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Older Man Younger Man: A Love Story, Joseph Dispenza, 2011, ISBN 9781460956984 This is the true story of the evolution of a relationship between two men with a 30 year age difference between them. Joseph (the older of the two) joined a monastery right out of high school as a way to deal with his sexual confusion. It's the sort of place where, for the first year, silence is required. When he left the monastery eight years later, he was no closer to any sort of answer. Later in life, Joseph meets Mike in a small town in Mexico. Mike is a massage therapist whose dream is to become a naturopathic doctor, and Joseph is immediately smitten. To his joy, Joseph finds out later that day that Mike is also gay. Joseph has written several books on spiritual matters, so they decide to join forces and start an organization intended to help people through various life transitions. They eventually set up shop in a small town in Mexico. Most relationships have their petty quarrels and misunderstandings, but the only bad parts of this relationship seem to be health related. Mike is subject to epileptic seizures, which he controls with medication. Later in the relationship, Joseph experiences pain during his much too frequent urination. Several prescriptions have little, or no, effect. When it turns out to be more than just a urinary tract infection, Joseph, or anyone in their 60s, can't help but think "Is this the beginning of the end? Will you be forced into the role of caregiver as I start to physically fall apart?" The death of Joseph's only brother, back home in Ohio, helps send him into a fit of depression. Mike notices Joseph's withdrawing, or hiding, from him, and loudly expresses his frustration. When reading about an intimate, caring relationship between two people of very different ages, "Ew" is a normal response. In this particular case, don't be concerned. The sex is very minimal, and this is a well-written story of two people seemingly made for each other. Besides, isn't a strong and loving bond between two people the ultimate goal of any relationship? If it happens between two people at different stages in life, what's the big deal? This one is really worth reading. Paul Lappen is a freelance book reviewer whose blog, Dead Trees Review, emphasizes small press and self-published books.
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