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Beatitude
New York City, 1995: Harry Charity is a sensitive young loner haunted by a disastrous affair when he meets Jay Bishop, an outgoing poet and former Marine. Propelled by a shared fascination with the unfettered lives of Jack Kerouac and the Beat Generation, the two are irresistibly drawn together, even as Jay’s girlfriend, Zahra, senses something deeper developing.
Reveling in their discovery of the legendary scroll manuscript of Kerouac’s On the Road in the vaults of the New York Public Library, Harry and Jay embark on a nicotine-and-caffeine-fueled journey into New York’s thriving poetry scene of slams and open-mike nights.
An encounter with “Howl” poet Allen Ginsberg shatters their notions of what it means to be Beat but ultimately and unexpectedly leads them into their own hearts where they’re forced to confront the same questions that confounded their heroes: What do you do when you fall for someone who can’t fall for you? What do you do when you’re the object of affection? What must you each give up to keep the other in your life?
Beatitude features two previously unpublished poems by Allen Ginsberg.
Reveling in their discovery of the legendary scroll manuscript of Kerouac’s On the Road in the vaults of the New York Public Library, Harry and Jay embark on a nicotine-and-caffeine-fueled journey into New York’s thriving poetry scene of slams and open-mike nights.
An encounter with “Howl” poet Allen Ginsberg shatters their notions of what it means to be Beat but ultimately and unexpectedly leads them into their own hearts where they’re forced to confront the same questions that confounded their heroes: What do you do when you fall for someone who can’t fall for you? What do you do when you’re the object of affection? What must you each give up to keep the other in your life?
Beatitude features two previously unpublished poems by Allen Ginsberg.
274 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 2011
1 person is currently reading
342 people want to read
About the author
Larry Closs
2 books37 followersLarry Closs is a writer and photographer who lives in New York and often wanders far from home.
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Book Clubs
If you’d like to schedule an author visit to your book club, either in-person or virtual, please reach out via the Contact form here: https://larrycloss.com/contact/
You can download a PDF version of the Beatitude Book Club Reading Guide here: https://larrycloss.com/book-clubs/
***
Book Clubs
If you’d like to schedule an author visit to your book club, either in-person or virtual, please reach out via the Contact form here: https://larrycloss.com/contact/
You can download a PDF version of the Beatitude Book Club Reading Guide here: https://larrycloss.com/book-clubs/
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 20, 2015
from author
Read 12/3/11 - 12/10/11
4 Stars - Strongly Recommended
Pgs: 258
Publisher: Rebel Satori Press
No, no no. Don't worry. I didn't suddenly turn all religious on you. I promise! This isn't a story about the Beatitudes. Rather, it's the story of two up and coming NYC magazine employees who share a mutual obsession with the Beat Generation. It's quite the clever title, actually, because it perfectly marries the story's two interlocking parts. "Beatitude" is synonymous with happiness and blissfulness, the state in which our leading men find themselves, time and time again, throughout the novel. It is also author Larry Closs's way of defining those who model the Kerouac, Ginsberg, and Cassady way of life - a sort of Beat-attitude, if you will.
You see, Harry - recently crushed by a relationship gone bad - first lays eyes on Jay as he interviews with the magazine for a position in the Arts department. Days later, after they introduce themselves, they discover their shared love of all things Kerouac... and an immediate friendship is kindled. For Harry, it feels like he has met his soul mate and soon the duo are near-inseparable.
Harry uses his position at NYC's Element Magazine to snag review copies of Kerouac's books, DVD's and Audiobooks under the guise of an article he is writing on the resurgence of the Beat Generation, and gifts them to his new BFF, who gladly accepts. They take long lunch breaks together, talking endlessly about The Beats. They attend Beat poetry readings together. They convince the New York Public Library to allow them to view Kerouac's rumored Scroll Manuscript. They are inspired to purchase typewriters and co-author a novel.
Meanwhile, Jay's girlfriend Zahra sees beyond the puppy-dog love and realizes Harry's true intentions for Jay. And when Jay suddenly finds himself in the middle of a tug-of-war for his affection and backs away from Harry, Harry resolves to do whatever it takes to get him back... even if it means pretending he's no longer in love with him.
Beatitude demonstrates Larry Closs's sensitivity to the inner turmoils of love, and also showcases his own love of The Beat Generation. He subtly introduces those of us (no judging now!) who've never read Burrough's Naked Lunch or Kerouac's On the Road or Ginsberg's Howl to the Beat lifestyle while weaving it's influences through Harry and Jay's relationship. Making no assumptions, Closs brings readers like me, with no prior experience or exposure to The Beat writers, up to speed so we can clearly see the parallels he makes between Harry, Jay and Zahra and Kerouac, Cassady, and Ginsberg.
Unrequited, uneven love is the gear around which the rest of this novel turns. It's not only the heart of this story though, because it's at the core of every human being's body as well, isn't it? How many times have we fallen hard and fast for someone who simply does not feel the same.. cannot give back what we are putting in.. who is unable to feel more than a deep friendship while we are spinning down a depressive spiral of unreciprocated love? Or falling for someone who is already in a relationship and finding ourselves in the dreaded position of "third wheel", convincing ourselves that we'd rather stuff our unmatched love deep down and pretend we're cool just being friends because pretending not to love someone is better than not having them in our lives, and who knows... maybe they'll come around eventually?
Beatitude, simply put, is an exceptionally well written debut that explores love in all its varied forms, dissecting what it is to love.
Check out the book trailer on my blog: http://thenextbestbookblog.blogspot.c...
Read 12/3/11 - 12/10/11
4 Stars - Strongly Recommended
Pgs: 258
Publisher: Rebel Satori Press
No, no no. Don't worry. I didn't suddenly turn all religious on you. I promise! This isn't a story about the Beatitudes. Rather, it's the story of two up and coming NYC magazine employees who share a mutual obsession with the Beat Generation. It's quite the clever title, actually, because it perfectly marries the story's two interlocking parts. "Beatitude" is synonymous with happiness and blissfulness, the state in which our leading men find themselves, time and time again, throughout the novel. It is also author Larry Closs's way of defining those who model the Kerouac, Ginsberg, and Cassady way of life - a sort of Beat-attitude, if you will.
You see, Harry - recently crushed by a relationship gone bad - first lays eyes on Jay as he interviews with the magazine for a position in the Arts department. Days later, after they introduce themselves, they discover their shared love of all things Kerouac... and an immediate friendship is kindled. For Harry, it feels like he has met his soul mate and soon the duo are near-inseparable.
Harry uses his position at NYC's Element Magazine to snag review copies of Kerouac's books, DVD's and Audiobooks under the guise of an article he is writing on the resurgence of the Beat Generation, and gifts them to his new BFF, who gladly accepts. They take long lunch breaks together, talking endlessly about The Beats. They attend Beat poetry readings together. They convince the New York Public Library to allow them to view Kerouac's rumored Scroll Manuscript. They are inspired to purchase typewriters and co-author a novel.
Meanwhile, Jay's girlfriend Zahra sees beyond the puppy-dog love and realizes Harry's true intentions for Jay. And when Jay suddenly finds himself in the middle of a tug-of-war for his affection and backs away from Harry, Harry resolves to do whatever it takes to get him back... even if it means pretending he's no longer in love with him.
Beatitude demonstrates Larry Closs's sensitivity to the inner turmoils of love, and also showcases his own love of The Beat Generation. He subtly introduces those of us (no judging now!) who've never read Burrough's Naked Lunch or Kerouac's On the Road or Ginsberg's Howl to the Beat lifestyle while weaving it's influences through Harry and Jay's relationship. Making no assumptions, Closs brings readers like me, with no prior experience or exposure to The Beat writers, up to speed so we can clearly see the parallels he makes between Harry, Jay and Zahra and Kerouac, Cassady, and Ginsberg.
Unrequited, uneven love is the gear around which the rest of this novel turns. It's not only the heart of this story though, because it's at the core of every human being's body as well, isn't it? How many times have we fallen hard and fast for someone who simply does not feel the same.. cannot give back what we are putting in.. who is unable to feel more than a deep friendship while we are spinning down a depressive spiral of unreciprocated love? Or falling for someone who is already in a relationship and finding ourselves in the dreaded position of "third wheel", convincing ourselves that we'd rather stuff our unmatched love deep down and pretend we're cool just being friends because pretending not to love someone is better than not having them in our lives, and who knows... maybe they'll come around eventually?
Beatitude, simply put, is an exceptionally well written debut that explores love in all its varied forms, dissecting what it is to love.
Check out the book trailer on my blog: http://thenextbestbookblog.blogspot.c...
September 19, 2011
I’m normally a slow reader, but I read this book in two days. I would normally have no interest in the beat generation, and I’ve never read anything that would fall under the genre of gay literature (no doubt the author would cringe to have it described as such, but there you go), and still I loved it. In the same way that you come away from High Fidelity loving music more, or more like enjoying how much somebody else loves and appreciates it, I felt the same way about Kerouac.
The story is told almost completely through dialogue, making it a fast read, but also putting the reader right in the shoes of the narrator. We hear what he hears, we doubt when he doubts, we feel the same sense of adventure that he feels, and we feel the same pain of a relationship in doubt.
I think what drew me to the story is that it is a search, in all the things a search really means. Finding something that you can search for that’s tangible is such a relief. It’s something that you will either find or not find. In this case, two men are united in their search to get to understand something deeper about Jack Kerouc, something that the passing fan would never think about, something that they know is there to uncover and there to breathe life, not into the text, but into the readers of the text. The joy of the search for that tangible thing, something that you can either find or not find, is only intensified by having somebody with whom to share that passion. It gives us a way to measure ourselves. It gives us a sense of how we can mark our achievements and our successes. And when you care so deeply about it, it all makes sense.
In Beatitude, you can see, so clearly, that while Jay and Harry love the beats, they love so much more the time that it brings them together, that it creates meaningful interactions on which to base a relationship. I once heard that when two women talk they sit facing each other, when two men talk they sit more side by side, and that’s what this felt like, two men admiring something else together for the opportunity to sit side by side without quite acknowledging it, without quite having to. And when you do, it creates difficult choices and things are never quite the same again.
There is a thrill when you read something so real, so true, that you’re never taken out of the moment by a contrived line or joke. You’re there, in that moment with the characters, living that life. That’s why we read in the first place. Books like this should be recognized and celebrated for that.
The story is told almost completely through dialogue, making it a fast read, but also putting the reader right in the shoes of the narrator. We hear what he hears, we doubt when he doubts, we feel the same sense of adventure that he feels, and we feel the same pain of a relationship in doubt.
I think what drew me to the story is that it is a search, in all the things a search really means. Finding something that you can search for that’s tangible is such a relief. It’s something that you will either find or not find. In this case, two men are united in their search to get to understand something deeper about Jack Kerouc, something that the passing fan would never think about, something that they know is there to uncover and there to breathe life, not into the text, but into the readers of the text. The joy of the search for that tangible thing, something that you can either find or not find, is only intensified by having somebody with whom to share that passion. It gives us a way to measure ourselves. It gives us a sense of how we can mark our achievements and our successes. And when you care so deeply about it, it all makes sense.
In Beatitude, you can see, so clearly, that while Jay and Harry love the beats, they love so much more the time that it brings them together, that it creates meaningful interactions on which to base a relationship. I once heard that when two women talk they sit facing each other, when two men talk they sit more side by side, and that’s what this felt like, two men admiring something else together for the opportunity to sit side by side without quite acknowledging it, without quite having to. And when you do, it creates difficult choices and things are never quite the same again.
There is a thrill when you read something so real, so true, that you’re never taken out of the moment by a contrived line or joke. You’re there, in that moment with the characters, living that life. That’s why we read in the first place. Books like this should be recognized and celebrated for that.
February 26, 2016
Review posted on World of Diversity Fiction
I was given this book from the author to read and review and to be honest it made me really nervous. What if I hated it or I couldn’t connect with the story because of the Beat Generation aspect, which is a big part of it. I know a little about the Beat Generation era, recognized some of the names but I don’t know a lot, thankfully you don’t need to know anything to love this book and I loved, loved, loved it!
It’s well written and informative, it got me so interested in knowing more of that era I found myself googling and reading whatever I was able to find.
This is a beautiful example of Gay Fiction at its best, but then again it’s a beautiful story no matter what genre you want to put it in. It’s not a romance but there is a love story of sorts. Harry and Jay are the main characters. Harry is gay, Jay is straight and again Harry finds himself in love with someone who can’t return that love at least not in the way Harry would like. Unrequited love seems to be something that follows him around. Harry left his last relationship for that reason. He loved Matteo but sadly Matteo didn’t love Harry the same way and that wasn’t Harry’s first experience with being in love with someone that wasn’t in love him.
Then Harry meets Jay and they become best friends. The two of them have so much in common they would make the perfect couple. I couldn’t keep myself from hoping, just maybe Jay would find himself in love with Harry but Jay is in a relationship already.
Beatitude has some sad moments that brought me to tears but it also had some very touching moments that made me smile. It’s definitely bittersweet at the same time it’s a heartwarming story of what real friendship and love can be.
Larry Closs has written a wonderful story that is multi-layered but he effortlessly interweaves those layers into something that is special. I never found myself bored or lost instead I found myself never wanting this story to end.
Thank you Larry for giving me an amazing story to read and review, now that it’s over I have no idea why I was so nervous. ;)
I highly recommend Beatitude.
January 7, 2012
I guess I'll start with how much I LOVED this book! It's very well-written, with a plot that's complicated without becoming convoluted. The history of the Beat generation - Kerouac, Ginsberg, Cassidy and Burroughs - is an essential component to the story, so it helped that in college I had my own Beat obsession (really more of a passing fling when compared to the two main characters) which provided a context. Despite having dabbled, after reading 'Beatitude' I suddenly had the desire to go and re-read those authors and to pick up some of their books that I'd skipped over. I can definitely see this novel being a bridge for readers who haven't gotten to 'On the Road' and 'Howl'.
'Beatitude' contains a love story - but not in the traditional sense. Harry and his co-worker Jay discover that they share an obsession for the Beats. They become best friends, inseparable. And then Harry (who has some relationship baggage) does what he's sworn not to do and falls in love with Jay. Jay is straight. The twist is... Jay loves him back. Just not in the same way.
Harry, who narrates the book, is a compelling voice. Someone you can't help caring about. As I read there were times when I felt as confused as he about the mixed signals Jay was throwing out. Until I realized that the signals weren't really that mixed and it was my preconceptions that were the real issue.
'Beatitude' is a reminder that love is love, regardless of whether it's romantic or platonic. Closs weaves together a beautiful and complicated narrative around this idea. He's created a novel that shouldn't be pigeonholed as any one thing: as a love story, gay literature, a book that memorializes the Beats. Because it's all those things and more. There are a lot of layers to the story Closs has given us, and it'd be a shame (as well as a mistake) to get caught up in just one.
'Beatitude' contains a love story - but not in the traditional sense. Harry and his co-worker Jay discover that they share an obsession for the Beats. They become best friends, inseparable. And then Harry (who has some relationship baggage) does what he's sworn not to do and falls in love with Jay. Jay is straight. The twist is... Jay loves him back. Just not in the same way.
Harry, who narrates the book, is a compelling voice. Someone you can't help caring about. As I read there were times when I felt as confused as he about the mixed signals Jay was throwing out. Until I realized that the signals weren't really that mixed and it was my preconceptions that were the real issue.
'Beatitude' is a reminder that love is love, regardless of whether it's romantic or platonic. Closs weaves together a beautiful and complicated narrative around this idea. He's created a novel that shouldn't be pigeonholed as any one thing: as a love story, gay literature, a book that memorializes the Beats. Because it's all those things and more. There are a lot of layers to the story Closs has given us, and it'd be a shame (as well as a mistake) to get caught up in just one.
May 20, 2012
One of my coworkers teased that I give everything I read a five-star review, which is 1) not true and 2) I can't help it if I typically have a knack for picking up things that I know I'll like. Beatitude is worth every one of the five stars I gave it. The easiest way to describe it is human - there's a beautiful, realistic quality in the story being told, one which helps reel you in and keep you reading (even at times when you should be doing things like working or sleeping). Love stories are told all the time, and this one explores love in all definitions - true love, brotherly love, unrequited love, even how love differs between two lovers, and clearly a labor of love on the part of the author. Between all of this is the characters' fascination with the Beat generation, done with such genuine flair that I can't help but seek out the works of the Beats as well.
Beatitude isn't going to change my five-star trend any time soon, and deservedly so. Anyone in search of a solid, poignant and deeply satisfying read should read it. It'll remind you why you love stuff.
Beatitude isn't going to change my five-star trend any time soon, and deservedly so. Anyone in search of a solid, poignant and deeply satisfying read should read it. It'll remind you why you love stuff.
Read
December 14, 2011Beatitude is not a romance but this doesn’t mean is not a love story. It’s the story of two men, Harry and Jay, who become friends thanks to their common love for everything that is “Beat” but above all for Jack Kerouac. Harry is gay and still recovering from a troubled relationship with Matteo; it was an unrequited love, Matteo was fond of Harry but he was not in love with Harry. Despite this past bad experience, Harry seems bent to commit the same mistake with Jay, who has a girlfriend, Zahra. At the beginning I thought I was reading something in Jay, something that could lead to a different ending, but maybe Jay is bisexual and so hypothetically he can love both Harry or Zahra, but since Zahra was the first entering his heart, she is also the one who will detain sole ownership. And as strange as it sounds, I like Zahra, and I don’t mind that Jay is a good man and someone who is able to remain faithful to his decision. And even if Zahra maybe senses that something deeper than friendship is born between Harry and Jay, she will not try to part them, on the contrary she will be the one helping Jay understanding better Harry.
It’s a bittersweet story but not sad; sure, I remain with an open question, will be Harry able to find his soul mate, but maybe it’s a wrong question, since Harry indeed found him in Jay, it’s only that in their relationship, sex is not a necessary ingredient. But aside from that, they share everything else, and they will be also able to achieve most of their dream. By the way, I didn’t feel Harry as someone who is particularly linking sex and love, when he is specifically asked if he wants to have sex with Jay, he is the one to say no, but when the same person asks him if he is in love with Jay he says yes. So maybe, even my first sentence is wrong, this is a romance, only that is a slightly different type of romance I’m not used to. And probably it has to be considered this novel is set in 1995; now I’m not saying it’s old age, but in the end it’s more than 15 years ago and how many things have changed since then? Sure the path is still long but I think it was probably harder in 1995 to admit to someone you are gay than now.
The strange thing is that I would probably not label this novel as “gay” if asked; sure Harry is gay, and he recounts by memory his relationship with Matteo, but truly, his relationship with Jay was more of deep friendship than love. And as in all the really deep friendship, there was jealousy involved, jealousy that you can do something important with someone else, jealousy of the time your best friend is spending with someone else, even if that someone else is a lover or a relative. Jealousy of everyone who came before you and jealousy of everyone who could replace you as “best friend”. Sometime friends are even more demanding than partner, and more sensitive.
Despite the theme, Beatitude is very easy to read, and you arrive to the end with a feeling you would have not minded some page more.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1608640299/?...
It’s a bittersweet story but not sad; sure, I remain with an open question, will be Harry able to find his soul mate, but maybe it’s a wrong question, since Harry indeed found him in Jay, it’s only that in their relationship, sex is not a necessary ingredient. But aside from that, they share everything else, and they will be also able to achieve most of their dream. By the way, I didn’t feel Harry as someone who is particularly linking sex and love, when he is specifically asked if he wants to have sex with Jay, he is the one to say no, but when the same person asks him if he is in love with Jay he says yes. So maybe, even my first sentence is wrong, this is a romance, only that is a slightly different type of romance I’m not used to. And probably it has to be considered this novel is set in 1995; now I’m not saying it’s old age, but in the end it’s more than 15 years ago and how many things have changed since then? Sure the path is still long but I think it was probably harder in 1995 to admit to someone you are gay than now.
The strange thing is that I would probably not label this novel as “gay” if asked; sure Harry is gay, and he recounts by memory his relationship with Matteo, but truly, his relationship with Jay was more of deep friendship than love. And as in all the really deep friendship, there was jealousy involved, jealousy that you can do something important with someone else, jealousy of the time your best friend is spending with someone else, even if that someone else is a lover or a relative. Jealousy of everyone who came before you and jealousy of everyone who could replace you as “best friend”. Sometime friends are even more demanding than partner, and more sensitive.
Despite the theme, Beatitude is very easy to read, and you arrive to the end with a feeling you would have not minded some page more.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1608640299/?...
December 26, 2011
I received a copy of this book through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
I found this book a little uneven, but overall I quite liked it. It concerns Harry, a magazine editor in NYC, just coming off a disastrous relationship, who strikes up a very intense friendship with Jay, a new hire in the magazine's art department. Their shared love of the Beat writers brings them together and cements their friendship, and Harry falls in love with Jay. However, Jay, while feeling a strong bond of close friendship with Harry, cannot reciprocate Harry's romantic love. Harry thus has to struggle with how to handle his feelings and still maintain a close friendship with Jay.
Let me get my small quibbles out of the way first. Closs writes with an almost naive enthusiasm that occasionally did not work for me; there were many places where it worked beautifully, though. There were also a couple of points where I found the pacing to be a little off, where Harry's ruminations on his feelings for and relationship with Jay caused too much of a pause, like a fermata held just a little too long.
However, there was a lot I liked about Beatitude. One refreshing things was that a good portion of the action took place at Harry and Jay's workplace. I have rarely encountered novels in which the protagonists have fairly ordinary jobs and those jobs are a major part of the setting and action. Closs does this really well and it adds a welcome sense of realism and immediacy to the narrative. I also really liked the way Jay and Harry's relationship was built on shared interests and compatibility of personality. It was one of the many things that made the narrative feel so natural and real. I also really liked Jay's girlfriend, Zahra - she was interesting in her own right and I liked the way Closs handled her relationship with Harry and the way she reacted to his relationship with Jay - it was nuanced and avoided the easy tropes. The way the Beat writers, their lives, and their work were threaded through the novel was nice, too.
I found this book a little uneven, but overall I quite liked it. It concerns Harry, a magazine editor in NYC, just coming off a disastrous relationship, who strikes up a very intense friendship with Jay, a new hire in the magazine's art department. Their shared love of the Beat writers brings them together and cements their friendship, and Harry falls in love with Jay. However, Jay, while feeling a strong bond of close friendship with Harry, cannot reciprocate Harry's romantic love. Harry thus has to struggle with how to handle his feelings and still maintain a close friendship with Jay.
Let me get my small quibbles out of the way first. Closs writes with an almost naive enthusiasm that occasionally did not work for me; there were many places where it worked beautifully, though. There were also a couple of points where I found the pacing to be a little off, where Harry's ruminations on his feelings for and relationship with Jay caused too much of a pause, like a fermata held just a little too long.
However, there was a lot I liked about Beatitude. One refreshing things was that a good portion of the action took place at Harry and Jay's workplace. I have rarely encountered novels in which the protagonists have fairly ordinary jobs and those jobs are a major part of the setting and action. Closs does this really well and it adds a welcome sense of realism and immediacy to the narrative. I also really liked the way Jay and Harry's relationship was built on shared interests and compatibility of personality. It was one of the many things that made the narrative feel so natural and real. I also really liked Jay's girlfriend, Zahra - she was interesting in her own right and I liked the way Closs handled her relationship with Harry and the way she reacted to his relationship with Jay - it was nuanced and avoided the easy tropes. The way the Beat writers, their lives, and their work were threaded through the novel was nice, too.
November 4, 2011
I wanted to like this book, however I didn't. I loved it on many intricate levels. How a writer can pull a reader through a book, delivering timeless messages, interwoven story lines, guide emotions until the last word and leave the reader astonished and gasping for more is beyond me. Beatitude is writing and art at its highest.
This is a masterfully presented story as universal as the sun and offers a look inside ourselves, exposing the reality and complexity of life, friendship and love. I felt Harry's or Jay's gender could have been changed at any point in any potential combination and the book would have been equally poignant, touching and haunting. Personally, I was at the end of the book feeling that I had read only 10 pages thanks to a dialog-driven narrative that magically dispensed the entire story in one fantastically 'scrolling' novel.
Not unlike some movies, this is one of those rare books that leave you breathless and in awe of the beauty within the message. I do hope this book finds an audience because it is meant to be read and passed on.
What's your road, man?
This is a masterfully presented story as universal as the sun and offers a look inside ourselves, exposing the reality and complexity of life, friendship and love. I felt Harry's or Jay's gender could have been changed at any point in any potential combination and the book would have been equally poignant, touching and haunting. Personally, I was at the end of the book feeling that I had read only 10 pages thanks to a dialog-driven narrative that magically dispensed the entire story in one fantastically 'scrolling' novel.
Not unlike some movies, this is one of those rare books that leave you breathless and in awe of the beauty within the message. I do hope this book finds an audience because it is meant to be read and passed on.
What's your road, man?
October 30, 2011
I sat and read this book in 2 sittings. The storyline and narrative theme of the writing drew me in and the characters came to life. I wanted to follow their happenings and see how it resolved. The book intertwines 3 compelling different but parallel stories which made it very interesting and presented the complexity of life and human nature. One thing that struck me is how the main character was drawn to the Beats who were so carefree even as he was so counter to them. I believe his fascination was that they brought him to an ideal place where he wished he could live. The main theme is surprisingly universal. I think we have all had similar experiences that we have had to come to terms with and work through in our lives. 'Beatitude' is a beautiful journey.
August 13, 2012
This is a wonderful book. It's a novel about love and its various shades and meanings. It spoke to me personally as no recent book that I've read has. It focuses on the Beats (Kerouac, Cassady, Ginsberg etc.) as they had an influence on the main characters, but the reader need not know or care about the Beats as long as he/she cares about feelings, the feelings of the main characters in the novel. I felt as though the main character in the book, Harry, was me. Probably not every reader will identify as strongly as I did. Life experiences shape reactions differently for different people, but I think all readers will related to the complex emotions portrayed here and in the process will have a deeper understanding about life and learn more about themselves.
October 21, 2011
“It was only a matter of time, I told myself, before everything fell into place. It was only a matter of time, however, before everything fell apart” – Beatitude
Beatitude captures an experience that is universal to all people; that the greatest source of human suffering comes from our wanting things to be other then what they are…
Through his high-def storytelling, contemplative tone, and vulnerability, Larry Closs relates to his readers on a human level -- reminding us all, that amid crowded cities, complex relationships, and whatever grit life dishes out, there is love… if, we are willing to accept it.
November 7, 2011
This exciting book moves like the wind--it's mostly dialogue--and is filled with passion, youthful exuberance and a dose of heartbreaking, unrequited love. It chronicles a wedge of time in protagonist Harry Charity's life when he meets Jay Bishop at work, and the two pursue their mutual passion of all things Beat, meeting fascinating characters along the way.
You don't have to know anything about the Beat Generation to like this book: Harry and Jay make Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and the rest come to life. I read the book in two days, but I can't get it out of my head.
You don't have to know anything about the Beat Generation to like this book: Harry and Jay make Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and the rest come to life. I read the book in two days, but I can't get it out of my head.
December 10, 2011
I read this to review it for the second issue of Chelsea Station magazine, so watch for that to see my full thoughts!
February 5, 2012
Title: Beatitude
Author: Larry Closs
Publisher: Rebel Satori Press
Pages: 272
Rating: 4 Shots of Espresso (Red Eye)
Book Review:
Relationships keep people together, push people apart and test people's boundaries. Whether the bond is brotherly or romantic, for relationships to be healthy and to last they must be treated with tender and care. Larry Closs' Beatitude raises multiple, thought-provoking questions about how to define and create boundaries in a relationship without negative repercussions. The blossoming and, at times, tumultuous relationship between main characters, Harry and Jay, grows and develops into a beautiful story about friendship and much more.
Harry has been working at this struggling New York magazine when Jay recently joins the staff. Both men have an extreme fascination with the Beat Generation, especially Jack Kerouac. Their relationship begins to form as they share their passion for the Beats. They soon begin their quest to find the manuscript scroll of Kerouac's On the Road, a dream for both of them.
The bond between Harry and Jay forms quickly. From going to a party together to daily lunches, I began to think that this was a relationship blooming beyond just traditional friends. I, then, began to feel that Harry was becoming too clingy and dependent upon his friendship with Jay. Harry's and Jay's relationship reminded me of the interesting relationship between George Talboys and Robert Audley in Mary Elizabeth Braddon's Lady Audley's Secret. Both of these relationships push the boundaries of traditional friendships; both raise questions and commentary on how boundaries form between two people. What is too much? What is a friendship? How do significant others change the boundaries between friends? We all go through these questions as we grow up and form new and different friendships.
Closs keeps you reading in his meticulous character development. Although Harry bothered me many times in his need to always obtain satisfaction from Jay, I still cared very much for Harry's life. This gave me the same uneasy feeling that I get when I read a novel with a subordinate women. I wanted Harry to be stronger and stop putting himself in a vulnerable position where he would keep getting hurt. Closs writes his characters so well that you can empathize with them as if they are your own friends. I found myself connecting with the characters in the way I have seen how boundaries in friendships is important. Much of the struggles in Beatitude seem to come from the fact that Harry is still learning and struggling with his own identity. He still needs to find some confidence and a sense of security in himself. His vulnerability bothered me but not to the point where I would have put the book down; quite the opposite in fact, I wanted to keep on reading.
Closs knows how to develop a character extremely well without forgetting to provide you with a plot. The search to find Beat first editions, original manuscripts and new typewriters keeps the character development balanced. Many novels, lately, with great characters have forgotten include a plot, and Closs doesn't fail! The passion about the Beats, their works and their history is seamlessly worked into Beatitude. I am not a Beat fan, but Closs' perspective provided me with a greater appreciation into their literary tradition. Closs invokes the Beats in his plot and in his writing. I enjoyed the passion that Closs clearly has with the Beats in his writing. This novel is a fabulous addition to the novels of the Beat Generation.
I give Larry Closs' Beatitude four shots of espresso. He keeps the reader engaged and continually prompts the read to try and define what relationships are and how to place boundaries. My perpetual investment in Harry to see how his and Jay's relationship turns out is a fresh addition to what is out their for novels with themes about relationships. The missing shot, for me, was the dialogue and descriptions of the dialogue. I wanted Closs to show me more in the characters' dialogues than just have the narrator tell me. Closs does such a fabulous job at developing his characters that I thought the dialogue detracted from some of those beautiful developments at times. I highly recommend this novel to those who want a novel to toy with and, especially, for those who love the Beat Generation.
I was very proud to have been apart of Lori of TNBBC's Beatitude Blog Tour. Larry Closs wrote a beautiful piece about NYC, which is very complimentary to his wonderful novel. If you missed it or want to read it again, check out Larry Closs' Guest Blog Post.
June 9, 2012
Review:
When I first picked up this book I honestly had no idea what the Beat Generation was. I had heard of Kerouac's novels and poetry, but had never really read anything he authored; however, after a little research, I was ready to dive into Beatitude, (clever title, beat + attitude). Jay, Harry,and Zahra's everyday lives and complicated relationships are chronicled throughout an emotion-fueled dialogue. What would happen if you found your soul-mate in someone you could never have? The interactions between Harry and Jay describe the depth of this conundrum from the beginnings of an innocent friendship to the eventual depression following unrequited love. I was pulled into the reality of their lives as soon as I "met" them, their characters fully-developed and easy-to-relate to. Everyone has their secret loves, suspicions, and fears, and sometimes those feelings can drive us to our most vulnerable points - this is evidenced in Larry Closs' novel. His writing style captivates the reader, making them a part of the characters' lives. The subplot about Kerouac and the beat generation adds to the overall tone; a welcome and interesting addition to the novel. I definitely saw some parallels between the lifestyles of Kerouac/Ginsberg and the main characters. Beatitude brought a generation that I had never heard of back to life. I would not call this book "gay fiction", it describes more of a deep male-to-male friendship that could possibly become something more, but there is a lot of tension, awkward moments, and envy between the friends. Overall, Beatitude is a well-researched and artfully-written novel about love, obsession, jealousy, and the experiences that make us human. I would have loved a couple more chapters, but hopefully Closs plans to write more in the future. Recommended for fiction aficionados and those interested in the Beat Generation.
Rating: On the Run (4.5/5)
* I received this book from the author (BookShots) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
When I first picked up this book I honestly had no idea what the Beat Generation was. I had heard of Kerouac's novels and poetry, but had never really read anything he authored; however, after a little research, I was ready to dive into Beatitude, (clever title, beat + attitude). Jay, Harry,and Zahra's everyday lives and complicated relationships are chronicled throughout an emotion-fueled dialogue. What would happen if you found your soul-mate in someone you could never have? The interactions between Harry and Jay describe the depth of this conundrum from the beginnings of an innocent friendship to the eventual depression following unrequited love. I was pulled into the reality of their lives as soon as I "met" them, their characters fully-developed and easy-to-relate to. Everyone has their secret loves, suspicions, and fears, and sometimes those feelings can drive us to our most vulnerable points - this is evidenced in Larry Closs' novel. His writing style captivates the reader, making them a part of the characters' lives. The subplot about Kerouac and the beat generation adds to the overall tone; a welcome and interesting addition to the novel. I definitely saw some parallels between the lifestyles of Kerouac/Ginsberg and the main characters. Beatitude brought a generation that I had never heard of back to life. I would not call this book "gay fiction", it describes more of a deep male-to-male friendship that could possibly become something more, but there is a lot of tension, awkward moments, and envy between the friends. Overall, Beatitude is a well-researched and artfully-written novel about love, obsession, jealousy, and the experiences that make us human. I would have loved a couple more chapters, but hopefully Closs plans to write more in the future. Recommended for fiction aficionados and those interested in the Beat Generation.
Rating: On the Run (4.5/5)
* I received this book from the author (BookShots) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
February 6, 2012
I received this as a first read giveaway.
2.5 stars would be the perfect rating because while I didn't like the book, I thought it was well written and well researched.
This is a strange story of two men that have feelings for each other (homosexual love), but that love is never consumated due to one of the men having a very serious girlfriend who is he unwilling to give up. So, instead they form a friendship that has a lot of sexual tension. Mixed into this story is their mutual obsession with the Beat poets, primarly Ginsberg and Kerouac. As a side note: I didn't realize that many of the Beat poets were gay. I knew they were sexualized beings since many of Ginsberg's poems include sexual references to masturbation and the like, but the homosexual part was something that I had not thought about.
So, I didn't like the story very much. Mostly because I have never been a fan of the Beat poets and so obsessing about them is not something that I would ever do. The non-realized love was not satisfying either. Did that relationship fill a void in either of the main characters life? I would argue that it did not.
2.5 stars would be the perfect rating because while I didn't like the book, I thought it was well written and well researched.
This is a strange story of two men that have feelings for each other (homosexual love), but that love is never consumated due to one of the men having a very serious girlfriend who is he unwilling to give up. So, instead they form a friendship that has a lot of sexual tension. Mixed into this story is their mutual obsession with the Beat poets, primarly Ginsberg and Kerouac. As a side note: I didn't realize that many of the Beat poets were gay. I knew they were sexualized beings since many of Ginsberg's poems include sexual references to masturbation and the like, but the homosexual part was something that I had not thought about.
So, I didn't like the story very much. Mostly because I have never been a fan of the Beat poets and so obsessing about them is not something that I would ever do. The non-realized love was not satisfying either. Did that relationship fill a void in either of the main characters life? I would argue that it did not.
March 19, 2012
I relate to way too many things in this book. It’s kinda scary. Good scary.
Gotham Book Mart, Allen Ginsberg, NYPL, Publishing, etc... So many reasons to love this book.
Gotham Book Mart, Allen Ginsberg, NYPL, Publishing, etc... So many reasons to love this book.
June 20, 2015
I really thought I was going to love this, but sadly I struggled. While the characters were quirky, the detail incredibly well researched, and the poems flawless, for the most part it just didn't read comfortably. Ironically the dialogue lacked rhythm, and I found the main character way too whiny and self-deprecating. For anyone with an interest in the Beat Generation there are anecdotal gems aplenty, but unfortunately at the expense of turning Harry and Jay into obsessives with no other interests. I had no attachment to the characters at all.
March 12, 2013
A clever novel, as close to the genre of "bro-mance" as anything I have recently read. Think "a hip, less melancholy 'Separate Peace'." Two friends over an affinity for Jack Kerouac. The love-element is not with Kerouac, but with one friend's girlfriend.
January 19, 2012
***review to follow***
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