Full Frontal: To Make a Long Story Short

Baker's stories span the lifetime of Tim Halladay, from his coming-of-age to the relationships formed and dissolved as he matures. Collectively, the narrative follows Tim, a prideful and sexually active gay man, for decades: through his boyhood in the mid-1950s in New England through the mid-1970s and beyond. Tim's boyhood is spent as a caddie at a country club with his best friend Jimmy, palling around with friend Bobby, then pursuing an interest in dance and theater, and enlisting in the army. More raucous adventures throughout the 1970s in New York City solidify his intentions to find men not just for sexual pleasure but also for a more romantic connection. The book concludes with a short story set at a Gay Pride parade in 2014, as Tim befriends a young man, much like a former version of himself, struggling with issues of identity and self-worth. Early in the book, Tim ponders: "What was wrong with two friends having feelings?" This sentiment resonates throughout Baker's stories, and both gay and straight readers will relate to Tim's plight to find himself and someone to truly love. The fact that Tim never feels his desires and urges are anything but natural is the true beating heart of this patchwork that is poignant, tactfully sensual, and much too short. Readers will be left wanting more of Tim Halladay and his lifelong search for love.