The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

People tend to believe whatever they read or hear in the media. That's one of the central themes of The Lacuna, Barbara Kingsolver's historical saga set in the 1930s and '40s. Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and their distinguished guest, Leon Trotsky, appear to be immune to the lies told about them. A young gay man who works for them, Harrison Shepherd, has a much harder time accepting this fault of the press - and the public. Shepherd had a lonely childhood as the son of a Mexican mother who left her gringo American husband and sought male company and financial support wherever she could. The story is told through Shepherd's journals, starting from about age 12. His voice is kind, diffident and witty and captured me from the moment I began reading his amazing life story.