At the Corner of Guilt and Delight: Growing Up Gay in a Small Southern Town

Jeffrey L. Carrier's At the Corner of Guilt and Delight: Growing up Gay in a Small Southern Town is a memoir that follows the author's journey to coming to terms with his identity and sexuality. Born to a deeply religious family and to a father who is a preacher, it was not easy for Jeffrey to figure out what to do with his same-sex fantasies as a child. He grew up in an environment in which homosexuality was considered a sin. Follow him on a rollicking journey in which he trades pleasure for guilt, exploring his fantasies, and engaging in sexual pleasure while building relationships along the way.

This memoir is one man's journey towards self-acceptance. It is well-written and the sequence of events is chronologically and vividly detailed. From the ecstatic feeling of first time loving another man to breaking point moments crystallized by a suicide attempt, from evolving in an advertising company to experiencing the glitz of Hollywood, the author takes readers through an adventure of sexuality and self-discovery. Carrier writes in clear and engaging prose and in a voice that is captivating. The setting comes alive in this narrative and readers get powerful insights into what it felt like to be gay in the 1980s. Historical and cultural moments are vividly captured, like the general feel of the advent of AIDS. The deeply moving moments are aplenty and readers will experience both heartache and thrill as they follow this mesmerizing tale. Themes of family, religious beliefs, friendship, identity, self-realization, and sexuality are cleverly and extensively developed. At the Corner of Guilt and Delight: Growing up Gay in a Small Southern Town has an irresistible appeal to fans of LGBTQ literature, a memoir that is as entertaining as it is inspiring.