Cockloft: Scenes from a Gay Marriage

by Kyle Thomas Smith

“Seinfeld meets Sedaris in the Snapchat Age.”
- Jill Dearman, The Great Bravura

Whether they’re trembling before an invasive squirrel, giving the straight dope to an errant call-girl or enduring a #MeToo moment with a handsy waiter on their Roman honeymoon, Kyle and Julius are just the kind of gay married couple who didn’t see the 2016 election coming.

In this variegated book of vignettes, flash scenes and personal essays, award-winning author Kyle Thomas Smith documents the peculiarities of life in his home, his borough, his chiropractor’s office and these times.

Step into his Cockloft.

International Book Awards
- LGBTQ Nonfiction
- Humor

National Indie Excellence Awards
- Miscellaneous
- Humor

Foreword Indie Book Awards
- Humor

Eric Hoffer Book Award
- Honorable Category of Home

American Book Fest—Best Book Awards
- Humor
- LGBT

Reader Views Awards
- LGBTQ Fiction

Reader Favorites Awards
- Humor

Next Generation Indie Book Awards
- LGBTQ Fiction

Genres: Queer

323 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 17, 2018

Reviews

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a celebration of life, of the apparently usual, mundane moments passing that we tend to undermine and not fully appreciate for the pure wonder and privilege that they are.

With charm and humour, the writer presents us with snippets of his daily life, taking us from the streets of Amsterdam, to squirrels trapped into cocklofts and dogs named Aristophanes. His ability to capture the human spirit and the interactions between people, maintaining their authenticity while also offering ideas to ponder on and reasons to laugh out loud, is quite remarkable. You can feel that a great observer and wise soul is behind this and that he is having a blast writing the stories down because that enjoyment gets carried to the reader. There's even a chapter where the narrator talks with a Romanian translator about the word "dor" which brought and grounded this even closer to home for me.

If the content of the book up to that point wasn't enough to make me love this (but it was), the afterword would have definitely sealed the deal. I'm always happy when creators share their experiences and talk about fellow artists and works that inspire them and this is exactly what I got into those last pages.

Uplifting, witty, and honest this is the perfect read to remind you to look for pleasure into the simple things and to be more present.

[Melissa (PAGEFIFTYFIVE and Bookishfolk) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one made me laugh out loud more than once. The Amsterdam story has me laughing so hard my wife came in to the room to see what was happening. This book has been described as Sedaris meets Seinfeld and I’m definitely supporting that! Give this one a read-you’ll be glad you did!

[Katherine Hayward Pérez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very honest and at times humorous telling of Kyle Smith's life with his husband and what happens in their lives. Good attention to detail and a way with words that flows very well and leaps off the page.

Thanks to Kyle Smith and Smith Publicity for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review as well as my slot on the blog tour for this title. Blog post on November 1st 2018.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not often that I find a book that makes me laugh and chuckle out loud. Not only is Kyle Smith's writing humorous and insightful but I connected in a very real way to his words and experiences. To paraphrase, "Life is the real masterpiece" and these vignettes from Kyle and Julius' marriage show how truly wonderful 'ordinary' really is in the scope of what has the power to touch us the most.

One of the things I liked most was how Smith relays the communication between he and his husband-- revealing things that go much deeper than the words of the situation he describes. Smith exposes the deep love and understanding the two have for one another, simply through the daily discourse of their lives. Sharing his unique perspective, Smith reinforces the fact that we all have a story to tell. The art and poetry is in the telling.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Reader Views · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (11/18)

A “cockloft” is defined as “a small loft or attic.” Urban Dictionary has another definition, but I will leave it at this one. In “Cockloft: Scenes from a Gay Marriage,” the author, Kyle Thomas Smith shares stories with us that are inspired by his personal life. They range from adventures in his childhood through his life with his husband Julius. Kyle and Julius take us from their home that has a cockloft in New York City, through their exotic travels around the world, to their Theater Loft in San Francisco.

After being able to share much of Kyle’s life with him through his literary adventures, I felt like I found a new friend. Unfortunately, he knows nothing about me, so if I were to approach him on the street, he would probably think I was a stalker. However, I truly enjoyed his writings. Not only are the stories funny, but there is also a heartwarming touch to them, especially regarding his family and his life with Julius. Having grown up on the east coast, I found it easy to relate to the vivid descriptions and behaviors of the locals. It was also fun to see their perspectives, especially as a gay couple, traveling through Sri Lanka, Italy and Denmark. I haven’t been to any of those places yet, but if I go, I will be going in armed with some knowledge, especially if I decide to smoke hashish in Amsterdam.

I made the mistake of starting “Cockloft: Scenes from a Gay Marriage,” on a Saturday afternoon. It was cold outside, (southern California cold) and I wanted to curl up with a good story. Once I immersed myself in these pages, I did not want to stop reading! This was much to the dismay of my boyfriend, who was wanting to go out and have fun on a Saturday night. I had to tell him I was fighting a cold and wanted to stay in so that I could keep reading. There was some truth to that, but if I hadn’t started the book, I know I would have gone out.

As a result of my enjoyment of this book, I highly recommend “Cockloft: Scenes from a Gay Marriage,” by Kyle Thomas Smith to readers who enjoy works that are creative and funny. This would make a great selection for a reader’s group and a wonderful gift for someone who needs something that will put a smile on his or her face.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

In his refreshing, endearing and wickedly amusing story collection, "Cockloft: Scenes from a Gay Marriage," author Kyle Thomas Smith shares details from random life events and interactions with his interminably patient husband, Julius. Using a variety of writing styles, these unique stories, ranging in length from a single sentence or paragraph to no more than several pages, are intimate and mundane, profound and frivolous, relatable and inexplicable, and, most importantly, highly entertaining.

The couple's adventures include trips to exotic locales like Amsterdam, where they haphazardly, albeit hilariously, fall victim to the colorful effects of hashish, a holiday season in Sri Lanka which proves to be a welcome respite from the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election, their honeymoon in Italy where a waiter unashamedly displays his Roman hands and Russian fingers, and finally London, shortly after the Brexit vote, although it's unclear whether Kyle's experiences there transpired in a nightmare or real life.

The incorrigibly self-deprecating Kyle certainly isn't shy about poking fun at himself or his husband, whether it's waxing philosophic on why he decided to become a writer (oddly enough, Mick Jagger was an influence), his sheltered upbringing complete with footie pajamas (his perplexed 10-year-old self doesn't know what a pussy is), Julius's concern for his opera-singing yoga teacher who appears to be lonely, or when Kyle spars with a barista after he orders a Smart Water.

While the reader learns plenty about Kyle himself, who narrates a majority of the passages, what makes this work especially enjoyable is the dialogue between him and Julius. The two banter with a level of recognition and affection that can only be attributed to a model relationship exemplary of commitment, dedication and unconditional love.

Incidentally, if you're wondering where the title comes from, I urge you to read the book for that reason alone. It's not as salacious as you might expect, but equally satisfying.

In the afterword, Kyle admits he was stuck after having completed his first novel, "85A," when he decided to simply write down his everyday thoughts and actions. The result is an uplifting, creative and remarkably witty portrait of modern married life.

[Ramona Mead · Rating 4 out of 5]

A unique presentation of observational humor and personal anecdotes. The blurb on my copy describes the book as "Seinfeld meets Sedaris in the Snapchat Age." That's definitely fair (and I love both of those guys) but Smith takes a more bare bones approach, which I appreciate for different reasons. We don't get a lot of analysis or Smith's insight into his observations, and that works well. His wit and smarts are obvious in what he chooses to share from his life, no explanation necessary. And so we also receive a bit of political and social commentary from what's included.

With "gay marriage" in the title, I suspected that as a heterosexual married woman, I might not find much of the content relatable. I was happy to discover how wrong I was! Most of the scenes involving Smith and his husband are relatable to any marriage to some degree. These scenes are the ones that made me laugh out loud the most!

Overall this was a thoroughly enjoyable read, though it took me a while to get into the groove of the writing style - a series of vignettes and flash scenes. The afterward would serve better with part of it as a forward.

I highly recommend this collection for fans of personal essay, memoir, and humor.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I so very much wish the author would have started this book with the end chapter. Learning about the “flash” genre of literature helped me to understand how these short pieces fit together - - the celebration of fleeting moments of connection we are all so fortunate to have. It helped me appreciate a book I was otherwise only partially enjoying.

Things I loved:
- The “odd couple” conversations between Kyle and Julius.
- The author using his platform and privilege to support the inclusion of the LGBTQI voice.
- The story about “Brit Whip!” Laughed out loud and so wish this existed!

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming, witty, and laugh-out-loud collection of moments from the author's life, with many heartfelt moments blended into the mix. Very easily readable, finished the second half in one sitting during a flight from Dublin to San Francisco. Easily one of my favourite books.