The Memoirs of a Beautiful Boy

"...is that it gives you a funny story to tell later on." This book is long on charm and filled with fizzy delight. Leleux has a wicked gift for storytelling, and he turns his minor childhood tragedies into glorious comedic melodrama. His descriptions of his superb mother are laugh-out-loud funny, but the real heart of the story, for me, was his very kind and stabilizing relationship with his husband Michael. I want to read more from Leleux: his mordant humor, quick timing, and complete avoidance of cliche make his work incredibly enjoyable.

I've seen a number of reviews for Robert Leleux's The Memoirs of a Beautiful Boy which liken his style to that of David Sedaris and Augusten Burroughs. And I think this is an unfair comparison. Because, as much as I like them (and I do) Sedaris and Burroughs are not stylists in the way that Leleux is. And they're certainly not this funny! Their stories are similar in idea, yes, but writing style and tone are extremely different. Among his many strengths, and possibly the most outstanding, is Leleux's flair for vivid, lyrical, spot-on, description. "His Leonine hair and broad chest," Leleux says of his newly discovered boyfriend, "seemed oversized, on the verge of lunging out from his small body. Just when I began to suspect he'd been born to wander the moors, Michael smiled, and shook my hand, and showed his dimples, which both revealed his furry, giggling personality, and spoiled any resemblance he bore to Mr. Rochester." As a compliment to this heightened sensitivity to language, Leleux is uncommonly witty. And it is this wit which carries him through life's tragedies. Tragedies which, in his case, include odd combinations of silicon, horse maneur, crazy parents, homophobic teachers, and big, big Texas hair. More than his flair for description or uncommon wit, though, what really drew me into Leleux's story was his ability to laugh at himself and most importantly, his beautiful, forgiving heart. This is a beautiful story.

For those who believe the days of style, class, and wit are gone--boy are you in for a shocker! Robert Leleux, with the publication of The Memoirs of a Beautiful Boy, brilliantly reminds us of Noel Coward, Cole Porter, Truman Capote, Jessica Mitford and, yes, believe it or not, even the recently deceased (and fabulous Molly Ivins). His acerbic wit and flair for gallows humor enliven a painful story of adolescent discovery and, ultimately, of young-adult forgiveness. It was this aspect of the story which I found most fascinating. At the start of the book, after discovering the dear John letter his father left for he and his glamour-queen-Mama-Rose of a mother, Leleux, in spite of the abandonment, appears a less than sympathetic figure. However, by the end of the book, both Leleux and his mother (Jessica Wilson) manage to endear themselves to us by being, quite unabashedly, themselves. The two embrace their larger than life personalities and discover happiness, security and even husbands! For fans of Augusten Burroughs and David Sedaris, this over the top, Texas coming of age story is a must read! In fact, I highly recommend it to EVERYONE who likes to laugh. Bravo!

Leleux, Robert. "The Memoirs of a Beautiful Boy", St. Martin's, 2008. What a Wit! Amos Lassen If you have never heard of Robert Leleux, you will. His "The Memoirs of a Beautiful Boy" is an amazing book that will have you laughing and crying and he writes with wit and warmth that we do not often find, especially in a first book. This is a memoir which has lines that you will never forget. Robert comes of age under the guidance of a mother somewhat reminiscent of Auntie Mame but so much more. She was eccentric and flamboyant and she seemed to know everything. Robert and his mother lived well even though they had no money. When they were extremely low on cash, they left the white pillared ranch house on in-laws land and moved into a place more within their means (whatever their means were). As a teenager, Robert watched his mother make herself over in order to land a wealthy husband. She had plastic surgeries, all sorts of makeovers which were all calculated to help her find a wealthy mate. Mom succeeds but Robert's life is taking him in a different direction altogether. He ends up at a Houston theater company which is being run by a once Broadway actress who sees herself as doing something for the masses by providing live theater for them. During rehearsals for "West Side Story", Robert meets a choreographer named Michael, who became his life partner. Michael's family provided for Robert the only semblance of a normal home he ever had. There are not a whole lot of new topics here; most of what is in the book we have heard or read before but never with the wit and humor that is in this book. When Robert looks at those years which followed the break-up of his parent's marriage he does so with sublime flair and great humor. When his dad left, his mother decided that a rich replacement was indeed necessary. Both mother and son were able to find mates who could provide them each with the happiness they needed. Adolesence can be the most painful of times and when growing up gay is combined with that, it can make it that much more difficult. Leleux makes it a wonderful experience that will have you holding your sides. Leleux's flair for writing amazes and the way he paints his mother is something that will not be soon forgotten. This is a helluva book and Leleux has written not only a memoir but a hilarious look at a guy who survived a situation over which he had no control. He has found a place on my library shelf as well as one in my heart. He has taken a Texas childhood and written about it with heart as big, if not bigger, than the state he once called home.