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The Guncle

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The Guncle

By: Steven Rowley
Narrated by: Steven Rowley
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Summary

 Winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor
National Bestseller • Wall Street Journal Bestseller • USA Today Bestseller
An NPR Book of the Year
Finalist for the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards

From the bestselling author of Lily and the Octopus and The Editor comes a warm and deeply funny novel about a once-famous gay sitcom star whose unexpected family tragedy leaves him with his niece and nephew for the summer.

Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP, for short), has always loved his niece, Maisie, and nephew, Grant. That is, he loves spending time with them when they come out to Palm Springs for weeklong visits, or when he heads home to Connecticut for the holidays. But in terms of caretaking and relating to two children, no matter how adorable, Patrick is, honestly, overwhelmed.

So when tragedy strikes and Maisie and Grant lose their mother and Patrick's brother has a health crisis of his own, Patrick finds himself suddenly taking on the role of primary guardian. Despite having a set of "Guncle Rules" ready to go, Patrick has no idea what to expect, having spent years barely holding on after the loss of his great love, a somewhat-stalled acting career, and a lifestyle not-so-suited to a six- and a nine-year-old. Quickly realizing that parenting--even if temporary--isn't solved with treats and jokes, Patrick's eyes are opened to a new sense of responsibility, and the realization that, sometimes, even being larger than life means you're unfailingly human.

With the humor and heart we've come to expect from bestselling author Steven Rowley, The Guncle is a moving tribute to the power of love, patience, and family in even the most trying of times. Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Comedy Heartfelt Witty Funny Tear-jerking Feel-Good
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I particularly liked the contemporary references. On a more personal level, as an uncle of one whom I see only once every few years, there were things in this book for me to learn or pay more attention to.

Modern and relatable

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I loved this tale of modern family life. It was sad and funny, totally heartwarming and beautifully told. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to escape from the harsh world we are living in at the moment.

Funny, sad & heart warming, loved it.

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Where do I begin? What do I say about a book that is soooooo…. “feel good” that I just want to bask in the aftermath? I started listening to this book 4 days ago while I was on holiday and had limited listening time and it was torturous. This is a story about love, loss and grief with the most loveable characters and so much heart. I encourage anyone who has an open mind and heart to listen to this story. X

Far Out!

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Well I made it to the end. But the author and narrators accent was dreadful.

Mediocre

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I loved this book, it made me laugh and touched me. It dealt with lose and greive in a sensitive, heart felt and fun way. It gives an insight into being gay and the struggles that are faced. The way Patrick dealt with becoming the guardian of his young niece and nephew was so lovely, sometimes a little cookie, but always there was fun. Read this book it's worth it.

Fun, compassionate, sensitive story

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