I’ll read anything, just don’t ask me to talk about it. Often times when someone asks me if I like a book, they’ll get a one-word answer out of me like “OK” or “Blecch”. I don’t know what happened; back in high school I would read tomes and regurgitate my thoughts and opinions on the text like breathing. But now? Between my busy schedule of work and sleep, I hardly have time to purchase or read books for leisure.

That’s why author friends send me books. Yay!

As evinced by this post title, the name of the book is Funny. It’s a collection of thirty articles mostly about being Black and gay in America. Or at least in the universe of the author, where hyperextended interjections and superfluous exclamation marks run abound.

The book is separated into three “chapters” titled “Us”, “Them”, and “Me”. “Us” delves into the sensitive topics in today’s Black gay community; intra-racism, celibacy, sex vs. fucking, men on the “DL”. “Them” turns the finger around to homophobes and suspecting womenfolk who think their man might be gay. “Me” is all about the author and his life experiences. If you’re looking for Chicken Soup for the Soul, you won’t find it here. It’s more like Chicken Soup for the Bowl. Fullwood’s messages are ones that need to be said, but are buried under a mountain of personal anecdotes, ill-timed one-liners, and dicks.

Lots of dicks.

Dicks, dicks, dicks.

Funny is, however, a refreshing jab to other works of the genre, being inclusive and exclusive simultaneously. Some of the book’s standout essays include “The Dating Game”, “Revoked Membership”, “Why We Don’t Cry”, “The Low Down on the Down Low” and “I Hate God”. The standout piece “Livin’ The Single Life” should definitely be required reading for gay men young and old. For Fullwood, any subject is fair game for his brand of satire and sarcasm. However, a large number of Fullwood’s pieces in this book start off strong, asking us the questions we long to know the answers to; ironically, the answers come off less than what you expect, and all you can do is laugh.

Funny?

Perhaps.

Grade: B-

Funny can be ordered via Steven G. Fullwood’s website. [link]