An Exceptional Lad: William Gerhardt's Story

Based on a minor character from a classic Theodore Dreiser novel, West Virginia author and poet RICHARD PODNAR fashions a coming-of-age story around a shantytown kid who is suddenly propelled into a glittering world of wealth and plenty. His best friend facilitates his entree into this new territory, but it is fraught with dangers and pitfalls. The fact that William Gerhardt, the exceptional lad of our story, also discovers things about himself which will be of great interest to LGBTQ readers and fans of male/male romance. A fair chunk of life and times in the last two decades of the 19th century also form the backdrop for the greater part of the novel, and the action moves from the United States to Europe and beyond. Our protagonist's story is unique, one you will remember long after you read the final words of this novel.Read more