The writing style and topics in this collection of gay men's short stories from the American South will seem outdated even though the book was publishThe writing style and topics in this collection of gay men's short stories from the American South will seem outdated even though the book was published in 2001, given the astonishing changes over the recent past in society's attitude toward gays. That can either enhance or detract from the reading experience, depending on what one is looking for.
The stories themselves are sometimes over the top with respect to the Southern qualities: Those can be woven into the writing seamlessly or in a way that stands out too much. Several of the tales are good, and one or two are great. One advantage to the collection is the healthy variety of authors and writing styles.
Overall, this collection is worth reading, giving us as it does a snapshot of certain people at a certain point in history in a certain part of the United States. ...more
Nothing overtly or exclusively gay happens in this collection, but these books are of interest for the distinctly gay aesthetic this Edwardian writer Nothing overtly or exclusively gay happens in this collection, but these books are of interest for the distinctly gay aesthetic this Edwardian writer exudes....more
This tale of two brothers suffers from lifeless characterization, too much reliance on stereotypes (Southerners, New Yorkers, etc), unlikely scenariosThis tale of two brothers suffers from lifeless characterization, too much reliance on stereotypes (Southerners, New Yorkers, etc), unlikely scenarios and a distinctive paint-by-numbers feel to the author's technique. But worse still are jarring mistakes stemming from ignorance or indifference, such as the mention of a "vile of cocaine" or "stir foam cups," errors big enough to pull readers right out of the narration. I cannot recommend a book with this many weaknesses. ...more
This account of the poisoning of one man's mind sheds light on the rise of fascism within the United States and makes this book relevant to the extraoThis account of the poisoning of one man's mind sheds light on the rise of fascism within the United States and makes this book relevant to the extraordinary political and social situation Americans find themselves in today....more
Virginia Lovers tells of a North Carolina family's brush with homophobic violence in the 1970's. It's not about Virginia and it's not about lovers. BuVirginia Lovers tells of a North Carolina family's brush with homophobic violence in the 1970's. It's not about Virginia and it's not about lovers. But place and passions are important just the same. Here Michael Parker, whose other novels, like this one, center on the town of Trent and its people, takes up the subject of homosexuality. This is his only novel to do that, so for a gay reader the authorial voice carries more weight than it normally would. Can he write a credible gay character? Or two perhaps? I grew up gay in the South in the 1970's. I'll decide.
The author avoids an overly familiar tone about sexuality, race, and even gender, and wisely so. The tale follows events in the Edgecombe family, Thomas, Caroline and their two teenage sons, a family whose members always seem to act at cross purposes. A mystery and lots of action drive the story. The point of view shifts during the melodrama, in which the brothers take off to the nation's capital, but the author writes most surely from the standpoint of the father and the town of Trent. So, for example, during a quarrel in a delivery van --
He turned to his sons, who sat together on the plywood toolbox that doubled as a passenger seat, Pete slack and scowling, Daniel fixing him with that imperious and implacably rational look he'd inherited from his mother.
-- the impetus of the novel, one son's sexuality, first appears for readers as a perception on the father's part, although the father himself won't realize it until much later. For a book largely about being gay and coming out, sex itself is not graphically depicted. Except for one or two uses of queer, a word more acceptable in Britain than the United States at that time, I found the characterization and description quite close to the way gay teens then and there actually felt.
The setting is another vantage point the author uses to good effect. The family lives in a town situated on the southeast coastal plain, a geographic and climatic zone whose distinction from the Piedmont region forms an intimate contrast within several Southern states. Thomas is not originally from Trent, a fact that hints at future difficulties. Caroline comes from the Piedmont, which she much prefers. It marks her outsider status not just in the town, but, it would appear, in the family as well. The boys, who are from Trent, would rather be elsewhere. Their getaway from small-town doldrums comes sooner than either was expecting.
The book succeeds because the author knows both his limits and his strengths. While its main appeal is to gay readers, the emphasis on family and place, plus the changing points of view, gives this novel significant crossover appeal....more
This mystery has a good enough idea behind it, but some stretches of writing, especially those involving the police, come across mean-spirited and a bThis mystery has a good enough idea behind it, but some stretches of writing, especially those involving the police, come across mean-spirited and a bit homophobic. The editing of this self-published book is very poor, with a couple of chapters in the middle becoming almost unreadable. The author should consider rewriting and republishing this story. Otherwise, those who read it will have to wade through an excessive amount of amateurish narration. ...more
An Irish boy, 14, goes to live with mysterious relatives during the 1930's. This is a tale of instinct in which political, religious and sexual passioAn Irish boy, 14, goes to live with mysterious relatives during the 1930's. This is a tale of instinct in which political, religious and sexual passions play out on an isolated, rural estate. The boy, Timothy, finds himself both attracted and repulsed by two men, the corrupt, bejeweled, perfumed and corpulent Bobo, and Bobo's hustler-type sidekick Skipper, whose violence Timothy inadvertently sees when Skipper bashes a young man after an intimate encounter.
With other violent-minded males lurking about, the odds don't look good for the soft boy from Dublin, but over four years Timothy toughens up a little and learns to accept his sexuality. The writing is marred by an unaccountable vehemence of expression by several of the raging male characters, but their predatory dramas seem of a piece with this gothic tale....more
Loading...
