Forty Years in the Closet: A Memoir

Each essay in this collection is not a chapter. The patchwork construction of this book is not necessarily in order of theme or in order of time. It is a quilt; a faded tapestry; reminding you of times past; memories that run together, clouding the truth. Having worn edges and faded colored threads, they seem to disappear from the fabric of reality. The stories are all basically true, yet I will admit are prone at times to the whims of fiction and the fancies of exaggeration. They are told by Christopher Sergeant, about his family and his travails of "Forty Years in the Closet" trying to find the courage to accept his sexuality. As with the stories in the section titled, "Illness and Healing," they follow Chris tripping along the road, kicking and screaming learning the truth about himself. The narrative is often amusing, and yet poignant. It may be inspirational knowing he survives this trek. Amidst all the gory wit and sarcasm, he survives the Sixties and the Sergeant family saga.