English

"Gay Crow" is the deeply touching and profoundly inspiring memoir by Vishwas Pethe, an extraordinary survivor who navigates the world as a gay, disabled man while exploring the profound realities of life, love, and death. This captivating book unfolds as a series of intimate and often humorous conversations between Vishwas and his psychologist, Carl, offering readers an authentic glimpse into his remarkable journey. From a childhood in India to thriving as an engineer and tech entrepreneur in America—even as one of the original developers of Grindr—Vishwas faced life-threatening health crises including an HIV diagnosis in 1986 (living with a "one year to live" prognosis for two decades), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and a debilitating stroke in 2016 that led him to contemplate ending his life. Despite immense adversity, Vishwas embodies the "Gay Crow" mentality, a philosophy inspired by an Indian fable about a perpetually happy crow, choosing to focus on the positive aspects of life and remembering the good over the bad. Central to his story is his enduring 30-year partnership with Joe Hennessy, whose unconditional love and unwavering support provided an anchor through all his struggles, including Joe's encouragement to seek therapy when Vishwas felt ready to "leave this life behind".

Readers consistently describe "Gay Crow" as "heartwarming," "inspiring," "unputdownable," and "a testament to human resilience" that will "restore your faith in humanity". It's a powerful narrative of resilience, authenticity, and the strength found in relationships, encouraging readers to question societal norms, embrace their own identities, and celebrate life even amidst hardship.