Twice this year I have been stunned by the quality of local artists. The first time was back in April at the Seacoast YMCA Art Auction, where I snatched up a piece by Portsmouth artist Patricia Patrone. The second time was this month, when I read A Well-Ordered Life by Lawrence Kinsman, a professor at New Hampshire College. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Kinsman, at the Reading Group where this book was discussed. It was not surprising that the some of the stories were not completely fictional. It was surprising to find that he did his own editing and publishing.
Unlike other books read for these reviews, this was a collection of 4 novellas, each unfolding highly unique storylines, settings and themes. The collection as a whole gives a surprisingly fresh and non-neurotic glimpse at the many facets of gay life, also unlike many of the books read this year.
The first novella is the title work, “A Well-Ordered Life.” Aging but cantankerous Peter Hathaway is aware that his time is short and that he does not want to pass on without having shared his diary. The excerpts of the diary take the reader back to 1947’s Berlin, where the end of war hardly means the end of tension. Here, Kinsman establishes himself as a master of characterization, particularly through the eyes of the younger Hathaway. As the excerpt ends, and ultimately, the story, Kinsman also establishes himself as a master of plot twist, and that damnable feeling that the story isn’t quite finished yet. Twice more the reader faces this throughout the reading of this book.
Next begins a duo of “dark family secret” stories. “The Stepmother” portrays the meeting of a stepmother and stepson, who are thrust together in the transport of a car from Tuscon to Seattle. The two mains, Joyce and Matthew, are very richly developed as they get to know each other. Tantalizingly close to home is Joyce’s helpless lust towards her husband, even after he is revealed as a creep. As before, plot twists keep this story moving at a brisk pace, leaving the reader exasperated when the story line stops on a dime.
Darker still is “The Death of Christopher Moran”, the only story to include a lesbian as a main. The opening sections suggest that this will be a “whodunit” story, but it doesn’t play out that way. Instead, the detective angle provides an efficient means of digging deep into the tragic Moran family. This is neatly accomplished through the recollections of the people who knew the victim. These stories provide insights at random points along the timeline, somewhat like a jigsaw puzzle that slowly comes together. Along the way, the impact the murder investigation has on the mains provides depth into their character as well.
The book concludes with “Madame du Barry and the Boys”, a vivid coming of age story set in the 1970s, as retold by the unnamed narrator in 1997. Here we are treated to a series of the darker sides of humanity. The way chemistry can fade for no apparent reason and turn to revulsion. The way love, before “petty selfishness and bad habits erode the passion” becomes True Love. The way a man desires to invoke regret in another by being seen with a man who adores him. Unlike the other stories which precede this, this one ends with all the loose ends tied up. The final pages serve as an epilogue for the entire book, so it works here.
Rarely has so much of humanity, particularly gay humanity, been so well portrayed through such normal, likeable, characters. I liked this book so much that I’ve bought Kinsman’s other, Water From The Moon and Other Love Stories. For sure, A Well-Ordered Life is a must read for all.