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Sweet Tooth (2014)

by Tim Anderson(Favorite Author)

3.75 of 5 Votes: 3

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

Lake Union Publishing

review 1: My Amazon Vine review: I guess the humorous gay memoir is now it's own genre (not that there's anything wrong with that) and this one's twist is a good one. I am, fortunately, unfamiliar with the trials and tribulations of diabetes and Anderson's battle with the disease is one of the more horrifying things I've read in awhile. If he had chosen to write about it in an "oh poor me" fashion, no one would get through it, but his comedic spin on it, though it is a quite dry comedic spin, keeps the reader from fleeing the scene with their eyes and ears covered. The best surprise of this memoir is it's lack of narcissism. In my experience, many memoirs are clearly the author's ego needing to show how important they are, but I found Sweet Tooth quite humble - a coming of age story... more without the overtones of self-importance and a generous helping of "I know you identify with/remember this" subtext. It is also a very personal memoir - there aren't many people willing to be as open about their emotional and medical trials as Anderson seems to be. My only issue with content is that for a memoir of a young gay man in the 80s/90s there is very little mention of HIV/AIDS. I realize this is a focused memoir but I was a little surprised Anderson never mentions an encounter with anyone with the disease or having concerns about it.
review 2: And I can't start my review without sharing that first line, can I? To a boy whose ideal snack was Little Debbie Zebra Cakes, the existence of a disease like diabetes seemed like the dark work of a mean God. Tell me, doesn't that make you think- "I'm all in"? I don't know what I'm going to be reading, but I am all the way in, no questions asked. Because if it doesn't, I don't know if we can be friends. I just don't know how we'll overcome this. I am a huge David Sedaris fan and I'll tell you right now, I don't put this in the same category of Sedaris. Maybe some day, but not right now. I will say I did enjoy it. I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more if I was diabetic or a gay man, but overall, it wasn't bad. I will say though that all of the dialogue about masturbating as a young man and even some of his adult adventures have left me terrified to experience what will be my son's future teenage years. I have no idea if he'll be gay or not but I can tell you right now that if all boys do these kinds of things I am terrified and I don't want to know. I'm also going to maybe insist on him having his own Kleenex or something in his room just to prevent any weird embarrassing situations w here he's asking me for towels and Lysol. I just... I can't. Some of my favorite parts of the book is when he talks about living with diabetes and just how unjust that is for a kid and even as you grow into adulthood. Just... I can't even imagine not being able to eat all of the candy in the world. It's not right at all. And even though he goes through puberty and sexual urges as a young, gay man, I can tell you as a totally straight girl, I empathized and I could relate. I remember staring at boys on the bus and feeling funny and then terrified at the same time. I want to run as fast away from them while at the same time try my best to get them to do something. I had forgotten how incredibly awful and awkward that age was until I read this book. Then I started worrying about my daughter who isn't far off and DAMMIT, Tim Anderson. DAMMIT. The book is funny, it's slightly uncomfortable, it definitely eye opening, and it's something you should absolutely read while on the bus or something and try hard to not break out in tears laughing. Or groaning in sympathy because we have all been there. Good lord, haven't we all. less

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