Two Boys Kissing

“The first sentence of the truth is always the hardest. Each of us had a first sentence, and most of us found the strength to say it out loud to someone who deserved to hear it. What we hoped, and what we found, was that the second sentence of the truth is always easier than the first, and the third sentence is even easier than that. Suddenly you are speaking the truth in paragraphs, in pages. The fear, the nervousness, is still there, but it is joined by a new confidence. All along, you've used the first sentence as a lock. But now you find that it's the key.” Every now and then I read a book that I just know will stick with me forever. When I find one of these special books, I want every person I know – and even ones I don't – to read it. That was definitely the case with Two Boys Kissing. This book was truly something special and I can't recommend it highly enough. “If you let the world in, you open yourself up to the world. Even if the world doesn't know that you're there.” I read the audiobook version, which I was pleasantly surprised to find was narrated by the author himself. The book itself was powerful, but having the author read his own words made it that much more so. There's something about listening to an author reading their own words and realizing how much of themselves they put into the characters and the story, that made this one even more powerful and special then it would have been with a different narrator. You could hear his passion for the story in each word he spoke. And those words? They were beautiful and honest. The only drawback of reading this one in audiobook format is that there's no way to highlight the beautiful passages... and there were a lot of them. Had I read this in eBook format, I'd have highlighted half the book. I had to go seek out quotes on Goodreads. “...he hopes that maybe it'll make people a little less scared of two boys kissing than they were before, and a little more welcoming to the idea that all people are, in fact, born equal, no matter who they kiss or screw, no matter what dreams they have or love they give.” Two Boys Kissing is inspired by a true story. Many of them, actually. While it's true the book mostly centers around Harry and Craig's endeavor to break the Guinness World Record for the longest kiss, there are several other characters whose stories are every bit as important to this book. Harry and Craig's bold gesture has a huge impact on these other characters who are attempting to navigate tricky situations on their own. “Love is so painful, how could you ever wish it on anybody? And love is so essential, how could you ever stand in its way?” This book was gorgeous and thought-provoking. I know it will stick with me for a very, very long time. It moved me to tears, made me appreciate the struggle of my gay friends, and most of all, made me realize that while progress has undeniably been made, there's still so much more left to achieve. I've recently read that some parents are petitioning schools to remove this book from their libraries. Now, I'm not going to get on my soapbox on this, but all I can say is that I hope that while the parents aren't open-minded enough to give this book a shot, that the school officials will take a few hours and read this beautiful, powerful book and realize taking it out of libraries would do more harm than good, by far. “You can give words, but you can't take them. And when words are given, that is when they are shared. We remember what that was like. Words so real they were almost tangible. There are conversations you remember, for certain. But more than that, there is the sensation of conversation. You will remember that, even when the precise words begin to blur.” I wasn't sure how the Greek Chorus of gay men would work in this book. It took a little bit of time for me to fully embrace it, but it wasn't long before it became one of my favorite things about this book. Their voices were so honest and it was incredibly moving listening to their thoughts on the events taking place in current day, as compared to their struggles. I got entirely wrapped up in each individual character's story, though I don't think any moved me more than Cooper's. His voice – and the rest of the voices – were so authentic and believable. I've listened to friends talk about some of the same struggles and I think that's what made this book so personal to me. "We know that some of you are still scared. We know that some of you are still silent. Just because it's better now doesn't mean that it's always good.” There's not one thing I would change about this book, except to maybe make it longer. The world needs more books like this, more writers like David Levithan. This was an emotional and hopeful read. We've come a long way, but there's still so much further to come. “We do not start as dust. We do not end as dust. We make more than dust. That's all we ask of you. Make more than dust.”

Wow . . . this book. There are not enough words to describe how incredibly beautiful this book is. I do believe it is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. This book is about way more than two boys attempting to break a record for longest kiss. It is about coming to terms with who you are, it's about falling in love, it's about family and friendship and so much more. Yeah, I am going to be a sap over this book. I'm not even sorry. I loved every single character in this book. There were so many different types of relationships. There were Peter and Neil, who have been together for several months. They are in love and spend all of their time together. Neil's parents know he is gay, but never ever talk about it. The kiss between Harry and Craig forces that important conversation in a very touching scene. That was one of many scenes that brought tears to my eyes. Then there are Ryan and Avery, who meet at a gay prom. Avery is transgendered and struggles with when to tell Ryan and whether their relationship will continue once he does. Then there is Tariq, a gay black kid who gets beaten up because he is gay. It is that story that prompts Harry and Craig to do this. They don't know Tariq well until they learned of his assault. Then they realized how easily that could happen to any of them and they become closer. Harry and Craig do this test and stream it online, partly to show everyone that there is nothing wrong with two boys kissing. Finally, there is Cooper. Ahhh, Cooper . . . the most heartbreaking of them all. No one knows Cooper is gay, no one except the men he chats with online. He starts chats with older men in gay chat rooms, lying about his age and having very sexually explicit conversations. These men are the only ones he feels he can be honest with and he even lies to them. But then his father finds out about these chat conversations and I just got so angry and so sad. Cooper's father called him horrible names and even hit him. Then Connor runs away and becomes suicidal. I won't give away whether he actually commits suicide or not, but I will say that I think I cried more for his character than any of them. Now I have no idea how David Levithan was able to so beautifully describe Harry and Craig's kisses for pages and pages, but somehow he did. It wasn't just about the physical act of kissing though. There was so much communicated between these boys without ever saying a word. And can I just talk about the narration? You wouldn't think that narration by a group of men would be very good, but it just worked. Everything about this book just worked for me. The ending was just perfect. With everything that happened with all of the relationships, there needed to be a good conclusion and there was. The conclusion was so hopeful and had so much meaning. And now, if you'll excuse me, I think I need to go and devour everything David Levithan has ever written. Notable Quotes: "Love is so painful, how could you wish it on anybody? And love is so essential, how could you ever stand in its way?" "We wish we could show you the world as it sleeps. Then you'd never have any doubt about how similar, how trusting, how astounding and vulnerable we all are." "The first sentence of the truth is always the hardest. Each of us has a first sentence, and most of us found the strength to say it out loud to someone who deserved to hear it." "Some of our parents were always on our side. Some of our parents chose to banish us rather than see us for who we were. And some of our parents, when they found out we were sick, stopped being dragons and became dragonslayers instead." "The phrase rush to judgment is a silly one. When it comes to judgment, most of us don't have to rush. We don't even have to leave the couch. Our judgment is so easy to reach for." "There is the sudden. There is the eventual. And in between, there is the living. We do not start as dust. We do not end as dust. We make more than dust. That's all we ask of you. Make more than dust."

REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AT DEAR AUTHOR. I PURCHASED THE BOOK MYSELF. Dear David Levithan, In the author's note at the end of this novel you say the following: "On September 18, 2010, college students Matty Daley and Bobby Canciello kissed for thirty-two hours, thirty minutes, and forty-seven seconds (longer than the characters in this book) to break the Guinness World Record for longest continuous kiss. I am just one of many people who were inspired by what they did". The story was inspired by what they did." This was an unusual book. The narration in this book is by a chorus of gay men who died from AIDS watching the gay teenagers of today's generation. They worry about these kids, they reminisce about their own past and their best and worst moments, and they hope that these kids, these teens will pull through and have better lives. The main focus of this book is a record-breaking kiss that high school students Harry and Craig are planning which serves as a spotlight for several other couples; one is just starting a relationship and one may be on the verge of the possible break up. And there is also more somber storyline about a teenager who is on the verge of possible suicide This is definitely a book with a message, a very loud and very unapologetic message. One reviewer at Amazon basically called this book preachy, but added that because this is a message she supports, she did not care. I am pretty much in agreement with her, but at the same time I am not sure if the word "preachy" is the right one for me. It does have a message, a very simple, obvious one - that every gay kid, gay teen and gay man is deserving of love - and this is a message that I of course also support. But the book also tells a story, so I am conflicted about the word "preachy". It moralizes for sure, but in such beautiful and moving language that I really loved it. The story also made me choke up several times, but here reader reactions may differ. This is a book where I highly recommend getting a sample first. I am saying this as a reader who does not read many samples, but if the style does not work for you, you may have more of an issue more than with other plottier books. Here are some examples for you which in my opinions are very indicative of the tone in the book. "So many of us had to make our own families. So many of us had to pretend when we were home. So many of us had to leave. But every single of us wishes we hadn't have to. Every single one of us wishes our family had acted like our family, that even when we found a new family, we hadn't have to leave the other one behind. Every single one of us would have loved to be loved unconditionally by our parents. Don't make him leave you, we want to tell Mrs. Kim. He doesn't want to leave you" "Eventually Harry will leave Craig curled on the couch. He will tuck Graig in, then tiptoe back to his own room. They will be in a separate places, but they will have very similar dreams. We miss the sensation of being tucked in, just as we miss the sensation of being that hovering angel, pulling the blanket over his shoulders, wishing him a sweet night. Those are the beds we want to remember." There is really not much that happens, plotwise and most of the characters while sympathetic and likeable, are not very fleshed out. But I do not think this was the point of the book. Was the point to portray a connection between the generations , using both the similarities and differences and to issue a cry out that everybody deserves of love and that every boy or man deserves to live his life as he was destined to and not to feel such hopeless despair as to want to end his life? I cannot be sure, but as I said, while the message of this book was pretty obvious, it worked for me. I think if the author wanted to write the love story of any of the couples in this book in more details, I would buy that book in a heart-beat. I especially would have loved to see where the story of Ryan and Avery would take them. Avery was a transgender gay teen, and I appreciated the author including the transgender character in the book. He just seemed like a character with such an awesome potential and he had great chemistry with Ryan. That was another amazing thing about this book - all the couples showed great chemistry which I do not see that often in the many m/m romances I have read. I guess I also have to admit that I felt a little uncomfortable because even though the author insists in the note at the end that the characters are not similar to the boys who beat the kissing record in real life, he also talks about talking to one of the boys about what it was like during the time of their kiss and I started to wonder just how much fiction and reality was mixed up together in this one. Of course writers are always inspired by real life events and people, but I think to a certain degree this fictional book read like a non-fiction to me. Grade B. ~Sirius

David Levithan, you have slayed me once again. Every Day, and, of course, Will Grayson, Will Grayson, which you co-wrote with John Green, have taken their place among my favorite books of all time. And while I didn't think it could be possible, I loved Two Boys Kissing more than those. Seriously. Seventeen-year-old former boyfriends Harry and Craig are planning to set a new Guinness World Record for continuous kissing. To do so, they'll need to kiss continuously for over 32 hours. This will take physical strength, yes, but also significant emotional fortitude and support from many, many people, since the sight of two boys kissing at all--let alone publicly for 32+ hours--will be difficult if not downright unacceptable for some. While Harry and Craig undertake their record-setting quest, navigate their true feelings for one another, and deal with the myriad number of issues that will arise during this period, two other young couples are dealing with their own issues. Peter and Neil, who have been together for over a year, are struggling with trying to determine what their expectations of each other and their future should be, while Avery and Ryan, who just met, are struggling with issues of gender identity and all of the nerves of a blossoming relationship. Meanwhile, Tariq, a friend of Craig and Harry's, is trying to overcome his fears after being beaten up by a group of thugs, and Cooper is dealing with the aftermath of his parents' discovery of his homosexuality. All of these storylines may seem somewhat typical, but Levithan develops each with depth and empathy in a short number of pages. And what lifts this book up even further is that it is narrated by a nameless Greek chorus of men who died of AIDS. Part lamentation for what they lost, part reflection on the struggles each of the characters are going through, since they've seen it all, their words are so insightful, so moving, so dead-on in many, many ways, I literally found myself tearing up multiple times as I flew through the book. "You must understand: We were like Cooper. Or at least had moments when we were like Cooper. Just as we had moments when we were like Neil, Peter, Harry, Craig, Tariq, Avery, Ryan. We had moments when we were like each of you. This is how we understand. We wore your flaws. We wore your fears. We made your mistakes." I read this entire book in one day, and I was moved and inspired beyond my expectations. Levithan made me laugh, think, and, as I mentioned earlier, cry with his words. I can't even begin to count the number of times he so perfectly captured many of the feelings I had as a teenager struggling with my sexuality, with self-esteem, with bullying, with wondering if my parents and family and friends would ever be able to accept me for who I was. And the book was pitch-perfect in its portrayal of the rush of emotions when you first meet someone you like and realize they feel the same way, the anxiety of wondering whether there will be a second date, the beauty of a first kiss. I've said before how much I marvel at the state of YA fiction today, especially LGBT-themed fiction. I wish that Two Boys Kissing had existed when I was a teenager, because it would have been a tremendous help and comfort to me. I wish there was some way this book could be required reading for those struggling with their sexuality and with self-acceptance, as I believe it really could make a difference. Levithan doesn't create an unrealistic world where there are no problems and no struggles, but he shows how wonderful life has the potential to be, even when you don't think it can. This is honestly one of the best books I've read in some time. Thank you, David Levithan, for this experience. I feel changed for the better.

No doubt about it. David Levithan's new book, "Two Boys Kissing", is a revolutionary text that will be lauded as a milestone in young adult and gay literature for decades to come. That's a pretty hefty statement, yet its not hyperbole by any means. The book commends such praise for its beautiful originality, its poignancy, its realness and rawness. Meet Harry and Craig, two boys who decide to break the world kissing record. Meet Avery and Ryan, two small town teens who meet at an ersatz prom and discover much about each other. Meet Cooper, who's version and vision of gay life is warped by family and the internet. Meet Tariq, who's bashing inspires the kissing. Meet Neil and Peter, two boys navigating their love. And meet the chorus of gay men who died from the AIDS epidemic, who omnisciently narrate the lives of the characters throughout the story, and well as their own, through the ingenious use of "we". It's through the characters and this "gay Greek chorus" that Levithan manages to make his story compelling. As the men watch the kissing, and the lives of the other characters, they reflect on their own existence. Levithan honors both the reality of today's experience of being gay in our society as well as the lives of the men and women who came before us. This powerful dichotomy creates emotional, stunning moments in the novel that will cause you to reach for a Kleenex. Levithan also manages to obliterate stereotypes through the novel. The stereotype shattering aspect of two boys kissing would be enough, but Levithan expands that throughout his story. If you think you know how the characters in the book should act, be prepared to be pleasantly and wonderfully surprised. Levithan has painted with words a more complex picture of people's reactions to two boys kissing, a vision almost of how life can be, and for some of us, how life is. When asked about what this book is about, one could simply say two boys kissing, because that is the act that drives this story. But its more. Its so much more. In it, I see where I came from, where I am today, and where I will be in the future. This book is narrated with "we", but in reality, it's the story of us.

I purchased this book as part of a 30 Days of Pride Book Review project. The following is that review: Craig and Harry are planning a kiss. They’ve kissed before. They used to be boyfriends, before they’d agreed that it would be better if they were just friends. But this kiss was going to be different. Craig wanted to break the world record for longest kiss. He wanted to make a powerful and public statement and that meant standing with his lips touching Harry’s for at least 32 hours 12 minutes and 10 seconds, despite the fact that he may not be as over Harry as Harry is over him, and despite what anyone, including his parents (who don't even know he's gay), might think. But this book is about more than just two boys kissing. Peter and Neil are in a long term relationship; their kisses are different then the kisses Avery and Ryan, who just met, might get to have soon. Cooper is alone in his head and even the thought of kissing another boy doesn't make him feel less so. And all the boys who love other boys all around the world who may be kissing or dreaming about kissing right at this very moment...They are all right here too. This book packed a lot of stories into a small space. It takes a snapshot of the highs and lows of being young and gay, and then another, and another...until spread out before you is an entire disjointed album of these snapshots. We get a glimpse of the surface: gay bashed, unrequited love, parents who disown, hopelessness, parents who accept, moments of perfect connection with another boy, a community that comes together to celebrate, a moment of grace… but it's hard to get deeper than the surface in a snapshot. The narrator in this story is perhaps the most interesting thing about it, but if I'm being honest, it didn't really work for me and I found it a distraction. The narrator is a greek chorus of the previous generations of gay men who did not live long enough to be mentors to this next generation of boys, wiped out by the plague that came before, but watching over this next generation through the ether and sharing in their joys and pitfalls. The story then flows from scene to scene, inside various characters heads, and back into the hopes and dreams from the past, because the narrator exists outside of time and sees, feels, and knows, all these stories intimately. It is a daring and unusual storytelling choice, it creates these short fragmented pieces that weave into a greater tapestry, one that wants to encompass the whole of gay youth. It's ambitious….but, for me, it didn't feel totally successful. I just felt frustrated by the disjointed nature of the story, the bouncing around, the nattering on about what once was. I would have rather had a deeper understanding of one story than a surface only tapestry of many weaved together stories. Do I recommend it? It's perfectly pleasant and harmless. It's a really quick read. (I read the whole book in an after dinner bath.) And It's certainly innovative storytelling. But ultimately it wasn't really my cup of tea. I put it firmly in the okay category. It's a read if you’re bored type of novel. But it isn't one I would necessarily recommend if you are seeking that “unable-to-put-down” level of entertainment. It makes a decent showing on the project scales. By its snapshot nature, it is able to round up some fair points on my Queer Counterculture Visibility Scale. I use this scale to help me weigh how much a book shines a light of representation on some less visible members of the community. We have a trans guy looking for love with another boy. We have a boy who is black and gay and going quite a few miles out of the way to find a safe place to be himself. There are out and in boys. White, black, and Asian boys. Hopeful and hopeless boys. And as many men echoing these stories from the past. It isn't a deep look at anyone, and of course the focus here is gay and not really the rest of the acronym, but it rounds up some decent representation. I'm going to weigh it in at a: 4 out of 5 stars On my Genre Expectation Scale, I'm giving it a decent score as well. Despite the fact I found it personally unsuccessful, the narration choice sets this book apart from others in its genre and bucks genre expectations. So, here as well, I'm putting it at: 4 out of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book. A lot. Please forgive me if I start to get too excited during this review - but seriously, I haven't been this impressed with a novel in ages. It doesn't matter how old or how gay you are, you need to read this book. My experience with David Levithan is limited to reading Boy Meets Boy a while back. I thought it was a beautiful book and very advanced for its time. This book is 10000x better. Two Boys Kissing is written in a deliciously modern, unique way. Narrated/overseen by the collaborative voices of gay men who died from AIDS, we see the stories of various modern gay youths. We see them succeed, we see them fail, we watch their mistakes and we watch them atone. I know that sounds complicated, but it absolutely works. It's poetic and tear-jerking and makes you see the world in a completely different, enlightened way. Gay readers will adore this book because of its honest portrayal of the joys and struggles they experience every day, but I really hope teachers and parents and straight readers are picking up this book as well. I don't think anyone could present 30+ years of the American gay experience better than Levithan did. It's jaw-dropping in its mastery. You'll no doubt see this book categorized as a YA novel, and it is, but please don't be turned off by that if you're not the target age group. The stories speak to the old as much as to the young, maybe even more so. For those who were alive during the AIDS crisis (and let's not forget that it's far from over), you will find this book particularly touching. For the younger crowd, it's important not to forget how truly devastating those years were. It's important to remember how significant life is and how you should always cherish it. I could go on forever. I literally loved every single word of this book. I was hooked instantly. There was never a dull moment. It is gorgeous, entertaining, and a work of art. I highly recommend it.

If I'd had this book when I was an adolescent, I wouldn't have felt so alone. Other readers have gushed-deservedly-over everything David Levithan has done right in this book, from the use of the Greek chorus of gay men who died of AIDS to the nuanced depiction of homophobic violence. However, the character of Avery, a young transgender man (he was assigned female at birth and transitioned) and his romance with Ryan, who is a gay cisgender man, was the highlight of the book for me. Aside from Refuse, by Elliott Deline (also a great book), one would assume from reading fiction that every book about a trans man is: a. Written by a cis woman who knows nothing about trans men, and b. Every trans boy/man is an ex-lesbian who dates girls/women. I am so tired of this one dimensional portrayal of trans men as characters; as Morrissey would say, "it says nothing to me about my life". I have also grown weary with desperation, paging through hundreds of fictionalized accounts of gay adolescent boys, longing to find one character who was transgender like myself. My cisgender boyfriend was excited to show me this book, since it featured a character who was a trans guy. I was skeptical: "yeah, another 'trans parrotfish' or 'beautiful music for ugly children': 'aiden has known he was a man ever since he played house with freckled spitfire leesie mckee. But now that he's bought a suit and an ace bandage for binding, will be have the nerve to ask leesie to the riot grrrl show featuring his old girlfriend's band, yeast injection? Or will leesie's abusive ex-boyfriend win her back? Can aiden prove he's not just a flash-in-the-man?" "Two Boys Kissing" is a fantastic book. But gay trans boys/men will breathe the sigh of relief that indicates, finally, a respite from total invisibility. So other than this book being both tender, melancholy, and extremely well-written, it also made me feel visible for once.

David Levithan é um autor que lentamente anda tomando espaço nas minha prateleiras. Eu nunca ativamente vou atrás dos livros dele só que eu super deveria porque nenhum deles deixou a desejar. Principalmente Two Boys Kissing que no início me deixou decepcionada com o tamanho (muito fino para o preço que paguei) porém valeu cada centavo e ainda me deixou no lucro. A escrita desse livro é tão poética e profunda, principalmente porque o narrador é em segunda pessoa do plural: o conjunto de homens gays que morreram de AIDS durante o pico da doença (pesquise sobre The Aids Memorial Quilt se você quiser saber mais). Eles observam a vida de todos os meninos gays e nesse livro contam a história sobre Ryan e Avery, Harry e Craig, Tariq, Peter e Neil; e por último Cooper. No começo pode demorar um pouco para você se acostumar com a quantidade de personagens mas não demora muito, acredite em mim. E vale muito a pena. David Levithan não escreveu apenas um livro poético, ele mostra a realidade das situações, as duas faces: o lado bom, o amor, a descoberta de novos amores; e o lado ruim, o preconceito, o perigo da morte, o término de um relacionamento. Estamos apenas em maio mas eu já posso dizer que esse livro está pelo menos nos meus top 3 de 2016. Não hesite em lê-lo, basta apenas ver quantas tabs eu gastei marcando minhas passagens favoritas.

A beautiful book about many different people and their personal queer stories. At times the Levithan wrote from the perspective of the collective of people lost from the previous generation that died from AIDS. It was poetic and moving hearing from these by gone gays. Amazing book.

On ne s'attend jamais vraiment à lire un tel livre et se prendre une telle claque; mais lorsque dès la première page, la magie opère, on sait que lorsque la dernière viendra, on pleurera. Et "Two Boys Kissing" ne déçoit pas. Le livre n'a aucun défaut, aucun: la narration est intelligente, l'histoire est belle (et pourtant, si horriblement vraie et triste) et le message si noble; si j'avais mon mot à dire, on étudierait ce roman à l'école, au collège, au lycée et à l'université, et il deviendrait un best-seller chez les adultes. Il y a tellement de choses à en tirer, pour chaque tranche d'âge - tant de choses à comprendre et apprendre. Non, vraiment, ce livre est un chef d'oeuvre. Mais s'il fallait ne retenir qu'un seul élément, ce serait pour moi cette narration - dont je ne peux rien révéler - si singulière. On sent un certain recul tout en sachant pertinemment que ce recul n'est qu'illusion. Les narrateurs (oui, les! Non pas comme s'ils étaient plusieurs et distincts, mais comme une seule et même entité) sont si touchants, peut-être même plus que les personnages en eux-mêmes, que ce sont finalement eux qui nous assène chaque coup dans le ventre, qui font couler chaque larme et qui nous font craindre le pire pour notre monde. Parce que oui, "Two Boys Kissing" a beau être une histoire fictive, elle prend place dans un monde qui est le nôtre, sans aucun doute. Ce qui arrive dans cette histoire pourrait très bien se produire demain, et se produit même sûrement tous les jours déjà. Un coup de coeur. N'hésitez pas à l'acheter - vous ne serez pas déçu.

Bellissimo libro. Temi della societa attuale trattati egregiamente con storie basate su realta probabili.

It's a great title. A title that's happily out of the closet. If you, as a young adult, can carry this novel conspicuously around with you at school or on campus, you're out too, and proud of it. Two boys kissing is a political act, an in-your-face gesture to the bigots and homophobes, some of whom make their ugly appearance in this warm and lucid story. It's the kind of book you should be able to pass on to your parents, friends, relations, teachers even, and say READ IT: it appeals to all ages, not just to a YA readership. If the central event of the book - two boys kissing non-stop in public for thirty hours or so - hadn't been based on a real-life event, I'd not have believed it was possible, and I'm still wondering. It was a brilliant idea of the author to take that event and unfold his novel around it. Although the two boys, Craig and Harry - ex-boyfriends but still in love with each other - are the obvious heroes of the book, the novel is in fact an ensemble piece, in which a number of other young gay guys are followed during its thirty hour time frame. There's Peter and Neil, together for a year, comfortable with their relationship but perhaps sensing that it will never be entirely complete. There's Avery and Ryan, two guys who stand out from the crowd, and not just for the colour of their hair (pink and blue), meeting for the first time that night and knowing that each is THE ONE. There's Tariq, recovering from a homophobic assault, who films the kiss-in and makes sure it goes viral. And then there's Cooper, damaged by his homophobic parents, by pornography, by cruising, alone, unable to connect, who looks as if he's heading for disaster. We move from one to another like scenes in a film, the storylines separate but occasionally touching each other. As the countdown gets closer, the tension tightens; those two pairs of lips stick doggedly together, despite the pain and discomfort. The crowds, the social media reactions, the TV pictures, the radio waves, build - it becomes an international event. Another brilliant idea was to have the events narrated by a group of ghosts. They stand invisibly to one side, describing and commenting on what they see, rather like a Greek chorus. They are the ghosts of the AIDs generation, the guys from the '70s and '80 who did not survive the disease, who fought so hard for the freedoms the present generation take for granted. They bring pathos, the long view, the historical context; they advise and comment from a position of wisdom. What they see acting out over that thirty hours is their legacy. It's a bold device, and it works beautifully. This is not just a brilliant read, it's an important book, a real milestone in literature for gay people - and for everyone else who cheer or boo alongside them. Not to be missed.