Gay-themed fiction or literature?

[ariadne1880]

I've never really read any gay-themed literature or fiction and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations? Not the sort of thing that I ever see reviewed in the New York Times. Not looking for trash or Barbara Cartland-like stuff. Just good novels with gay characters or themes.

[pegasian]

FRONTRUNNER by Patricia Nell Warren is to Gays what GONE WITH THE WIND is to Southerners

[Guest Tristan]

There was a long thread on this topic in The Lounge. The thread should be no more than six months old. Try searching for it.

[Guest Adono]

I don't recall if that thread included the series of detective stories by Michael Nava. Nicely written stories, no gay sex but positively depicted gay protagonist and characters.

[humboldt]

Hi,

 

The best "gay-themed" book I ever read was Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin. It's amazingly written!

 

Isaac

[ariadne1880]

Since I hate GWTW could you please elaborate? Thanks.

 

Also, not looking for gay porn or books that describe gay sex (I find nothing more boring than books that describe sex -- rather be doing it!) ... just good fiction with gay themes or characters.

 

Thanks.

[larbord]

Two that I enjoyed are "As Meat Loves Salt" by Mary McCann, and "At Swim Two Boys" by Jamie O'Neill. The first is set in England during the civil war in the 1700's, and the second in Dublin just before the uprising. Both were surprisingly affecting.

[pegasian]

>Since I hate GWTW could you please elaborate? Thanks.

>

>Also, not looking for gay porn or books that describe gay sex

>(I find nothing more boring than books that describe sex --

>rather be doing it!) ... just good fiction with gay themes or

>characters.

>

>Thanks.

 

FRONTRUNNER is the story of a Gay male runner trying for the Olympics who starts a relationship with his coach. You WILL fall in LOVE with the character of BILLY SIVE. The rights for the movie were held by Paul Newman for a while. It was a NYT best-seller in 1976. Warren, who wrote it was married at the time but later came out as a lesbian. It is considered a landmark mainstream Gay Novel. Mentioned for the lead of Harlan (the Coach) heve been: Newman, Selleck, Gibson and NOW Pitt and Cooney. It is LEGENDARY as the EPIC GAY MOVIE that was never made. Kroc who started McDonalds tried for DECADES to get it made into a movie. It is now being discussed again a a possible greenlight after BROKEBACK. You are NOT OFFICIALLY GAY until you have read FRONTRUNNER.

 

BTW: I have re-read it about 5 times since I first read it in 1979....IT IS THAT GOOD!

[ariadne1880]

Thanks. I'll give it a try ... Ray Kroc wanted to make a gay-themed movie? Boy, now THAT is a shock.

 

I'll see if I can get it from Amazon ...

[pegasian]

>Thanks. I'll give it a try ... Ray Kroc wanted to make a

>gay-themed movie? Boy, now THAT is a shock.

>

>I'll see if I can get it from Amazon ...

>

 

 

would LOVE to hear your reaction. AVOID the sequels for now...HARLAN's RACE and BILLY's BOY...I only read one but ...she did them for the MONEY (NOT as GOOD). HOWEVER, another good book by her is FANCY DANCER.

 

 

Yes, Ray Kroc HELD the rights for YEARS and that is part of the reason the movie was never made. Like Striesand holding the rights for Larry Kramer's : NORMAL HEART for a decade....both NEVER could put the package together. BTW Kramer's FAGGOTS is another good read.

>

 

ALSO Felice Picano is a GREAT WRITER.

I recommend the following by him :

 

Like People in History: A Gay American Epic

(This DOES live up to the name)

 

 

Ambidextrous

 

 

The Lure

 

I can not remember the author but another good read is

DANCER AT THE DANCE

[Boomer]

>Hi,

>

>The best "gay-themed" book I ever read was

>Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin. It's amazingly written!

>

>Isaac

 

 

"Giovani's Room" is probably my favorite book gay or otherwise. Beautifully written, haunting story and to think that it was written in 1956. It's more of a novella than a novel, so it can be read in one sitting. A book that was similar in tone is "Call Me By My Name." by Andre Aciman. Extraordinary writing and a lovely though bitter-sweet story.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/25/books/review/DErasmo.t.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[ariadne1880]

RE: Gay-themed fiction or literature?I

 

I was just surprised because Ray Kroc was known as a conservative and I wouldn't think he would be interested in the rights to a gay novel.

 

Can't read anything by Larry Kramer. I find him, personally, offensive and grotesque and I just can't read stuff who I feel that way about.

 

But I will try the one you mention and see what I think.

 

Have to admit that I don't care for Baldwin's writing at all for some reason.

[pegasian]

I am SURPRISED that NO ONE ELSE has mentioned FRONTRUNNER or given an opinion about it!?!?!? WITHOUT giving away the ending....OPINIONS?

[Guest Tristan]

I would recommend you check out the novels by William J. Mann. The one I've read is "The Men From The Boys." It was written in 1997 and is about the issues relevant to that decade. It's the first of a trilogy of novels. The author also has some nonfiction works. Borders may still have it in the gay section. I've seen it there in the past. It shouldn't be difficult to find. He's a fairly well-known gay author.

[Guest EWC]

The Last Days of Summer, Steve Kluger

Not a gay themed book, however since most of that genre is "coming of age", and this is one of the best of that genre that I've ever read I thought I'd recommend it anyway. Not for kids. Intricate, complicated, funny, and an emotional roller-coaster.

[Lankypeters]

More recent title is Thomas Mallon's "Fellow Travellers." Beautifully written story of gay affair during the repressive McCarthy era ('50s) in Washington, DC. Compelling in its exploration of complicated politics and ultimately very moving in its depiction of the relationship . The ending brought me to tears.

 

Shortly after I read it, I spotted Mallon on the DC-NYC express, writing away. I so wanted to tell him how much I had loved the book but I was coming down with a vile, vile stomach flu -- chills, fever, nausea -- I just wanted to get home and flop out.

 

 

"I'd say that's a bit of an extreme reaction, now wouldn't you?" -- N.F. Bates

 

 

Lankypeters

[ariadne1880]

Thomas Mallon is one of my favorite writers but somehow I missed that one. Henry and Clara and Dewey Defeats Truman (title?) are two of my favorite novels. Didn't know he had written a gay-themed book. I'll have to check that out. He's a great writer.

 

Ian McEwan's Enduring Love isn't gay, per se, but has some interesting themes that certainly touch on sexuality. It's one of the best books of the past decade.

[uwsman2]

Try "The Swimming Pool Library" by Alan Hollinghurst.

Also, some of David Leavitt's fiction is pretty good.

[Guest OralBtm4Top]

Front Runner was and is still extraordinary. The Best Little Boy in The World meant a lot to me some years ago.

[Guest zipperzone]

>Try "The Swimming Pool Library" by Alan

>Hollinghurst.

 

For me, that book was about 100 pages too long.....

 

One of my favorites (not totally gay but has a gay theme running through it) is Allan Drury's "Advise & Concent" published in '59. It is a novel about Washington politics in the 50s. Still a good read almost 50 years later.

[Lankypeters]

>Thomas Mallon is one of my favorite writers but somehow I

>missed that one. Henry and Clara and Dewey Defeats Truman

>(title?) are two of my favorite novels. Didn't know he had

>written a gay-themed book. I'll have to check that out. He's a

>great writer.

 

 

Don't miss it and report back here after you finish it.

 

 

 

 

"I'd say that's a bit of an extreme reaction, now wouldn't you?" -- N.F. Bates

 

 

Lankypeters

[Boomer]

>Try "The Swimming Pool Library" by Alan

>Hollinghurst.

>Also, some of David Leavitt's fiction is pretty good.

 

I agree. I found "The Swimming Pool" very hard to wade through.

:-)

 

I did, however enjoy Hollinghurst's "The Line of Beauty" and thought the BBC movie adaptation was excellent. A good DVD to rent.

[uwsman2]

Yeah, the movie makes a good rental.

I didn't find Swimming Pool too long at all.

I wanted to throw in another endorsement for Michael Nava's mystery novels with the gay detective. They are a lot of fun to read.

[Guest CURIOUS35]

:-) :-) :-)

 

I love Venice! The city despite its squalid canals evokes the kind of mysterious setting for a tormented gay soul in a novel by Sir thomas Mun.

 

Have you guys read Death in Venice? Read it for it is simply engaging as a must read for many types of gay men.

 

Many literary critics have a different outlook on the message of the theme and the literary meaning and style of the opera.

 

Beyond the artsy fartsy discussion. I have decided, the literary work is gay themed! It shows how a gay man develops an attraction to his ideal god/muse! It details his pitiful, pathetic devices yet very human efforts, to be noticed by the object of his desire (some say not sexual!) It also beautifully unfolds to the reader's imagery the definition of what physical and metaphysical beauty is as represented by Tadzio (Is there an escort named Tadzio?) I am sure the gendarmes of the board will say the main character is a pedophile! LOL

 

The book was made into several movie versions and I reckon the Italians made a play out of it!

 

Perhaps many will identify with the ageing character! Perhaps some escort will identify their beginning realization that they have something in them that attracts people! Perhaps you as the reader will realise more themes...more angles to discuss...more interpretation of what is really transpiring in the opera.

 

Some directors, took liberty and presented the main character as a writer...another one presented him as _______ and as a ________!

 

Now...I know some of the posters in this board are keen literary readers. What I said above is a personal view of what the opera is all about! But I am sure...you would want to share your thoughts!

 

I was surprised Mark has not read it? Or if he has, did he like it?

 

For those who gets bored reading...Rent the movie or movies of the same Title. :)

 

P.S.

 

I agree Giovannis Room is worth your time and a change of contacts or eyeglasses. I am an admirer of James Baldwin.

[Lankypeters]

>:-) :-) :-)

>

> Sir thomas Mun.

 

IT'S MANN.

>

>

>For those who gets bored reading...Rent the movie or movies

>of the same Title. :)

>

The 1971 film is unbearably slow. You could read Mann's entire novella before the film's credit scene ends.

 

I find the film a negative portrait of a repressed gay man. I'll concede he lived in times repressive. Yet he is so passive, so unable or unwilling to do anything to establish a REAL and meaningful relationship with a man. I once taught the film and novella and the students, many of them provincial and homophobic, seized on the negative image of the leading character.

 

 

 

 

"I'd say that's a bit of an extreme reaction, now wouldn't you?" -- N.F. Bates

 

 

Lankypeters