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Rickey and G-Man #1&5
Second Line: Two Short Novels of Love and Cooking in New Orleans
hese two short novels bookend Poppy Z. Brite’s cheerfully chaotic series starring two chefs in New Orleans. The Value of X introduces G-man and Rickey, who grew up in New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward and who are slowly realizing there are only two important things in cooking and each other. Rickey’s parents aren’t quite so taken with the boy’s plans and get him an impossible-to-resist place at the Culinary Institute of America. In D*U*C*K , Rickey and G-man’s restaurant, Liquor, is doing well but there are the usual complications of running a egos get bruised, people get fired . . . and then Rickey is jumped in an alley by one of their ex-waiters. On the mend, Rickey takes a side job to cater the annual Ducks Unlimited banquet, where every course must, of course, include the ducks the hunters have bagged. Rickey’s crew are ready to meet the challenge, but Rickey’s not sure he can do it all and deal with the guest of honor—his childhood hero, former New Orleans Saints quarterback Bobby Hebert. "Fun foodie fiction, and readers will scarf it down as quickly as a plate of blackened crawfish."— Publishers Weekly Originally published in limited hardcover editions, these two novels are full of the pure joy of love, hard work, and great food and are a tremendous extension (or introduction) to Brite’s series. Praise fo the Rickey and G-man “A high-end restaurant is...a gift that keeps on giving. The heat, the bickerings and intrigue, the pursuit of perfection, the dodgy money keeping it all the setting spawns plots...Can the [Liquor] franchise sustain itself? The answer is yes.”— New York Times “World-class satire and perfect New Orleans lit.”—Andrei Codrescu “Steeped in spicy dialogue and [New Orleans] flavor...a behind-the-swinging-door peek into the world of chefs.”— Entertainment Weekly Poppy Z. Brite ’s fiction set in the New Orleans restaurant world includes Prime , Liquor , and Soul Kitchen . She has also published five other novels and three short story collections. She lives with her husband Chris, a chef, in New Orleans.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
14 people are currently reading
344 people want to read
About the author
Poppy Z. Brite
164 books3,649 followersPoppy Z. Brite (born Melissa Ann Brite, now going by Billy Martin) is an American author born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Born a biological female, Brite has written and talked much about his gender dysphoria/gender identity issues. He self-identifies almost completely as a homosexual male rather than female, and as of 2011 has started taking testosterone injections. His male name is Billy Martin.
He lived in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and Athens, Georgia prior to returning to New Orleans in 1993. He loves UNC basketball and is a sometime season ticket holder for the NBA, but he saves his greatest affection for his hometown football team, the New Orleans Saints.
Brite and husband Chris DeBarr, a chef, run a de facto cat rescue and have, at any given time, between fifteen and twenty cats. Photos of the various felines are available on the "Cats" page of Brite's website. They have been known to have a few dogs and perhaps a snake as well in the menagerie. They are no longer together.
During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Brite at first opted to stay at home, but he eventually abandoned New Orleans and his cats and relocated 80 miles away to his mother's home in Mississippi. He used his blog to update his fans regarding the situation, including the unknown status of his house and many of his pets, and in October 2005 became one of the first 70,000 New Orleanians to begin repopulating the city.
In the following months, Brite has been an outspoken and sometimes harsh critic of those who are leaving New Orleans for good. He was quoted in the New York Times and elsewhere as saying, in reference to those considering leaving, "If you’re ever lucky enough to belong somewhere, if a place takes you in and you take it into yourself, you don't desert it just because it can kill you. There are things more valuable than life."
Born a biological female, Brite has written and talked much about his gender dysphoria/gender identity issues. He self-identifies almost completely as a homosexual male rather than female, and as of 2011 has started taking testosterone injections. His male name is Billy Martin.
He lived in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and Athens, Georgia prior to returning to New Orleans in 1993. He loves UNC basketball and is a sometime season ticket holder for the NBA, but he saves his greatest affection for his hometown football team, the New Orleans Saints.
Brite and husband Chris DeBarr, a chef, run a de facto cat rescue and have, at any given time, between fifteen and twenty cats. Photos of the various felines are available on the "Cats" page of Brite's website. They have been known to have a few dogs and perhaps a snake as well in the menagerie. They are no longer together.
During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Brite at first opted to stay at home, but he eventually abandoned New Orleans and his cats and relocated 80 miles away to his mother's home in Mississippi. He used his blog to update his fans regarding the situation, including the unknown status of his house and many of his pets, and in October 2005 became one of the first 70,000 New Orleanians to begin repopulating the city.
In the following months, Brite has been an outspoken and sometimes harsh critic of those who are leaving New Orleans for good. He was quoted in the New York Times and elsewhere as saying, in reference to those considering leaving, "If you’re ever lucky enough to belong somewhere, if a place takes you in and you take it into yourself, you don't desert it just because it can kill you. There are things more valuable than life."
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 13, 2016
Second line has two Rickey and G-man short stories included: The Value of X which shows us the two boys as their romantic relationship starts and the struggles they both go through in confessing their feelings to one another and their parents objections. And D*U*C*K which is the last book we see of G and Rickey where there restaurant is doing really well as is their relationship.
Liquor was my first introduction to Poppy Z. Brite and I am so glad that I found this author I loved Liquor and I loved Second Line. Rickey and G are just so ordinary and relatable. To me their relationship is complex and incredibly touching in its reliability. Poppy allows this book to be sexy and romantic while also giving the characters privacy without us being intrusive.
I highly recommend this series and I cannot wait to read more if Brite's work
Liquor was my first introduction to Poppy Z. Brite and I am so glad that I found this author I loved Liquor and I loved Second Line. Rickey and G are just so ordinary and relatable. To me their relationship is complex and incredibly touching in its reliability. Poppy allows this book to be sexy and romantic while also giving the characters privacy without us being intrusive.
I highly recommend this series and I cannot wait to read more if Brite's work
December 26, 2011
Finished the first novella; now on to the second.
It's ridiculous how much I adore these two characters and the nature of their relationship.
It's ridiculous how much I adore these two characters and the nature of their relationship.
March 20, 2018
I hadn't planned on moving on to this immediately after The Devil You Know, but I found this on ebook at my local library and I wanted to read more about G-man and Ricky. Yes, they've grown on me more than I expected them to. But I guess after three novels and multiple stories that's understandable. I really enjoyed the first novella in this book, the Value of X, it was all about their teenage years when they first become a romantic couple and the ordeal they went through over that. It was a good, long, interesting story and may even be my favorite of the G-man and Ricky stories. The second one, D.U.C.K., is adult G-man and Rickey after the events of the third book, but there's a little too much going on this story. Rickey gets attacked and beaten to start out the story, but that doesn't seem to have much to do with the rest of the book, then there's lots about Shake, a cook at Liquor who becomes head chef at another restaurant. I'm not sure what that had to do with the rest of the story either. I suppose it could tie in to some deeper themes but there wasn't enough correlation or I just missed it. The bulk is all about this duck banquet the Liquor crew are going to cook for. The food all sounds delicious and it was mostly a nice story about them doing what they're best at and how they help each other be successful.
I thought it was interesting the afterward was written after Hurricane Katrina, and talks about how the second story is almost like in a alternate universe where Katrina didn't happen.
I thought it was interesting the afterward was written after Hurricane Katrina, and talks about how the second story is almost like in a alternate universe where Katrina didn't happen.
May 5, 2010
I really liked the first novella in this collection, less the second. I liked the lush descriptions of food, the time spent on the setting, and I was really drawn to Rickey, but Rickey and G almost seem more interested in the food than each other in the second novella. There was one really nice scene between them, but otherwise, I felt there was just something... missing? But the first novella was really fantastic.
April 29, 2013
Two weirdly gripping novellas about a pair of gay chefs in New Orleans, with lots of great work detail (one of my favorite things). In the first, Gary & Rickey are teenagers in love, working the line at various diners. In the second, sixteen years later, they have their own restaurant. I want to say this book is like Top Chef slash, but it's doing something else that's way more interesting and hard to pinpoint.
September 13, 2018
Two novellas in the Rickey and G-Man series, stories set in New Orleans of two gay men in love who are also top chefs. Food porn and romance abounds. Second Line is the last published book in the series, but it's not a plot-heavy series so you honestly could jump in anywhere you want and wouldn't have any difficulties following along.
The two novellas are "The Value of X" and "D*U*C*K". "The Value of X" is by far the longer of the two. It starts with Rickey and G-Man as Lower Ninth Ward kids in the early 90s, both sixteen years old. Both are just starting to realize that they're gay and, moreover, might have a crush on their best friend. The novella deals with their worry about coming out to one another, hiding their relationship from their homophobic families, and dealing with being separated when Rickey gets the chance to attend the Culinary Institute of America. It's a very sweet story of young love, and honestly it had the feel of a nice long fanfic, perhaps an AU in a fandom you don't normally read – in a good way! The people who complain about how published literature doesn't meet their needs should totally read "The Value of X".
"D*U*C*K" is a shorter and slighter story. Now highly regarded chefs and co-owners of a popular restaurant, Rickey and G-Man get a chance to serve a private banquet to one of Rickey's childhood heroes, a former football star. The only catch? Every single course has to include wild duck. Meanwhile they deal with disgruntled ex-employees, the head chef of a rival restaurant, and awkward newspaper interviews.
Both are warm, charming stories, if not particularly memorable. This is a recurring problem I have with the Rickey and G-Man series: I keep accidentally rereading the same ones, because I can't remember what happened in any particular book. It's not much of a problem, though, since returning to them is like going back to a beloved comfort food. I'm very sad that Billy Martin (Brite's real name) has said that he's done with writing, because I would love more books exactly like this one.
The two novellas are "The Value of X" and "D*U*C*K". "The Value of X" is by far the longer of the two. It starts with Rickey and G-Man as Lower Ninth Ward kids in the early 90s, both sixteen years old. Both are just starting to realize that they're gay and, moreover, might have a crush on their best friend. The novella deals with their worry about coming out to one another, hiding their relationship from their homophobic families, and dealing with being separated when Rickey gets the chance to attend the Culinary Institute of America. It's a very sweet story of young love, and honestly it had the feel of a nice long fanfic, perhaps an AU in a fandom you don't normally read – in a good way! The people who complain about how published literature doesn't meet their needs should totally read "The Value of X".
"D*U*C*K" is a shorter and slighter story. Now highly regarded chefs and co-owners of a popular restaurant, Rickey and G-Man get a chance to serve a private banquet to one of Rickey's childhood heroes, a former football star. The only catch? Every single course has to include wild duck. Meanwhile they deal with disgruntled ex-employees, the head chef of a rival restaurant, and awkward newspaper interviews.
Both are warm, charming stories, if not particularly memorable. This is a recurring problem I have with the Rickey and G-Man series: I keep accidentally rereading the same ones, because I can't remember what happened in any particular book. It's not much of a problem, though, since returning to them is like going back to a beloved comfort food. I'm very sad that Billy Martin (Brite's real name) has said that he's done with writing, because I would love more books exactly like this one.
March 4, 2018
Years ago I read Liquor, Prime, and Soul Kitchen and am just finally making my way back to this one. It was nice to kind of get a refresher in The Value of X and certainly nice to learn the back story yet I felt like I already read three books of spoiler alerts. It was also interesting since I recently met someone who graduated as a pastry chef from CIA. D*U*C*K was a nice kind of epilogue to the series and made me really want some boudin. If I was to recommend the series to someone I’d do The Value of X, then the three books in order, then finish with D*U*C*K. Bummed that the series is finally over for me.
May 16, 2021
The real gem here is the first novella, _The Value of X_. It's a revelation. Brite has always been a gifted writer, but here she captures a developing romantic relationship between two young men better than any other book I've read. The second story is a fine addition to the Ricky and G-Man saga.
May 1, 2022
LOVE LOVE LOVE!
It gives such a wonderful look of New Orleans and it’s culinary, food scene while telling an enchanting love story between these two boys.
Being 90% gay and loving both New Orleans and culinary arts, the book hit a home run for me.
I would rate 10 stars if possible.
It gives such a wonderful look of New Orleans and it’s culinary, food scene while telling an enchanting love story between these two boys.
Being 90% gay and loving both New Orleans and culinary arts, the book hit a home run for me.
I would rate 10 stars if possible.
November 15, 2016
A wonderful trip down memory lane with my two favorite cooks in existence... never disappointing, never gets old!
November 24, 2018
I love these characters and I love the author. I've never read anything from her that I didn't love. This two story collection definitely does not disappoint.
February 17, 2022
Huge fan of Poppy, and enjoy her descriptive words of my favorite city in the U.S.!
December 1, 2024
I like this because it's about their relationship. most of her other books are just about the food.
May 8, 2010
This is a review of the ebook version of the book. 1st published at DIK.
Second Line: Two Short Novels of Love and Cooking in New Orleans by Poppy Z. Brite is a single volume that includes The Value of X and also D*U*C*K, two short stories from the Liquor series about chefs and lovers Ricky and G-Man.
I'm a huge fan of Poppy Z. Brites work. I love this innate ability she seems to have of making me feel like I've experienced a part of New Orleans that the average tourist doesn't see. It's vivid, rich with authentic detail and her underlying passion for the city is apparent. Makes me was to save some cash and travel.
The Value of X begins with Ricky and G-Man's friendship as young boys, which eventually develops into a romantic relationship. Growing up together in the Lower Ninth Ward and dealing with their burgeoning feelings, overcoming their families objection to their relationship and then, being apart from each other is a lot to pack in. But the story doesn't lack for depth or romance and it provides a great backdrop for reading the other stories in the series.
Both books are beautifully written, romantic and kinda sexy without feeling intrusive with the bedroom door wide open. I found their relationship to be complex and incredibly touching, especially in The Value of X. Ricky and G-Mans depth of feeling and love for one another is complex and strong. They complimented each other, without seeming cheesy or plastic and come across as not quite whole when forced apart. They're very real characters full of foibles and faults and incredibly accessible for a reader. I liked them.
D*U*C*K is set at the end of the series and involves the boys after they've had Liquor open for a few years. It was published post Katrina and is terribly poignant as she has not actually written about the storm, so the city stands untouched as you're dragged into another adventure that's deliciously good and full of food, ego and drama. It's defnitely a little shorter, especially after reading the 3 novels the come before this one, but it is still a satisfying read.
I feel in some ways I've grown up with Poppy Z. Brites books. I read her horror and vampire series when I was going through my wearing of dark clothing phase and then onto her more visceral works like Exquisite Corpse, but I have to say these later novels are my true favorites. I love reading about Ricky and G-Man, they feel real and everyday, but somehow special at the same time. Excellent reading from an exceptional talent.
Second Line is available in ebook and paper back via Amazon, The Book Depository and her other novels (which I highly recommend) are also available through Fictionwise. The 3 novels that this book bookends, are Liquor, Prime and Soul Kitchen. Magic stuff. Poppy Z. Brite's work can also be seen here on her website and if you're into gardening and the like, then do check out her blog and twitter.
Below is Poppy talking about Liquor. (I must confess I had a minor squee moment when I found this FANGIRL much!!)
http://dikladiesrule.blogspot.com/201...
Second Line: Two Short Novels of Love and Cooking in New Orleans by Poppy Z. Brite is a single volume that includes The Value of X and also D*U*C*K, two short stories from the Liquor series about chefs and lovers Ricky and G-Man.
I'm a huge fan of Poppy Z. Brites work. I love this innate ability she seems to have of making me feel like I've experienced a part of New Orleans that the average tourist doesn't see. It's vivid, rich with authentic detail and her underlying passion for the city is apparent. Makes me was to save some cash and travel.
The Value of X begins with Ricky and G-Man's friendship as young boys, which eventually develops into a romantic relationship. Growing up together in the Lower Ninth Ward and dealing with their burgeoning feelings, overcoming their families objection to their relationship and then, being apart from each other is a lot to pack in. But the story doesn't lack for depth or romance and it provides a great backdrop for reading the other stories in the series.
Both books are beautifully written, romantic and kinda sexy without feeling intrusive with the bedroom door wide open. I found their relationship to be complex and incredibly touching, especially in The Value of X. Ricky and G-Mans depth of feeling and love for one another is complex and strong. They complimented each other, without seeming cheesy or plastic and come across as not quite whole when forced apart. They're very real characters full of foibles and faults and incredibly accessible for a reader. I liked them.
D*U*C*K is set at the end of the series and involves the boys after they've had Liquor open for a few years. It was published post Katrina and is terribly poignant as she has not actually written about the storm, so the city stands untouched as you're dragged into another adventure that's deliciously good and full of food, ego and drama. It's defnitely a little shorter, especially after reading the 3 novels the come before this one, but it is still a satisfying read.
I feel in some ways I've grown up with Poppy Z. Brites books. I read her horror and vampire series when I was going through my wearing of dark clothing phase and then onto her more visceral works like Exquisite Corpse, but I have to say these later novels are my true favorites. I love reading about Ricky and G-Man, they feel real and everyday, but somehow special at the same time. Excellent reading from an exceptional talent.
Second Line is available in ebook and paper back via Amazon, The Book Depository and her other novels (which I highly recommend) are also available through Fictionwise. The 3 novels that this book bookends, are Liquor, Prime and Soul Kitchen. Magic stuff. Poppy Z. Brite's work can also be seen here on her website and if you're into gardening and the like, then do check out her blog and twitter.
Below is Poppy talking about Liquor. (I must confess I had a minor squee moment when I found this FANGIRL much!!)
http://dikladiesrule.blogspot.com/201...
November 14, 2010
Poppy's books are always a fun read. Unfortunately her foodie fiction books just don't appeal to me.. Not sure why; I still obsessively re-read "Lost Souls" and "Drawing Blood", and the romance element in those is similar to "Second Line". Maybe I just enjoy the dark, bloody, "children of the night" element. That, and the plots for these two stories are...well not thin, exactly, just secondary to the food and the romance.
It's interesting how each story had opposite strengths and weaknesses. "The Value of X" had a more traditional story arc, but for a foodie fiction story it was a little light on food. "D*U*C*K" lingered lovingly over all the food and the many ways to prepare wild duck, but the plot didn't offer as much: "We've got to prepare the perfect banquet for my childhood hero, oh look, we did!" The attack in the beginning was the most exciting part, and it felt tacked on since it was barely alluded to for the rest of the story. So basically, these were fun, tasty stories that I don't feel the need to re-read.
Something that I didn't catch on to until the Author's note was the fact that "D*U*C*K" was purposely written in an alternate world where New Orleans had never been hit by hurricane Katrina. So in a way, this story was a wistful love-letter to Poppy Brite's home city. I find that very neat.
It's interesting how each story had opposite strengths and weaknesses. "The Value of X" had a more traditional story arc, but for a foodie fiction story it was a little light on food. "D*U*C*K" lingered lovingly over all the food and the many ways to prepare wild duck, but the plot didn't offer as much: "We've got to prepare the perfect banquet for my childhood hero, oh look, we did!" The attack in the beginning was the most exciting part, and it felt tacked on since it was barely alluded to for the rest of the story. So basically, these were fun, tasty stories that I don't feel the need to re-read.
Something that I didn't catch on to until the Author's note was the fact that "D*U*C*K" was purposely written in an alternate world where New Orleans had never been hit by hurricane Katrina. So in a way, this story was a wistful love-letter to Poppy Brite's home city. I find that very neat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2011
This book contains two short novels about Rickey and G-man, parters in life and in the restaurant business. The Value of X (reviewed previously), and D*U*C*K*, which is the story of a love affair with food, Bobby Hebert (New Oleans Staint's QB), and the two protagonists. When Rickey, now a successful restauranteur with G-man, is contacted by Ducks Unlimited to provide a feast using wild duck in every course, he can't resist the challenge, particularly when Bobby Hebert, his childhood hero, is going to be attending. G-man, baffled by Rickey's determination to close Liquor at the second busiest time of the year, is reluctant but eventually agrees because it is important to the love of his life.
The menu Rickey plans is stunning. I'd eat every single course. In the end, this story is really a love letter to New Orleans as it would have been without Katrina, and how it will be again someday.
Brite promises more stories featuring Rickey and G-man. I hope that holds true.
The menu Rickey plans is stunning. I'd eat every single course. In the end, this story is really a love letter to New Orleans as it would have been without Katrina, and how it will be again someday.
Brite promises more stories featuring Rickey and G-man. I hope that holds true.
July 26, 2013
I got this because I read the three novels about Rickey and G-man and there's really no point in reading those two short novels if you haven't. That is, you could read The Value of X which is the story of how they got together in the very first place if you want to stay chronological.
I must admit that the first part of The Value of X felt a little off o me. I can't really tell you why but the writing was a bit clumsy at times. But then it smoothed out and I really loved the whole thing. But then D*U*C*K* came along and even though I liked it, there wasn't really much point to the story. Apart from learning how to make several courses with wild duck. Don't get me wrong, it is a solid, lovely piece of writing and I do enjoyed it but there wasn't really any true need for it to be told.
Nonetheless I adore these characters so I definitely don't regret buying this one.
I must admit that the first part of The Value of X felt a little off o me. I can't really tell you why but the writing was a bit clumsy at times. But then it smoothed out and I really loved the whole thing. But then D*U*C*K* came along and even though I liked it, there wasn't really much point to the story. Apart from learning how to make several courses with wild duck. Don't get me wrong, it is a solid, lovely piece of writing and I do enjoyed it but there wasn't really any true need for it to be told.
Nonetheless I adore these characters so I definitely don't regret buying this one.
June 5, 2016
Poppy Z Brite's Liquor series is one of my favorite series of all time. Even if I've enjoyed a series a lot, there's very few that I could read over and over. I could read the Liquor series over and over and never get sick of it. I love the characters, the subject matter (food!), the setting… So having these two short novels is a wonderful addition. I enjoyed reading about Rickey and G-man's background, how they first started into cooking, how they got together, and so forth. I wish Poppy Z. Brite hadn't quit writing so I read more about them!
February 1, 2013
Two novellas about cookin' and cussin' in New Orleans, told through the eyes of Rickey and G-man. In The Value of X, the first piece, the two are teenagers, figuring out how to fall in love, keep that love, and grow up. In D*U*C*K*S, the two have established themselves in the New Orleans food world.
I found myself often perching on the edge of the sofa to read "just a couple more pages," though it didn't blow my head off. Nice, light reading. Not recommended when you are hungry.
I found myself often perching on the edge of the sofa to read "just a couple more pages," though it didn't blow my head off. Nice, light reading. Not recommended when you are hungry.
July 29, 2013
There is no other author like Poppy Z Brite (Billy Martin, as he now prefers to call himself). The double attraction of aspirational, real gay characters and life in New Orleans is what led me back to this novel. Yet this novel is just a step in Brite's evolution. Two decades ago, I read her violent, psychologically dark stories of horror in New Orleans, never imagining I would one day live there. Fortunately for me, the world of 'Second Line' is more what New Orleans is really like.
January 5, 2011
Brite's endings are always magical.
'In the panoramic shimmer of lights, water, and sky, Rickey thought he could glimpse the future: true love, great food, Bobby Hebert coming to eat at his restaurant, the Saints winning the Super Bowl, the city of New Orleans standing whole, strong, beautiful forever.'
Makes me want to visit one day, and maybe stay...
'In the panoramic shimmer of lights, water, and sky, Rickey thought he could glimpse the future: true love, great food, Bobby Hebert coming to eat at his restaurant, the Saints winning the Super Bowl, the city of New Orleans standing whole, strong, beautiful forever.'
Makes me want to visit one day, and maybe stay...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2013
I thought this was a good read. I liked the concept of the two short novels. I read this before a trip to New Orleans and it was just the thing to whet my appetite for all the great meals I had down there. If you like stories about about food and cooking, give it a try. If you would be offended that the two main characters are gay, then this book is not for you.
August 19, 2014
When I finished reading SOUL KITCHEN, I was sad that the story of Rickey & G-Man had probably come to an end. I was very happy to find out that there was more. It was great to get some of the back story of these two in THE VALUE OF X, and just as great to see their progression 20 years later in D*U*C*K*S.
August 1, 2011
A fun, short read about two of my favorite things -- New Orleans and New Orleans' food.
March 16, 2015
Two stories, the first is a young adult LGBT romance. The second features the same characters, as they go about their lives owning a restaurant.
Read
December 7, 2012I live Rickey and g-man and wish thhere were more books with them!
March 12, 2015
Fun, light read, and it made me really hungry.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews