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“As I became more aware of my sexuality and what that meant in the mid- and late 1980s,� he writes, “I retreated further and further into myself. I denied who I was. I drank too much. I smoked too much dope. I was bullied. I was a failure at school.�

“When I finally came out in my early twenties, telling a few friends and finally my family that I was gay, I still wasn’t ready to act on my sexual desires,â€� he continues. “AIDS was still rampant at the time, so hiding amongst the comfort and safety of straight people made perfect sense to me. As a result, I spent my twenties mostly celibate.â€�

As Crighton enters his 40s and comes into his own as a marketing executive, his memories are triggered by his impressive record collection. Reminiscences of ex-loves, becoming friends with neighbour Carolyn Taylor of fame, and discovering the appeal of dating apps are seamlessly interwoven with meaningful passages describing landmark LPs by Lauryn Hill and David Bowie. This formula for writing about a bygone era proves to be a charming and effective way to capture how longing and regret become hallmarks of adulthood.

Crighton’s writing has appeared in the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, and the West End Phoenix. He lives in Toronto.

What did you last read and what made you read it?

I’m midway through Alan Hollinghurst’s latest (“Our Evenings”) and Leah Kardos’s 33 1/3 entry about Kate Bush’s “Hounds of Loveâ€� album, but the last book I finished was Paul Murray’s “The Bee Sting.â€� I read it thanks to a friend’s social media post — someone whose taste I admire — and was glad I did. It was a great read.

What book would your readers be shocked to find in your collection?

I’m not proud of this one but … Tori Spelling’s biography, “sTORI Telling�! I had a tongue-in-cheek obsession with “Beverly Hills, 90210� when it was on the air, and for me, Tori embodied all the campy, cheesy glory of that show. I don’t remember a single word of the book!

When was the last time you devoured a book in one, or very few, sittings?

I read Oisin McKenna’s “Evenings and Weekends� last fall and it was impossible for me to put down. I was so invested in all the characters and their stories; I couldn’t wait to see how it all resolved. I’m looking forward to seeing what McKenna does next.

Who’s the one author or what’s the one book you’ll never understand, despite the praise?

A controversial choice: Respect to Yanagihara’s ambition and skill, but the novel turned me into a rage monster. I found myself wanting to throw the book across the room, or light it on fire. I kept waiting for a glimmer of hope and lightness, but it just sunk deeper and deeper into its own misery.

What’s the one book that has not garnered the success that it deserves?

was well received but I thought it was going to be a smash bestseller across the continent and win all the awards. The characters were so finely drawn, and the storyline is crazily compelling — somebody, get this story made into a feature film! It was thrilling.

What book would you give anything to read again for the first time?

I still have my copy of Dr. Seuss’s “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish� in a collection at my mom’s house. To be able to discover the joy of playing with language in that way would be so lovely to reengage with.

When you were 10 years old, what was your favourite book?

I was a nerdy little kid and spent a lot of time by myself reading, just like my dad did. I had probably graduated from the “Encyclopedia Brown� series by 10 and was obsessed with Judy Blume books. “Then Again, Maybe I Won’t� and “Blubber� are standouts but honestly, I was fascinated by “Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret.� Blume’s work is timeless.

What fictional character would you like to be friends with?

I have to say Kermit the Frog. He showed me so much about the person I want to be, and to lead with heart and kindness. Kermit is exactly the kind of energy and sweetness we all need right now, and I’d love to sit on my couch and share a bottle of wine with him!

Do you have a comfort read that you revisit?

“Tales of the City� by Armistead Maupin was one of the first gay-themed novels I had ever read, and it swept me away. Some of the text hasn’t aged well, but Maupin’s series of books serve as a bit of a Rosetta Stone for me and the discovery of gay novels. When I pick up one of the earlier books, I’m transported back to the newly out-of-the-closet 20-something I was when I first read it and being amazed that queer stories existed in print. Finally, I saw myself.

What was the last book that made you laugh or cry?

I was recently on vacation in Mexico and brought a collection of David Rakoff essays with me for some beach reading. On every single page, his words made me laugh out loud constantly — he had such a rich sense of humour. I hadn’t read his work in ages, and it was so lovely to live in his world again. His loss was major.

There are not many books that bring me to tears, but Andrew Sean Greer’s “Less� pierced my heart a few summers ago after my friend Sam bought it for me. I had real tears streaming down my face when I read the last word. Truly beautiful work.

What is the one book you wish you had written?

This one is a bit of a cheat, but David Yaffe’s “Reckless Daughter: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell.� To be able to have access to so many of Joni’s collaborators and friends, let alone the legend herself, for interviews and conversation would be mind-boggling. Joni is one of the greatest living songwriters and musicians of our time and the research would have been more fun than the writing.

What three authors living or dead would you like to have a coffee with?

This seems like such an easy question until you have to commit your answers to print. I’m going with Oscar Wilde, as it would be fascinating to hear firsthand how his work was judged at the time and what he sneakily wove into his writing — he’d be a great gossip I expect. next because I adored “Just Kids� and am a massive fan of her music and approach to life and art. Finally, — the way he weaves history and popular music together is a gift, and I would love to talk with him about it.

What does your definition of personal literary success look like?

Just having my book published feels like I won the lottery. but having Kate Bush tell me she liked one of my (many) stories about her in “The Vinyl Diaries� would be the ultimate success.