Acclaimed debut author and Trinity University alumnus Jaime Brickhouse returns to his native Texas this Thursday at The Twig Book Shop to read from his new memoir, Dangerous When Wet, at the book shop located in the Pearl on Thursday, May 14, at 5:30 p.m.
The novel is ultimately a testimony to his adoring mother, Mama Jean–a matriarchal Texas woman with the flair of Elizabeth Taylor and bluster of Auntie Mame. She was strong, flamboyant and outlandish, and she adored her son and wanted him to remain her little boy forever. From a young age, however, he longed for the drink she held in her hand and to blaze his own path to recreate her fabulousness, or discover his own. That path led to New York and a star-studded career in the publishing and entertainment industries. The journey was laden with challenges also, and he struggled to overcome alcoholism while coping with an HIV diagnosis.
Brickhouse wrestles about reconciling a life lived fast and brazenly but at a distance. From coming out while a freshman at Trinity to sharing his addiction and HIV status with the mother who held her son on a pedestal, he navigates familiar terrain with great finesse poignantly laced with a mix of camp and hometown humor.
Storytelling in the South has a distinct flavor, and one can spot Brickhouse’s Deep South roots as he spins tales that hit as simultaneously outrageous and thoroughly authentic. Equal parts Steel Magnolias and an evening with David Sedaris, it is not a surprise to find reviewers nationally making writerly comparisons of Brickhouse to Mary Karr and Augusten Burroughs.
This is a rare and unique treat for San Antonio: not-to-be-missed stories about the Texas we think we know, and some we may be surprised to know, by a Texan-come-home to come-clean.
Video: Jamie Brickhouse summarizes Dangerous When Wet.
Thanks to our friends at the Rivard Report for sharing Tom’s preview with Out In SA.
