HONESTLY BEN Openly Straight, Book 2

Dan Bittner’s narration develops the unique personality of 17-year-old Ben, a secondary character in Konigsberg’s earlier book OPENLY STRAIGHT. At the end of that story, Ben has pushed away Rafe, his best friend with whom he had a brief lover relationship. In this follow-up, Bittner quickly reveals Ben’s intelligence and introspection. His delivery continually contrasts Ben’s sensitivity with the insensitivity of others—his gruff and domineering father, his macho baseball teammates, and his elite classmates at the boarding school to which he’s earned a scholarship. In a complex portrait, Bittner captures Ben’s confused central conflict—is he gay, or straight, or is he only “gay-for-Rafe”? Keeping the plot engaging, Bittner highlights Ben’s search for his identity. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2017]