Sweet Tooth

Anderson's second memoir (Tune In Tokyo: The Gaijin Diaries) is a lively and invigorating look at the hormone raging days of adolescence as the author tries to make sense of his overwhelming desire for both candy and men (not to mention man-candy). At age 15, one month after finally acknowledging his attraction to men, Anderson is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. As he grapples with his identity and new found desires, Anderson struggles to maintain control over his physical health. He suffers a series of diabetic episodes and hospitalizations which are told in short alternating chapters. The author recounts these parallel struggles in colorful detail: he describes his "gay porno magazine obsession" as a "deep, dark dungeon of delicious, honey-dipped immorality fondue." This type of dry, self-deprecating humor is emblazoned throughout and helps the reader keep apace as Anderson relays his emotional and physical instability. Staying true to his experiences, Anderson evokes the juvenile tendency toward self-destruction in a way that is simultaneously funny and frustrating. The combination gives readers a visceral taste of the rollercoaster ride that was his young adulthood. (Mar.)