The Guncle by Steven Rowley

The Guncle

Steven Rowley

Penguin Publishing Group · Paperback · April 5, 2022

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.

Buy on Amazon

We earn from qualifying purchases.

Who it’s for
Readers interested in contemporary family dynamics and LGBTQ+ themes
Themes
family, loss and grief, humor
Pacing
Mixed

About this book

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.

Continue reading

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. But in terms of caretaking and relating to two children, no matter how adorable, Patrick is, honestly, overwhelmed. So when tragedy strikes and Maisie and Grant lose their mother and Patrick's brother has a health crisis of his own, Patrick finds himself suddenly taking on the role of primary guardian. Despite having a set of "Guncle Rules" ready to go, 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. Quickly realizing that parenting--even if temporary--isn't solved with treats and jokes, 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. With the humor and heart we've come to expect from bestselling author Steven Rowley, The Guncle is a moving tribute to the power of love, patience, and family in even the most trying of times.

Who it’s for

  • Readers interested in contemporary family dynamics and LGBTQ+ themes
  • Fans of heartfelt humor and stories about unexpected guardianship

Where it sits

Funny Fiction90%
Family Life56%
Gay Fiction55%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Literary Fiction
  • Family Life
  • LGBTQ+ Fiction
Authors
Steven Rowley
Publisher
Penguin Publishing Group
Published
April 5, 2022
Format
Paperback
Theme
family · loss and grief · humor
Reading lane
Literary Fiction