The Gift - by Scott Terry (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A turbulent telling of one woman's immersion in her faith, and one man's journey to acceptance.

Seeking comfort in the isolation of the western landscape, young single mother Pansy Blackwell brings her son Butch to the Siskiyou Mountains. Fully engulfed in the Jehovah's Witnesses assurances for a soon-to-arrive end of the world, Pansy raises her son to conform to the constrictive requirements of their religion. But as Butch discovers the wonders of the world around him with an endlessly patient and kindhearted rancher, he embraces the cowboy culture and struggles to live as his authentic self.

In the late 20th Century, rural communities in America were often hostile to the rising-awareness of LGBT people, and Butch is soon cast aside by his church for homosexuality. In The Gift, Scott Terry crafts a memorable and historically-accurate tale of religious extremism and the struggle for acceptance, before the truth of those times are swept under the forgotten rug of history.

Review Quotes

"Masterful ... very highly recommended to book club discussion groups interested in LGBTQ+ lives, history, and conflicts with faith. Its captivating exploration of how a gay boy finds a path towards acceptance, family, and a form of faith that allows him freedom as he reconsiders the Witnesses and forms different relationships over the course of his life proves hard to put down." - Midwest Book Review

"A bold, uncompromising narrative recalling Dreiser and Zola and Gissing." - Vincent Virga, author of The Gaywyck Quartet and A Comfortable Corner

"[A story] of survival, self-discovery, and acceptance ... relevant today and an excellent choice for LGBTQ+ readers struggling to find their way and accept who they are." - Literary Titan Book Review