Letters from the Closet

by Tony Ferrante, Paulette Jacobson

"Letters From The Closet" tells the story of Adam and Katie who are engaged to be married until Adam unexpectedly breaks off the relationship and leaves town. When they reconnect years later, Katie is living happily with her lesbian life partner and Adam is a Jesuit priest. It is a beautiful story of coming out and learning to love genuinely. It addresses issues of parents, children, gender, religion and other subjects. The story is told through their correspondence, cleverly reproduced here in beautifully illustrated postcards that can be slipped out of hand-crafted mailboxes and soulful journal entries. The reader, regardless of sexual orientation, will identify deeply with this emotionally moving story of romance, personal growth and overcoming the obstacle of prejudice in our society.

Genres: Fiction, LGBT, Gay

48 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1994

Reviews

[kutingtin]

3.5 This is such a special book passed on to me by an equally special friend. With the epistolary format and actual postcards, letters with related images, it felt like actually being there with Katie and Adam. There were so many lines here that resonated with me and held a mirror to myself. I will treasure this in my favorites shelf and will share to friends or family so they can somewhat understand how its like…🥲❤️‍🩹


“SOMETIME BACK I WROTE THAT ACCEPTING MY SEXUALITY WOULD FORCE ME TO LIVE IN A SMALL, LIMITED WORLD. THE REALITY IS THAT LIVING A LIE CREATES THAT SMALL WORLD. THE "CHOICE" WE FACE IS NOT WHETHER TO BE GAY OR STRAIGHT. FOR THE MAJORITY OF GAY PEOPLE, WE ARE WHO GOD MADE US TO BE. THE REAL CHOICE IS BETWEEN LIVING LIFE IN THE SHADOWS OR WALKING PROUDLY IN THE LIGHT. THE REAL CHOICE IS BETWEEN A SLOW DEATH AND AN HONEST LIFE LORD, I'M READY TO LIVE AN HONEST LIFE... WITH YOUR HELP.”


“The Catholic Church's---and many Christian denomination's-- adamant refusal to recognize positive and loving gay relationships contributes to the deaths and violence against thousands of gay people every year. I see nothing "Christian" in such a stance. I will not continue be a part of that hypocrisy.”


RUTH 1: 16-17
“WHEREVER YOU GO I WIL GO.
WHEREVER YOU LIVE I WILL LIVE.
YOUR PEOPLE WILL BE MY PEOPLE
AND YOUR GOD WILL BE IN GOD. WHEREVER YOU DIE I WILL DIE AND THAT IS WHERE I WILL BE BURIED. MAY THE LORD PUNISHME IF ANYTHING BUT DEATH I SEPARATE ME FROM YOU. "

[Irene Daguno]

letters and postcards were used to narrate lovestories and issues of being lesbian/gay. got this book sometime in 1997 at an old books section at SM north. (coincidentally, i was just a newbie in the NGO sector then, and was with one working on lesbian rights.) around a hundred unused, hardbound, and full-color copies of this book were all ballistic in a shelf - seems they're raring to get out and be read. i bought a copy for myself and my friends. i don't have my copy anymore. last time i checked, it was lying in my mother' bookshelf.

[Ranee]

this book has moved me. it has also inspired me to reflect on my own being and in my form of writing.

[Joanna’s Reading Rainbow]

3.5 stars. This was a unique reading experience because it was told for letters and actual physical postcards that were included in the mailbox. I did not know this… “In over 30,000 verses only six even remotely refer to homosexual behavior. Two same-sex relationships, David and Jonathan and Ruth and Naomi were blessed in God’s eyes.” it seems like the book of Ruth talks about Ruth and Naomi. And the first book of Samuel talks about David and Jonathan. I’m curious to know where the other four versus are.

[Alexandra]

this is so amazing

[SmarterLilac]

Good, though as something meant to educate people about GLBTIQ citizens, it feels a bit dated. I appreciate the sincerity the authors put into the text, and the format's kinda fun (some of the postcards can be pulled out of the interactive 'mailboxes' in the book.)

However, I had issues with the way the writers' characterized the media portrayal of gay and lesbians as limited. Yes, it is, and there are many more 'kinds' of gay folks than the stereotypes represented in corporate media imagery, but I did feel a little like the people who wrote this were denigrating the more populous gay communities in the country by insinuating that places like the Bay Area and NYC are 'only one part' of the whole. Only one part, sure. A big part.

Surprisingly, despite the vaguely contrived nature of the story overall, the shocker at the end, well, shocked me (in a nice way.) Here's hoping other readers will get something positive out of this book regardless of its flaws.

[Eugene]

a very short story about homosexual relationship (lesbian to lesbian, lesbian to gay priest) and their coming out. In the story, there were different social issues presented - issues of family and what is a family, child who grow up in lesbian family and will he/she become gay priest, etc. The author made the story very interesting to read by using different illustration in the book. Very artistic – postcards and pages in the diaries were used to thread up the story.

[Jennifer]

Sweet. simple. Handwritten cards and notes throughout book add a delight to this book. It is so nice to look through and re-read. It is sort of scrapbook style which give very personal feel. It has been a while since I have read have to re read to remember (& add later) specific details about contents other then coming out stories and the basic human stories about love and growth.

[Kat]

I thought I was browsing through my life. Incidentally, one of the main character's name is also Katie so , I was able to relate to the story on a massive level. A great read for people who are having gender identity issues and a whole lot more. :-)

[K.D. Absolutely]

Too predictable for me. I hate the twist - that the lovers turned out to be a gay and lesbian in the end. I also hate the colorful illustrations on the pages. I bought this on sale because the book did not look like a novel but a scrap book.

[Jems]

This book was recommended to me by a very good friend. Enjoyed opening the envelopes a lot:). I still keep her copy by the way. Joy, akin na lang? hehe

[Ashley]

This book is a very short novel in the form of letters and journal entries. I loved it. However the book left me hanging in the end.

[Micah Grace]

Letters from the Closet