These Things Happen

September 10, 2012
Wesley Bowman, the teen protagonist of this debut novel from the writer, producer, and director of such TV dramas as My So-Called Life and Thirtysomething, leads a privileged but fractured life in Manhattan. His parents have divorced, and Wesley’s recently moved in with his father—an influential gay rights activist—and his father’s partner, George, in order to “get to know each other as men, since the belief is I might soon become one.” While Wesley struggles to acclimate to his new digs, his best friend, Theo, wins the class presidency and announces he’s gay during his acceptance speech. His classmates are indifferent, but Theo, eager to acquire “edge,” hopes for a trial by fire for coming out. When the flames do crop up, they’re much hotter than Theo could’ve imagined, and they land him in the hospital. Despite a tendency to couch exposition in dialogue, Kramer succeeds in depicting an emotionally resonant and unexpected connection between Wesley and George. The humanity and love between two people thrown together by circumstance is Kramer’s triumph, and it nearly redeems the novel. Agent: Gail Hochman, Brandt & Hochman Literary.

November 1, 2012
In Kramer's warmhearted and appealing novel, we get to know Wesley through his own storytelling and via chapters told in the voices of the significant people in his life. Everyone knows Wesley and his best friend, Theo, are close. After Theo is elected class president in their socially liberal private school, he comes out during his acceptance speech. Controversy and violence follow, and Wesley comes to his friend's aid. Theo has questions he wants Wesley to ask his father, a gay activist lawyer, and his father's partner, an actor and chef. Wesley's mother and stepfather also weigh in. Questions lead to more questions and, ultimately, to examinations of the essentials of life and love. Wisdom and understanding are achieved, but not from the expected sources. Kramer catches the snap of adolescent speech and the concerned tones of the adults with skill. Choppy on the surface, the novel is calm and deep as a whole. Wesley is a remarkable and well-drawn character, as are the adults in his life. Kramer's tale of coming-of-age and coming out should have wide appeal.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)