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My Life as Adam

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Synopsis

My Life as Adam is a 121–page collection of 70 poems that struggle with the primary dueling forces of nature in the southern United States—family, sexuality, and religion. Among the poems included are "Introduction to Eve", "Flawed Families in Biblical Times", "The Book of David", "Eden in Hindsight", "On Discovering a Childhood Friend is Gay", and "In Defense of Existence".

My Life as Adam was designed by John Stahle and includes cover art by gay artist Seth Ruggles Hiler. It also features an introduction by Philip F. Clark. My Life as Adam is Bryan Borland's first full–length collection of poetry.

From the author's website
Reaction from a friend of the author:
"Love, love, LOVE your book. Read it in one sitting. Could put "your name here" and fill in my name in many spots… could have made your perspective mine and left in all the boys. It was a conversation over a glass of wine, a midnight pillow talk… Perfection is making something hard look easy. This was easy. To read it was to know you, but then, I know you. I say it was easy but I do not mean it was easy to read, but rather, it was an easy read. Some of it was hard to read—hard memories for me, hard things for you to share, things you share that I could still not share because I am chicken shit! Love it!"

Keywords

Book, Coming of Age, Family Life, Gay Male, Gay/Lesbian, Religion/Spirituality, Sexuality: Gay Male

Genres

Books, Poetry

Customer Reviews

Meeting Bryan Borland

Amos Lassen wrote on 05/24/2010:

Borland, Bryan. "My Life as Adam: Poems", Sibling Rivalry Press, 2010".

Meeting Bryan Borland

Amos Lassen

My head is spinning right now after having met Bryan and read his book of poems. Interestingly enough I had never heard of Bryan and we live in the same town, have several of the same friends and travel in similar if not the same circles. Bryan read one of my reviews and contacted me about his book of poetry and we met and had lunch together. This was yesterday and I had yet to read his work. Upon meeting him I was very impressed with his sincerity and his intelligence (and his appearance). I went back to my office and began to read and as I read I found myself swimming in a sea of emotion. Here is a memoir (a very early memoir) of Bryan's life (so far) and it is achingly beautiful. There are seventy poems that introduce us to the poet and all of his joys and sorrows. Bryan is a young man who writes with style and elegance, with sadness and with humor and his poems tend to remind us of what it was like growing up, coming out and becoming an adult and they are filled with the boyish charm of a young writer who, I feel, at least, is destined for a big, big future in literature. I found myself pulled into his life, laughing with him and yes, crying with him. He doesn't just invite you in, he pulls you in and it is difficult to move until you have tasted every morsel of what he has to say. It is absolutely wonderful to see the sophistication of one so young yet so intense.
This is obviously a very personal work that Bryan has chosen to share with us and we are very lucky for that. In talking with Bryan I learned that he had been present at the movie evening when I brought Ky Dicken's "Fish Out of Water" to Little Rock and he explained to me how that film changed his life. Right here in this book is the poem "Resurrection" that he wrote after that evening and I feel so flattered that something I did had such an impact on him. "Resurrection" is filled with sardonic wit yet it caused me to tear up because what it says is so unbelievably true. Also the poems that Borland wrote about his deceased brother are lyrically beautiful and one feels the love they shared and that Bryan's life has been totally altered by the death of someone he loved so much.
In a world where so many try to break into literary circles, we are all aware of how difficult it is to do so. Mark my words, Bryan Borland has taken the leap into the pool and comes up a winner who I am sure we will hear a great deal from. He manages to touch on so much--religion, sexuality, Southern life, self-acceptance and although Bryan is a gay poet he is so much more than that.
What astounded and awed me the most is the level of maturity seen in this young thirty something writer. His skill is amazing and his words ring true. You ask can I give any more praise? I probably can but I would rather that you pick up a copy and see for yourself.