Philip is the story of a boy who grows to manhood with a strong sense that God wants him to be a minister. His dreams are coming true when be graduates from seminary, gets married and becomes a pastor. But Philip fi nds himself in confl ict with members of his church who disapprove of the time he spends helping members of his congregation deal with a housing crisis caused by a freeway project that disrupts the neighborhood. He is then plunged into deep inner confl ict as he slowly realizes, through disturbing dreams and a series of male friendships, that he is gay. Philip explores the inner collision of deeply held religious values and an equally profound attraction to men in one man’s resolution of that battle.
Review
Philip, by Milton E. Ford, is a compelling story of the internal struggles of a gay man born into a religiously conservative community. The simplicity of the writing at the beginning of the narrative effectively defines Philip’s naiveté and self-deception. As Philip matures so does the writing style but his self-understanding remains trapped in the religious bigotry in which he lived. It is, at times, frustrating to follow the story through waking hours and dreams that lead the main character to his life decisions. Reading this story in 2011 it seems impossible to believe that Philip could be so delusional. By painstakingly exposing Philip’s deepest cognizant thoughts, Ford not so much excuses, but explains Philip’s actions. At the end, it’s clear that his deceptions, though affecting the lives of those around him, were more destructive to his own life.
Milton Ford’s story was absorbing. In Philip he creates a character for which you feel great sympathy in spite of his weakness. Ford’s secondary characters are well written. No one who plays a major role in Philip’s life can be perceived as a monster. Few characters speak out against homosexuality. In the end, however, it is clear that silent bigotry can be as crippling as vocal outrage.
This novel is an amazing find. It is deeply personal, almost like a memoir, yet the characters stick in your mind as well drawn works of fiction. I would really recommend it for readers who have gone through those conflicts beween what they felt was their faith and their personal feelings: sexuality, secret emotions and desires. I kept wanting to read it until the end, to see how the plot would unfold and where Philip, the main character, would be at the end. It delighted me, often, and will really reward you. Perry Brass
