AN IDEALISTIC POLITICIAN WITH A SECRET
A DEEP DIVE INTO THE SOUTH OF THE 1960s
It is 1960s South Carolina — before Stonewall, before the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1965, and before the realignment of the political parties — and tension is brewing not just in the state but in Carter Ridge as well. This inexperienced, wealthy idealist is running for governor to help end racial segregation, and to bring his political program called "The Good Life," to the skeptical people of his fair Southern state.
But complications arise when Carter falls in love with a young man, Gabriel, a military cadet who is working on his campaign. Not sure what to make of this light-hearted admirer, or his own conflicted feelings, Carter tries to focus on the immediate at the expense of losing sight as to what is really important in "The Good Life."
As Carter's political future expands possibly past the governorship, he must choose between following his ideals, or following his heart.
A provocative romance set against the history of a politically divisive era, this novel is a tender portrait of a mythic hero; it is a gay parable that resonates for us today.