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I read this in Aug 2010 and gave it 9/10 stars. I had seen the movie 1st, but thought the book much better. I don't really remember why. Isherwood always delivers, a well-crafted, interesting work, easy to identify with.

Kernos wrote: "I read this in Aug 2010 and gave it 9/10 stars. I had seen the movie 1st, but thought the book much better. I don't really remember why. Isherwood always delivers, a well-crafted, interesting work,..."

I enjoyed both Kernos, though in completely different ways.

A Single Man is a very internal book, for the most part about the narrator's mental state. Notoriously hard to film books like that I think, but in my opinion the film did possibly the best job it could've, just different by the nature of the medium.

I'll probably re-read the book over the next two months. Who knows? Maybe I'll see things differently this time.

I gave the book 5 stars last time I read it. I suspect that part won't change!

I really enjoyed the film too, very well casted

I enjoyed the film very much. The book was very good. I read this for a class a few years ago. The class topic was: Sex, Gender & Other Difficult Topics in Contemporary Fiction. Wonderful class, great instructor, diverse book selections and stimulating class discussions. This book was probably one of my favorites from the class. My one complaint, if memory serves, is that the texture of book is very much mired in the era in which it was produced, so even with a queer protagonist it remains a very heterocentric view. This is fairly minor, but the culture in which the book was written needs to be kept in mind. Beyond that this is a throughly enjoyable book with interesting characters, an engaging narrative which pulls you in. Isherwood really captured the personal inner conflict of the character and the social claustrophobia of that era.

Kernos wrote: "I really enjoyed the film too, very well casted"

Yeah, I'm gona have to dig that out and watch it again. ;)

Rick wrote: " Isherwood really captured the personal inner conflict of the character and the social claustrophobia of that era. ..."

Completely agree with this Rick - very well stated and so true!

Rick wrote: "...My one complaint, if memory serves, is that the texture of book is very much mired in the era in which it was produced..."

I actually consider that a plus. It's important for me to remember where we came from (and where we could go again). Isherwood's works are so biographical they are almost historical fiction or at least period pieces.

Kernos wrote: "I actually consider that a plus. It's important for me to..."

Actually, me too Kernos!

It can be uncomfortable to read for sure, but I agree it's important to understand how things were & what affect that had on the psyche.

Kernos wrote: "I actually consider that a plus. It's important for me to..."

I agree completely, it's just less enjoyable than having everyone comfortable with who the are. The internalized self-loathing (not quite the right word) forced upon people by the heteronormtive hierarchy is part of the point of the narrative. It would be impossible to have the story function without it. Much in the same way The Boys in the Band is a product of it's era.

Rick wrote: "I agree completely, it's just less enjoyable than having everyone comfortable with who the are..."

Quite true Rick!

Greg wrote: "Quite true Rick!"

'self-oppression' - that's what I was looking for! ;)

Loved the idea of the story--24 hours inside George's mind. And found some of the prose beautiful.

I read this a while ago and I really liked it. I think it is one of Isherwood's finest.

Natasha (Diarist) wrote: "Loved the idea of the story--24 hours inside George's mind. And found some of the prose beautiful."

I thought so too Natasha, especially the ending which was just lovely! A touch of Woolf in the way Isherwood ends it .. so beautiful!

Rambling Reader wrote: "I read this a while ago and I really liked it. I think it is one of Isherwood's finest."

Embarrassingly, this is the only one of Isherwood's I've read so far; so I can't really compare, but the book is very finely written!!

Are there others by Isherwood you'd recommend Rambling Reader? I'd certainly like to read more by him one day.

Greg wrote: "Embarrassingly, this is the only one of Isherwood's I've read so far"

I'd never heard of him, Greg. ... Yeah, what else by him should we be reading?

Natasha (Diarist) wrote: "Greg wrote: "Embarrassingly, this is the only one of Isherwood's I've read so far"

I'd never heard of him, Greg. ... Yeah, what else by him should we be reading?"

Certainly Christopher and His Kind and the Berlin novels. I have enjoyed all of them.

Kernos wrote: "Certainly Christopher and His Kind and the Berlin novels. I have enjoyed all of them."

Thanks, Kernos! I can't think how I hadn't heard of Christopher Isherwood when he was such an out and proud gay man in the 1930s!

I found his autobiographical C&HK of one decade as fascinating look at that time and how Gay men were able to live reasonable lives in spite of social views.

Yes, thanks Kernos! I haven't read it yet - definitely one for my to-read list!

Greg wrote: "Rambling Reader wrote: "I read this a while ago and I really liked it. I think it is one of Isherwood's finest."

Embarrassingly, this is the only one of Isherwood's I've read so far; so I can't re..."

What I have read are good but I think this one is his best. If you read 'Goodbye to Berlin', it is very interesting. And his travel stories are also interesting to read.
I think he came into his fullest writing powers after he relocated to Los Angeles and after he met his guru. The difference can be compared between pre-LA and post-LA (and maybe post-Don?)

Kernos wrote: "Natasha (Diarist) wrote: "Greg wrote: "Embarrassingly, this is the only one of Isherwood's I've read so far"

I'd never heard of him, Greg. ... Yeah, what else by him should we be reading?"

Certai..."

I liked Christopher and His Kind. It's fun to read about his friendship/brief affair with Wystan Auden.

Rambling Reader wrote: "Greg wrote: "Rambling Reader wrote: "I read this a while ago and I really liked it. I think it is one of Isherwood's finest."

Embarrassingly, this is the only one of Isherwood's I've read so far; ..."

Thanks Rambling Reader! I've only read excerpts of the Berlin Stories, but I've been curious to read an unexpurgated version partly because I heard they were the inspiration behind the musical Cabaret.

Ah! Cabaret. That's a movie I'd like to see again.

I ordered a copy of the audiobook at a really great price (used) online. It arrived yesterday. I will start on it next week more than likely.

I read this one as well last month and enjoyed it very much. I won't attempt to make any observations. Again, you good folks have managed to cover all of the important territory. I have added the suggested Isherwood to my wish list. I intend to pick it up as I'm able. Thank you for the suggestions and for turning me on to an excellent writer.

What did everyone think of the ending? I thought it was so gorgeous, just a step away from poetry!

Greg wrote: "What did everyone think of the ending? I thought it was so gorgeous, just a step away from poetry!"

I'm not sure if the ending I recall is from the movie or the book. How similar were they?

Kernos wrote: "I'm not sure if the ending I recall is from the movie or the book. How similar were..."

The actual facts of what happens are the same, but the depiction in the movie is direct and visual. You see what happens.

But in the book, the ending is an extremely lush internal description of what happens psychologically at that moment in a kind of extended metaphor or dream. It strongly reminds me of Virginia Woolf in that part, and the symbolism is so fascinating. I suspect it's a depiction (view spoiler)[of his individual mental process (in its little tide pools) drawn back into a sort of Jungian collective unconscious (the great dark ocean from which it originally came) as he dies. (hide spoiler)] But I've never studied the book, just read it for my own enjoyment; so perhaps I'm wrong. It's a bit of a puzzler of an ending, but the way it's written is so very lovely!

Thanks Greg. I am surely remembering the movie. Perhaps it's time for a re-read.

I just finished this book, and found it excelent, esp as a gay man in his 50s, when you start to see things from a different prism.....and start the next part of your life chronological and personal journey.
Any other books similar to this one...?

Steve wrote: "I just finished this book, and found it excelent, esp as a gay man in his 50s, when you start to see things from a different prism.....and start the next part of your life chronological and persona..."

Do you mean having to do with the slings and arrows of aging or good LGBT literature?

Both......and dealing with those issues in totally different era then I came out in. And totally different era than the timefame of the book.
It is as if, while reading it, i realized.....
Hey I was " Gay raised", in the middle of both.
My era.....so to speak.....had to deal allot with Aids,
liberation, and coming out was a big deal. ...and the word Queer to me, in my youth, was derogatory.
Just like being called a Faggot..hope this makes sense??

Lots of sense. I'm in the same situation. I'll have to think about it. The one book that comes to mind is The Charioteer by {author:Mary Renault] occurring during WWII but remain current, IMO. A very good read.

Also the books I suggested to Daniel Barrio:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... message #7

thank you....and i will check that obe out.
And if ever any others feel free to let me know.
It us funny, when one reads a good read, how ut affects you...like hey....i am not the only one out there......

Kernos wrote: "Lots of sense. I'm in the same situation. I'll have to think about it. The one book that comes to mind is The Charioteer by {author:Mary Renault] occurring during WWII but remain curre..."

Steve and Kernos, I also thought The Charioteer was excellent. If I recall, it doesn't really deal with aging, but it definitely does cover growing up gay in a vastly different era. The book affected me deeply; I will still think about things in that book on occasion, and I read it years ago. The first few months after reading it, I just couldn't stop thinking about it. I was so attached to some of the characters.

Steve wrote: "Both......and dealing with those issues in totally different era then I came out in. And totally different era than the timefame of the book.
It is as if, while reading it, i realized.....
Hey I was " Gay raised", in the middle of both.
My era.....so to speak.....had to deal allot with Aids,
liberation, and coming out was a big deal. ...and the word Queer to me, in my youth, was derogatory.
Just like being called a Faggot..hope this makes sense?? ..."

I'm in my early 40s; so my era is perhaps different again. But I do feel that same sort of disconnect. Things are so different now than they were when I was younger .. a very good thing of course in many, many ways. But there was something precious in the connections I formed against overwhelming adversity that I will always cherish in a special way.

i agree, there was no social media, cell phones ...
not that they aren't great....
However, when i would go out in the Dark Ages...
of the 80s....at the bars we had to communicate, met someone by communication, and hopefully have a pen. ...or bar have one and a clean napkin to write on. lol

Steve wrote: "i agree, there was no social media, cell phones ...
not that they aren't great....
However, when i would go out in the Dark Ages...
of the 80s....at the bars we had to communicate, met someone by c..."

Oh yes, I love all the convenience of cell phones, social media, etc. But even in the early 90s, I didn't have those, and (at least where I was) it was hard to meet people like me. When I found someone who had similar interests, we'd stay up all night talking - it was something sacred. That sort of connection was rare and precious!

Greg wrote: "When I found someone who had similar interests, we'd stay up all night talking - it was something sacred."

Gosh, Greg. I don't remember that happening with me since the 90's. Is that down to mobile phones and the internet?? ...

Natasha (Diarist) wrote: "Greg wrote: "When I found someone who had similar interests, we'd stay up all night talking - it was something sacred."

Gosh, Greg. I don't remember that happening with me since the 90's. Is that ..."

So true! It us sad that were I live i fo not have the opportunity to discuss books face to face.
It is do frustrating at times. Most people i know here only watch TV, And i do not,
And Stockton CA, has no real book clubs that are open to men, ....let alone LGBTQ.
So i sm LITERALLY in a book deprived dessert!!
That's why i am so happy to find this outlet!!!!

Natasha (Diarist) wrote: "Gosh, Greg. I don't remember that happening with me since the 90's. Is that down to mobile phones and the internet?? ...
..."

I think so Natasha, at least partly!

There was no Goodreads, and the only way to find out about books, music, movies, or anything was magazines or other books. So if you lived in an isolated area, it was really tough to find anyone with similar interests at all .. or even to find gay people at all outside of bars, and bars and pickups were never my thing.

It's so weird to explain what the world was like without an Internet. Occasionally I would run across someone in my normal life that I had a real connection to, and it was so enormously precious! Just to talk to someone I could really understand that could really understand me was like drinking the nectar of the gods! It felt so wonderful that we wouldn't want to stop talking. I really valued those friends because it was like an act of fate to find them; we were precious to each other! :)

Now it's comparatively easy to find people with similar interests. If I moved to a new area and didn't know anyone and I felt like going hiking, I'd just hop onto meetup.com, look up hiking groups, and join one. In a bigger area, you can find almost anything .. groups for hikers who enjoy literature and the arts, groups for gay people interested in Spirituality, groups for discussing LGBT books, literally anything. How very different things are now!

Steve wrote: "And Stockton CA, has no real book clubs that are open to men, ....let alone LGBTQ.
So i sm LITERALLY in a book deprived dessert!!
That's why i am so happy to find this outlet!!!!."

So glad to have you in the group Steve! I'm glad you found us! :)

Yes, I live in Brighton, UK--LGBT Mecca. And meetup.com is a big thing here. I belong to so many groups, many of them LGBT-specific--techie, spiritual, book, walking, etc. Heaven!