Beach Reading
Beach Reading reviews:
"Abramson's first in a series of books to come, this charming tale takes place in that shining homo beacon in the bay--San Francisco. Whether it's celebrating disco queernery, battling homophobia or getting over that pesky ex, this book's got you covered. And who ever said that protests were unflattering? Provocative yet short, its title says it all--only wait much longer and it may be more like Subway Reading."
-- Brandon Aultman, HX Magazine, New York, NY
"Full of lively characters and wacky coincidence, this page-turning series aims to become the Tales of the City of the new millennium. In the popular imagination, the heyday of gay life is long gone, washed away by AIDS. But in this love song to San Francisco, Mark Abramson gives the lie to that myth, revealing the joy that still inheres to life in the City by the Bay. The quirky charm of San Francisco is alive and well, and living in the pages of Beach Reading."
--Lewis DeSimone, author of Chemistry
"The first volume in Mark Abramson's Beach Reading series pits a brokenhearted, barhopping Castro hero against a seething homophobe, set against the backdrop of a colossal dance party honoring 80s music legend Sylvester. Call it literary levity on overdrive, but it's also a sunny, campy, quick-witted gem, and a sheer delight.
Abramson, a Castro-area resident for 30-plus years, is among the newest local writers to emerge with books set in and about San Francisco. The storyline is a simple one. Tim Snow, a waiter and a regular fixture in Castro and South of Market bars, lives a semi-normal life in his beloved Upper Market abode, with the exception of getting stoned too often and attempting to circumnavigate his ex-boyfriend, who keeps popping up. The gay community is abuzz with anticipation for the star-studded Sylvester tribute party, but a nasty anti-gay organizer is planning a protest nearby that same night. Counterintelligence is carefully planned with Tim and Company, with a few subplot surprises thrown in.
Abramson knows well of what he writes. He migrated to San Francisco from Minnesota back in 1975, and enjoyed the friendship of John Preston, a former Advocate editor, as well as a livelihood comprised of bartending and dance-event producing. It was a completely different Castro back then, he says. "Everything was cheap: housing, food, drinks - and especially, all the thousands of horny young men like me."
In addition to the Beach Reading series, Abramson is also working on an epic memoir entitled Castro Street Diaries, which will be derived from his journal entries and memories of pre-AIDS San Francisco, true-life stories of both the sundown to sun-up celebrations and the tragic heartbreak of vanishing friends.
Forthcoming books in the series will focus on contemporary subjects such as gay marriage, the side effects of HIV anti-retroviral drugs, identity theft, and open relationships. But Abramson intends on keeping everything on the lighter side. 'In spite of touching on serious issues, I think it's very important to keep them fun to read as well. They're just beach reading, after all!'"
-- Jim Piechota, Bay Area Reporter
"I just finished reading Mark Abramson's 'Beach Reading' and the only word I can think of to describe it is 'WOW!' It's a short book - only 193 pages - and each of those pages is a pleasure... 'Beach Reading' is a 'love song to San Francisco' and I felt like singing along as I read it. It seems that city on the bay has been the center of gay life forever and after reading this you will understand why."
-- Amos Lassen, Eureka Pride
Beach Reading excerpt:
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posted by Tom Jackson @ Tuesday, August 19, 2008
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