Vertical Intercourse

After a decade-long literary hiatus, the multitalented Reed (author of fiction, nonfiction and erotica) has produced this thoughtful, talky novel set in contemporary San Francisco. The unnamed narrator, an anxious, single, gay book editor, struggles with many life-altering issues, among them his impending 40th birthday, his rehab past and his nagging survivor's guilt, inspired by the loss of his ""third or fourth generation of friends"" to AIDS. Melancholy though his days may be, he dictates his ongoing activities with gossipy verve. Whimsical pals Charlton and Michael, budding new love Anson and roommates Kent and Scotty form an endearing circle of friends. When Michael's health begins to deteriorate, just as Scotty receives startling news from his doctor, everyone's allegiances are put to the test. With the aid of a peculiarly blas psychotherapist, the narrator tries to come to terms with his friends' illnesses (and his own HIV-positive status) while mourning the decline of the once vibrant gay scene. Reed's prose skillfully balances pathos and pleasure, and he should be praised for his empathetic exploration of what it means to be a gay man facing middle age, a delicate subject often skirted by more mainstream gay novelists. Rambling therapy sessions tend to impede narrative momentum, and the expensive trappings of upscale gay life are described in relentless detail, but the author's dead-on dialogue, social insight and romantically rendered Northern California backdrop preserve the book's edge. Essentially plotless, but heartfelt and intelligent, Reed's tale pays homage to the transformative powers of loss and revelation. In addition to its undoubted popularity in the San Francisco area, this affecting tale should hold strong appeal for the wider, particularly older, gay community. Author tour. (Oct.)