Looking for It by Michael Thomas Ford

Looking for It by Michael Thomas Ford
Stars: 4/5

Overall:
As we follow the stories of six men whose lives weave together in a small New York town, we are shown the good, the difficulties, and the heartbreak of relationships. We are given a gamut of men, with those who are looking for love, those who have given up hope of finding someone, those who are in denial about their sexuality, those in a committed relationship and those who have lost their partner and struggling to return to "the scene" as an old man.

The accounts are sometimes amusing, sometimes heart wrenching, and sometimes tender. As their tales unfold, the stories of these men is the story of us all--searching for love, struggling to deeply understand another person, and trying to find our own place, whether its in our own self-worth or how society views us.

The two stories that moved me the most was those of Stephen, who is single, mostly comfortable with his sexuality, but feels incapable of forming a relationship with another man; and Thomas and Mike, who form a bond that just warmed me. No matter the angle Ford took to view these men and their relationships, he did a thorough job of exploring the complex dynamics involved. They are all touching and delightful.

A word of warning, there is some violence (gay-bashing) described in some detail and through the perspective of the perpetrator. Also, if you are uncomfortable with the word "fag/faggot," be warned that it is used by this same man often.