Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Things I Never Told My Father: Growing Up Gay as a Preacher's Son is a work of non-fiction in the memoir, slice-of-life, and LGBTQ+ genres. It is best suited to the mature adult reading audience owing to references to sex and sensitive subject matter including a suicide attempt. Penned by author Jeffrey L. Carrier, this heartfelt memoir chronicles his journey of self-acceptance and coming to terms with his sexuality while growing up in the Bible Belt of East Tennessee. Despite his father being a preacher who views homosexuality as a sin, Carrier grapples with same-sex fantasies from early childhood. Through moments of pleasure and guilt, he navigates his sexuality, finding support from influential figures like his grandmothers, an open-minded aunt, and a nurturing professor's wife. The memoir culminates in his acceptance of his sexuality amidst the backdrop of the AIDS crisis, leading him from Tennessee to Manhattan and eventually to a life intertwined with old Hollywood glamour.
Author Jeffrey L. Carrier holds nothing back when crafting this deeply moving and insightful journey into the complexities of sexuality and self-acceptance. There's a candidness and heartfelt quality to the narrative flow of this immersive memoir that offers readers a poignant portrayal of the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly in conservative religious environments. This message is more resonant now than ever in modern society. Carrier's raw narrative skillfully captures the conflicting emotions of pleasure and guilt, as well as the journey of coming to terms with one's identity despite the voices and influences of others who seek to shame or change people. His depiction of the people who supported him along the way was filled with brilliant characterization and tender exchanges, highlighting the importance of acceptance and love in navigating personal struggles. The memoir's exploration of love, loss, and resilience in the face of societal stigma and personal hardship was both touching and inspiring too. Overall, Things I Never Told My Father is a powerful memoir that I would certainly recommend to one and all.
Reviewed by Elijah Brent for Explore Authors Magazine
Best-selling author Sheila Murray Bethel once said, "One of the most courageous things you can do is identify yourself, know who you are, what you believe in, and where you want to go."
In Jeffrey L Carrier's Things I Never Told My Father: Growing Up Gay as a Preacher's Son, we are taken on the lifelong journey of a man finding that courage.
From the very beginning of this memoir I empathized with Jeffrey. I empathized not only with the losses he faced but also his confusion and grief as a young man who is alone, and going through life changes that someone close to him not only can't understand but actively called it a sin.
Jeffrey's writing is strong throughout the memoir, with several key moments drawing emotion. But it's not always emotional. He does a great job painting scenes that have warmth, as well as scenes of Jeffrey having fun, which can elicit a genuine feeling of relief of seeing someone, despite the winding road of self-discovery filled with terrifying confusion and uncertainty, still able to have levity while also oozing rawness and honesty that will leave you rooting for him as he begins to grow deeper into his identity.
What amazed me was the amount of growth that Jeffrey undergoes throughout the memoir in terms of the past trauma he endured at the hands of his stepmother and the grace he showed her near the end.
Things I Never Told My Father impresses and it gains an empathic recommendation from me. âââââ - Elijah B. (Explore Authors Magazine)
