Metes and Bounds

by Jay Quinn

Book Overview

Fiction. Gay/Lesbian Studies. In this unusual coming-of-age novel, author Jay Quinn surveys the expanding emotional and sexual boundaries of Matt, and eighteen-year-old surfer in coastal North... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1560231858
• ISBN13: 9781560231851
• Release Date: October 2001
• Publisher: Southern Tier Editions
• Length: 200 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.4" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

The one I almost didn't read.

I have rarely been one to read books about subjects that don't outright interest me. I had heard this book had a lot to do with surfing, so being an inlander (mid-MO), I was neither familiar with or interested in surfing.But I read it anyway. I'm always willing to give things at least one try.What I found was a moving and remarkably honest story about a young gay man named Matt. What threw me for a loop was the abundant lack of clichés within the pages. Nothing was romanticized. People made real mistakes and had real successes.Halfway through, I had expected to give this book 4 stars because some of it feels redundant and some of the chronology is confusing. But I bumped it back up to 5 stars by the time I reached the last page. So much of what Mr. Quinn writes is beautiful and moving. It wasn't one of those tear-jerk novels, either (although it was in some places). Instead, it reached to places that no book I've ever read ever has. I felt what Matt felt and even what others felt.This book is beautiful, calming, and a wonderful read. I recommend it highly to anyone.

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS EVER WRITTEN!!

I loved this book. How I wished I could have experienced such support dealing with coming out. The parents in this book were wonderful. Tiger was the greatest. I normally hate cold water on the beach, but I enjoyed spending time surfing with these guys. This was an enjoyable read. The explicit sex was exciting and in very good taste. It was put where it belonged to further the story. BUY THIS BOOK!

Sweet, wise, gritty, sexy, and real

Matt, the narrator of this wonderful, heart wrenching book, is trying to find his way as a gay teenager in homophobic surroundings: his religious mother think's he's sinful; even his boyfriend, Chris, just thinks of him as his pretty boy. When Chris goes off to college, Matt, who cannot afford to do so, goes to live at the beach with Tiger (his 'black sheep' relative) and Mark, his lover. Tall, slender, and beautiful, Matt learns the surveying business (terms from which the book's title is derived) and how to surf, as he searches for sex and love. Mr. Quinn has a natural, easy ear for the soft southern dialect of North Carolina, and that of teenagers. His descriptions are cinematic, and there is much poetry, wisdom, and warmth tucked away in his magical, down-to-earth tale.Matt's surfing becomes a metaphor for his life: he takes of lot of hits in learning the ropes but, once he finds his balance, it is a real high. Still, he is reminded that he must respect its power to destroy as well. He maintains, despite some battering and life-induced skepticism, his innocent dream of security and warmth, aided by the watchful Tiger and Mark. The strength and power of their union is a beacon. A new family takes shape as Mark and Tiger take in two more 'strays' to care for. When Matt finds Jeep, he learns that love has the power to heal, not just hurt. And the reader is treated to some of the sexiest, and most tender, love making in literature. Metes and Bounds is ultimately about families. Not the kind church and state preach, but those formed by acts of love.

Awesome ride, Dude!

Jay Quinn's novel was superb, I could not put it down. Eventhough I have never surfed in my life, I feel that I can catch a "gnarly wave" now. This is a story about a young man named Matt who is adjusting to his life as a gay male. He is very fortunate because he is living with a role model - a "cousin" Tiger and his lover. Quinn uses the beach and surfing as a backdrop to the young man coming to grips with his homosexuality and who is learning to deal with his wants. Quinn does a masterful job in bringing Matt to places he doesn't want to be but must face in order to grow up and become a mature individual. There are plenty of anolgies and metaphors about life in this novel. Everyone who reads this will learn something. Bravo, Mr. Quinn - I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Joy of Coming Out.................................

There's a lot of coming-of-age stories being written today but many of them are not told in a very positive light. Most are told in a negative way with suffering, lost of friends & family, and rejection by peers. The young gay person finds himself usually moving to the big city, where he can find acceptance with other urban gay men. He no longer feels wanted in his small hometown. I was excited about Jay Quinn's debut novel because it tells the story of a young man, Matt, discovery he is gay and being accepted in an intelligent & positive way by the people who have always loved him before his coming out. More and more young people today are discovering their sexually at a younger age than ever before. It would be nice if all young people could be accepted like Matt is in this story.Matt, the story's narrator, is an 18 year old from a small town by the coast in North Carolina. He's just graduated from High School and is not too sure what he's going to make of his life yet. So he goes to live with his gay Uncle Tiger and his lover, Mark, a pilot, at their house by the shore. He plans to work for Uncle Tiger's surveying business for a year and earn some money for his college education. Mark's son, Shane, who is straight, also lives with them. Matt finds total acceptance in his new all male family. He learns how to surf & finds great pleasure in his new sport. He goes to his first gay bar and has his first sexual experiences. All of his sexual experiences are written in a beautiful, exciting, loving & intensely erotic way. If you're not from the South it may take a little while to get use to some of the Southern manners of speech. I believe this makes the story more authentic and totally realistic. It's great to read a book from a Southern gay perspective for a change. I think Jay Quinn with this debut novel, "Metes and Bounds" has proven himself to be one of the best new talented & engaging writers out there today. I certainly enjoyed his other two books, "The Mentor", a memoir and "Rebel Yell", a collection of stories by various Southern authors. I eagerly await his future endeavors. Make sure this book is on the top of your "To be Read list." A truly enjoyable read!