Rating: 
Summary: A Waste of Time and Somewhat Disturbing
Review: I am Sorry to say that I was extremely disappointed in this book. I thought perhaps (in part, based on some of the opinions here) that this might be a book that is down to earth, practical and light-hearted. Wrong!!! This is a shameless exercise in ego and self-promotion. Before you buy this book, I advise that you skim through it and check out the number of times the author uses the pronoun "I" . Then check to see what his values are, what he thinks is important in life. Whew! What's truly unbelievable is that the author is in his 40s and still is concerned about going to the movies alone. Hmmm....
Rating:
Summary: I'm Not Sure If These Results Speak for Themselves...
Review: I can't relate to this book and the viewpoint of the author. He offers no tangible solutions for me personally in order to improve anything remotely romantically related. Of course, this may be due to my complete lack of understanding in romantic relationships at all, having had no relationships by age, 34. As a gay man I was hoping for a little more substance that would prove productive for me. The only thing this book might be good for where I'm concerned is a drink coaster.
Rating: 
Summary: I'm confused about this book.
Review: I don't know why, but whenever I put this book down my spirits went down as well. Thank god this book was short because I couldn't take much more of it. I think he missed the mark when he wanted people to look inside theirselves and build up their self-esteem. Each chapter starts out with a question that Brad asked himself and now he's going to tell you how he got to his answer, and how you can do the same thing. I guess he just asked too many questions. Towards the end the book got boring. And when he had my full attention, I was counting the pages until the end of the chapter. He had a lot of important things to say, but it was nothing new to me. Maybe I got down because the book didn't deliver the way I thought it would. This book just reiterated the fact that no one can tell you how to like yourself. You have to want it on your own. Then you'll start living your life to make yourself happier. And it will be more rewarding that way because you did it yourself. And because no one else told you what to do, you can't possibly fail. That's the only way to build up self-esteem in my book. But I don't have a book.
Rating:
Summary: FBW much like Gooch in person: Shallow and Self-absorbed
Review: I read FBW as a lark--after having met Brad Gooch at a bar and then going on a dinner date with him while visiting NYC last fall. At dinner, we talked about his upcoming book, its premise, his recent bookcover "photo shoot", etc. Never once did Gooch ask me a question about myself. Now I read his book and understand why. It is as pleasant, shallow, narcissistic and self-absorbed as I found him to be. Just in case he reads this (which I have little doubt he will), he WAS attractive, but, as anyone who read the book can attest, he can tell you that.
Rating:
Summary: Is this a dating ad or a BOOK?
Review: I read this book with an open-mind...yet my mind was forced to wander by about the second chapter where he endlessly talks about all of his "friends" in Upper Manhattan. I think Gooch wrote this book to make himself feel better about himself! I didn't really leave with anything substantial to take away other than the fact that Gooch likes to eat at fine restaurants in New York, and likes lit candles near his bed. Is this a book or a dating ad?!! I think the endless self-absorption in this book would also be a turn-off for future boyfriends (of the people who read this book). Maybe the problem isn't necessarily one not knowing what our "inner boyfriend" wants, but concentrating too much on that entity.
Rating:
Summary: Sex and the City meets The Boyfriend Within
Review: I was given this as a joke for Christmas, and months later I thought I would give it a quick read. Given its interesting title I was intrigued, since it is kind of the flip side of the "Finding Mr. Right" books you often see in the "Gay Self Help" section. Unfortunately I think "Within" sounded good on the drawing board, but kind of trips over itself in the process. First of all the book is very simplistic, and anyone with any degree of self-awareness, critical thinking skills or who has has explored philosophy/spirituality will probably find this book a bit patronizing. I agree that profound answers often lie in a simple approach, but I believe the purpose of these exercises are weighed down and ultimately drowned in the author's own self-absorbed narration and exploration. If Mr. Gooch's simplistic approach was done with the intention of making this book palatable for "the everyday gay man", he would have done himself a huge favor by toning down the constant name-dropping and ostentatious descriptions of his own fabulousness and "society" lifestyle. Any common gay man needing to find the "boyfriend within" would probably find this a bit alienating. It also undermines his credibility, since it demonstrates how out of touch he is with anyone besides himself
and those within his trendy Manhattan social circles. Using himself and his own over-the-top lifestyle as a blueprint for "finding the boyfriend within" would have been like Marie Antoinette writing a dessert book for the hungry masses of pre-revolutionary France. It just rings false. However I do want to give the author the benefit of the doubt about his book, especially after reading the previous reviews. I think on one level the appearance of self-absorption is a trapping of the premise. It's a shame Mr. Gooch didn't think this through and perhaps find a cross section of regular gay men (not the A list, jet-set friends who populate "FTBFW") to do the exercises and base what he has to say at least in part on their testimony. As is the book reads like a thinly veiled personal promotional brochure for the author. I am sure the Mr. Gooch would find focusing on awareness outside of the self--and on someone else--incredibly enlightening. It would have also given "finding the boyfriend within" a much broader definition. I find it hard to believe that someone who teaches at a university didn't consider this kind of data or research a key component for a book on this topic. I am sure there are probably a large number of gay men who do need to find the boyfriend within, especially those guys who think that having a partner is the answer and/or a cure-all for whatever ails them. However, as the author unintentionally points out via this book, the problem with many gay men is not so much finding the Boyfriend Within, but rather with worshipping the inner diva. In my experience, the "enough about me....so what about me?" philosophy is almost a cliche in the gay world. It is unfortunate that so many gay men you meet in social scenes often end up making you feel like you are doing and interview for an entertainment rag instead of having a conversation. I, me, my, and mine are their favorite words, and you end up feeling talk at, rather than talked to. Their behavior and actions define their absolute focus on the inner boyfriend, which doesn't leave room for anyone else. We obsess on the superficial, and yet bemoan a lack of a relationship with real substance. We want to find someone who loves us, but can't get off the Fabulous Train to NeverNeverLand long enough to care about and love someone at least half as much as ourselves. Ironic, isn't it? I think finding the boyfriend within is a good idea on some levels, but Mr. Gooch is by no means the ideal guide for this journey. Maybe "Exorcising the Inner Narcissist" or "Vanquishing the Inner Diva" might be more appropriate titles for future exploration, since dealing with these aspects of ourselves would most likely prove to be a more substantial source of love, happiness, and respect.
Rating:
Summary: Sex and the City meets The Boyfriend Within
Review: I was given this as a joke for Christmas, and months later I thought I would give it a quick read. Given its interesting title I was intrigued, since it is kind of the flip side of the "Finding Mr. Right" books you often see in the "Gay Self Help" section. Unfortunately I think "Within" sounded good on the drawing board, but kind of trips over itself in the process. First of all the book is very simplistic, and anyone with any degree of self-awareness, critical thinking skills or who has has explored philosophy/spirituality will probably find this book a bit patronizing. I agree that profound answers often lie in a simple approach, but I believe the purpose of these exercises are weighed down and ultimately drowned in the author's own self-absorbed narration and exploration. If Mr. Gooch's simplistic approach was done with the intention of making this book palatable for "the everyday gay man", he would have done himself a huge favor by toning down the constant name-dropping and ostentatious descriptions of his own fabulousness and "society" lifestyle. Any common gay man needing to find the "boyfriend within" would probably find this a bit alienating. It also undermines his credibility, since it demonstrates how out of touch he is with anyone besides himself
and those within his trendy Manhattan social circles. Using himself and his own over-the-top lifestyle as a blueprint for "finding the boyfriend within" would have been like Marie Antoinette writing a dessert book for the hungry masses of pre-revolutionary France. It just rings false. However I do want to give the author the benefit of the doubt about his book, especially after reading the previous reviews. I think on one level the appearance of self-absorption is a trapping of the premise. It's a shame Mr. Gooch didn't think this through and perhaps find a cross section of regular gay men (not the A list, jet-set friends who populate "FTBFW") to do the exercises and base what he has to say at least in part on their testimony. As is the book reads like a thinly veiled personal promotional brochure for the author. I am sure the Mr. Gooch would find focusing on awareness outside of the self--and on someone else--incredibly enlightening. It would have also given "finding the boyfriend within" a much broader definition. I find it hard to believe that someone who teaches at a university didn't consider this kind of data or research a key component for a book on this topic. I am sure there are probably a large number of gay men who do need to find the boyfriend within, especially those guys who think that having a partner is the answer and/or a cure-all for whatever ails them. However, as the author unintentionally points out via this book, the problem with many gay men is not so much finding the Boyfriend Within, but rather with worshipping the inner diva. In my experience, the "enough about me....so what about me?" philosophy is almost a cliche in the gay world. It is unfortunate that so many gay men you meet in social scenes often end up making you feel like you are doing and interview for an entertainment rag instead of having a conversation. I, me, my, and mine are their favorite words, and you end up feeling talk at, rather than talked to. Their behavior and actions define their absolute focus on the inner boyfriend, which doesn't leave room for anyone else. We obsess on the superficial, and yet bemoan a lack of a relationship with real substance. We want to find someone who loves us, but can't get off the Fabulous Train to NeverNeverLand long enough to care about and love someone at least half as much as ourselves. Ironic, isn't it? I think finding the boyfriend within is a good idea on some levels, but Mr. Gooch is by no means the ideal guide for this journey. Maybe "Exorcising the Inner Narcissist" or "Vanquishing the Inner Diva" might be more appropriate titles for future exploration, since dealing with these aspects of ourselves would most likely prove to be a more substantial source of love, happiness, and respect.
Rating:
Summary: A Great GAY Self-Awareness reading!
Review: I was intrigued by this book; at first I read a couple pages then put it down. Something about the book stuck in my mind and I returned 2 days later to purchase it. I was surprised that Brad writes of finding self-esteem and self-love so late in life (at 45 years old); however, better late than never. He reviews his dysfunctional thinking and lifestyle; then gives the reader a detailed story of how he discovered his dysfunctionalism and strived for a happy life filled with self-love, respect, and happiness. I was not impressed with the fact that he took so long to find inner happiness - AND this fact alone almost made me throw the book away; I mean, if he lived the dysfunctional life he describes in the book, why would I want to read his material. HOWEVER, I was very IMPRESSED with his 16 exercises, which alone are worth reading the book. I found these exercises lead the reader to "focus" on his "life and priorities". I am currently doing the first exercise (I read the entire book first) and it is very self-revealing. I would strongly suggest that Brad Gooch please listen to "In the Meantime" by Iyanla Vanzant" - this will help him along his road to happiness, love, and self-respect. Thanks Brad for a Gay Version of self-help. I could definitely relate to SOME of the things he wrote about, especially about the chaos with a messy house. Ciao!
Rating: 
Summary: It's about time somebody wrote a book like this
Review: I've read it through once, and am in the thick of the Awareness Exercises. Some of them are fun, some are daunting, but they're very useful in getting you to look at yourself (inside and out!) I was a bit nervous going on my first date with my Inner Boyfriend, but that's to be expected, and I'm looking forward to the second (oh, and a date with a real live flesh and blood guy slipped up on me in the process - funny how that works.) I've made sure the Pink Pyramid (local Gay bookstore) has copies in stock, and I've recommended it to a friend. (PS to Brad Gooch: you wrote that Kim Novak played Judy/Melanie in "Vertigo". Actually she played Judi/Madeline. Melanie was Tippi Hedrin's character in "the Birds". I'll edit your next book for free if you go on a date with me!)
Rating: 
Summary: Eh
Review: Is very Deepak Chopra-esque. Almost feels like Mr. Gooch might be a closet schizo and this is his way of legitimizing a pathology....
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