A Man and His Pride (Luke Rutledge, Michael Joseph)

In Luke Rutledge’s A Man and His Pride, 26-year-old Sean Preston navigates the realities of being in his 20s—work, relationships, sexuality, mental health—against the backdrop of Australia’s 2017 same-sex marriage plebiscite. He’s a gay man who mostly passes as straight, and certainly doesn’t think his sexuality is anything to be out and loud about. He goes to his monotonous job every day, he chats to his one sort-of friend, he puts off calling his mum, and he’s becoming comfortable in what he thinks is a new and promising relationship. That is, until he gets dumped and realises, actually, he’s been treading water for quite a while. As Sean deals with these unfamiliar and murky feelings, he meets William: an awkward and kind-hearted nurse who is very different from the other people in Sean’s life. The two become fast friends despite their differences and, in a somewhat cheesy but still heartfelt way, teach each other the true meaning of friendship. Rutledge’s debut novel is very sweet and very close to the experiences of many 20-somethings in 2017. He deals with sexuality and identity during an important time in Australian history, exploring values that millennials have come to be known for: taking mental health seriously, dealing with trauma, coming to terms with privilege, nurturing friendships. A Man and His Pride is good-time, easy reading; it’s for readers who want a queer story that promises a happy ending.

Danielle Bagnato is a book reviewer and marketing and communications professional. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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Category: Reviews