John Weir (1) (1959–)

Eddie Socket, before his inevitable decline, is a hopeless romantic, relating everything that happens in his small world to some Golden-Age-of-Hollywood mold. He believes that one day, he will find a certain someone who fits into that ideal. When it finally does happen, he meets an older man named Merrit Mathers, though Merrit is the lover of Eddie's boss, Saul. They're affair is more like a one night stand, but that serves as enough for Eddie who falls head over heels; Merrit, on the other hand, loses interest in Eddie all too quickly.

That doesn't stop Eddie from trying everything he can to get Merrit to at least talk to him, and while waiting for that moment when he can discover what's going through Merrit's mind, Eddie commiserates with his roommate Polly Plug. Polly, though, has struggles of her own: trying to keep up with the rent while struggling as an actress. She also finds what she at first believes to be love. That romance soon turns cold, just like Eddie's.

During his struggle to find some common ground with Merrit, Eddie gets the news that he's has AIDS. He tries to tell those close to him -- his mother, Polly, even Merrit -- but winds up holding back, instead deciding a trip from New York to California to learn about his mother and his family. During the trip he meets Eulene, a drag queen from Staten Island, who helps him to realize that he can't run away from Merrit, from Polly, from his life and returns to New York.

Eddie's health quickly begins to decline, forcing Polly and Saul to re-examine their own lives and to finally take control.

For me, "The Irreversible Decline of Eddie Socket" offers a different take on someone with AIDS. Eddie doesn't seem to think of it as a death sentence; rather, for him it seems to be just one more obstacle to his potential (and self-delusional) happiness with Merrit. When his death happens (not a spoiler, judging by the book's title), it's almost poetic and reaching Eddie's romantic views of Hollywood. I actually cried while reading it, not because he passed, but because it was so well written and beautiful. His death becomes the spark to get Polly and Saul moving so it becomes almost a positive event.

It's a wonderful read, peopled with funny and very human characters. Take a chance like I did and read this great book.… (meer)

John Weir's book, What I Did Wrong, tells the story of a single day in the life of an unattached college professor. Although the professor is gay, he is obsessed with the straight male students who take his class in New York City's Bronx neighborhood. He remains close with his best friend from high school, also a straight man, who offered him some protection during his youth. The professor accompanies his friend to a local bar to meet his first online date. While the two prepare for the date, the professor has a series of flashbacks about another close friend who died several years earlier from AIDS.

Throughout the novel the narrator tends to drop brand names along with references to current or hip music and film. It is possible to become more universal by becoming more specific, but a novel that does this risks becoming dated. One of my favorite movies has a character refer to the day Echo and the Bunnymen broke up. I was probably one of the few people in the audience who understood the reference back in the 1980's. How many people would get it now?

The book's narrative structure is problematic. The story of the friends death from AIDS is compelling, and how it haunts the narrator for years is interesting. So tell that story. The plot line about the straight friend's first online date did not add much to the novel. I did care enough about the characters to finish the book, and there is probably a set of readers out there who will identify with them and love them. Unfortunatley, I'm not a part of that set.… (meer)

The Irreversible Decline of Eddie Socket a funny, heartwrenching, beautifully told story of a young gay man living in NYC during the 80s. John Weir's portrayal of Eddie and those around him is pitch-perfect. What sticks is Eddie's witty, conflicted mind and the heart (or lack of heart) in the people around him. The book's so good, it's hard to believe so many people haven't heard of it. Weir could have used some of my friends from when i was Eddie's age as his model and described them perfectly. Such pleasure to read something and think, 'oh yes, that's exactly right.'

It's one of my faves and i recommend it extremely highly.… (meer)