The Guncle by Steven Rowley (English) Paperback Book

Description: The Guncle by Steven Rowley Includes discussion guide and excerpt from The editor by Steven Rowley ([327]-348). FORMAT Paperback LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Publisher Description Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP, for short), has always loved his niece, Maisie, and nephew, Grant. That is, he loves spending time with them when they come out to Palm Springs for weeklong visits. However, tragedy strikes and Patrick suddenly finds himself taking on the role of primary guardian. Having spent years barely holding on after the loss of his great love, a somewhat-stalled acting career, and a lifestyle not-so-suited to a six- and a nine-year-old. Soon he realises the level of responsibility and that even being larger than life means you re unfailingly human. Author Biography Steven Rowley is the New York Times bestselling author of four novels: Lily and the Octopus, a Washington Post Notable Book; The Editor, an NPR Best Book of the Year; The Guncle, winner of the twenty-second Thurber Prize for American Humor and Goodreads Choice Awards finalist for Novel of the Year; and The Celebrants, a TODAY Show Read With Jenna book club pick. His fiction has been translated into twenty languages. He resides in Palm Springs, California. Review One of:Oprah Dailys Best Beach Reads to Help You Escape Washington Posts Feel-Good Books to Brighten Your SummerCBSs Best Summer Beach Reads 2021 & 2022Vogues 12 Beach Reads to Get Lost in This SummerReal Simples Blockbuster Beach ReadsCountry Livings 32 Cant-Miss Beach Reads for This SummerSouthern Livings Beach Reads Perfect for Summer 2021Bustles 40 Best New Books to Read This May E! Newss 18 Best Books to Check Out in MayPopSugars 45 Best Summer Reads of 2021USA Todays 5 Books Not To MissCNNs 20 Books That Are Essential Reading this Pride Month Readers Digests 75 Best Summer Reads of All TimeParades 15 New LGBTQ+ Books to Pick Up This SummerNew York Posts 30 Best Books On Our Summer Reading ListiHeart Radios 15 Best Beach Reads for Summer 2021Christian Science Monitors Best Books of May PureWows 10 Books We Cant Wait to Read in MayTravel & Leisures Most Anticipated Books of SummerWomen.coms Most Anticipated Summer Beach ReadsSheKnowss 20 New Books You Need to Add to Your Summer Reading List Scary Mommys Most Anticipated Books of SummerFrolics 25 Best Books of Spring 2021Brit + Cos 17 Beach Reads That Make the Perfect Summer EscapeNewNowNexts 17 Exciting Queer Books to Savor This SummerBibliolifestyles Quintessential Summer 2021 Beach Reads LAMBDA Literarys Most Anticipated LGBTQ Literature of May Washington Posts 12 Titles to Get You to the End of SummerCNN.coms Essential Reading for Pride MonthBook Riots Best LGBTQ+ Books to Read for Pride Month"Its one of my favorite books. . . . When Im in a mood I go back to it because it makes me feel better. . . . Its one of the best you can read. . . . Its heavenly." —Whoopi Goldberg, The View"Steven Rowley strikes a harmonious balance between the endearing gay uncle archetype and the existential dilemmas that resonate with so many readers." —Women.com "Rowley delivers the perfect summer read: The Guncle is relentlessly witty, sweet, and heartbreaking." –Elin Hilderbrand"Wise and hilarious." –People "A laugh-out-loud heartwarmer." –Oprah Daily"Rowleys depth and humor will warm even the most jaded hearts." –Washington Post"A formerly famous gay sitcom star is suddenly tasked with raising his niece and nephew in this sweet, saucy novel." –Vogue"Deeply entertaining." –Real Simple "Gay Uncle Patrick is given custody of his young niece and nephew for the summer, and struggles to integrate his lifestyle as an actor with his new charges." –Entertainment Weekly "The author of Lily and The Octopus and The Editor delivers arguably his funniest and most poignant novel yet." –E! News "[A] brilliant tale of loss and love." –GMA.com "[A] heartwarming, hilarious tale of family ties that even the deepest grief cant shake." –Southern Living "An all-around charmer, this book is equally humorous and heartwarming, making it the perfect beach read." –Today.com "A moving tribute to love, patience, and family in even the most trying of times." –Country Living "Rowleys third book explores [the] bond between Guncles and their nieces (and nephews) with astute, heartwarming observations, while illustrating how the term parent expands beyond traditional mom and dad roles." —PrideSource"A big-hearted, laugh-out-loud-funny kind of book thats sure to stay with you long after you turn the final page." –PopSugar"Beach read alert." –PureWow "[A] funny and heartwarming beach read." –CNN "[A] moving, feel-good summer escape." –Newsweek "Cue some family growing pains and humorous antics, and you get this heartwarming novel youll devour in a flash." –theSkimm "[A] feel-good story, perfect for summer." –AARP "Often hilarious, sometimes devastating, and genuinely touching." –New York Daily News "In his heartwarming, humorous new novel, Steven Rowley shows readers the true meaning of family, reminding us that everyone—even parents—is only human." –Travel & Leisure "A heartwarming story...Quirky and fun...Light and sassy and warm—like an Aperol spritz atop a pink flamingo floatie. The perfect book for the upcoming summer season." –KMUW-NPR "Rowley hits the sweet spot between hilarity and heart in this endearing charmer." –Christian Science Monitor "As hysterically funny as it is profound, The Guncle is the perfect summer read for anyone whos looking for a good time with amazing characters without forfeiting deep and meaningful discussions that will feel like a balm to the soul for anyone whos ever lost someone." –The Nerd Daily"[A] heartwarming story." –WBUR"Chronicles grief in a way that offers a lot of comfort to the reader, and while at various points is a definite tearjerker, it often unlocks the humor and joy that can still be found after those we loved are gone. . . . Wistful, warm, and very funny." –Fodors Travel "A warm and deeply funny novel…With the humor and heart weve come to expect from bestselling author Steven Rowley, The Guncle is a moving tribute to the power of love, patience, and family in even the most trying of times." –Frolic "Rowley uses the juxtaposition of lifestyles and situations for an enormous comic harvest without once forgetting the sorrow and tragedy that have resulted in the situation. The characterizations are rich and wonderful, and Rowley writes with a tenderness, affection and empathy about life, sorry and family thats the stuff of pure heart." –The Day (CT) "A sweet story of family, with plenty of laughs and even a few tears." –Parkersburg News & Sentinel "Equal amounts of heartache and witty bon mots." –Palm Springs Life "One of the hottest beach reads of the year." –SheReads"The Palm Springs-set tale promises plenty of kaftans as well as family drama." –NewNowNext "This hilarious and heartfelt story will make you laugh, cry, and want to be a better person." –BookRiot "Hilarious and heartwarming…Auntie Mame-like laughs, lessons and hijinks ensue as Patrick—a once-famous gay sitcom star—deals with a midlife crisis while launching a second act." –Boston Spirit "Warm and funny…[Rowley] continues bringing the hits with this feel-good read that still has depth and meaning." –Scary Mommy "The Guncle is a story that deftly balances humor with deep sentimentality. Perfectly folded into the lines of Rowleys narrative is some of the wittiest banter mixed in with some of lifes most philosophical lessons….Rowley creates a wholesome narrative that digs deep beyond the surface, past the drollery, pulling at heartstrings and keeping the reader hooked with his tactful intuition for a beautifully balanced dramedy." –Paperback Paris "The Guncle is a love letter to the gay uncles (guncles) and their love for their nieces and nephews and will keep the reader entertained from beginning to end. . . .Rowley brilliantly taps into the loss of a loved one and the grieving that comes after." –Instinct Magazine"A heartwarming and delightful story of love, loss, and the bonds of family." –BookBub "Heartwarming, hilarious…Rowley finds humor and poignancy in the snappy narrative….Readers will find this delightful and illuminating." –Publishers Weekly "Patrick is a memorable character, and its genuinely thrilling to read screenwriter-turned-novelist Rowleys take on the mechanics of stardom....Theres true insight here into the psychology of gay men, Hollywood, and parenting. A novel with some real depth beneath all its witty froth." –Kirkus Reviews "Influenced by comic dialogue that would make Neil Simon jealous, the novels serious undercurrent of loss gives way, in the end, to a warmth that will make readers smile....A funny, gentle tale of family and friends, and a salve for the wounds they often cause." –Library Journal "Rowleys sensitive and witty exploration of grief and healing soothes with a delectable lightness and cunning charm." –Booklist "Never going too dark, The Guncle is a sweet family story that offers an unexpected yet inevitable ending." –BookPage"A joyous Auntie Mame spritz! A reading pleasure; pour yourself a tall glass and enjoy, preferably poolside. You deserve it!" –Andrew Sean Greer, winner of the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Less"Patrick, the hero of Steven Rowleys effervescent, utterly charming, and affecting novel, is the dearest friend you havent met yet. Youll root for his two adorable charges as they navigate a terrible loss, and for Patricks own heart to make a long-overdue comeback. A cleverly subversive story about what makes a family." –Christopher Castellani, author of Leading Men "The Guncle is super funny, charming, and tender. Love, loss, and Palm Springs are the perfect ingredients for a delightful cocktail." –Gary Janetti, author of Do You Mind If I Cancel? "Steven Rowley has triumphed again with his new novel The Guncle, an exuberant but tender story about life, death, family, and love. Rowleys protagonist is a modern-day Auntie Mame with every bit of that unflappable flappers sharp wit and fabulous wisdom. This book is a dazzling banquet of laughter and insight; with it Rowley has proven himself to be one of the great comic novelists of our time." –Camille Perri, author of The Assistants and When Katie Met Cassidy "Patrick is a famous bon vivant, caftan-wearing gay uncle with a fabulous house in Palm Springs. Hes an unlikely family member to help his niece and nephew work through their feelings of raw grief after their mother dies, but it turns out hes exactly who the kids need—just as he needs them to help him address his own, less recent loss. Steven Rowleys assured and moving page-turner is studded with laugh-out-loud humor and moments of profound feeling and insight. This book hit every note on my emotional register, and I savored it like an Aperol drunk poolside with friends on a hot, desert day." –Christina Clancy, author of The Second Home"Delightful, sharp, and very funny, The Guncle is the cocktail equivalent of the fourth sip of your martini while you sit poolside at sunset. I loved lingering in this world (and loved reading the dialogue out loud). A novel as much about family and friendship as it is about style and sass, its a divine mix of Terms of Endearment and The Birdcage." –Timothy Schaffert, author of The Perfume Thief and The Swan Gondola Review Quote One of: Oprah Daily s Best Beach Reads to Help You Escape Washington Post s Feel-Good Books to Brighten Your Summer CBS s 12 Perfect Summer Beach Reads for 2021 Vogue s 12 Beach Reads to Get Lost in This Summer Real Simple s Blockbuster Beach Reads Country Living s 32 Cant-Miss Beach Reads for This Summer Southern Living s Beach Reads Perfect for Summer 2021 Bustle s 40 Best New Books to Read This May E! News s 18 Best Books to Check Out in May PopSugar s 45 Best Summer Reads of 2021 USA Today s 5 Books Not To Miss CNN s 20 Books That Are Essential Reading this Pride Month Readers Digest s 75 Best Summer Reads of All Time Parade s 15 New LGBTQ+ Books to Pick Up This Summer New York Post s 30 Best Books On Our Summer Reading List iHeart Radio s 15 Best Beach Reads for Summer 2021 Christian Science Monitor s Best Books of May PureWow s 10 Books We Cant Wait to Read in May Travel & Leisure s Most Anticipated Books of Summer Women.com s Most Anticipated Summer Beach Reads SheKnows s 20 New Books You Need to Add to Your Summer Reading List Scary Mommy s Most Anticipated Books of Summer Frolic s 25 Best Books of Spring 2021 Brit + Co s 17 Beach Reads That Make the Perfect Summer Escape NewNowNext s 17 Exciting Queer Books to Savor This Summer Bibliolifestyle s Quintessential Summer 2021 Beach Reads LAMBDA Literarys Most Anticipated LGBTQ Literature of May Washington Post s 12 Titles to Get You to the End of Summer "Rowley delivers the perfect summer read: The Guncle is relentlessly witty, sweet and heartbreaking." - Elin Hilderbrand "Wise and hilarious." - People "A laugh-out-loud heartwarmer." - Oprah Daily "Rowleys depth and humor will warm even the most jaded hearts." - Washington Post "A formerly famous gay sitcom star is suddenly tasked with raising his niece and nephew in this sweet, saucy novel." - Vogue "Deeply entertaining." - Real Simple "Gay Uncle Patrick is given custody of his young niece and nephew for the summer, and struggles to integrate his lifestyle as an actor with his new charges." - Entertainment Weekly "The author of Lily and The Octopus and The Editor delivers arguably his funniest and most poignant novel yet." - E! News "[A] brilliant tale of loss and love." - GMA.com "[A] heartwarming, hilarious tale of family ties that even the deepest grief cant shake." - Southern Living "A moving tribute to love, patience, and family in even the most trying of times." - Country Living "Rowleys third book explores [the] bond between Guncles and their nieces (and nephews) with astute, heartwarming observations, while illustrating how the term parent expands beyond traditional mom and dad roles." -- PrideSource "A big-hearted, laugh-out-loud-funny kind of book thats sure to stay with you long after you turn the final page." - PopSugar "Beach read alert." - PureWow "[A] funny and heartwarming beach read." - CNN "[A] moving, feel-good summer escape." - Newsweek "Cue some family growing pains and humorous antics, and you get this heartwarming novel youll devour in a flash." - theSkimm "[A] feel-good story, perfect for summer." - AARP "Often hilarious, sometimes devastating, and genuinely touching." - New York Daily News "In his heartwarming, humorous new novel, Steven Rowley shows readers the true meaning of family, reminding us that everyone--even parents--is only human." - Travel & Leisure "A heartwarming story...Quirky and fun...Light and sassy and warm--like an Aperol spritz atop a pink flamingo floatie. The perfect book for the upcoming summer season." -KMUW-NPR "Rowley hits the sweet spot between hilarity and heart in this endearing charmer." - Christian Science Monitor "As hysterically funny as it is profound, The Guncle is the perfect summer read for anyone whos looking for a good time with amazing characters without forfeiting deep and meaningful discussions that will feel like a balm to the soul for anyone whos ever lost someone." - The Nerd Daily "[A] heartwarming story." -WBUR "A warm and deeply funny novel...With the humor and heart weve come to expect from bestselling author Steven Rowley, The Guncle is a moving tribute to the power of love, patience, and family in even the most trying of times." - Frolic "Rowley uses the juxtaposition of lifestyles and situations for an enormous comic harvest without once forgetting the sorrow and tragedy that have resulted in the situation. The characterizations are rich and wonderful, and Rowley writes with a tenderness, affection and empathy about life, sorry and family thats the stuff of pure heart." - The Day (CT) "A sweet story of family, with plenty of laughs and even a few tears." - Parkersburg News & Sentinel "Equal amounts of heartache and witty bon mots." - Palm Springs Life "One of the hottest beach reads of the year." - SheReads "The Palm Springs-set tale promises plenty of kaftans as well as family drama." - NewNowNext "This hilarious and heartfelt story will make you laugh, cry, and want to be a better person." - BookRiot "Hilarious and heartwarming...Auntie Mame-like laughs, lessons and hijinks ensue as Patrick--a once-famous gay sitcom star--deals with a midlife crisis while launching a second act." - Boston Spirit "Warm and funny...[Rowley] continues bringing the hits with this feel-good read that still has depth and meaning." - Scary Mommy " The Guncle is a story that deftly balances humor with deep sentimentality. Perfectly folded into the lines of Rowleys narrative is some of the wittiest banter mixed in with some of lifes most philosophical lessons....Rowley creates a wholesome narrative that digs deep beyond the surface, past the drollery, pulling at heartstrings and keeping the reader hooked with his tactful intuition for a beautifully balanced dramedy." - Paperback Paris " The Guncle is a love letter to the gay uncles (guncles) and their love for their nieces and nephews and will keep the reader entertained from beginning to end. . . .Rowley brilliantly taps into the loss of a loved one and the grieving that comes after." - Instinct Magazine "A heartwarming and delightful story of love, loss, and the bonds of family." - BookBub "Heartwarming, hilarious...Rowley finds humor and poignancy in the snappy narrative....Readers will find this delightful and illuminating." - Publishers Weekly "Patrick is a memorable character, and its genuinely thrilling to read screenwriter-turned-novelist Rowleys take on the mechanics of stardom....Theres true insight here into the psychology of gay men, Hollywood, and parenting. A novel with some real depth beneath all its witty froth." - Kirkus Reviews "Influenced by comic dialogue that would make Neil Simon jealous, the novels serious undercurrent of loss gives way, in the end, to a warmth that will make readers smile....A funny, gentle tale of family and friends, and a salve for the wounds they often cause." - Library Journal "Rowleys sensitive and witty exploration of grief and healing soothes with a delectable lightness and cunning charm." - Booklist "Never going too dark, The Guncle is a sweet family story that offers an unexpected yet inevitable ending." - BookPage "A joyous Auntie Mame spritz! A reading pleasure; pour yourself a tall glass and enjoy, preferably poolside. You deserve it!" -Andrew Sean Greer, winner of the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Less "Patrick, the hero of Steven Rowleys effervescent, utterly charming, and affecting novel, is the dearest friend you havent met yet. Youll root for his two adorable charges as they navigate a terrible loss, and for Patricks own heart to make a long-overdue comeback. A cleverly subversive story about what makes a family." -Christopher Castellani, author of Leading Men " The Guncle is super funny, charming, and tender. Love, loss, and Palm Springs are the perfect ingredients for a delightful cocktail." -Gary Janetti, author of Do You Mind If I Cancel? "Steven Rowley has triumphed again with his new novel The Guncle , an exuberant but tender story about life, death, family, and love. Rowleys protagonist is a modern-day Auntie Mame with every bit of that unflappable flappers sharp wit and fabulous wisdom. This book is a dazzling banquet of laughter and insight; with it Rowley has prov Excerpt from Book ONE At 8:38 a.m., the temperature was already hovering in the high eighties, on its way north of one hundred-unusual perhaps for May, but not unheard of. The desert sky was cloudless, a vibrant cobalt blue you wouldnt believe was real until you spent enough time underneath it to ensure it wasnt some sort of Hollywood effect. Patrick OHara stood curbside in front of the small airport, lost. The mountains surrounding Palm Springs were herculean; they worked overtime to hold back all kinds of weather-clouds, rain, humidity-everything except for wind, which accounted for the majestic windmills that stood like palace guards at the entrance to the Coachella Valley. The palm trees waved gently in the breeze, but did not so much as bend. In this moment, Patrick wished he had even a fraction of their strength. An old Chevrolet convertible in robins egg blue eased past him, pausing at the speed bump, the driver taking extra care not to scrape the automobiles low carriage. It hiccuped over the barrier, and then resumed a reasonable speed around the corner away from the terminal, following a line of dignified palm trees toward the airport exit like it was driving into an antiquarian postcard. Its something Patrick loved about Palm Springs, the citys timelessness. The days were long, and so clean with sunlight it was impossible to distinguish one from the next. For four years now hed been holed up in his midcentury desert estate, the one hed purchased with his TV money (handsome compensation for costarring in nine humiliating seasons of The People Upstairs, plus syndication, plus streaming, plus a surprisingly robust run in France), in the aptly named Movie Colony neighborhood south of Tamarisk Road. It wasnt his intent to cut himself off from the world so completely, but the city invited it. In the old studio days, actors who were under contract were not allowed to travel more than one hundred miles from Los Angeles in case a picture needed them on short notice. Palm Springs sat exactly on that line, one hundred miles as the crow flies; it became an escape-as far away as actors dared go. When he first relocated, Patrick invited friends to visit, people in the industry mostly-oddballs hed collected over a decade and a half in Hollywood. Sara once brought the kids for a week and they laughed and splashed in the pool like no time had passed; she made fun of him and his celebrity in the way only old friends could. Then, slowly over time, he stopped reaching out. And people stopped coming. Sara had legitimate reasons, but others just seemed to forget he existed at all. Those who observed his trickling visitors, like JED, the gay throuple who lived in the house behind his, went so far as to call him a recluse. John, Eduardo, and Dwayne would pop their grinning faces over the wall that divided their properties with friendly (but barbed) taunts, like a Snap, Crackle, and Pop who fucked. His housekeeper, Rosa, encouraged him to meet someone. "Mr. Patrick. Why you have this house all alone?" The answer was complicated and he skirted around it, knowing if he moped she would feel sorry for him and make his favorite ceviche. But to Patrick, his situation wasnt that dire. He was simply . . . done. For nine years he had given a side of himself to the world, and what he had left he owed no one. Patrick slung his baseball cap low over his eyes as a man pulled his Lexus into a white zone, hopped out of his idling car, and said goodbye to a friend or business associate with a hearty handshake. Patrick nodded to the friend as he walked past, and was rewarded with a smack from the mans three-racket Wilson tennis bag as he slung it over his shoulder. Patrick was invisible. Anonymity, as it turns out, was easy enough; it had been just long enough since hed been in the public eye. As for the rest, the trick was not to overdo it. A disguise had to be ordinary. Hat and sunglasses. Navy shirt, not too fitted. (A physique always drew eyes.) Anything more looked like you were trying to hide, and that invited attention. Nod hello, look the other way. It almost always did the trick. Patrick pulled out his phone and texted his brother, Greg. Im on my way. The calls began just after midnight, but hed had his phone set to do not disturb. He awoke early to thirteen missed calls (never a good number) from his parents and a fourteenth from Greg; no one left a message longer than "Call me," and Greg had not left one at all. It was a fight hed had with his mother years back when she phoned at some ungodly hour to inform him his father was having a stroke; he returned her call in the morning. "Where were you last night when I needed you?" his mother had asked. "In bed, where most people are." "The phone doesnt wake you up?" "I have it programmed not to ring before seven a.m." "What if theres an emergency?" "If theres an emergency, Ill deal with it better on a full nights sleep." The logic seemed infallible to Patrick. And almost as if to prove his point, his fathers "stroke" turned out to be a mild case of Bells palsy. Last night, however, the calls were warranted. After a valiant two-and-a-half-year battle, Sara had quietly slipped away. A loud roar rumbled then pierced the sky as a plane took off down the runway. Patrick rattled as the sidewalk vibrated, but he was otherwise numb. This wasnt happening. Not a second time. Not after Joe. And this loss of Sara was coupled with guilt. He promised when theyd met that he would never let her go. And then life intervened. She went north and married his brother. He went west and found fame on TV. And slowly, over time, he did. Let go. Patrick glanced down at his suitcase, almost surprised to see it there. He had no memory of packing it. Here he was, about to board a plane for the first time in years, something he used to do all the time. Even the networks private plane once or twice when they needed the cast in New York to appear together on Good Morning America or, god help him, The View. Now he was nervous, his stomach brittle. He told himself it was the occasion as much as the flight, not that it mattered. Patrick adjusted his aviators; he turned and walked inside the airport, letting the sliding glass doors open for him then close, reflecting the mountains behind him. Baggage claim. Patrick Details ISBN0525542302 Author Steven Rowley Language English Year 2022 ISBN-10 0525542302 ISBN-13 9780525542308 Format Paperback Publication Date 2022-04-05 Country of Publication United States AU Release Date 2022-04-05 NZ Release Date 2022-04-05 US Release Date 2022-04-05 UK Release Date 2022-04-05 Pages 368 Publisher Putnam Publishing Group,U.S. Imprint Putnam Publishing Group,U.S. DEWEY 813.6 Audience General We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love! TheNile_Item_ID:134946382;

Price: 30.43 AUD

Location: Melbourne

End Time: 2025-01-16T02:29:15.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 AUD