I was trying to figure out why I liked this book so much because subject matter and other things were so bourgeois and a little pretentious - poets and professional type people drinking wine, listening to Jazz, going to therapy, driving semi yuppie cars, reading classics and watching foreign flicks. Despite all of that, it occurred to me, on my third or fourth reading of the first story, "I live in Yonville," that Giardina transcends. Without committing the sin of profundity, he reaches so deep (especially the first story, which, in my opinion, outshines the run of the mill contemp. lit. found in magazines and journals today and even the stories in this collection). He's got IT, as a writer. Reading Gardina is like getting high. He santifies those precious things we merely feel, on that touch and go level, though, we know it to be worth so much more.

There are at most a handful of male writers whose honest portrayals of male psyches ring true, and Giardina is certainly one of them. What's special about these stories is that men reveal their lives with women and children as the measure of themselves. And though the stories revolve around one theme, the voices vary; there is a scarily ruthless loser; a couple of men looking back on adolescence; but best, men talking themselves toward deeper commitment. If I didn't have a wonderful husband, I'd be jealous of this writer's wife!

The Country of Marriage was great. It had a good beginning middle and end

...i have to admit that i was somewhat frustrated with the book's ending. From the very beginning i was expecting Giardina to take Luca's frustrations to a higher level instead of just conveniently blaming all his sexual confusion on his parents. I thought it was really wishful thinking on Giardina's part to have written an ending so perfect and convenient with the two children being punched out to complete the 'awww...' factor. It was such a let down, contradicting the book's earlier, realistic portrayal of human emotions and life in general - The restraining of ones thoughts, the desire to fit in , the inability to address our fears and that nothing turns out the way we want it to. Nevertheless, I was glued to every page, especially the childhood years and i really took a liking to Lou and Bob's relationship. i thought it was really sweet. Anyway, as much as the ending may have been disappointing, I would definitely recommend the book.

The issues of sexual identity are paramount in this quiet, subtle and gorgeously written novel from the master storyteller Anthony Giardina. Class and intimacy, along with the confusion of sexual identity, also wreak frightening confusion in the life of an Italian-American boy growing up in 1960s Massachusetts. 11-year-old Luca Carcera finds his life upended by a series of baffling changes, and the use of the introspective first person narrative is ideal for highlighting his frustration at these changes.

Adult, mature and VERY thought provoking, I was totally entranced by this great novel. Giardina shows fine attention to subtle character development, and can keep the story moving at a very brisk pace. Setting the novel in the early 60's was interesting, where I'm sure the issues of gay family relationships were handled very differently than today.

On finishing this book, I immediately found and read copies of his two earlier novels. We should consider this a testament to this fine writer.

I could write a review about how good I think this book is and how glad I am that somebody finally wrote on this subject, but I will just say that when it seems everyone is black and white minded, after reading this novel, I'm happy to see that not everyone is.

Thank you, Anthony Giardina, for being alive and writing this.

-Thomas Nordlum iftherebethorns@hotmail.com