The Guncle

 
　　派翠克曾是家喻戶曉，受到眾人喜歡的家庭喜劇好萊塢明星，但近幾年來卻沈浸在痛失愛侶的悲傷，以及對事業的自我懷疑中。儘管如此，他表面上依然是姪子葛蘭特和姪女梅西眼中最愛的GUP（Gay Uncle Patrick），他自己也非常享受在每次招待兩個孩子的假期中。當然，玩樂是一回事，如果談論到教養和照顧孩子方面上，那可就是另外一回事了。
 
　　然而意外總是會在人不預期時找上門來：梅西和葛蘭特的媽媽在一場意外中不幸喪生，弟弟人還在勒戒所中治療毒癮。因此派翠克突然意識到，兩個幼童第一監護者的重責大任，瞬間落到了自己身上。就算心中那些麻煩還未解除，眼下的生活方式，也不適合6歲和9歲的小孩，他還是必須要儘快制定出這個家中的「同志叔叔規則」。可愛的姪子姪女似乎瞬間不可愛了，親切的同志叔叔似乎也不那麼親切了。原來照顧孩子並不只是簡單地給糖吃、講笑話，派翠克才意識到何謂真正的「責任」，重新認識自己，解放真正的情緒，慢慢地與這世界達成和解。

(文／博客來編譯) 

Winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor
National Bestseller - Wall Street Journal Bestseller - USA Today Bestseller
An NPR Book of the Year
Finalist for the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards

From the bestselling author of Lily and the Octopus and The Editor comes a warm and deeply funny novel about a once-famous gay sitcom star whose unexpected family tragedy leaves him with his niece and nephew for the summer.

Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP, for short), has always loved his niece, Maisie, and nephew, Grant. That is, he loves spending time with them when they come out to Palm Springs for weeklong visits, or when he heads home to Connecticut for the holidays. So when tragedy strikes and Patrick finds himself suddenly taking on the role of primary guardian, he is, honestly, overwhelmed.

Patrick has no idea what to expect, having spent years barely holding on after the loss of his great love, a somewhat-stalled acting career, and a lifestyle not-so-suited to a six- and a nine-year-old. But when his waggish set of ＂Guncle Rules＂ no longer appease Maisie and Grant’s parental void, Patrick’s eyes are opened to a new sense of responsibility, and the realization that, sometimes, even being larger than life means you’re unfailingly human.

Steven Rowley is the author of The Editor and the national bestseller Lily and the Octopus, which has been translated into nineteen languages. He has worked as a freelance writer, newspaper columnist, and screenwriter. Originally from Portland, Maine, Rowley is a graduate of Emerson College. He lives in Palm Springs, CA.