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A Night at the Ariston Baths
In rural Pennsylvania, Theodore McCall lives on his family’s farm and works as a clerk at the local general store. While his best friend, Martin Fuller, thrives in New York City, Theodore trudges through life. But on New Year’s Eve, 1902, Theodore’s world is turned upside down, and big changes call for bold action.
Theodore, who has never ventured more than eight miles from home, undertakes the daunting journey to New York City to join Martin. But the Martin he finds in New York is a stranger, a different man, doing things Theodore finds shocking. After just two months in the City, Theodore’s world is upended again as he and Martin are swept up in the events at the Ariston Baths.
Haunted by his experiences in New York, Theodore returns home, wondering whether he’ll ever find happiness in life. When he meets Jasper Webb, Theodore must boldly risk everything for the love he so longs for.
Theodore, who has never ventured more than eight miles from home, undertakes the daunting journey to New York City to join Martin. But the Martin he finds in New York is a stranger, a different man, doing things Theodore finds shocking. After just two months in the City, Theodore’s world is upended again as he and Martin are swept up in the events at the Ariston Baths.
Haunted by his experiences in New York, Theodore returns home, wondering whether he’ll ever find happiness in life. When he meets Jasper Webb, Theodore must boldly risk everything for the love he so longs for.
254 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 25, 2016
1 person is currently reading
97 people want to read
About the author
Michael Murphy
25 books126 followersWho am I? One of these days I need to decided what I want to be when I grow up.
I am a middle-aged man, born in the far reaches of upstate New York - parts that give the word "rural" meaning. Now I live in Washington, DC.
When one of those milestone birthdays hit me and scared the crap out of me, I realized there were more years behind me than there were in front of me. My mortality hit me like someone dropping a load of bricks on me.
With that realization, I constructed a bucket list of things I absolutely had to do in the years (hopefully many) that I have left. Writing a book was one of them and was near the top.
My biggest influences when growing up were my two grandmothers. Both were ferociously strong women who were widowed way too young and had to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives and try to put them back together again. And they did! They were incredible women and I adored them both.
These women loved to read and to tell stories, so it just always seemed a natural thing for me to want to do the same. One Christmas when I had a break from work for a few days I had an idea - just a simple single flash of an idea. I sat down at my computer and typed out the one sentence idea. And then I thought for a moment. And then I started typing again - and like magic this story started to pour out of me. I was amazed, in awe, floored by what was happening.
It was like the characters were coming to life and telling their story and I was just tagging along for the ride. I typed as fast as my fingers would fly across the keys (one of the 17 jobs I had while I was going to college was typist, so I'm a pretty fast typist). I couldn't wait to see what happened next. It was the most amazing experience I think I've ever had. Okay, maybe not THE most amazing, but it ranks right up there near the top.
My boyfriend finally came to me a couple of days into this,sat down, looked so serious, and asked, "Are you mad at me?" I assured him that no, I was not mad; I had just been kidnapped by my two characters who refused to let me go. He sort of believed me. When I handed him a printout of the entire book he really believed me, although he wasn't all that thrilled about the book. What can I say, he is a biomedical scientist who primarily reads non-fiction. The fact that I got him to read any fiction was a huge step.
I sent my finished book to Dreamspinner Press. Much to my shock and surprise they accepted it. Out of the hundreds of unsolicited manuscripts that they receive every year they only accept a tiny fraction from new, unknown authors - and I was part of that tiny fraction.
When I got the news I was riding on the subway to work one morning. I screamed and hugged the man sitting next to me - I don't have a clue who he was and I'm sure I scared the crap out of him, even though I tried to explain why I was so happy. When I got to work, a co-worker joined me in doing a happy dance.
Once I started writing the spirit of my departed grandmothers started taking over and story after story started to come out. Dreamspinner and Harmony Ink Press have published a total of eight books so far, with the next one due out in a few weeks. Three additional books are under contract, scheduled to appear in the months ahead.
When I'm not writing, I'm editing and proofing, proofing and editing. When not doing that I work for a small organization in downtown DC located a few hundred yards from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. My work is primarily IT project management which can be thrilling and at other times drive me to distraction.
All in all, I'd rather be writing. If people keep buying my books in the same way they have I might actually be able to consider that as an option. Oh, please! Oh, please! Oh, please!
I am a middle-aged man, born in the far reaches of upstate New York - parts that give the word "rural" meaning. Now I live in Washington, DC.
When one of those milestone birthdays hit me and scared the crap out of me, I realized there were more years behind me than there were in front of me. My mortality hit me like someone dropping a load of bricks on me.
With that realization, I constructed a bucket list of things I absolutely had to do in the years (hopefully many) that I have left. Writing a book was one of them and was near the top.
My biggest influences when growing up were my two grandmothers. Both were ferociously strong women who were widowed way too young and had to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives and try to put them back together again. And they did! They were incredible women and I adored them both.
These women loved to read and to tell stories, so it just always seemed a natural thing for me to want to do the same. One Christmas when I had a break from work for a few days I had an idea - just a simple single flash of an idea. I sat down at my computer and typed out the one sentence idea. And then I thought for a moment. And then I started typing again - and like magic this story started to pour out of me. I was amazed, in awe, floored by what was happening.
It was like the characters were coming to life and telling their story and I was just tagging along for the ride. I typed as fast as my fingers would fly across the keys (one of the 17 jobs I had while I was going to college was typist, so I'm a pretty fast typist). I couldn't wait to see what happened next. It was the most amazing experience I think I've ever had. Okay, maybe not THE most amazing, but it ranks right up there near the top.
My boyfriend finally came to me a couple of days into this,sat down, looked so serious, and asked, "Are you mad at me?" I assured him that no, I was not mad; I had just been kidnapped by my two characters who refused to let me go. He sort of believed me. When I handed him a printout of the entire book he really believed me, although he wasn't all that thrilled about the book. What can I say, he is a biomedical scientist who primarily reads non-fiction. The fact that I got him to read any fiction was a huge step.
I sent my finished book to Dreamspinner Press. Much to my shock and surprise they accepted it. Out of the hundreds of unsolicited manuscripts that they receive every year they only accept a tiny fraction from new, unknown authors - and I was part of that tiny fraction.
When I got the news I was riding on the subway to work one morning. I screamed and hugged the man sitting next to me - I don't have a clue who he was and I'm sure I scared the crap out of him, even though I tried to explain why I was so happy. When I got to work, a co-worker joined me in doing a happy dance.
Once I started writing the spirit of my departed grandmothers started taking over and story after story started to come out. Dreamspinner and Harmony Ink Press have published a total of eight books so far, with the next one due out in a few weeks. Three additional books are under contract, scheduled to appear in the months ahead.
When I'm not writing, I'm editing and proofing, proofing and editing. When not doing that I work for a small organization in downtown DC located a few hundred yards from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. My work is primarily IT project management which can be thrilling and at other times drive me to distraction.
All in all, I'd rather be writing. If people keep buying my books in the same way they have I might actually be able to consider that as an option. Oh, please! Oh, please! Oh, please!
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 12, 2017
4.5 stars
It's been over 45 years since the Stonewall Inn riots in June of 1969, which have been called the single most important event leading to the fight for LGBT rights in the United States.
Theodore McCall, Murphy's main character in "A Night at the Ariston Baths," is elated that June night in 1969:
Michael Murphy's book A Night at the Ariston Baths recounts the story of the first recorded raid on a gay bathhouse on February 21, 1903 in New York City. Murphy does a wonderful job of introducing the reader to an important piece of history, and making it relateable by creating two characters who are boyhood best friends - one went to the Big City, the second stayed home. When Martin returns over Christmas 1902, he has amazing stories to tell Theodore: “Oh, Teddy. New York City is an amazing place. There are men like us there.” “You’ve found others like us?” Theodore breathlessly asked. He had dreamed of such things. Imagine what it must have been like knowing little of the world outside your small town, and even less about same-sex relationships.
I liked the pace of this book as we learn of Theodore's life, working in the local store, living at home with his parents, until he moves to NYC. Murphy does a good job of capturing the pace of the city, Theo's sense of wonder, and how Martin has changed because of the freedom to explore his sexuality. And it is heartbreaking to read what happens in the aftermath of the raid, especially knowing that Murphy has done his research (check out the extensive notes and bibliography at the end of the book) and accurately depicted what happened.
Once Theo returns home, he soon meets Jasper, who becomes his partner (for over 60 years). Their love story is beautifully told and you can feel the chemistry between the two as they carve out a life for themselves in an inhospitable world. As Theodore says: Hell, it’s never been easy to be gay in this country. Doesn’t matter that we’ve been here right from the start, a part of every single generation that made this country what it is today.
I'm a full-blown history geek so this book is completely in my wheelhouse but I think it will appeal to anyone who wants to understand the long struggle for gay rights in America. Also, if you'd like to read more about New York City around the same time period, give Kate McMurray's Ten Days in August a read.
I received a galley copy from Dreamspinner Press, via GayBook Reviews, in exchange for an honest review. Review also posted to GayBook Reviews. Check it out!
It's been over 45 years since the Stonewall Inn riots in June of 1969, which have been called the single most important event leading to the fight for LGBT rights in the United States.
Theodore McCall, Murphy's main character in "A Night at the Ariston Baths," is elated that June night in 1969:
This was what Theodore had been waiting for since 1903. He had known it was coming. It wasn’t a question of if, but of when and where. Theodore had known the time was close at hand, and he’d hoped he could last long enough to see it happen. [...] He had done it. He had survived long enough to witness the beginning of something brand-new.
Michael Murphy's book A Night at the Ariston Baths recounts the story of the first recorded raid on a gay bathhouse on February 21, 1903 in New York City. Murphy does a wonderful job of introducing the reader to an important piece of history, and making it relateable by creating two characters who are boyhood best friends - one went to the Big City, the second stayed home. When Martin returns over Christmas 1902, he has amazing stories to tell Theodore: “Oh, Teddy. New York City is an amazing place. There are men like us there.” “You’ve found others like us?” Theodore breathlessly asked. He had dreamed of such things. Imagine what it must have been like knowing little of the world outside your small town, and even less about same-sex relationships.
I liked the pace of this book as we learn of Theodore's life, working in the local store, living at home with his parents, until he moves to NYC. Murphy does a good job of capturing the pace of the city, Theo's sense of wonder, and how Martin has changed because of the freedom to explore his sexuality. And it is heartbreaking to read what happens in the aftermath of the raid, especially knowing that Murphy has done his research (check out the extensive notes and bibliography at the end of the book) and accurately depicted what happened.
Once Theo returns home, he soon meets Jasper, who becomes his partner (for over 60 years). Their love story is beautifully told and you can feel the chemistry between the two as they carve out a life for themselves in an inhospitable world. As Theodore says: Hell, it’s never been easy to be gay in this country. Doesn’t matter that we’ve been here right from the start, a part of every single generation that made this country what it is today.
We weren't going to be walking meekly in the night and letting them shove us around—it's like standing your ground for the first time and in a really strong way, and that's what caught the police by surprise. There was something in the air, freedom a long time overdue, and we're going to fight for it. It took different forms, but the bottom line was, we weren't going to go away. And we didn't. (Stonewall Inn riot participant)
I'm a full-blown history geek so this book is completely in my wheelhouse but I think it will appeal to anyone who wants to understand the long struggle for gay rights in America. Also, if you'd like to read more about New York City around the same time period, give Kate McMurray's Ten Days in August a read.
I received a galley copy from Dreamspinner Press, via GayBook Reviews, in exchange for an honest review. Review also posted to GayBook Reviews. Check it out!
March 29, 2016
I love historical fiction, especially those books, that in spite of being the product of the author's imagination are accurately researched and tell me something new that I haven't yet known, that make me think a lot, even days after I finished them.
A Night at the Ariston Baths is one of those books. It starts with a Saturday evening in June 28, 1969, when Theodore and Jasper, an old gay couple, listened to the evening news. "They did it. By God, they did it! [...] Our people. Our...people." If you consider yourself not just a passionate MM reader, but also a person who supports gay rights, you have to know that the Stonewall Riots largely regarded as a catalyst for the LGBT movement for civil rights in the United States.
The Stonewall Riots inspired LGBT people throughout the country to organize in support of gay rights, and within two years after the riots, gay rights groups had been started in nearly every major city in the United States. So yes, the Stonewall Riots is well-known. But I bet, not many of you have ever heard of the first recorded riot on a gay bathhouse, the Ariston Hotel Baths.
On February 21, 1903, 26 men were arrested and 12 brought to trial on sodomy charges; 7 men received sentences ranging from 4 to 20 years in prison.
This book dedicated to the memory of the men whose lives were forever altered one night in 1903.
I have to admit, that I found the title a bit strange at the beginning, more suitable for a short PWP. But the blurb attracted my attention, and I'm glad that I had a possibility to read this book among the very first readers. In retrospect, I think that the title reflects the best way the story of two friends, Theodore and Martin, for whom this night at the Ariston Baths happened to play a crucial role.
The book starts in 1969(Prologue), and then goes back in 1902, where the story of Theodore and Martin begins...
Michael Murphy created a wonderful piece of prose, atmospheric, realistic, and though hopeful and romantic. I appreciate the way the author used to tell his readers about two gay men, best friends since their childhood, who were involved in this event. It is sad to read what a tragic turn a single fate could have taken, but it is also good to know that in spite of the horrible period of time for gay men and women, when to be in a homosexual relationship were very dangerous, there were still couples that managed to overcome difficulties and stay together life long.
I can't recommend this book highly enough. It makes you wiser, and at the same time it is a well-written and enjoyable historical novel, that surely won't leave you indifferent.
***ARC provided to Gay Book Reviews by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.***
May 22, 2021
‘A Night at the Ariston Baths’ is not just a novel based on actual events in the history of gay men in the US, it is a fascinating personal perspective on what those events meant for one gay man in particular. Theodore MacCall may be a fictional character, but his living through two major police raids targeted at gay men in this novel gave the meaning of those raids a very personal flavor. It brought them to life for me, as well as making clear what the consequences were for a much wider group of people than Theodore in this story.
Please find my full review of the second edition on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Please find my full review of the second edition on Rainbow Book Reviews.
May 6, 2016
4 stars
Part historical fiction and part romance, this story follows Theodore through his experiences both in small-town Pennsylvania and New York leading up to and in the aftermath of the Ariston Baths raid. This was a quiet story with some very sad parts (especially since this takes place around an actual event) but there is also some light as Theodore eventually finds love in the latter part of the story.
Part historical fiction and part romance, this story follows Theodore through his experiences both in small-town Pennsylvania and New York leading up to and in the aftermath of the Ariston Baths raid. This was a quiet story with some very sad parts (especially since this takes place around an actual event) but there is also some light as Theodore eventually finds love in the latter part of the story.
April 25, 2016
At first had no idea where I was getting into. But as events unfolded in such a detail and focus, I got the impression I was witnessing something of utter importance, so I made a quick research and found out this episode in the Ariston Baths not only happened in real life, but it was also the first recorded raid in a gay establishment in American History, so to speak.
The story revolves around Theodore, a young man who has lived in a little town all his life, and has known nothing different. One day, his friend Martin visits from New York. Theodore misses Martin, for whom he feel more than friendship, but is afraid of making the move and leaving all he was ever known behind. But after some problems in the shop he works in, he sees it as the perfect oportunity to make the big step and move to the big city.
New York opens the door to countless experiences he had never imagined he would ever have the chance to live. Life in a cosmopolitan place is nothing as he had ever thought it would be. Nobody greets you or stops to help you if you ever need it. It’s expensive, it’s demanding, it’s challenging, it’s frightening and it’s exciting, all at the same time.
And Martin loves having affairs at every chance he gets. A fact that hurts Theodore, as he had always believed they would end up together.
One night Theodore takes him to the Ariston Baths, some Turkish and Russian baths where “inverted men like them” liked to spend the time and interact in sexual ways, in public display of attention for everyone to see if you chose to.
But something happens and nothing will all ever be the same. For Theodore, for Martin, for all homosexual men in the country.
This book was nothing I expected, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. For starters, the other MC appears exactly at 75%. I thought it was appropiate to give fair warning but I don’t want to dishearten you, because this book is really worth to be read. It’s surprisingly easy to read, a real page-turner, in fact. I have to congratulate the author for catching my attention since the very beginning of the story and, despite the absence of love story for most of the book, maintaining it until the very end.
And that last 25% is very charming, to be honest. I really loved Jasper and would have liked to see more of them together. But what we glimpse of them is beautiful and solid. The development is love at first sight but with a slow burn due to Theodore’s understandable caution in not to be caught after the disastrous experience in the Ariston Baths.
I love historical love stories when they are well done. This one is really well done. It took me no effort to immerse in the beginning of the 20th century. The setting was very well achieved. The MCs have to hide their relationship from the world and the way to do so is bittersweet but also the best resolution considering the circumstances. They get to live under the same roof, together, which is more than many gay people in this era could ask for.
The homophobia is fearsome, and if the Ariston Baths incident is not enough, we also have the consequences of this event taking a toll on the characters, it being directly or not. Sometimes I could feel all the frustration and the fear and the impotence due to the unfair situations that take place. It was despairing but the adorable romance and the lovely characters in the town and that end added a sweet note of color in a book that mostly would be considered a tragedy.
And when Theodore dances that June 28, 1969, I wanted to dance, too.
I got the impression this was written as a tribute to all the victims of bigotry and homophobia during those years, and the years before, and the years after. I liked how it’s done in such a simple and elegant way. It can’t be considered the typical love story because it doesn’t fit the schemes. However, I must say the romance was cute and satisfying. So, no complaint from that department.
*****
Second part of the review:
It goes without saying the author made a great research. As you can see at the end of the book, where he writes all the bibliography. I appreciate it when authors do that.
But then I ran into this:
Did you actually say it three times?
I don’t consider myself a clever person or anything, but I’m very observant. I have eyes. And you know what have I observed during my years in the gym? That, shockingly, no man seems interested in hypertrophying that muscle. Believe me, I would have noticed if that was the case. So far, no such luck. Fortunately. Or not.
I’m afraid for breaking bad news, but I think this is the perfect timing to inform you the penis is not a muscle. Yes, I know this may come as a surprise to you, seeing that you have had it between your legs your whole life and I have none of the sort. But I must tell you something important about your basic anatomy, because you need assistance in this.
The penis is formed by three erectile bodies: two corpora cavernosum and one corpus spongiosum.
(Pictureskindly provided by taken from Netter’s Atlas of Human Anatomy)
See? No muscle. Unless you count the Dartos fascia, which is a tissue that covers the genitalia and has some muscle fibers, which contract the scrotum in order to protect the testicles against the cold. It also works in conjunction with the cremasteric muscle, which is the one that contracts involuntarily in an action called the “cremasteric reflex” in order to protect the testicles from a trauma. It means, when you are in fight or flight response, your maleness “react”. You can reproduce the reflex by stroking the superior and inner part of the thigh or the lowest part of the pelvis. In fact, this reflex is important in the physical exploration in certain pathologies to evaluate if there is an actual damage to the organ or to the nerves at that level.
But apart from that, no muscle to be seen. And much less a muscle you can “control” as easily as, let’s say, the biceps.
It can’t lift weights.
I don’t know about you, but it would creep me out if it could. There are some pics on Google and I’m scared. I do not recommend it, but if it tickles your fancy...
Anyway, you can shout, kick, cry, moan about your wounded pride… but it’s not a muscle.
How does this organ work? When a man is aroused, the corpora cavernosum are filled with blood and that’s what makes it lengthen and thicken. Meaning: it gets hard. The reverse process, the return of said blood to the main system, is by far less efficient. That’s why it’s so easy to have an erection but very hard to make it disappear, it takes a while driving all the blood stored in the corpus cavernosum out of the organ.
Another curious fact. Have you ever wondered the human glans is mushroom-shaped? One theory says it’s because it works as a suction cup. It would theorically suction the semen the previous man had left in the vagina. It’s sort of a means of survival: the consecution of your lineage is at risk, so this would make sure you “erase” the genetic material other males have left, and you put your own in their place.
Isn’t it amazing? Funny how everything has an explanation and nothing is left to chance.
Except the wisdom teeth. And the appendix. And the ear muscles. And… well, I should shut up for once.
Whatever, to sum it up:
If cocks were a muscle, gyms would look totally different.
For obvious reasons.
You are most welcome.
Read it
*****
Spicy pics included:
***Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.***
The story revolves around Theodore, a young man who has lived in a little town all his life, and has known nothing different. One day, his friend Martin visits from New York. Theodore misses Martin, for whom he feel more than friendship, but is afraid of making the move and leaving all he was ever known behind. But after some problems in the shop he works in, he sees it as the perfect oportunity to make the big step and move to the big city.
New York opens the door to countless experiences he had never imagined he would ever have the chance to live. Life in a cosmopolitan place is nothing as he had ever thought it would be. Nobody greets you or stops to help you if you ever need it. It’s expensive, it’s demanding, it’s challenging, it’s frightening and it’s exciting, all at the same time.
And Martin loves having affairs at every chance he gets. A fact that hurts Theodore, as he had always believed they would end up together.
One night Theodore takes him to the Ariston Baths, some Turkish and Russian baths where “inverted men like them” liked to spend the time and interact in sexual ways, in public display of attention for everyone to see if you chose to.
But something happens and nothing will all ever be the same. For Theodore, for Martin, for all homosexual men in the country.
This book was nothing I expected, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. For starters, the other MC appears exactly at 75%. I thought it was appropiate to give fair warning but I don’t want to dishearten you, because this book is really worth to be read. It’s surprisingly easy to read, a real page-turner, in fact. I have to congratulate the author for catching my attention since the very beginning of the story and, despite the absence of love story for most of the book, maintaining it until the very end.
And that last 25% is very charming, to be honest. I really loved Jasper and would have liked to see more of them together. But what we glimpse of them is beautiful and solid. The development is love at first sight but with a slow burn due to Theodore’s understandable caution in not to be caught after the disastrous experience in the Ariston Baths.
I love historical love stories when they are well done. This one is really well done. It took me no effort to immerse in the beginning of the 20th century. The setting was very well achieved. The MCs have to hide their relationship from the world and the way to do so is bittersweet but also the best resolution considering the circumstances. They get to live under the same roof, together, which is more than many gay people in this era could ask for.
The homophobia is fearsome, and if the Ariston Baths incident is not enough, we also have the consequences of this event taking a toll on the characters, it being directly or not. Sometimes I could feel all the frustration and the fear and the impotence due to the unfair situations that take place. It was despairing but the adorable romance and the lovely characters in the town and that end added a sweet note of color in a book that mostly would be considered a tragedy.
And when Theodore dances that June 28, 1969, I wanted to dance, too.
I got the impression this was written as a tribute to all the victims of bigotry and homophobia during those years, and the years before, and the years after. I liked how it’s done in such a simple and elegant way. It can’t be considered the typical love story because it doesn’t fit the schemes. However, I must say the romance was cute and satisfying. So, no complaint from that department.
*****
Second part of the review:
It goes without saying the author made a great research. As you can see at the end of the book, where he writes all the bibliography. I appreciate it when authors do that.
But then I ran into this:
“The man. The sex. What did you think of the guy?
“He was… very muscular,” Theodore answered.
“And you left before you got to see his biggest muscle.”
“What… Oh good Lord.” Theodore felt himself blush.
“I was thanking the good Lord for blessing him so amply and teaching that man how to use that muscle.”
Theodore blushed some more, but finally simply had to ask, “So what… what are we… talking about?”
“In the muscle department?” Martin asked, knowing that was exactly what Theodore meant.
Theodore nodded.
Did you actually say it three times?
I don’t consider myself a clever person or anything, but I’m very observant. I have eyes. And you know what have I observed during my years in the gym? That, shockingly, no man seems interested in hypertrophying that muscle. Believe me, I would have noticed if that was the case. So far, no such luck. Fortunately. Or not.
I’m afraid for breaking bad news, but I think this is the perfect timing to inform you the penis is not a muscle. Yes, I know this may come as a surprise to you, seeing that you have had it between your legs your whole life and I have none of the sort. But I must tell you something important about your basic anatomy, because you need assistance in this.
The penis is formed by three erectile bodies: two corpora cavernosum and one corpus spongiosum.
(Pictures
See? No muscle. Unless you count the Dartos fascia, which is a tissue that covers the genitalia and has some muscle fibers, which contract the scrotum in order to protect the testicles against the cold. It also works in conjunction with the cremasteric muscle, which is the one that contracts involuntarily in an action called the “cremasteric reflex” in order to protect the testicles from a trauma. It means, when you are in fight or flight response, your maleness “react”. You can reproduce the reflex by stroking the superior and inner part of the thigh or the lowest part of the pelvis. In fact, this reflex is important in the physical exploration in certain pathologies to evaluate if there is an actual damage to the organ or to the nerves at that level.
But apart from that, no muscle to be seen. And much less a muscle you can “control” as easily as, let’s say, the biceps.
It can’t lift weights.
I don’t know about you, but it would creep me out if it could. There are some pics on Google and I’m scared. I do not recommend it, but if it tickles your fancy...
Anyway, you can shout, kick, cry, moan about your wounded pride… but it’s not a muscle.
How does this organ work? When a man is aroused, the corpora cavernosum are filled with blood and that’s what makes it lengthen and thicken. Meaning: it gets hard. The reverse process, the return of said blood to the main system, is by far less efficient. That’s why it’s so easy to have an erection but very hard to make it disappear, it takes a while driving all the blood stored in the corpus cavernosum out of the organ.
Another curious fact. Have you ever wondered the human glans is mushroom-shaped? One theory says it’s because it works as a suction cup. It would theorically suction the semen the previous man had left in the vagina. It’s sort of a means of survival: the consecution of your lineage is at risk, so this would make sure you “erase” the genetic material other males have left, and you put your own in their place.
Isn’t it amazing? Funny how everything has an explanation and nothing is left to chance.
Except the wisdom teeth. And the appendix. And the ear muscles. And… well, I should shut up for once.
Whatever, to sum it up:
If cocks were a muscle, gyms would look totally different.
For obvious reasons.
You are most welcome.
Read it
*****
Spicy pics included:
***Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.***
May 24, 2016
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.75 stars
This was one of those historical novels that hooked me right from the beginning. The story starts off in June 1969, the day after the Stonewall Inn Riots. Theodore and Jasper, both in their 90s, hear of the news and are thrilled that “their people” have done what Theodore wished had happened 66 years earlier during the first recorded raid on a homosexual establishment at the Ariston Baths in New York City.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Ariston Baths, this book does a tremendous job of recounting the events that happened on that fateful day. Homosexuality was a crime and the punishments were harsh for those who were found to be guilty of lewd behavior. Readers get a glimpse of what it was like for those who were there on the night the police raided the baths, the court process these individuals went through, and their punishment.
This story is told through Theodore’s POV. This is not a romance story (though the scenes at the beginning and end of this book are probably some of the most romantic scenes I’ve ever read) as we do not meet Jasper until nearly ¾ of the way through the story. Instead, this is a work of historical fiction about how one event drastically changed the life of Theodore and his friend Jasper.
Read Wendy’s review in its entirety here.
4.75 stars
This was one of those historical novels that hooked me right from the beginning. The story starts off in June 1969, the day after the Stonewall Inn Riots. Theodore and Jasper, both in their 90s, hear of the news and are thrilled that “their people” have done what Theodore wished had happened 66 years earlier during the first recorded raid on a homosexual establishment at the Ariston Baths in New York City.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Ariston Baths, this book does a tremendous job of recounting the events that happened on that fateful day. Homosexuality was a crime and the punishments were harsh for those who were found to be guilty of lewd behavior. Readers get a glimpse of what it was like for those who were there on the night the police raided the baths, the court process these individuals went through, and their punishment.
This story is told through Theodore’s POV. This is not a romance story (though the scenes at the beginning and end of this book are probably some of the most romantic scenes I’ve ever read) as we do not meet Jasper until nearly ¾ of the way through the story. Instead, this is a work of historical fiction about how one event drastically changed the life of Theodore and his friend Jasper.
Read Wendy’s review in its entirety here.
July 8, 2016
A Night at the Ariston Baths
Michael Murphy
Four stars
What I loved about this book, and what earned it the four stars, is the history it tells. Based on one of the more dramatically homophobic incidents of the early 20th century in America, Michael Murphy’s saga of Theodore McCall, Martin Fuller and Jasper Webb is a sincere, thoughtful foray into historical fiction. By starting the book with the main protagonists celebrating the Stonewall Riots in 1969, we are assured that in the midst of all the despair, there will be joy. This is a story of gay men who survived and indeed thrived in the last 100 years of anti-gay reality in America. It reminds us that the rights we have fought for and the freedom we have won were hard-fought and only recently gained. Our lives are built on a long history of men and women who, all too often, did not fare well.
What I liked least about the book was that Murphy missed the mark in his attempt to recreate the language of the early 20th century. In trying to sound authentic, he often sounds simply stilted, and anachronisms that could have easily been avoided riddle the prose.
But such criticisms are for fusspots such as I. Let yourself get wrapped up in the story of these three men. They may be fictional, but they represent many lives long past to whom we should pay homage. Remember who they were and what we owe to them.
Michael Murphy
Four stars
What I loved about this book, and what earned it the four stars, is the history it tells. Based on one of the more dramatically homophobic incidents of the early 20th century in America, Michael Murphy’s saga of Theodore McCall, Martin Fuller and Jasper Webb is a sincere, thoughtful foray into historical fiction. By starting the book with the main protagonists celebrating the Stonewall Riots in 1969, we are assured that in the midst of all the despair, there will be joy. This is a story of gay men who survived and indeed thrived in the last 100 years of anti-gay reality in America. It reminds us that the rights we have fought for and the freedom we have won were hard-fought and only recently gained. Our lives are built on a long history of men and women who, all too often, did not fare well.
What I liked least about the book was that Murphy missed the mark in his attempt to recreate the language of the early 20th century. In trying to sound authentic, he often sounds simply stilted, and anachronisms that could have easily been avoided riddle the prose.
But such criticisms are for fusspots such as I. Let yourself get wrapped up in the story of these three men. They may be fictional, but they represent many lives long past to whom we should pay homage. Remember who they were and what we owe to them.
May 22, 2021
‘A Night at the Ariston Baths’ is not just a novel based on actual events in the history of gay men in the US, it is a fascinating personal perspective on what those events meant for one gay man in particular. Theodore MacCall may be a fictional character, but his living through two major police raids targeted at gay men in this novel gave the meaning of those raids a very personal flavor. It brought them to life for me, as well as making clear what the consequences were for a much wider group of people than Theodore in this story.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
April 24, 2016
This was very different to my usual reads –a historical, for one, which I don’t pick often, and not really a romance. But it was well written, well-researched, and maintained the air of reading something important.
Theodore was a young gay man living in a small town and working as a clerk in a general store circa 1903. His best friend and former lover had moved to New York to explore more exciting things 2 and a half years prior and Theodore felt like he was in a rut. He was working a job that didn’t allow him to utilise his academic skills but had a very good relationship with his employer, Mr. Hoffman. Some unfortunate complications with Mr. Hoffman’s family caused Theodore to lose his job. That encouraged him to take the plunge and move to New York to start an adventure with his friend, Martin. That’s where the real events of the Ariston Baths’ raid occurred which Theodore was a part of for the purposes of this book.
Because this story truly unfolds as a journey in so many ways, I will refrain from talking in detail about the plot. The story itself dealt with a very unpleasant time in the US when homosexuality was a crime and people went to prison for committing it. Theodore himself did not serve prison time, but he experienced the hatred and vindictiveness by proxy. I was actually surprised by how not melancholy the vibe was. The story is about Theodore’s life and the while the consequences of the Ariston Baths events affected him, the focus was on the different stages he went through from a young man until he was in his 90s, happy and in love with the love of his life, Jasper. Theodore met Jasper around 75% in, so the story is not about romantic love in the early 1900s. Rather, it’s a story about hope and kindness and finding love in the most unlikely of circumstances. Most importantly, it’s a story about making it work.
The writing was warm and made me feel as if I was watching a movie. Along with Theodore, I experienced everything new and saw everything as he did. The author did an amazing job at not taking anything for granted and focusing attention on what would have been scary and overwhelming to a 20 something year old who hadn’t seen much of the world. And while I missed that the story was not about Theodore finding love as such, he had such kind heart that he won me over regardless. When the romantic interest was introduced, it was with the peaceful tone that the rest of the story was told –just another landmark in Theodore’s life experiences and accomplishments.
I really really enjoyed this more than I thought I would and I read it all without a break start to finish. Not everyone will love it, because it’s not primarily a romance, but the book is carved around a significant historic event and presented through the eyes of an everyman with a heart of gold. A true American success story.
Recommend.
PS. That cover is absolutely gorgeous!
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. See this review at Gay Book reviews.
Theodore was a young gay man living in a small town and working as a clerk in a general store circa 1903. His best friend and former lover had moved to New York to explore more exciting things 2 and a half years prior and Theodore felt like he was in a rut. He was working a job that didn’t allow him to utilise his academic skills but had a very good relationship with his employer, Mr. Hoffman. Some unfortunate complications with Mr. Hoffman’s family caused Theodore to lose his job. That encouraged him to take the plunge and move to New York to start an adventure with his friend, Martin. That’s where the real events of the Ariston Baths’ raid occurred which Theodore was a part of for the purposes of this book.
Because this story truly unfolds as a journey in so many ways, I will refrain from talking in detail about the plot. The story itself dealt with a very unpleasant time in the US when homosexuality was a crime and people went to prison for committing it. Theodore himself did not serve prison time, but he experienced the hatred and vindictiveness by proxy. I was actually surprised by how not melancholy the vibe was. The story is about Theodore’s life and the while the consequences of the Ariston Baths events affected him, the focus was on the different stages he went through from a young man until he was in his 90s, happy and in love with the love of his life, Jasper. Theodore met Jasper around 75% in, so the story is not about romantic love in the early 1900s. Rather, it’s a story about hope and kindness and finding love in the most unlikely of circumstances. Most importantly, it’s a story about making it work.
The writing was warm and made me feel as if I was watching a movie. Along with Theodore, I experienced everything new and saw everything as he did. The author did an amazing job at not taking anything for granted and focusing attention on what would have been scary and overwhelming to a 20 something year old who hadn’t seen much of the world. And while I missed that the story was not about Theodore finding love as such, he had such kind heart that he won me over regardless. When the romantic interest was introduced, it was with the peaceful tone that the rest of the story was told –just another landmark in Theodore’s life experiences and accomplishments.
I really really enjoyed this more than I thought I would and I read it all without a break start to finish. Not everyone will love it, because it’s not primarily a romance, but the book is carved around a significant historic event and presented through the eyes of an everyman with a heart of gold. A true American success story.
Recommend.
PS. That cover is absolutely gorgeous!
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. See this review at Gay Book reviews.
April 27, 2016
This powerful and moving story, brilliantly carved around actual events, just resonated within me. Some characters stay with you after you finish reading a book. For me, Theodore, Martin and Jasper are one of those - they definitely stirred something inside of me ... Highly recommended!
Dedicated to the memory of the men whose lives were forever altered one night in 1903.- Michael Murphy
April 25, 2016
Reviewed for Just Love Romance
4.5 Stars!
This book caught me completely by surprise in such a great way. I really had no idea what to expect when I picked it up. Right off the bat, I was intrigued by the dedication (to the memory of the men whose lives were forever altered one night in 1903). I immediately discarded all naughty thoughts of Turkish bathhouses from my brain.
And it was a good thing I did, because the book started off at a slow pace as it laid the groundwork for what would ultimately prove to be a fascinating tale. The prologue is set in 1969, where an elderly Theodore is watching a news report of the now-historic events that happened at the Stonewall Inn in New York.
The story then shifts to the younger version of him, working hard at the local general store in his small home town in western Pennsylvania. We learn of his deep abiding friendship with Martin, who had previously moved to the Big Apple to strike out on his own. Seeing as they discovered their homosexuality and experimented together as youths, Theodore is both hurt and fascinated to learn that Martin has met and had sex with other “inverts” in the big city. Through a series of unexpected circumstances, Theodore finds himself on Martin’s doorstep in NYC and is immediately introduced to its dizzying pace and its many temptations.
In the beginning, I found the author’s writing style to be quite heavy and plodding. Some of the dialogue seemed very stiff, almost formal with minimal use of contractions, and I wondered if this was Murphy’s way of conveying how small town folk conversed in the early 20th century. Thankfully, the writing style loosened up and the pace of the story picked up quite noticeably about a third of the way in, right around the time Theodore is placed on the path that would lead him to New York. And from there, the story became downright fascinating.
For readers like me who had never heard of Ariston Baths prior to this book, I’ll just say that the title of the story refers to a significant event in American LGBTQIA history. Keep in mind that even though Theodore and Martin met plenty of other gay men in the big city and life there lent an appearance of freedom and anonymity, their homosexuality was nevertheless considered highly deviant and was in fact, punishable by law.
Ultimately, Murphy spins a satisfying tale of heartbreak, hope, friendship and love based on true events. Despite a few niggles (such as using the words “data” and “sexy” which were arguably not in common use during that time period), his work was otherwise well-researched and it opened my eyes to a lesser-known part of our history. I highly recommend this book.
***I received an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review***
4.5 Stars!
This book caught me completely by surprise in such a great way. I really had no idea what to expect when I picked it up. Right off the bat, I was intrigued by the dedication (to the memory of the men whose lives were forever altered one night in 1903). I immediately discarded all naughty thoughts of Turkish bathhouses from my brain.
And it was a good thing I did, because the book started off at a slow pace as it laid the groundwork for what would ultimately prove to be a fascinating tale. The prologue is set in 1969, where an elderly Theodore is watching a news report of the now-historic events that happened at the Stonewall Inn in New York.
The story then shifts to the younger version of him, working hard at the local general store in his small home town in western Pennsylvania. We learn of his deep abiding friendship with Martin, who had previously moved to the Big Apple to strike out on his own. Seeing as they discovered their homosexuality and experimented together as youths, Theodore is both hurt and fascinated to learn that Martin has met and had sex with other “inverts” in the big city. Through a series of unexpected circumstances, Theodore finds himself on Martin’s doorstep in NYC and is immediately introduced to its dizzying pace and its many temptations.
In the beginning, I found the author’s writing style to be quite heavy and plodding. Some of the dialogue seemed very stiff, almost formal with minimal use of contractions, and I wondered if this was Murphy’s way of conveying how small town folk conversed in the early 20th century. Thankfully, the writing style loosened up and the pace of the story picked up quite noticeably about a third of the way in, right around the time Theodore is placed on the path that would lead him to New York. And from there, the story became downright fascinating.
For readers like me who had never heard of Ariston Baths prior to this book, I’ll just say that the title of the story refers to a significant event in American LGBTQIA history. Keep in mind that even though Theodore and Martin met plenty of other gay men in the big city and life there lent an appearance of freedom and anonymity, their homosexuality was nevertheless considered highly deviant and was in fact, punishable by law.
Ultimately, Murphy spins a satisfying tale of heartbreak, hope, friendship and love based on true events. Despite a few niggles (such as using the words “data” and “sexy” which were arguably not in common use during that time period), his work was otherwise well-researched and it opened my eyes to a lesser-known part of our history. I highly recommend this book.
***I received an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review***
March 17, 2019
I do enjoy books where fact and fiction merge together and I have the opportunity to learn something new.
This story did highlight the different times in which they lived - a more simplistic time but also under the small town microscope.
Martin has escaped the the big city but Theodore is still in small town Pennsylvania. Circumstances allow Teddy to move to NYC but it is a big culture shock - not just the city but also Martin in the city is a shock let alone the baths.
The recounting of the raid on the baths is very true to reports with Teddy and Martin woven in. Martin's fate makes your heart break and wonder how the real internees fared. I wasn't sure if Martin got out or escaped but the toll on him was severe and desperately sad and upsetting.
Teddy and Jasper are the silver lining in the story and show that it was possible to have a happy life together, though not easy.
A quick read, though the dialogue felt a bit off at times, especially with Martin and Teddy early on - I'm not sure how formal or not the spoken word would have been then. 3.5/4*
17.3.19 reread - whilst I still have some issues with the stilted dialogue at times, it is probably of the times. It is an emotive read, especially the treatment of the men they chose for trial (here including our character Martin) and what life must have been like for them in prison. You can certainly understand Teddy’s joy at the Stonewall Riots. Pacy and engrossing.
This story did highlight the different times in which they lived - a more simplistic time but also under the small town microscope.
Martin has escaped the the big city but Theodore is still in small town Pennsylvania. Circumstances allow Teddy to move to NYC but it is a big culture shock - not just the city but also Martin in the city is a shock let alone the baths.
The recounting of the raid on the baths is very true to reports with Teddy and Martin woven in. Martin's fate makes your heart break and wonder how the real internees fared. I wasn't sure if Martin got out or escaped but the toll on him was severe and desperately sad and upsetting.
Teddy and Jasper are the silver lining in the story and show that it was possible to have a happy life together, though not easy.
A quick read, though the dialogue felt a bit off at times, especially with Martin and Teddy early on - I'm not sure how formal or not the spoken word would have been then. 3.5/4*
17.3.19 reread - whilst I still have some issues with the stilted dialogue at times, it is probably of the times. It is an emotive read, especially the treatment of the men they chose for trial (here including our character Martin) and what life must have been like for them in prison. You can certainly understand Teddy’s joy at the Stonewall Riots. Pacy and engrossing.
June 20, 2016
You know when you start reading a book and you mentally have an image of it going a certain way. And it doesn’t, not even close. That was this book for me.
We start in present day, all characters are old men, reliving how they got to that point in there lives.
The writing itself is very engaging story, you can picture it happening to any two middle American boys of the 1900’s.
My problem is, I’m a romantic, so when we started painting the picture of Teddy and Martin, true love and all that, and then Martin cheating on Teddy. I lost it, I guess to be honest, I was losing focus before then but that was it for me.
The building up, the store in rural PA. The families. The home life. Such a great buildup.
Then New York happened and to me, the fall of the story.
The bones of the story are still good, Teddy did, I would hope any love sick, heart sick boyfriend would do, help his partner as best he could. And us following along was a great tale. The courtroom scenes, each prisoner getting something different showing us just how unfair the system was and is.
The letters from Martin, the giving up. All great writing. But my heart had left the story.
Teddy getting his life back together. And a sweet HEA that brings us back.
I was given a copy in exchange for an honest review by Crystals Many reviewers
We start in present day, all characters are old men, reliving how they got to that point in there lives.
The writing itself is very engaging story, you can picture it happening to any two middle American boys of the 1900’s.
My problem is, I’m a romantic, so when we started painting the picture of Teddy and Martin, true love and all that, and then Martin cheating on Teddy. I lost it, I guess to be honest, I was losing focus before then but that was it for me.
The building up, the store in rural PA. The families. The home life. Such a great buildup.
Then New York happened and to me, the fall of the story.
The bones of the story are still good, Teddy did, I would hope any love sick, heart sick boyfriend would do, help his partner as best he could. And us following along was a great tale. The courtroom scenes, each prisoner getting something different showing us just how unfair the system was and is.
The letters from Martin, the giving up. All great writing. But my heart had left the story.
Teddy getting his life back together. And a sweet HEA that brings us back.
I was given a copy in exchange for an honest review by Crystals Many reviewers
July 13, 2016
A Night at the Ariston Baths is a roller coaster of emotion. Theodore McCall leads a pretty mundane life in a small Pennsylvania town, thinking he wants more out of life, he heads to New York City where his best friend, Martin now lives. Once there, it's not what Theodore expects. The Ariston Baths were a part of history I knew nothing about so after reading this I looked it up and was delighted at the detail the author put in. As a fan of historicals and a bit of a history buff, when authors devote their time and talent to meld history and fiction together with such a passion, I get a thrill and definitely take note. I've never read this author before but I will definitely be keeping Michael Murphy on my watch list. If you enjoy a great tale that brings life full circle with tons of emotion than A Night at the Ariston Baths is definitely one you want to check out.
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