Embarking on a journey to reestablish a life that was almost ruined is never easy, especially in a town where it all happened. In "This Place of Men", Author Doug Cooper-Spencer takes you on this journey through the eyes of Otis, who returns to his hometown of Cincinnati, a place he had never returned to ever since being falsely accused of the statutory rape of his teenage sweetheart Terrell. Even though it is twenty years later, both men realize they still have inner demons that they must face before facing each other. For Otis, it was confronting his father who turned his back on him when he needed him the most. For Terrell, even though married with children, it's dealing with the reality of his true sexuality. A reality that he not only didn't have the courage to face up to as a teenager, but also brought on the downfall of his lover, Otis.

Doug Cooper-Spencer carefully brings you into the complex life of both men, showing how ones past shortcomings can affect the others future. Terrell, a husband, father and successful accountant for his church, while Otis who was clearly struggling through hard times living homeless in the streets of New York City. Though now back in the same town, these past lovers are clearly living in two totally different worlds. However, Doug Cooper-Spencer slowly brings their worlds together by revealing a commonality both men have other than their sexuality.

A lot of us could really indentify with Terrell, due to his strong religious upbringing. There are a lot of young gay black teens, to this day, who are struggling with the pressures of growing up in households just like Terrell's. Many may have a hard time coming out or may not come out at all. Most may even end up like the characters such as Stanton and Jerry; married men who can only partake in exclusive parties that cater to men like them who feel the need to give in to their homosexual inhibitions.

GBM Book Club believes that this is a book that every gay black man needs to read. Doug Cooper-Spencer opens your eyes to the fact that as gay black men, we need to be conscious of the decisions we make in our lives. We cannot close our eyes to every little thing and take it for granted. Otis is an unfortunate example due to Terrell's parents waiting for him to turn eighteen in order to accuse him of statutory rape. If Otis had the right mind-set to take careful precautions, or if Terrell had the courage to speak up, Otis doing time could have definitely been prevented. Even in reality there are so many of us that are either doing time or suffering the consequences of a mistake we made along the way. And until we make right and conscious decisions and have the courage to speak up for one another, we will never find our place. But if you want to embark on a journey that will lead you down the right path, then by all means we encourage you to read and discover "This Place of Men".