Writer Cassady presents two novellas.

Reviewed first for publisher Brass Pony Marsh Cassidy GLB Publisher Novellas ISBN 1879194821 (POD) Copyright 2001 e-Book/Multiple Formats Recommended The Review To Ride a Wild Pony, novella 1 relates the account of Dennis Thompson a 55 year old artist and his long time cohort, Men, Menolaus Aradopolos a college professor. The twosome have resided in LaJolla, California for a span of thirty years. During this interval the pair has raised Men's son Boris. Boris was born during a short-lived marriage undertaken during Men's trek to Europe. They have matured into a relationship wherein they are quite comfortable with one another and have encountered many of the predicaments built-in in any long term alliance. Neither man is primed for the damage aging will wreak upon the health of them both. Men's recent heart problems have brought them up short and the duo along with Boris and his family are now going to have to deal with this present set of fact facing them. Author Cassady brings commendable credentials to his writing. This especial accomplishment, Brass Pony: is a bit of a new insight for Cassady as he explores into the aging process and how it affects familial affinity. Within the pages of this moving work Cassady grants us with well developed characters who are so affable and believable it is difficult to realize that Dennis and Men are only the outgrowth of the fecund intellect of the writer. Any of us who are in a long term relationship can realize a glimpse into our own quandary as Denny and Men look for answers and trust for tomorrow where there well may be none. Excellent Read Cassady's second offering in this double novella offering is Sounding Brass. Here Cassady presents 12 year old Martin O'Jenkins who is just embarking on his trek as a young homosexual during the 1940s. It is a time in which the youngster has no concept that homosexuality even exists. The lad knows only that living with his hard to please parents is incomplete at best as he grapples for understanding why or how the enigmatic feelings he has toward men in his life is affecting him. The novella is divided into six chapters. Martin is presented first as a pre teen in June 1948. The work then back tracks to 1940 in order to introduce John O'Shaunessy a troubled young man who is never quite able to deal with the fact that his parish priest and his mother were involved in a sexual affair. Police office Sam Holden and Claude Frazier, are men who have lived together as 'roommates' for a number of years and over time begin to have some sway upon the O'Jenkin household. The setting for the book is the San Joaquin Valley, California during the late 1940s and early 50s. At that time the word gay meant only merry and had not yet begun to be used to earmark those men who prefer the company of their own sex. It was not a time of tolerance for homosexual relationships within the thinking of most of the populace. O'Shaunessy's time in the military ends with him in a POW camp. Martin is befriended by Sam and Claude as they try to help the abashed youngster come to an understanding of his orientation as he must deal with the at times unreasonable demands his parents make of him along with an actual lack of parental caring for who their son is or thinks. I found Sounding Brass to be more difficult to read than was To Ride a Wild Pony. In this work the transitions from chapter to chapter tended to be confusing on the first read. Ex: The first chapter Learning About Sex ends with Martin sitting on his uncle's front porch. Chapter two begins with Sam the police officer. Sam is a brand new character with no prior mention, facing a dangerous, life threatening situation. It took me a moment to figure out what had happened. Each chapter ended as abruptly and the next began with a different time, place or character. However, as soon as I realized what writer Cassady was doing I went back, began again and found the technique does work well once you know this is how it is supposed to be. Sounding Brass left me with a very unsettling feeling, one almost of hopelessness, as I came to end of the work. On the other hand To Ride a Wild Pony left me feeling that both life and death, health and illness are only bumps in our relationship when we care deeply for those in our family. The characters found in Sounding Brass are every bit as human and plausible as those found in the first novella. The writing produced by Cassady is pulsing, filled with rich narration and detail. The single question I might ask is one with respect to Sam. Sam is Martin's Scout leader. It is on a scout trip that Martin sees Sam nude, feels arousal and does not understand what is happening to him. I found the character of Sam to be a extraordinary, gracious character who is in no way a pedophile. His relationship with Claude is adult and secure. My question is: would Sam have undressed or actually slept in the cabin or tent with the boys in his troop during the 1940s, and/or would he have stripped down to the buff in order to dress in pajamas. Seeing Sam nude is intrinsic to the tale. BSA does not now or in the past advocate only one adult taking groups of kids on an overnight trip. Sam is a trained police officer, would have received Scout leadership training and he is not a pedophile. I find it difficult to comprehend that a trained police officer living in the strait laced1940s, one who is most circumspect for keeping his true relationship with Claude hidden, would not follow scout rules. Such behavior would certainly leave Sam open to at least one kid blabbing at home that they saw their Scout Master nude and that he slept in the cabin with them. Other than this problem with Sam, I found the novella to be a good read. Recommended. Reviewed by Molly Martin http://www.angelfire.com/ok4/mollymartin/