Saint Ike of West 4th Street

Roommates Jerry Smollens and Ike Bower are young, uninspired artists living in a rundown apartment on West Fourth Street in Greenwich Village. Ike is beautiful, beguiling, and driven by his libido. Jerry is shy and pines for his roommate, and in 1983, when the novel opens, he is far more concerned about AIDS than Ike is. Even as the crisis worsens, Ike refuses to consider the potential consequences of his pursuit of pleasure.

Inspired by his condition, Ike turns to his talent to express his struggles with disease, sexuality, religion, and mortality, striking a chord with the gay community in the midst of the epidemic. Jerry sacrifices his goals and ambitions to care for the man he loves, but he is no match for Ike's creative drive, newfound success, and HIV.

Nineteen years later, Ike's nephew, twenty-nine-year-old Andy, is the lead art director at a boutique publishing firm and shackled to the trappings of his success. To keep his beautiful Manhattan apartment, Andy works practically non-stop, sacrificing his health, looks, and self-confidence. To keep his attractive boyfriend, Andy allows their relationship to be open, giving Tim a freedom he often exercises.

Andy finds a carving Ike had made of an angelic figure in a dazzling white hospital gown, which he names Saint Ike, and Andy devotes his time and energy to learning all he can about his uncle and to emulate him as much as possible as a way to lead a different, more carefree life.

Andy's obsession costs him his job and his boyfriend. With his life in tatters, he moves in with Jerry, whom he met as he investigated Ike's life. Over time, Andy sheds his inhibitions and his weight, striving to be as desirable as Ike was.

To Jerry, Andy has become the reincarnation of Ike, giving him a second chance to have the love of his life, save him from AIDS, and redeem himself. Jerry and Andy develop a sexual relationship that makes Andy wonder why Ike never gave Jerry what he wanted. As his understanding of who Ike was becomes more dimensional, his impression of his uncle dims, making him question if what he's doing is right. Still, he persists in his mission, engaging in risky behavior in an effort to better understand his uncle, shattering Jerry, but also opening Jerry's eyes-and Andy's-to the true meaning of sacrifice and self-love.