does an amazing job of making the story feel so rooted in the time period. The book takes place in the 70s and 80s and the signs of that era are rooted in everything from the music they listen to, to the way they dress, to where they shop.
For What Binds Us. By Jane Hirshfield. There are names for what binds us: strong forces, weak forces. Look around, you can see them: the skin that forms in a. There are names for what binds us: strong forces, weak forces. Look around, you can see them: the skin that forms in a half-empty cup.
The book also integrates social and political issues, and the transition from the more free 70s to the harsher realities of the 80s can be felt throughout the book. It is done really wonderfully and enhances the story so nicely. One of the things I loved about the book is the way it plays with the themes of the sun, the moon, and the earth. Each interconnected, revolving around one another, never being able to exist fully separately. Dondi is the sun, burning brightly, gathering all the attention.
He is the heat that others are so attracted to, yet all that energy becomes hard to sustain and if you get too close you are sure to burn. And Thomas sees Matthew as the moon, luminous and glowing and steady.
To many the moon is a reflection of the sun, yet to Thomas, Matthew is the center of the world. And Thomas is the earth, more grounded and solid. Each of the three men is caught up in orbit together, each with their different roles and strengths.
This idea is introduced in the very start of the book, and Benjamin does a great job of carrying this theme throughout. Just to be clear because I think the book blurb is a bit vague , this is not a menage story in any way. Thomas' sexual relationship with Dondi is over before he falls in love with Matthew. And once Matthew and Thomas meet, neither one will ever have eyes for anyone else. Although the three men are incredibly close and emotionally bonded, the true romantic relationship takes place between Thomas and Matthew alone.
So I really loved this story. It felt so sweeping and epic, lush and romantic, and I was totally caught up in the drama of it all. Despite the often poignant story, it never felt weighed down and heavy, and things move along with enough speed to keep it lively even through the more serious parts. This book was such a wonderful surprise and I am so glad I took a chance on it.
I really loved this What Binds Us and would highly recommend it. Aug 26, Kelly L rated it it was amazing. It would be too easy to see how heartbreaking it is. This is real life with the depths of both its pain and beauty. He deserves to be recognized as one of THE best, most talented, most compelling writers of our time. History will look to his books for the truest documentation of the times and pure literature. Nov 10, Jor Barrie rated it it was amazing. This is an epic story of the kind that doesn't come along very often, but stays with you for a long, long time.
But what to say that hasn't already been said? For me, being in the same age-group as the main characters, there was a lot that really resonated, including some very dark memories of the years when, not long after coming out, I used to visit a gay club in the weekends, and would constantly be told stories about so-and-so who was diagnosed with AIDS that week, or someone else who had die This is an epic story of the kind that doesn't come along very often, but stays with you for a long, long time.
For me, being in the same age-group as the main characters, there was a lot that really resonated, including some very dark memories of the years when, not long after coming out, I used to visit a gay club in the weekends, and would constantly be told stories about so-and-so who was diagnosed with AIDS that week, or someone else who had died of an AIDS-related illness. It was a horrible time in which it felt like all gay men were doomed. It also formed my attitude to sex in a not so very helpful way, even if it did keep me alive.
But this book is definitely not all doom and gloom; it's about love and relationships and about how people deal in different ways with the things life throws at them. It's also quite funny on occasion: It was my first book by Larry Benjamin, but definitely not my last! Apr 05, Debbie McGowan rated it it was amazing.
This is an incredibly touching book, with such in-depth characterisation that you will live with this story for a good while after you've finished reading it. The story follows the main character's move away to college, his relationship with his wealthy room-mate and brother and the extraordinary love they share.
The writing in those last chapters is so heart wrenching, I didn't just cry, I actually sobbed. Or will love, its loss and the threat of death destroy their connection once and for all? She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. I don't even know what to say about this book. Create new account Request new password.
I can't say much more than this without spoiling the plot, but this is a beautifully told story of love, with all the highs and lows that go with it. I absolutely loved What Binds Us. It This is an incredibly touching book, with such in-depth characterisation that you will live with this story for a good while after you've finished reading it.
It might seem contradictory to say that there were times when I desperately wanted to stop reading it, when I needed to be getting on with all the other things I had to do. However, it was because the more I read, the closer I was to the end and I didn't want it to end. And I'd always thought the phrase 'couldn't put it down' was an overused, vacuous cliche!
Nov 04, Chiara rated it it was amazing Shelves: I am not sure I know how to write a review of this book I loved it, clearly. Felt every emotion in the book. Agree with previous reviews which stated this is not a romance Mar 25, Kate McMurray rated it it was amazing Shelves: When the elevator of their shabby apartment breaks down, a dancer, a disabled pensioner, and a single mother will all be pushed to their limits.
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