A verse memoir about the social, political, and spiritual challenges of forging a male gay identity in the Southern United States during the late 20th and early 21st centuries.


Gin and Gardenias is a remarkable book that chronicles what Adrienne Rich has called "the damage that was done / and the treasures that prevail." Scott Henderson's verse memoir of growing up gay in the South, of finding and losing his beloved partner, and of embracing his own identity will touch your heart and mind in equal measure. He has prevailed with candor, with tears, with hard-earned laughter, and with verbal and spiritual grace.-Gil Allen, whose most recent book is Catma, is a winner of the Robert Penn Warren Prize in Poetry and member of the South Carolina Academy of Authors.


Each of these poems tells a powerful story. Taken together, they form a moving memoir of the struggle to find one's true self amid the byways and folkways of the American South. Scott Henderson writes honestly and authentically, with phrases and images beautifully honed and pitch-perfect. Best of all, he hides nothing from the reader, a gracious gift that is entirely rewarding.-Paulette Alden, the author of The Answer to Your Question and Unforgettable: Short Stories, is the winner of a 2013 Best Indie Book Award from the Kindle Book Review.