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Pebble in a Pool
Two tragic deaths are handled very differently by school administrators. A drunk driving accident paralyzes Adrian Vanderlaar and kills his girlfriend. The outpouring of grief is starkly contrasted with the muted response to a gay-bashing murder, causing Paul Carter to speak out. Paul's growing awareness of his sexuality and Adrian's return to school play out artfully in a book brimming with emotion, humor, and humanity, and bravely unsentimental unsentimental in its treatment of both young men, Pebble in a Pool is a complex yet sparely written account of actions, reactions, and consequences. William Taylor is the author of Jerome and The Blue Lawn which was selected for the prestigious New York Public Library's Books for the Teenage List and was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award. He lives and writes in New Zealand.
124 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 5, 2011
This was ok, well written but a bit unrealistic. Lots of stereotypes - particularly the evil abusive bible-thumpin' wife thumpin' pastor, a figure that always seems to crop up in this sort of book, and the fat, snivelling bully (named, Dickensian-ly enough, "Snout Hogg").
Anyway, the story goes that a girl at Paul's school dies in a car accident and there's a big hullabuloo about it, school closed for her funeral etc, and then a bit later another student, Spike, gets beaten to death in an alleyway but because he's gay the school hushes it all up and just gives him a MENTION at a school assembly. The principal actually WARNS the kids that this sort of thing can happen to people who "choose certain lifestyles" (this is where it starts getting unrealistic - I should add that this is set in 2010, not 1950). Anyway ol' Paul feels sorry for Spike (he claims he doesn't know why), and stands up and gives a speech about how his death was a terrible thing and everyone will miss him, etc etc. Anyway. Then he goes home and SECONDS AFTER STEPPING THROUGH THE DOOR his father (the evil pastor) beats him to a pulp whilst screaming abuse and disowning him for being gay. Wait, what? I know. Somehow everyone seemed to understand his speech to mean "I feel sorry for Spike, therefore I am also gay". They were totally right, but I would not have made that connection. Anyway, so then Paul runs away and luckily happens to fall into the hands of an older (but not too much older) nice, kind, lovely man called Steve who lives in a nice little mountain shack away from everyone else. Steve looks after him and lets him stay for free and cooks him nice meals and tells him "it's ok son I'm sure Jesus loves you even if you're gay" which seems to comfort him. Fortuitously but not unexpectedly (for me) Steve also turns out to be gay so after the dramatic 'reveal' he and Paul end up living together happily as a couple for the rest of their days. (The author makes a bit of a point of the fact that Paul turns 18 in the course of the story - NO underage shenanegins thank you!) The only other conflict for the rest of the story is Paul's angst because he wishes he could come out openly but Steve advises him not to because the community isn't ready for it. It was all a bit too convenient and twee, just sounded like wish fulfillment really.
Anyway, the story goes that a girl at Paul's school dies in a car accident and there's a big hullabuloo about it, school closed for her funeral etc, and then a bit later another student, Spike, gets beaten to death in an alleyway but because he's gay the school hushes it all up and just gives him a MENTION at a school assembly. The principal actually WARNS the kids that this sort of thing can happen to people who "choose certain lifestyles" (this is where it starts getting unrealistic - I should add that this is set in 2010, not 1950). Anyway ol' Paul feels sorry for Spike (he claims he doesn't know why), and stands up and gives a speech about how his death was a terrible thing and everyone will miss him, etc etc. Anyway. Then he goes home and SECONDS AFTER STEPPING THROUGH THE DOOR his father (the evil pastor) beats him to a pulp whilst screaming abuse and disowning him for being gay. Wait, what? I know. Somehow everyone seemed to understand his speech to mean "I feel sorry for Spike, therefore I am also gay". They were totally right, but I would not have made that connection. Anyway, so then Paul runs away and luckily happens to fall into the hands of an older (but not too much older) nice, kind, lovely man called Steve who lives in a nice little mountain shack away from everyone else. Steve looks after him and lets him stay for free and cooks him nice meals and tells him "it's ok son I'm sure Jesus loves you even if you're gay" which seems to comfort him. Fortuitously but not unexpectedly (for me) Steve also turns out to be gay so after the dramatic 'reveal' he and Paul end up living together happily as a couple for the rest of their days. (The author makes a bit of a point of the fact that Paul turns 18 in the course of the story - NO underage shenanegins thank you!) The only other conflict for the rest of the story is Paul's angst because he wishes he could come out openly but Steve advises him not to because the community isn't ready for it. It was all a bit too convenient and twee, just sounded like wish fulfillment really.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2020
Un libro juvenil de temática gay que me enganchó y que termine en dos días. Lo disfrute bastante.
¿Para qué leer una piedra en el.estanque?
1. Por esa bella analogía en el título, ya que todos tenemos una vida que es como el estanque y al arrojarle una piedra, pueden pasar mil cosas.
2. Por que te muestra un tema muy complicado la relación amorosa entre un joven y un hombre mayor. 13 años de diferencia.
3. Te muestra ambas perspectivas el aceptar el amor y el pensamiento retrograda de la gente y de una familia religiosa (quería agarrar a golpes al padre de Paul)
4. Te muestra íntegramente como es el madurar en la vida, aceptando responsabilidades y claro aceptando lo que eres.
5. La narrativa es ligera y refrescante. Y no fueron necesarias escenas eroticas para disfrutar a la pareja protagónica.
Me gustó bastante lo malo, fue que me hubiera gustado otro final para la mamá de Paul.
¿Para qué leer una piedra en el.estanque?
1. Por esa bella analogía en el título, ya que todos tenemos una vida que es como el estanque y al arrojarle una piedra, pueden pasar mil cosas.
2. Por que te muestra un tema muy complicado la relación amorosa entre un joven y un hombre mayor. 13 años de diferencia.
3. Te muestra ambas perspectivas el aceptar el amor y el pensamiento retrograda de la gente y de una familia religiosa (quería agarrar a golpes al padre de Paul)
4. Te muestra íntegramente como es el madurar en la vida, aceptando responsabilidades y claro aceptando lo que eres.
5. La narrativa es ligera y refrescante. Y no fueron necesarias escenas eroticas para disfrutar a la pareja protagónica.
Me gustó bastante lo malo, fue que me hubiera gustado otro final para la mamá de Paul.
March 2, 2013
When I wrote Disturbance in 2004 here in Liverpool, I had just finished
reading a short novel but which was to impact upon me over the following
years in a way no other novel, book or play has ever done. And having read widely I do not write that lightly.
It came without warning. The words resonated, they were real, and left me
reeling.
That book, Pebble in a Pool, by William Taylor was published in the
USA and the UK but not in fact in his home country because, to use Will’s
words to me, he just did not want to go through a load of flak again.
Small communities do have a way of making life hell for those living within for those who do not live according to the so-called ‘accepted’ social norm; which, I guess, is why I love the freedom of the City, the night life, the arts, music, science and coffee houses; ironically, the peace and quiet the small towns don’t give to those who do not follow the same step.
Will’s book did nothing to undermine my faith, it made it more real and
practical. And it did what I love to do – make bums on pews feel
uncomfortable when being presented with home truths and echoing what that
Great Man said two millennia ago in Jerusalem – All you do is to take My
Word which is designed to make life easier for My people, and make it into a burden!
There followed a stinging series of rebukes that left His listeners reeling and very determined to be rid of Him. Their temporary loss of course, humankind’s Eternal Salvation. A hope fulfilled. A guarantee delivered.
I thoroughly commend the works of William Taylor and especially to parents who are wondering how to deal with the challenges of adolescence. When two friends read the book last year, Steve a New Zealander also on North Island, secretly made contact with William, and a rather special present arrived in time for Christmas, the author’s signed copy to me.
I must admit I was totally speechless, seriously so, and it now sits very
proudly on the coffee table next to the model of the Spitfire in my lounge. I remember at the time just gazing out to sea, past the Lighthouse on the Fort Perch Rock and being nonplussed; finally deciding that a coffee might not be amiss!
I remember hearing in the ear of my mind, that absolutely beautiful
New Zealand chuckle that always made the day right.
Thank you William, for all you’ve done for me, and for all of us, throughout the English Speaking Peoples! And if fills me with joy to know that your lifetime’s works now stand translated in the other great languages too – truly global. Truly, you have set your sails and crossed every ocean and strait the world over. Thank you.
You have the ear of the people, and above all you have the attention of the little ones, and those people are the most important of all, as indeed He has taught us.
Disturbance
Dedicated
to the
life and works
of
William Taylor, ONZM4
A single entry
a gentle ‘plop’
‘What was that?’
‘Nothing.’
The plop gives birth,
a ring appears,
procreates
and widens.
Soon the rings
spread evenly
a perfect
circumference
overriding waves
and washed
on the shores of life.
A microcosm of
nuclear proportion
sometimes benign
but often malignant
A little local
disturbance
Two lives brought together.
Ian Bradley Marshall
reading a short novel but which was to impact upon me over the following
years in a way no other novel, book or play has ever done. And having read widely I do not write that lightly.
It came without warning. The words resonated, they were real, and left me
reeling.
That book, Pebble in a Pool, by William Taylor was published in the
USA and the UK but not in fact in his home country because, to use Will’s
words to me, he just did not want to go through a load of flak again.
Small communities do have a way of making life hell for those living within for those who do not live according to the so-called ‘accepted’ social norm; which, I guess, is why I love the freedom of the City, the night life, the arts, music, science and coffee houses; ironically, the peace and quiet the small towns don’t give to those who do not follow the same step.
Will’s book did nothing to undermine my faith, it made it more real and
practical. And it did what I love to do – make bums on pews feel
uncomfortable when being presented with home truths and echoing what that
Great Man said two millennia ago in Jerusalem – All you do is to take My
Word which is designed to make life easier for My people, and make it into a burden!
There followed a stinging series of rebukes that left His listeners reeling and very determined to be rid of Him. Their temporary loss of course, humankind’s Eternal Salvation. A hope fulfilled. A guarantee delivered.
I thoroughly commend the works of William Taylor and especially to parents who are wondering how to deal with the challenges of adolescence. When two friends read the book last year, Steve a New Zealander also on North Island, secretly made contact with William, and a rather special present arrived in time for Christmas, the author’s signed copy to me.
I must admit I was totally speechless, seriously so, and it now sits very
proudly on the coffee table next to the model of the Spitfire in my lounge. I remember at the time just gazing out to sea, past the Lighthouse on the Fort Perch Rock and being nonplussed; finally deciding that a coffee might not be amiss!
I remember hearing in the ear of my mind, that absolutely beautiful
New Zealand chuckle that always made the day right.
Thank you William, for all you’ve done for me, and for all of us, throughout the English Speaking Peoples! And if fills me with joy to know that your lifetime’s works now stand translated in the other great languages too – truly global. Truly, you have set your sails and crossed every ocean and strait the world over. Thank you.
You have the ear of the people, and above all you have the attention of the little ones, and those people are the most important of all, as indeed He has taught us.
Disturbance
Dedicated
to the
life and works
of
William Taylor, ONZM4
A single entry
a gentle ‘plop’
‘What was that?’
‘Nothing.’
The plop gives birth,
a ring appears,
procreates
and widens.
Soon the rings
spread evenly
a perfect
circumference
overriding waves
and washed
on the shores of life.
A microcosm of
nuclear proportion
sometimes benign
but often malignant
A little local
disturbance
Two lives brought together.
Ian Bradley Marshall
December 6, 2008
Excellent short story.
March 19, 2015
Penosamente escrito. Basura literaria.
February 6, 2016
3.5/5
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews