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57th out of 138 books
—
94 voters
Once in a Lifetime
by
Ariel Tachna (Goodreads Author)
Offered a yearlong medical research fellowship in France, Shane Johnson has many hopes for the experience: a chance to improve his French, an opportunity to hone his research skills before starting his PhD at Baylor, and the freedom to live life as an openly gay man for the first time. He’ll chronicle his year abroad with its challenges, victories, and setbacks as he strug...more
ebook, 200 pages
Published
July 8th 2011
by Dreamspinner Press LLC
(first published July 1st 2011)
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Once in a Lifetime by Ariel Tachna
Release Date: July 8th, 2011
Publisher: Dreamspinner
Page Count: 182
Source: Directly from publisher for review
Offered a yearlong medical research fellowship in France, Shane Johnson has many hopes for the experience: a chance to improve his French, an opportunity to hone his research skills before starting his PhD at Baylor, and the freedom to live life as an openly gay man for the first time. He'll chronicle his year abroad with its challenges, victories, and set...more
Release Date: July 8th, 2011
Publisher: Dreamspinner
Page Count: 182
Source: Directly from publisher for review
Offered a yearlong medical research fellowship in France, Shane Johnson has many hopes for the experience: a chance to improve his French, an opportunity to hone his research skills before starting his PhD at Baylor, and the freedom to live life as an openly gay man for the first time. He'll chronicle his year abroad with its challenges, victories, and set...more
I can't remember when was the last time I read a book so precisely written. This is a diary of a young man and it reads like that all the way. There are things you would expect in a diary from his stay in France. I know how difficult it is to keep yourself in line if you decide to write something so specific.
...more
To make it even better, it's not just the style, but the whole characteristics of Shane. Consistent throughout the book, brought up with his choice of words and thoughts. Just brilliant!
The
Shane can't pass up the opportunity to study in France for a year as a medical researcher before starting graduate school. As a still-mostly-closeted gay man, France is also an opportunity to explore his homosexuality without the judgment of his fundamentalist college and family. It's the perfect chance to find himself--and just perhaps the man he wants to spend his life with.
Shane is a young man (22 for most of the story) who knows what he wants. Although he's inexperienced, he's not willing to...more
Shane is a young man (22 for most of the story) who knows what he wants. Although he's inexperienced, he's not willing to...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Aug 29, 2011
Jess Candela
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
m-m,
read-in-2011
I loved the journal style, it reminded me so much of my own journals on my own travels. The style and content are both very similar to what I wrote, which had the effect of reminding me of my own adventures even while I was completely absorbed in Shane's. I loved his determination to find ways to meld his faith and his sexuality, and to be true to himself. And the way each of his relationships developed, but of course especially the one with Jean-Matthias.
Jul 09, 2012
G.Cliffe
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
m-m-bromance,
lendables-shelf
This is the first story I've read that was in journal format from beginning to end. It was like reading straight out of some kid's journal. It's a good thing the kid could write well. Even though you saw the story through only one perspective, it was an interesting one. I ended up finishing this book in a few days so it was terribly long either. All around I gave it 3 stars. It was an interesting format/ journal style AND a sweet little story with a nice ending. Well done.
This was a pretty good book. It was a solid 3 star. It was written all as a journal. I was concerned how I would connect with the characters when I started reading since it was all strictly from Shane's POV. This proved to be accurate. Although it was written well enough for me to know what was going on and how the MC felt, it was hard to feel any connection with any other character because it was all Shane's perception and words, rather than hearing the others speak them.
Part travelogue, part teen-aged girl's diary as written by a 22 year old man. I both enjoyed and was puzzled by this book. The year-in-France is wonderfully written, like a virtual tour of some of the most scenic places. It was also nice not to see religion as a sledgehammer wielded by homophobic zealots. Shane's religious faith is his bedrock, but also a bit of a snag for a man coming out of the closet. Chapter after chapter of "Is he the One?" "What should I do?" "What is love?" Can I have sex...more
Well, I'm finished... Took me 2 days but it's done.
My impressions are a bit difficult to put in words. I'll say it was definitely interesting. It's wasn't my kind of thing though. I'm not a religious person so I couldn't relate at all. Still interesting though.
My impressions are a bit difficult to put in words. I'll say it was definitely interesting. It's wasn't my kind of thing though. I'm not a religious person so I couldn't relate at all. Still interesting though.
3.5 Ravens. Ariel Tachna is a good novelist who fully defines her characters and stays devoted to the qualities that make them who they are. To read this review in its entirety, please visit http://www.blackravensreviews.com/?p=...
Interesting diary entry format. I loved the MC and reading about his experiences. Different in the fact that he held Christian beliefs and stuck to them.
3.5 stars rounded up
sweet story of a gay 22 year old from a Christian college in West Texas on a year long placement in France determined to be himself for the first time. Told in the form of a diary. No angst, no drama, just a nice snapshot of his life and first experiences as an out gay man.
sweet story of a gay 22 year old from a Christian college in West Texas on a year long placement in France determined to be himself for the first time. Told in the form of a diary. No angst, no drama, just a nice snapshot of his life and first experiences as an out gay man.
4.5 Stars. I loved this book. It suprised me because I didn't think I would like the journal entry type of book, but it really worked for this story. I also loved the ending and who he ended up with, great choice if you ask me.
Mar 18, 2013
Heather Skye
marked it as to-read
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
waiting-to-be-read
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Ariel Tachna lives in southwestern Ohio with her husband, her daughter and son, and their cat. A native of the region, she has nonetheless lived all over the world, having fallen in love with both France, where she found her career and her husband, and India, where she dreams of retiring some day. She started writing when she was twelve and hasn’t looked back since. A connoisseur of wine and horse...more
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