A House on the Ocean, a House on the Bay: A Memoir

Rating:
Summary: Picano's Finest Hour
Review: Although I have read most all of Felice Picano's books, I find myself returning to A HOUSE ON THE OCEAN, A HOUSE ON THE BAY most frequently - sometimes just for recalling his atmospheric descriptions of places with and without people, sometimes just to re-visit Fire Island - a place I've never been but that has become for me a solid symbol of East Coast escape. Picano's memoirs at times are overwhelming: how could one man have experienced life so richly and tranposed it to words for us, the voyeur readers? Perhaps the places and people he so succinctly describes are bathed in poetic license, but that only makes the moments in between interpersonal encounters pregnant pauses. Picano has managed to keep us entertained book after book and I eagerly await the release of ONYX.

Rating:
Summary: So far this volume remains my favorite
Review: Checking as to when the next novel by Felice Picano is due out, I realized that though I have read all his books I have never written about them in this forum. Strange, but understandable when I look back over all the experiences of reading his work. Picano writes in the manner of long nighttime walks with a close friend: he shares quips and bedazzling escapades and memories of lost friends like few others. His stories are at once funny, tender, bitchy (in a way that few can imitate), and just plain good stories. In A HOUSE ON THE OCEAN, A HOUSE ON THE BAY he seems to have paused in the midst of memories very special to him...or at least his characters are so acutely drawn that they seem like pages from a diary. If you've ever wondered what Fire Island was like at its peak, here it is. Wonderful tales populated by people you'd like to know....or at least have observed! Felice Picano keeps treating us to fine writing and I eagerly await ONYX!

Rating:
Summary: So far this volume remains my favorite
Review: Checking as to when the next novel by Felice Picano is due out, I realized that though I have read all his books I have never written about them in this forum. Strange, but understandable when I look back over all the experiences of reading his work. Picano writes in the manner of long nighttime walks with a close friend: he shares quips and bedazzling escapades and memories of lost friends like few others. His stories are at once funny, tender, bitchy (in a way that few can imitate), and just plain good stories. In A HOUSE ON THE OCEAN, A HOUSE ON THE BAY he seems to have paused in the midst of memories very special to him...or at least his characters are so acutely drawn that they seem like pages from a diary. If you've ever wondered what Fire Island was like at its peak, here it is. Wonderful tales populated by people you'd like to know....or at least have observed! Felice Picano keeps treating us to fine writing and I eagerly await ONYX!

Rating:
Summary: Oh my, this is my favorite book of all time
Review: I am Felice Picano, or certainly am living his life. Well, sort of. When I read straight through this book--a library copy, I am going to buy it now--I said to myself and to my friends that I loved the book so much because of how much I see of him in me, including that he was also born on February 22nd, that we are both gay, and that I am struggling, as he was, to write. If any book can give me inspiration to live my dream, it is "A House on the Ocean, A House on the Bay." Bravo to Picano for writing a book that was written for me.

Rating:
Summary: Oh my, this is my favorite book of all time
Review: I am Felice Picano, or certainly am living his life. Well, sort of. When I read straight through this book--a library copy, I am going to buy it now--I said to myself and to my friends that I loved the book so much because of how much I see of him in me, including that he was also born on February 22nd, that we are both gay, and that I am struggling, as he was, to write. If any book can give me inspiration to live my dream, it is "A House on the Ocean, A House on the Bay." Bravo to Picano for writing a book that was written for me.