Two Boys Kissing

“The first sentence of the truth is always the hardest. Each of us had a first sentence, and most of us found the strength to say it out loud to someone who deserved to hear it. What we hoped, and what we found, was that the second sentence of the truth is always easier than the first, and the third sentence is even easier than that. Suddenly you are speaking the truth in paragraphs, in pages. The fear, the nervousness, is still there, but it is joined by a new confidence. All along, you've used the first sentence as a lock. But now you find that it's the key.”Every now and then I read a book that I just know will stick with me forever. When I find one of these special books, I want every person I know – and even ones I don't – to read it. That was definitely the case with Two Boys Kissing. This book was truly something special and I can't recommend it highly enough.“If you let the world in, you open yourself up to the world. Even if the world doesn't know that you're there.”I read the audiobook version, which I was pleasantly surprised to find was narrated by the author himself. The book itself was powerful, but having the author read his own words made it that much more so. There's something about listening to an author reading their own words and realizing how much of themselves they put into the characters and the story, that made this one even more powerful and special then it would have been with a different narrator. You could hear his passion for the story in each word he spoke. And those words? They were beautiful and honest. The only drawback of reading this one in audiobook format is that there's no way to highlight the beautiful passages... and there were a lot of them. Had I read this in eBook format, I'd have highlighted half the book. I had to go seek out quotes on Goodreads.“...he hopes that maybe it'll make people a little less scared of two boys kissing than they were before, and a little more welcoming to the idea that all people are, in fact, born equal, no matter who they kiss or screw, no matter what dreams they have or love they give.”Two Boys Kissing is inspired by a true story. Many of them, actually. While it's true the book mostly centers around Harry and Craig's endeavor to break the Guinness World Record for the longest kiss, there are several other characters whose stories are every bit as important to this book. Harry and Craig's bold gesture has a huge impact on these other characters who are attempting to navigate tricky situations on their own.“Love is so painful, how could you ever wish it on anybody? And love is so essential, how could you ever stand in its way?”This book was gorgeous and thought-provoking. I know it will stick with me for a very, very long time. It moved me to tears, made me appreciate the struggle of my gay friends, and most of all, made me realize that while progress has undeniably been made, there's still so much more left to achieve. I've recently read that some parents are petitioning schools to remove this book from their libraries. Now, I'm not going to get on my soapbox on this, but all I can say is that I hope that while the parents aren't open-minded enough to give this book a shot, that the school officials will take a few hours and read this beautiful, powerful book and realize taking it out of libraries would do more harm than good, by far.“You can give words, but you can't take them. And when words are given, that is when they are shared. We remember what that was like. Words so real they were almost tangible. There are conversations you remember, for certain. But more than that, there is the sensation of conversation. You will remember that, even when the precise words begin to blur.”I wasn't sure how the Greek Chorus of gay men would work in this book. It took a little bit of time for me to fully embrace it, but it wasn't long before it became one of my favorite things about this book. Their voices were so honest and it was incredibly moving listening to their thoughts on the events taking place in current day, as compared to their struggles. I got entirely wrapped up in each individual character's story, though I don't think any moved me more than Cooper's. His voice – and the rest of the voices – were so authentic and believable. I've listened to friends talk about some of the same struggles and I think that's what made this book so personal to me."We know that some of you are still scared. We know that some of you are still silent. Just because it's better now doesn't mean that it's always good.”There's not one thing I would change about this book, except to maybe make it longer. The world needs more books like this, more writers like David Levithan. This was an emotional and hopeful read. We've come a long way, but there's still so much further to come.“We do not start as dust. We do not end as dust. We make more than dust. That's all we ask of you. Make more than dust.”

David Levithan, you have slayed me once again. Every Day, and, of course, Will Grayson, Will Grayson, which you co-wrote with John Green, have taken their place among my favorite books of all time. And while I didn't think it could be possible, I loved Two Boys Kissing more than those. Seriously.Seventeen-year-old former boyfriends Harry and Craig are planning to set a new Guinness World Record for continuous kissing. To do so, they'll need to kiss continuously for over 32 hours. This will take physical strength, yes, but also significant emotional fortitude and support from many, many people, since the sight of two boys kissing at all--let alone publicly for 32+ hours--will be difficult if not downright unacceptable for some.While Harry and Craig undertake their record-setting quest, navigate their true feelings for one another, and deal with the myriad number of issues that will arise during this period, two other young couples are dealing with their own issues. Peter and Neil, who have been together for over a year, are struggling with trying to determine what their expectations of each other and their future should be, while Avery and Ryan, who just met, are struggling with issues of gender identity and all of the nerves of a blossoming relationship. Meanwhile, Tariq, a friend of Craig and Harry's, is trying to overcome his fears after being beaten up by a group of thugs, and Cooper is dealing with the aftermath of his parents' discovery of his homosexuality.All of these storylines may seem somewhat typical, but Levithan develops each with depth and empathy in a short number of pages. And what lifts this book up even further is that it is narrated by a nameless Greek chorus of men who died of AIDS. Part lamentation for what they lost, part reflection on the struggles each of the characters are going through, since they've seen it all, their words are so insightful, so moving, so dead-on in many, many ways, I literally found myself tearing up multiple times as I flew through the book."You must understand: We were like Cooper. Or at least had moments when we were like Cooper. Just as we had moments when we were like Neil, Peter, Harry, Craig, Tariq, Avery, Ryan. We had moments when we were like each of you. This is how we understand. We wore your flaws. We wore your fears. We made your mistakes."I read this entire book in one day, and I was moved and inspired beyond my expectations. Levithan made me laugh, think, and, as I mentioned earlier, cry with his words. I can't even begin to count the number of times he so perfectly captured many of the feelings I had as a teenager struggling with my sexuality, with self-esteem, with bullying, with wondering if my parents and family and friends would ever be able to accept me for who I was. And the book was pitch-perfect in its portrayal of the rush of emotions when you first meet someone you like and realize they feel the same way, the anxiety of wondering whether there will be a second date, the beauty of a first kiss.I've said before how much I marvel at the state of YA fiction today, especially LGBT-themed fiction. I wish that Two Boys Kissing had existed when I was a teenager, because it would have been a tremendous help and comfort to me. I wish there was some way this book could be required reading for those struggling with their sexuality and with self-acceptance, as I believe it really could make a difference. Levithan doesn't create an unrealistic world where there are no problems and no struggles, but he shows how wonderful life has the potential to be, even when you don't think it can.This is honestly one of the best books I've read in some time. Thank you, David Levithan, for this experience. I feel changed for the better.

Una buena novela para pasar el rato. Muy fácil de leer. Es una lectura buena para un adolescente. Te atrapa la historia.

Bellissimo libro. Temi della societa attuale trattati egregiamente con storie basate su realta probabili.

Yeah, I've only read two other books by him, but I loved those two other book as well. I'm considering that a good sign.Now, instead of doing the synopsis near the beginning like I usually do, it's going to be an ongoing thing. I'll start off by mentioning the narrative because it's a peculiar one.The novel is told from the perspective of AIDS victims of the late 1900s, before the disease had been identified and before there was research for medicine. I didn't initially connect the dots to the history of AIDS, but the narrative is kind of the collective voice of the initial victims, most of whom were homosexual men. AIDS was even called Gay-Related Immune Deficiency (GRID) for a brief period of time.The story is told in a way that seems as if those men are overlooking the lives of people living now, homosexual men especially, to see how they're doing. This method of storytelling may not be everyone's cup of tea but I liked it. It took a few chapters to get used to but it was an interesting, and good, choice.The book follows multiple characters. The novel's namesake are two boys, Harry and Craig, and they're kissing because they want to set the world record for the longest kiss (which is over 32 hours long, by the way). They used to be a couple but they're not anymore. Their story is them trying to navigate they relationship and, you know, the whole... kissing for 32 hours thing.Then we have Peter and Neil. They're a couple and have been for a year. Their parts show us what a normal relationship is like, on a regular basis. It's not something we get to see often in YA because the stories featured are of the how-they-got-together variety. And I gotta say, while it wasn't something exciting or dramatic, it was engaging. I loved seeing them together and reading what is possibly one of the most realistic representations of a romantic relationship.The third pair we have is Avery and Ryan. They've just met and this is the classic meet-cute. And it really is very cute. So we have three pairs in different stages of a relationship.Last, we have Cooper. He's on his own, he's lonely and he's depressed. He's trying to figure things out but he has no hope that he'll ever be okay. His family isn't the kind to be supportive of his sexuality, and that made Cooper's story difficult. His narrative (which David Levithan does a fantastic job with) is sad and he will totally make you cry.Overall, we have four stories that aren't really connected but still feel like they are thanks to the way the book is written. I found this novel to be beautiful and I highly recommend reading it.

I have read this book almost 8 times now since I bought it. An excellent story, the characters are well thought out. In the beginning I lost track of who I was following but after that it was very enjoyable. Books like these should be on every teens reading list.

Two Boys Kissing is an utterly unique novel, not only in its structure but in its innovative exploration of LGBTQI+ issues. The book is narrated from the perspective of a Greek Chorus of a generation of gay men who perished from AIDS, which increased the poignancy and the impact of the novel.This novel approaches the many issues facing LGBTQI+ individuals in such a raw and unabashed manner. Their problems are undoubtedly experienced by almost every member on the LGBTQI+ spectrum and there was something almost cathartic about reading it on the page, as if Levithan is exclaiming, You are not alone. That is why the inclusion of the Chorus of gay men was the only way a novel such as this could be narrated. I don’t believe the book would have had the same impact if set from the perspective of Craig, or Peter, or Cooper. This book is about the LGBTQI+ and wider community coming together and acknowledging those with differing genders, identities and sexual preferences, and helping them. Much like in the novel, as the generation of gay men that came before were looking over and wanting to protect the generation of gay men that came after.The narration by the Greek Chorus was a bold decision by Levithan, one that can either make or break the novel for you. I have read a few reviews in which people were exasperated by the Chorus, and, while it took a little while for me to wrap my head around the style of writing, by the conclusion of the novel, I found them an ingenious inclusion and a distinctive technique. The Chorus touched on the problems gay men faced in youth which provided a direct correlation to the issues the main characters were experiencing. The issues LGBTQI+ people face are, after all, timeless. I look forward to the day in which they are no longer.I was completely enthralled by Levithan’s characters and connected with each of them more than I thought I would have. I think my favourite character was Cooper as his story was so painful and unflinching.I adored Harry and Craig’s relationship: even though they were ex-boyfriends, their friendship prevailed so much so that they would do anything for each other. And they did – for 32 hours. There were a few indications that Harry and Craig might develop their friendship into something more after the marathon, and I like to think they would have.Avery was another favourite character of mine, and a wonderful representation of transgendered people in YA fiction. His revelation was heart-warming, as was Ryan’s reaction. Tariq’s character broke my heart in many ways, especially the description of his attack and subsequent confusion.That scene was touching and frightening all at once.There were many times I grew angry at the community in this novel. I was on the brink of tears for many of these scenes, even as their inclusion in the book was topically significant.Two Boys Kissing was an incredibly relevant and moving novel that sets about bringing people together and educating them on the issues LGBTQI+ people face every day. The hopeful tone of the novel encourages the idea that one day, preferably soon, a world will exist where people of all orientations, genders and identities, can live in peace without subjugation.