I have been hesitating to review this book because I just could not find the words and that may very well be because the author, Tim Murphy, has used them all, every single one and multiple times. To say that this one one long-winded, whining, whinging diatribe would be accurate but to leave it at that would be wrong. This book was so well written that it was annoying. It touched on many subjects that used to be marginalized because it was just too uncomfortable to shine a light. Beware to those who have power and speak their thoughts without regard to consequences. It takes forever to pose the question that is the basis of this story “Do people ever think that the things they just toss off are going to stay with someone for the rest of their lives? What’s wrong with telling someone that they did?” Yeah, all true, but reflecting on the time, the place and the timeless question that to go against authority figures rarely ended well.

When I saw the description of Speech Team I thought there may be a little bit of “The Big Chill” ahead, but this was me hopefully projecting and definitely not where Murphy was headed. There was a whole lot of reflection but way too much belief in in the potential power of vengeful confrontation. I really had to wonder about a guy who would toss a solid relationship to return to the time of “being an outsider, … looking in, taking everyone’s measure” instead of embracing the positive of love in the here and now. I have to believe that Murphy is still “that pretentious, name-dropping little dweeb’ “ Sorry, but he said it first.

Thanks to Penguins Group Viking and NetGalley for a copy. ( )

Enjoyable book about misfit students with a crazy teacher in the 1980’s. ( )

News of the fifth member of their award-winning 1980s "Mendhem," Massachusetts speech team's suicide, and the mention of their teacher in his suicide note, prompts the remaining four members to reconnect and plan a trip down to Florida, where Mr. Gold has retired, to confront him about things he said to them when they were his students. Narrator Thomas "Tip" was bullied ferociously for being gay (even though he wasn't out in high school) and battles alcoholism in adulthood; Anthony Malouf, also gay, is now a fancy New Yorker who has never forgotten being called a "hairy terrorist"; Black professor Jennifer Douglas has built a beautiful life but still remembers Mr. Gold's misguided advice about her Sojourner Truth speech; and Tip's best friend Natalie is a farmer with two kids, on her third serious relationship, who's keeping mum about her history with Mr. Gold.

*Spoiler alert*

That their Florida trip happens at all is unlikely, and when they arrive at Gold's house, they discover something none of them expected: he doesn't remember them at all, due to early-onset Alzheimers. Tip vents at him anyway, to the others' horror, but Gold's wife Janet calls them back to watch a video made before Gold's dementia set in, where he talks about them, and encourages them to say their piece to him, even if he won't understand, giving some degree of closure.

Quotes

"Do you think people remember the things they said or did to people hat stayed with them their whole lives? Do you think that was their intent?" (Tip to Natalie, 30)

"I just think it's dangerous to give all of yourself o one person....You do that, and one day you wake up and you don't know who you are." (Nat to Tip, 51)

It had been a loser's sanctuary and a nerd's paradise. (68)

"But I have thought: Do people ever think that the things they just toss off are going to stay with someone for the rest of their lives? What's wrong with telling someone that they did? Aren't we entitled to?" (Tip to Nat, 72)

"I feel like that time in our lives is a hole in the ground....And I can't get out of it, but I would really, really like to, because I think if I could, then things would be different." (Tip to Nat, 75)

I'd never liked it when plans changed; I took it too personally. (240)

[The feeling was] terror rushing out and gratitude rushing in. (266) ( )