Swish

A hilarious and deeply moving account of one man's journey from stereotype to truth.

Joel Derfner is a knitter, an aerobics instructor, a cheerleader, a go-go dancer, and a musical theater composer, but when he realizes one day that he's a walking gay cliché he embarks on a quest for deeper meaning. A very, very funny quest for deeper meaning. And whether he's confronting the demons of his past at a GLBT summer camp, using the Internet to "meet" men--many, many men--or going undercover to a conference of ex-gays, he discovers that what he's looking for--and sometimes even finds, hidden underneath the surface of everyday life--is his own identity. In the tradition of David Sedaris and Augusten Burroughs, yet with its own particular flair, Swish is a story told with not just wit but hum∨ not just candor but honesty; and not just compassion but humanity.

Swish is the best book about being gay I've ever read. But it's not just about being gay; it's about being human.
Elton John

In a culture where we disguise vulnerability with physical perfection and material success, Derfner skewers heartache with Wildean wit . . . [Derfner is] the next Noël Coward.
Out.com

Derfner’s writing is perfect. . . . He’s your best friend. He’s your brother. He is you.
EDGE Los Angeles

Sometimes hilarious, sometimes poignant, always clever, and unpredictable.
Philadelphia Gay News