Simple Simon

by William Poe

WINNER! INDIEREADER DISCOVERY AWARD FOR LGBT FICTION 2016

Simon Powell's rehab counselor encourages him to write down his story, and during sessions, to recount the events of his life. Simon led a troubled childhood before joining the Unification Church of Reverend Sun Myung Moon, a decision that allowed Simon to deny his sexual orientation on the pretext of building a better world. Despite rising to positions of leadership, Simon's despair deepens. When Reverend Moon is indicted on charges of income tax evasion, Simon enlists attorneys in Los Angeles who become friends and introduce Simon to the Hollywood club scene. Simon meets Lyle, a hustler from the boulevard, and enters into a relationship that underscores the hypocrisy of his beliefs. Simon leaves rehab, self-confident, but with a lot of ground to cover in reconciling with his past.

Clarion ForeWord Reviews 2013 Book of the Year Award Fiction Gay & Lesbian (Adult Fiction) Finalist.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

401 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 8, 2013

About the author

William Poe is the author of the Powell Legacy Series—a quartet of award-winning literary novels exploring identity, belief, addiction, and personal transformation. A former member of the Unification Church, Poe writes with unflinching honesty, drawing from his own life as a gay man who fought for self-acceptance in the face of religious and societal pressures.

He holds degrees in art and anthropology and worked with the Smithsonian Institution before dedicating himself fully to writing and painting. His creative work has appeared in juried exhibitions and galleries across the U.S. He lives with his husband, embracing a life shaped by compassion, truth, and artistic freedom.

Reviews

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

I originally bought this book because I knew the author wrote about the Moonie cult which I was very familiar with from my past. I joined at the same age and around the same time as "Simon," so I recognized immediately that William Poe wrote accurately of the general church experience. Though I was never more than a flower seller, I believed every action in response to Moon's directives was going to help save the world.

William Poe is an excellent writer and his characters became very real to me. As I got to know Simon and his friends and family in this amazing novel, I realized I'd never considered how difficult it was for our gay and lesbian friends to live the life Moon "preached" we should live.

I think everyone, gay or straight, should read this novel in order to get a better perspective on ourselves and others. How much do we compromise our beliefs and feelings in order to be accepted in this or any world we live in?
If I was an English lit teacher, "Simple Simon" would be required reading. I know the discussions would be endless and fascinating.

[Alfredo R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love and sexuality and an unfortunately believable story

William Poe is the writer of “Simple Simon”, a gorgeous novel about a boy who is going through a path of self-discovery. The path is bumpy and has its ups and downs. Realizing his homosexual orientation is not a simple task for Simon to digest, most importantly because of what his closest relations think of him.

I believe that part of the story reflects a real problem we have in society nowadays. This book opened my eyes to the rejection LGBT people suffer from, and how hard their lives must be simply by saying who they love.

I read and reread this story and apart from making me cry, I felt compassion. It is not surprising that the novel won a prize, because it is beautifully written and it touched my heart. For this reason, I recommend it.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple Simon is utterly brilliant. It is immediately clear why this won the IR Discovery Awards, and for anyone who is perhaps put off by the LGBT themes because it seems irrelevant to you, I would urge you to read it regardless. The sexuality of the protagonist is in no way the most interesting thing about the book. Whatever the identity of the reader, I guarantee it will speak into every life with as much resonance and relevance to all.

This book is both troubling and invigorating, sparking sympathy, shock, and immense joy in turns. There is nothing predictable about this story - it is wonderfully original from beginning to end. It will doubtlessly be on my mind for days and weeks to come, and I look forward to reading the sequel.

[Mia C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple Simon is book number two in the Simon LGBT series, written by William Poe. This award-winning fiction is not short so it accompanied me for many days. What can I say about this read? It captured my attention completely, it was so interesting to read about Simon’s life and all he went through. I believe that this is a read for all, supporters or not of the LGBT community as it opens the eyes of the readers.
The narrative is really attractive and this together with the story makes readers read non-stop. I would certainly recommend reading it because I enjoyed this read from beginning to end.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

While journaling his life’s experiences, Simon Powell relives his early childhood into his young adult years where he denied his own sexuality and who he was as a person all in order to “fit in” with those around him. Confronted with the sins and betrayals of his religious elders, Simon is finally set out on his own journey of self-discovery.
Interesting portrayal of a LGBTQ person and how this society can shape their lives. The depression, despair, anger and even courage that Simon experiences at different intervals in his life were written well and I liked the story.

[Ron Capshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poe's tale of a damaged gay man struggling with issues of sexuality and faith, and the coping mechanisms of drugs and alcohol has a universal appeal. Those secure in their sexuality, and even those who are straight will find this work compelling. Poe creates such a sympathetic underdog that audiences of all persuasions will root for him.

[Mark Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple Simon is a deeply motivating story aimed at the LQBT community. It shines a light of hope for those who’ve suffered at the hands of public prejudice and intolerance. Simon’s story illuminates the deeper, darker psyche and what the gay community experiences on an emotional, psychological, and sociological level.

Poe weaves an intimate story, focused on one’s own acceptance of who they are and coming to terms with their true nature. The story accurately captures the despair, isolation, and depression of growing up gay in a Southern state during the 1960s. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves reading fictional accounts of real-life social issues. Poe’s use of literary devices and descriptive language brings the novel to life. He’s a true master of the pen.

[Chaundra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a man, coming to terms with self loathing for himself, while in rehab. He had searched for love and acceptance from his father, friendship, drugs, and a cult known as The Moonies.

I thought the Loonies were a fascinating group. And I enjoyed learning about them. I thought that telling the story through a journal, the main character was keeping, during his stint in rehab, was creative. The writing flowed and held my interest.

I didn't like the main character. He played the victim, and he was just altogether an unsympathetic character to me. I thought the sex "scenes" were too graphic for most straight folks, and I had to skim over some of those parts. I also thought the ending was too abrupt an left me feeling sort of empty.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fiction that reads like a memoir, or to anyone that is interested in learning about religious cults. However, I'm not sure how accurate the information was. Do not read this book if you are easily offended by homosexual content in a book.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read 'Simple Simon' in two nights. I found it to be a well written book that was very easy to follow. I also thought the story was engaging. That said, I could not relate to a single character in the book. I wanted to feel sympathy for the main character but could not. In fact, I had trouble mustering up emotion for any of them. With such strong writing, I was able to effortlessly get through the book. I think it will hold great appeal to a select group of the population. *Won from GoodReads First Reads.

[RACHEL · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple Simon follows the life of a boy growing up in small town Arkansas in the 60s dealing with questions of identity and sexuality in a messy life. Life leads him through hippie culture, followers of Rev Moon, drugs and more. While I appreciated glimpses into movements within our nations history, I found that a never really felt for any of the charaters.
Simple Simon as a Goodreads First Reads prize.

[Kme_17 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a man coming to term with his homosexuality and dealing with the fall out of his decisions. This is a well written book. I liked this one okay. I think I was not in the mood for this one. However, I can see how many people would really love this one. I really enjoyed all the detail the author shared it really set this setting for this time period. Recommend this one who is looking for interesting take on this subject. I received this one as a first read.