Rating: 
Summary: More Than Family; Gay Men Finding Home
Review: In Where the Boys Are, William Mann has done a wonderful job of carefully capturing the drama, comedy and sometimes agonizing complexity of being a gay man in a contemporary America.Where the Boys Are is an extraordinarily well-written novel, which caught my attention right from the start and left me sorry to come to its final page. Told through the voices of three principal narrators who share a set of common experiences and relationships across a two-year period of time, Where the Boys Are, wonderfully and quite often comically, addresses some very tough issues. The reality of the best and the worst of twenty-first century gay culture are well examined through the course of the events of the novel. I applaud William Mann for not shying away from addressing the sometimes-schizophrenic aspects of contemporary gay culture. From the challenges of men attempting to find their one true soul mate; to the entertaining characters often found along the roads of human journey; to the craziness of the circuit party scene; to the sometimes reckless make-believe world that some gay men live in as they deny the continuing danger of AIDS as a result of some of the very promising medical progress that has been made in its regard; to the pervasiveness of drugs and alcohol in the lives of many gay gatherings; to the drama that human beings seem to create for themselves on a regular basis. William Mann, provides the reader with an appreciation of the simultaneous highs and lows of attempting to find oneself as a fully realized human being in a sometimes hostile, often chaotic and conflicted gay culture within an even more hostile larger predominantly heterosexual society. Ultimately, the story is one of a group of men growing into more depthful human beings by facing life's challenges, missteps and conflicts. It is most touching in its portrayal of the search for home in an often-hostile world. William Mann has created one of the finest post-millennial gay novels that I have read to date. He addresses complex issues with a good dose of comedy, fine introspection, honesty and most importantly, hope! Highly recommended! Daniel J. Maloney
Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
Rating:
Summary: This Really Hit Home
Review: It was if Mann had some sort of portal that peers into my life, my hopes and my wishes. Although the details may be different, we have all experienced what these characters have to some degree. It was reassuring to know that these feelings about gay life, relationships and friendships are not unique. What really made the book interesting was the fact that it was written in first person from the points of view of three characters: Jeff, Henry and Lloyd. It's obvious that these are much more than fictional characters, but characters based on people that the author has actually known. It's interesting how the three points of view fill in the missing gaps in each character's narrative, or give a different spins on a single event, much like the characters in a Maeve Binchy novel. With Where the Boys Are and its prequel, The Men from the Boys, our generation may have actually found its literary voice in William J. Mann.
Rating:
Summary: This Really Hit Home
Review: It was if Mann had some sort of portal that peers into my life, my hopes and my wishes. Although the details may be different, we have all experienced what these characters have to some degree. It was reassuring to know that these feelings about gay life, relationships and friendships are not unique. What really made the book interesting was the fact that it was written in first person from the points of view of three characters: Jeff, Henry and Lloyd. It's obvious that these are much more than fictional characters, but characters based on people that the author has actually known. It's interesting how the three points of view fill in the missing gaps in each character's narrative, or give a different spins on a single event, much like the characters in a Maeve Binchy novel. With Where the Boys Are and its prequel, The Men from the Boys, our generation may have actually found its literary voice in William J. Mann.
Rating:
Summary: A Treat from Start to Finish
Review: Jeff, Lloyd and Henry - the principal characters and narrative voices of this thoroughly engaging novel - are imperfect human beings. They reveal their fears, and they display their faults. Simultaneously, they speak to us of the struggle for self acceptance and the importance of connection, of community, of friendship within that struggle. Into the bargain, they speak with charm, candor, insight and wit. This book is a treat from start to finish. William J. Mann writes beautifully. He has clearly demonstrated his formidable skill in two previous novels (The Men from the Boys and The Biograph Girl) and in two nonfiction works (Wisecracker and Behind the Screen). If you've not read them, you have rich experiences awaiting you. Don't miss the pleasure of reading Where the Boys Are! I didn't merely like this book; I loved it!
Rating:
Summary: Joel from Mecca should visit Provincetown and relax
Review: Living in New England for 12 years and spending much time in P'Town and Boston, I could easily close my eyes and picture myself in every location that Mr. Mann described. Also, being a romantic at heart, his character developments were NOT predictable, and I was very eager to find out what would happen to the main characters in this second installment of the "Boys". I think that Joel from Mecca has some issues with Mr. Mann's continued success as one of our better contempary writers and should either reread 'Where the Boys Are' or spend a week or so in New England. Kudoes to Mr. Mann, and I can't wait for his next published work.
Rating:
Summary: Sweet and Real
Review: Mann has developed his voice and his writing style since "The Men from the Boys." Never afraid to try something new, "Where the Boys Are" is a continuation of the lives of Jeff and Lloyd, set a few years after Javitz's death. Jeff's new best friend, Henry, becomes the third narrator and a year in their life is told from all three viewpoints. Each man has his own distinct voice and through the entire book, I often forgot Mann was penning each section. Though gay characters can be labeled stereotypical, I believe each of us can see parts of ourselves in the main and supporting characters. Jeff, lost and alone (even though he's surrounded by others), makes me remember what it's like to feel lonely. Lloyd, embarking on a new adventure in P-town, reminds me of the joys and the rush experienced when starting something new. Henry, finally able to see himself in a better light, allows me to wonder if I could do the same. Though this book speaks to gay men, the issues transcend sexuality. With every high and low I felt more connected to Jeff: I learned lessons while he learned them, understood why he was being selfish when he was. No, the characters in this book are not perfect...but that's the point. This book is real life, put down on paper. Friends taking friends for granted, trying to learn how to sacrifice for others, mixing trust and boundary issues: these are things I see affecting us all. Mann's deep love of Provincetown is apparent though the setting does smoothly transition between P-town, circuit parties around the nation, and Boston. Forewarned, this is not a circuit party book. Instead Mann uses his settings as backgrounds, focusing on the events that occur at each, not the actual location. Characters relate to each setting differently and new facets of their personality are revealed as their own thoughts change. This just made me fall in love with them even easier. My highest praise for a book is whether or not I'll read it again...WTBA has already gone through its second showing this summer!
Rating: 
Summary: No fear and no apologies!
Review: Mann's love for his culture and his vigilance in preserving it's dignity made me love this book. Although not a masterpiece of literature, it is a clear proud voice in a sea of sad or self loathing gay literature. The relevance of this book will only increase as time goes by. William Man had created a time capsule. The circuit scene is the canvas this story is written on. It is shallow, riddled with drugs, muscle boys, excess, fear and longing. It is also full of possibility, joy, and a love. This book finally gives a voice to ALL of the circuit realities. The importance of friendship is delightfully and heartbreakingly explored with the characters of Henry and Jeff. The complexities of the romance between Jeff and Lloyd are frustrating only because they illustrate the complexities of what is really happening in many of gay men's lives today. If you've spent any time in the circuit scene you will recognize most of the characters immediately. If you haven't, then you just might not find them believable. I loved every word.
Rating:
Summary: Therapy and a Good Read
Review: Seems like many authors writing primarily for a specialized audience can rely upon that audience, and don't have to mind things like quality. That is hardly the case with William Mann and this book. Like its predecessor, Men from the Boys, this book is extremely well-written, with believable, human characters, with attributes and flaws. The book offers that rarest thing in modern novels -- something that both makes you think AND that you enjoy reading. Topics such as monogamy, forgiveness, hate crimes, and gay men-women relationships are addresses seriously, but without lecturing, politics, or stereotypes. Finally, one grows by reading these books -- it is an ally against much pain and depression and uncertainty. In short, it is a gift.
Rating:
Summary: You will fall in love with these "Boys"
Review: The characters and settings in this novel sprang to life for me. William Mann fleshes out his characters so well, they had lives before the book begins, and will continue to live on. I felt a sadness when I came to the end...it was like saying "goodby" to old friends. Reading this novel will immerse you into the lives of these men - fictional characters, who have genuine emotions, feelings, and situations that all of us gay men have experienced at one time or another over many years. You may cry during certain scenes, you will get angry at one or more of the characters, you will laugh...there is actually some comedy. Everything I hope for in a good read is in this novel. For those of you that don't know, this is a "follow up" novel to William Mann's previous "The Men From the Boys". I really recommend reading both books, and hope William Mann will follow up with another real soon. His writing is fluent and fresh. It had been a long time since I've read a book that I just couldn't put down. If you want to be entertained, turn off that TV/DVD/VCR and read both "The Men From the Boys" and "Where the Boys Are". You will fall in love with these Boys.
Rating: 
Summary: A cheap soap opera, yet somehow deeply moving
Review: The Men from the Boys is a poorly written book. Very little happens, there is an enormous amount of repetition, the characters' choices seem utterly implausible, and, overall, the characters seem grossly unselfaware. Besides that, the book is humorless, without any trace of irony. Still, I found myself crying every couple of pages. Even though the novel as a whole is weak, scene after scene is deeply affecting. That makes for a very provocative read.
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