The Clouds Still Hang: The Complete Trilogy by Patrick C. Notchtree is more of a biographical memoir with names changed, but the story is the same. Simon Scott grows up knowing he is different, maybe a little slow. His first friend is an older neighbor boy, Daniel. Daniel becomes a first for many of experiences in Simon's life. You feel as you grew up with Simon throughout his schooling, jobs, marriage, illnesses, and life in general. I finished amazed at how much drama one person can live through. I enjoyed the way the author tells his story, but everything seemed to center around his sexuality. ( )

British author Patrick C Notchtree has published four books to date – HUNTING HARRY, A LITTLE BOOK OF ISLAM, APOSTROPHE CATASTROPHE, and this biographical memoir – THE CLOUDS STILL HANG. In addition to his books, he has published blogs and links of his poetry, his experience with macular degeneration, capital punishment, UK politics, and more. On his website he sensitively offers, ‘This is my memoir, the story of my own life told through my avatar, Simon. I can’t call it an autobiography as I’ve had to change many names, etc. so biographical memoir it is…I should warn that due to sexual (but not porn) and suicide content my book is recommended for those over 18 only…I suppose I knew from an early age I was gay but without defining it as such. It was highly illegal then [the second half of the 20th century], as well as being seen as socially unacceptable. Things have thankfully changed since then…’ The outline of the trilogy is shared there as ‘Three deep loves, rape, murder plot, abuse, crime and trial; one gay man’s true life story and journey to rise above the legacy of a traumatic childhood that almost destroyed him to emerge at last self forgiving and true to himself.’

This book – THE CLOUDS STILL HANG Trilogy – is perhaps one of the most sensitive and eloquent explorations of the sexual preference conflict as told from the 1940s to the present in literature. Though there are many ‘coming out’ stories available, Patrick’s sensitive survey of all of the emotions that conflict encounters is far more complete. The trilogy opens in 1949, titled ‘First memory’ of the Book of Daniel – ‘Simon felt increasing panic well up in him. He knew that he was not going to make it in time. He ran up the stairs, nearly tripping over a loose stair rod that was failing to keep the worn, rough, re stair carpet in place. The bathroom door was closed, and Simon reached up for the handle struggling to turn it. Perhaps it was the way his small body had to stretch up, but he knew he had lost. As he stood in the bathroom, his body could contain its load no longer and he felt the wet warmth as it slithered out of his little shorts and down the back of his left thigh on to the linoleum floor. Mummy appeared, and calmly set to clearing up the mess…she looked at her son, as ever worried about him. Since his very difficult birth which had nearly killed her, he had been a cause for concern, born blue, his slow development leading to him being labeled in the terminology of the day as Mentally Disabled, a crippled spastic. But now he was walking and talking, even if he had not yet mastered bowel control.’

From that initial encounter at age three we are escorted through the lives of two boys who are friends, then lovers, their family lives, their mutual admiration and friendship and the word that they never dare to say. This book is not only an exploration of same sex ideation and love, but it also is a unique journey through history as the seventy years of the story surveys. Rich in drama, terror, longing, and overcoming, this book creates an indelible imprint on the mind – an eloquent insight into life as lived by a gay man. Very highly recommended. ( )