"Look Away Silence" by Edward C. Patterson

This is a beautiful and funny yet heart wrenching story of Martin and Matt, two gay men in their early 20s facing AIDS.  Told in Martin's uniquely humorous voice, the reader follows their story of meeting and falling in love in New Jersey in the mid-1980s.  Matt is a transplant from Texas, a computer whiz mourning a dead lover who was beaten by homophobes.  Martin is a world weary local with a gorgeous singing voice who covers his quest for love with a snarky attitude.  Somehow they are perfect for each other; even Matt's family accepts Martin without question.  However, their happy life is shattered when Matt is diagnosed with full blown AIDS.

I really cannot describe what a good book this is.  The writing style and phrases were a bit different but really gave Martin's character depth and helped the reader better understand his motivations.  Additionally, the many and varied characters worked well to take the reader back to a time less than 30 years ago when gay men were dying in droves and no one in power was doing anything about it, especially the federal government. The scene that takes place at the first AIDS memorial quilt showing on the National Mall in 1987 was especially touching.  I found it apropos that I read this book while "The Normal Heart" debuted on HBO at the same time, because ACT UP is also mentioned in the story.  The author does a great job of describing the downward spiral the body goes through, and how tough it is for patients and caregivers to deal with.  I chuckled and cried for Matt and Martin and their friends and family. This is an unforgettable book - highly recommended.  286 pages (Kindle edition).