It’s can’t be easy to write in a compelling fashion about ambivalence. Don’t get me wrong, Rob and John clearly love each other a whole lot (it’s adorable how Rob feels like he must have met John somewhere before, because it just feels like this guy has always been a part in his life), but neither of them had much interest in the institution of marriage. And yet! Should I maybe mention what this book is about, especially since it’s not going to be out for another couple of months as of this writing? This is the story of Rob and John’s marriage back in 2013 (on my birthday, which has no relevance to the book), how it came about, their attitudes about it, and what decided them on the concept. And, at its core, it’s about how the practical arguments for marriage ended up winning out in the end. Well, it’s also about the societal obstacles to their marriage (it wasn’t legal in all 50 states in 2013, which still seems shocking, but it was legal in Minnesota at least), their lives before and after, and Ginger, maybe the cutest dog in the world. Granted, I say that about most dogs, but it’s also usually true. I tend to veer away from “spoilers,” which maybe doesn’t apply in this case because they end up getting married, but there’s also the fact that this book isn’t out yet, so what’s the point in telling you all about something that you couldn’t possible read for another couple of months? Gloating, because I have a review copy and you (probably) don’t? Sure, I’m just petty enough for that to be a factor, but I’m still not going to give in to it. But to go back to what I said at the beginning, this is a story of ambivalence, and it’s still incredibly compelling throughout. I mean, Rob was planning on putting in half a day of work on his wedding day because the actual wedding wasn’t until 4:30pm, if that tells you anything. He also talks about the first married gay couple of the US, way back in 1971, believe it or not. Was there trickery involved? You’d better believe it! But it was for a good cause, and it was funny watching them turn bureaucracy against itself. Finally, he ended this book with a beautiful story about the two of them, and this one I’m not even going to give a hint about. But it was wonderfully done, and it did a great job of tying the whole story together. So basically what I’m saying is that you should rush out and buy this when it’s available, and if you’re the impatient type I’d recommend a few of his anthologies while you wait. Oh, and Rob, if you’re reading this, I didn’t notice any typos, and I’m usually a bloodhound for that sort of thing. So you’re in the clear on that front! $21.95
