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US Mall 1 - Thinking Straight
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List Price: $15.00
Our Price: $6.99
Your Save: $ 8.01 ( 53% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Kensington
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Average Customer Rating: 
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780758219282
ISBN: 0758219288
Label: Kensington
Manufacturer: Kensington
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 304
Publication Date: 2008-05-01
Publisher: Kensington
Studio: Kensington
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent book
Comment: Just last night I finished Robin Reardon's "Thinking Straight," a most involving story falling under the Young Adult category, though I would recommend it only for teens in the upper age range, due to strong language and sexual situations.
The story is told from the viewpoint of Taylor, a teen who is sent to an institution to be "de-gayed" after he comes out to his parents. I was particularly interested in this story, because I've heard some truly horrendous reports detailing the methods used by these "ex-gay" ministries, and was curious as to how such a programme would be depicted in a work of fiction.
The daily routine of the programme which Taylor is forced to join sounds very much like what I've seen and read about these groups in the past, so it seems that the author really did do her research. The storyline was quite interesting, and it really did make me think about the many viewpoints out there (both religious and secular) which deal with what it means to be gay. There are a lot of shades of grey in this book; the situations discussed are not broadly drawn in black and white. In fact, in the end I did not completely agree with everything the author had to say about faith and homosexuality, but I did feel like I had learned a lot. And I had grown to care about the characters quite a bit as I read.
If there is a drawback to this book, it occurs in the last few chapters, in which the storyline veers wildly into melodrama. Now, what takes place certainly is within the realm of possibility---and surely does make for exciting reading! However, the book up to that point was very realistic and low-key in tone, so the sudden shift was a bit disconcerting. Also, I would say that one aspect of the plot, at the very end, seemed to me to be rather unlikely; however, I can't go into that without providing major spoilers. Still, overall I would classify these as minor problems that did not greatly decrease my overall opinion of the book as a whole.
I liked this one, and highly recommend it with certain qualifications. Those being, the reader should be aware that the book contains a few rather frank scenes with sexual content. And, the reader should probably have a natural interest in theology; a LOT of this book is all about theology! (I found all the discussions on the topic to be extremely interesting, but I realise that some people may have the exact opposite reaction.) The book certainly did draw me in, completely, on an emotional level; these people seemed completely real to me.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Inspirational
Comment:
I highly recommend this novel to both gay and straight teenagers and their parents. I also feel it is important reading for those who care about their health and welfare, especially members of faith communities and the medical profession. The beginning of the story was extremely difficult and I could only read it small doses. The attempts by the staff of the fictional "Straight to God" institution to destroy a person's very being is incredibly horrifying. And to do this in the name of God or Jesus seems absolutely unbelievable. Taylor is an incredible young man supported by the love of another young man. Fortunately the staff of this bizarre institution is not monolithic; not all of the them are truly evil persons. The "inmates" develop their own ways of dealing with those in authority. I am not sure I would have had the maturity to survive as the characters mange to do. I found the ending realistic and satisfying. "Thinking straight" is a book to inspire. It demonstrates that each of us can survive and grow and even succeed if we have faith in ourselves.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Thinking Straight by Robin Reardon
Comment: Taylor is a young teenager from a really catholic family. He really believe in what he was taught, he believes in God and he loves Jesus, and he would be glad to be part of the church, but there is a problem: Taylor is gay and he is also in love with an high school mate, Will, another teenager who frequents the same church as him. They spend an year hiding their love, even if Will would be more bold and brave than Taylor, and he encourages Taylor to not stay in the closet, to come out but without loosing his faith in God, since accordingly to Will, God loves his sons. When Taylor finally finds the courage to come out with his parents, his father's reaction is not as good as he hopes: he send Taylor in a catholic reprogramming group, a place where the motto ora et labora is still the panacea for all the problem, a place where people try to convince Taylor that suicide is better than being gay! With the strenght of his love for Will, and a new strenght he finds in himself, Taylor tries to survive to the 42 days of captivity.
The story is a lot more involving than the previous one by the same author, A Secret Edge: here the boys unfortunately have to face all the problem of being gay in a community that believes it to be a sin, and a mortal sin. Nevertheless it's a big love story, but more than a love story between Taylor and Will, it's a love story between Taylor and Jesus, and through Jesus, with God. Even if Taylor has to face unbelievable things, he never stops to love God, and he never stops to believe. Taylor, Will and some other guys they will meet during the story, will try to build a world where the words of God are still of love and not of hate. With their courage they will change a little part of that world that rejected them, even if, probably, the ending is too much as a fairy tale rather than reality; unfortunately I believe than in the real world, a guy like Taylor would be not so lucky as he was. But it's still a drop in the ocean and a little step toward a better world.
I should say that I like more this second book than the previous one, since, even if it's more angst, and the love story is a bit in second line, all the characters in the book have their personality and concur to create a chorus of voice that represents a good part of the young adult population.
Returning back to the worldly love story, between Taylor and Will, even if it's lived in flashback by Taylor, it seems alive and I found myself searching the little bit of memories which whom the author makes Taylor relive his love. It's also very sexy without being explicit. And also very involving: I almost wept in a scene where Taylor was forced to destroy a note from Will.
Customer Rating:
Summary: An excellent book! Couldn't put it down!
Comment: Robin Reardon has written an extraordinary second book. I read her first book, A Secret Edge, and found that one to be excellent. Thinking Straight is even better. The characters are so well-developed that they seem to spring from the page. The book contains humor, drama, and suspense enough to keep one reading on. Reardon spins her plot with the expertise of a well-established writer like Maugham or McMurtry. I had a hard time putting this book down. It is an excellent subject for any teen (or anyone for that matter) coming to terms with their faith in God and homosexuality. Reardon has certainly become one of the truly good writers of today. I can't wait for her next book.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great read...focuses on Religious Treatments for Homosexual
Comment: Reardon is an excellent writer and shares the horrific story of the abuse of the medical and religious homophobia treatment centers
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Editorial Reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent book
Comment: Just last night I finished Robin Reardon's "Thinking Straight," a most involving story falling under the Young Adult category, though I would recommend it only for teens in the upper age range, due to strong language and sexual situations.
The story is told from the viewpoint of Taylor, a teen who is sent to an institution to be "de-gayed" after he comes out to his parents. I was particularly interested in this story, because I've heard some truly horrendous reports detailing the methods used by these "ex-gay" ministries, and was curious as to how such a programme would be depicted in a work of fiction.
The daily routine of the programme which Taylor is forced to join sounds very much like what I've seen and read about these groups in the past, so it seems that the author really did do her research. The storyline was quite interesting, and it really did make me think about the many viewpoints out there (both religious and secular) which deal with what it means to be gay. There are a lot of shades of grey in this book; the situations discussed are not broadly drawn in black and white. In fact, in the end I did not completely agree with everything the author had to say about faith and homosexuality, but I did feel like I had learned a lot. And I had grown to care about the characters quite a bit as I read.
If there is a drawback to this book, it occurs in the last few chapters, in which the storyline veers wildly into melodrama. Now, what takes place certainly is within the realm of possibility---and surely does make for exciting reading! However, the book up to that point was very realistic and low-key in tone, so the sudden shift was a bit disconcerting. Also, I would say that one aspect of the plot, at the very end, seemed to me to be rather unlikely; however, I can't go into that without providing major spoilers. Still, overall I would classify these as minor problems that did not greatly decrease my overall opinion of the book as a whole.
I liked this one, and highly recommend it with certain qualifications. Those being, the reader should be aware that the book contains a few rather frank scenes with sexual content. And, the reader should probably have a natural interest in theology; a LOT of this book is all about theology! (I found all the discussions on the topic to be extremely interesting, but I realise that some people may have the exact opposite reaction.) The book certainly did draw me in, completely, on an emotional level; these people seemed completely real to me.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Inspirational
Comment:
I highly recommend this novel to both gay and straight teenagers and their parents. I also feel it is important reading for those who care about their health and welfare, especially members of faith communities and the medical profession. The beginning of the story was extremely difficult and I could only read it small doses. The attempts by the staff of the fictional "Straight to God" institution to destroy a person's very being is incredibly horrifying. And to do this in the name of God or Jesus seems absolutely unbelievable. Taylor is an incredible young man supported by the love of another young man. Fortunately the staff of this bizarre institution is not monolithic; not all of the them are truly evil persons. The "inmates" develop their own ways of dealing with those in authority. I am not sure I would have had the maturity to survive as the characters mange to do. I found the ending realistic and satisfying. "Thinking straight" is a book to inspire. It demonstrates that each of us can survive and grow and even succeed if we have faith in ourselves.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Thinking Straight by Robin Reardon
Comment: Taylor is a young teenager from a really catholic family. He really believe in what he was taught, he believes in God and he loves Jesus, and he would be glad to be part of the church, but there is a problem: Taylor is gay and he is also in love with an high school mate, Will, another teenager who frequents the same church as him. They spend an year hiding their love, even if Will would be more bold and brave than Taylor, and he encourages Taylor to not stay in the closet, to come out but without loosing his faith in God, since accordingly to Will, God loves his sons. When Taylor finally finds the courage to come out with his parents, his father's reaction is not as good as he hopes: he send Taylor in a catholic reprogramming group, a place where the motto ora et labora is still the panacea for all the problem, a place where people try to convince Taylor that suicide is better than being gay! With the strenght of his love for Will, and a new strenght he finds in himself, Taylor tries to survive to the 42 days of captivity.
The story is a lot more involving than the previous one by the same author, A Secret Edge: here the boys unfortunately have to face all the problem of being gay in a community that believes it to be a sin, and a mortal sin. Nevertheless it's a big love story, but more than a love story between Taylor and Will, it's a love story between Taylor and Jesus, and through Jesus, with God. Even if Taylor has to face unbelievable things, he never stops to love God, and he never stops to believe. Taylor, Will and some other guys they will meet during the story, will try to build a world where the words of God are still of love and not of hate. With their courage they will change a little part of that world that rejected them, even if, probably, the ending is too much as a fairy tale rather than reality; unfortunately I believe than in the real world, a guy like Taylor would be not so lucky as he was. But it's still a drop in the ocean and a little step toward a better world.
I should say that I like more this second book than the previous one, since, even if it's more angst, and the love story is a bit in second line, all the characters in the book have their personality and concur to create a chorus of voice that represents a good part of the young adult population.
Returning back to the worldly love story, between Taylor and Will, even if it's lived in flashback by Taylor, it seems alive and I found myself searching the little bit of memories which whom the author makes Taylor relive his love. It's also very sexy without being explicit. And also very involving: I almost wept in a scene where Taylor was forced to destroy a note from Will.
Customer Rating:
Summary: An excellent book! Couldn't put it down!
Comment: Robin Reardon has written an extraordinary second book. I read her first book, A Secret Edge, and found that one to be excellent. Thinking Straight is even better. The characters are so well-developed that they seem to spring from the page. The book contains humor, drama, and suspense enough to keep one reading on. Reardon spins her plot with the expertise of a well-established writer like Maugham or McMurtry. I had a hard time putting this book down. It is an excellent subject for any teen (or anyone for that matter) coming to terms with their faith in God and homosexuality. Reardon has certainly become one of the truly good writers of today. I can't wait for her next book.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great read...focuses on Religious Treatments for Homosexual
Comment: Reardon is an excellent writer and shares the horrific story of the abuse of the medical and religious homophobia treatment centers
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