A Must-Read for Denizens of this Forum

[uwsman2]

"Secret Historian" by Justin Spring (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2010). A fascinating bio of Samuel Steward, who under the name "Phil Andros" wrote some of the finest Gay S/M porn of the 1960s, in which the first-person narrator is a sexual adventurer and escort.

 

I remember turning on to the Phil Andros short-story collections when I was first "coming out" as a very young man. I knew something about Steward's background - he gave some interviews in the gay press back then - but this full-length bio is a real eye-opener. Steward may have been one of the most active customers of escorts in the history of the biz, once he hit the age and physical condition beyond which his street cruising was no longer paying off. (In his prime as a street cruiser, to judge by the detailed records he kept, he was constantly having sex with an enormous number of guys....) He documented most of his experiences in great detail, turning some of them into the short stories he eventually published, but mainly keeping his journals as an informal "reporter" to Dr. Alfred Kinsey (yes, that Kinsey) with whom he had a lengthy friendship. Some of this stuff is absolutely priceless - especially the description of how Steward, who was a devoted S/M bottom, participated in the filming of an S/M scene for the Kinsey Institute's archives.

 

There's also lots of celebrity sex here - including one of Steward's longest sustained relationships with an escort, one Johnny Harden of early gay porn fame. Stewart also managed to bed some big names in gay literature and history, but I won't spoil the surprise here. Just to say - READ THIS BOOK.

[+ Charlie]

This does sound interesting. I still have a few old Phil Andros (Greek for "man lover") books on my shelves.

[leigh.bess.toad]

There's also lots of celebrity sex here - including one of Steward's longest sustained relationships with an escort, one Johnny Harden of early gay porn fame. Stewart also managed to bed some big names in gay literature and history, but I won't spoil the surprise here. Just to say - READ THIS BOOK.

 

Thanks for the headsup. Sounds like a very interesting and enlightening read. Johnny Harden? Boy, now there is a name from the way, way, past. And congratulations. One more post and you hit the 1,000 post mark.

[J-Man]

Pippin?

 

Here is a secret I never have told, maybe you'll understand why. I believe if I refuse to grow old, I can stay young til I die.

Now I've known the fears of 66 years, I've known troubles & tears by the score. but the only thing I'd trade them for is 67 more.

 

Oh, it's time to keep livin'. Time to take a little from this world we're given. time to take time, for spring will turn to fall.

And watching my flings be flung all over, makes me feel young all over in just no time at all.

So do men call you "Granny," too?

[leigh.bess.toad]

So do men call you "Granny," too?

 

No, but another part of the song certainly does apply to me:

 

"Give me a man who is handsome and strong, someone who's stalwart and steady

Give me a night that's romantic and long. And give me a month to get ready".

 

I wonder if anyone has ever done drag as a "Granny" character. I've never seen it. Anyone? That may be a novel idea. Maybe I could do Granny. Hmmmmmm ......

[Lookin]

I wonder if anyone has ever done drag as a "Granny" character........

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/q08L6POKJsE/0.jpg

[leigh.bess.toad]

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/q08L6POKJsE/0.jpg

 

Well, there's another idea shot to hell!!!

[+ deej]

I wonder if anyone has ever done drag as a "Granny" character. I've never seen it. Anyone?

 

Ask any gender illusionist and they'll tell you drag comes in many forms......

 

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/102/298312577_464b8b534b.jpg

[Guest alanm]

Author Justin Spring's upcoming appearances in connection with "The Secret Historian"

 

http://www.secrethistorian.com/events.html

[J-Man]

No, but another part of the song certainly does apply to me:

 

"Give me a man who is handsome and strong, someone who's stalwart and steady

Give me a night that's romantic and long. And give me a month to get ready".

 

I wonder if anyone has ever done drag as a "Granny" character. I've never seen it. Anyone? That may be a novel idea. Maybe I could do Granny. Hmmmmmm ......

 

For those not old enough to remember and/or who don't have the "gays love musicals" gene, there's a verse in the song that we're discussing ("No Time At All", by Stephen Schwartz, from "Pippin") that says

 

"Now I could waylay some aging roué/and persuade him to play in some cranny. But its hard to believe I'm being led astray/By a man who calls me granny."

 

The "in joke" was that the part of the person who sings this number (Pippin's grandmother) was originally played on Broadway by Irene Ryan, who'd recently concluded a long run as "Granny" on "The Beverly Hillbillies."

 

Another little trivial tidbit-- the original cast album for "Pippin" was on Motown records, which had invested in the show. This is why there were a number of covers of "Pippin" songs (e.g., "Corner of the Sky," by the Jackson 5, "I Guess I'll Miss the Man" by the Supremes, "Morning Glow" by Michael Jackson) by Motown artists. I'm sure Irene Ryan never anticipated having a song released on Motown!

 

(And for you younger folk, Mr. Schwartz's most recent hit was "Wicked.")

[Rod Hagen]

Can't wait to read this book. The NYTimes review was also exceptionally well written.

[orbital sander]

Who has time to read books these days...I am jealous, I only have time to read on Airplanes and in airports...sigh

Thanks for the recommendation...I will add it to the stack.

[+ purplekow]

Who has time to read books these days...I am jealous, I only have time to read on Airplanes and in airports...sigh

Thanks for the recommendation...I will add it to the stack.

What about bathroom reading. Nothing like a chapter of a novel and a good dump to start the morning And if the novel is not any good, at least the pages wont go to waste.

[NYTomcat]

What about bathroom reading. Nothing like a chapter of a novel and a good dump to start the morning And if the novel is not any good, at least the pages wont go to waste.

 

Roflmao. Irreverent humor at its best. Should I expect any less

[Guest alanm]

"Secret Historian" by Justin Spring (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2010). A fascinating bio of Samuel Steward, who under the name "Phil Andros" wrote some of the finest Gay S/M porn of the 1960s, in which the first-person narrator is a sexual adventurer and escort.

 

I remember turning on to the Phil Andros short-story collections when I was first "coming out" as a very young man. I knew something about Steward's background - he gave some interviews in the gay press back then - but this full-length bio is a real eye-opener. Steward may have been one of the most active customers of escorts in the history of the biz, once he hit the age and physical condition beyond which his street cruising was no longer paying off. (In his prime as a street cruiser, to judge by the detailed records he kept, he was constantly having sex with an enormous number of guys....) He documented most of his experiences in great detail, turning some of them into the short stories he eventually published, but mainly keeping his journals as an informal "reporter" to Dr. Alfred Kinsey (yes, that Kinsey) with whom he had a lengthy friendship. Some of this stuff is absolutely priceless - especially the description of how Steward, who was a devoted S/M bottom, participated in the filming of an S/M scene for the Kinsey Institute's archives.

 

There's also lots of celebrity sex here - including one of Steward's longest sustained relationships with an escort, one Johnny Harden of early gay porn fame. Stewart also managed to bed some big names in gay literature and history, but I won't spoil the surprise here. Just to say - READ THIS BOOK.

 

I attended Justin Spring's discussion and reading last night at Giovanni's Room in Philadelphia. Let's get one thing out of the way: Spring is a hot, sexy man. On that level alone, the evening was interesting. Spring talked about the ten year that he devoted to "The Secret Historian," essentially creating an archive out of bits of papers scattered throughout the country. There was also a wealth of information in the Gertrude Stein letters at (I believe) Yale, also information at the Kinsey Institute and his various published writings (under other names, including Phil Andros).

 

Samuel Steward kept a stud file on file cards, with the name and description of vitrually every man he ever slept with, if one was particularly special he included a remembrance such as a pubic hair or two.

 

Stewart also taught for about 20 years at Loyola University and DePaul University, but felt those positions were too restrictive on his sex life. He resigned and became a tatoo artist. In many ways, the years following his teaching career are the most interesting because he was compltely free sexually -- including the inclination and ability to hire many, many hustlers/escorts.

 

Spring read too short peices from the book last night, several pages about Steward at age 15, and much later in his life a day-by-day account of his sexual activities while staying at the YMCA in San Francisco. The latter was for the Kinsey Institute.

 

My only disappointment was the relatively short Q&A. Spring mentioned that 10 publishers turned the book down before Farrar, Strauss & Giroux agreed to publish it. During this time even his agent, a lesbian, felt he had become obsessed, and should move on. I would have very much liked to pursue the agent's thoughts more in the Q&A, but there was no time. The author did not mention the hustlers/escorts. That would have made for an even more interesting discussion.

 

Last night was Spring first appearance for the book. Naturally, Spring wants to get across how he was able to do the research, which at first seemed impossible. There's a practically reason to concentrate on the research, because there may be other gay writers who lived through the same period with slightly different life stories. Steward lived from 1909 to 1993, a huge span of gay history.

 

I recommend the book highly. I hope to finish it in the next week or so.

[uwsman2]

Thanks for the report on Spring's appearance. This book is a triumph of archival research. The big disappointment, of course, was that the Kinsey Institute would not let him read the files on Steward, treating them as confidential even though Steward is long since deceased. The "scandalous" goings-on documented in the book would probably be even more richly related had they given the author access to the "secret" records!