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manwithanagenda's review
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
I first heard of this book through the internets, but I never expected to have it turn up in my local used bookstore. But, be honest, could you resist this cover if you found It on the shelf instead of that copy of 'Agnes Grey'?
Michael Bronski argues that, while postwar America straitened its laces and filed into regimented suburbs, fiction with gay themes and subjects became ever-more prominent, first in literary circles and, audience proven, in the burgeoning pulp market. He gives a good overview of gay fiction in America leading up to his focus of the 1950-1969 “Golden Age” (no scare intended), mentioning big names such as Carson McCullers, Charles Jackson, and Truman Capote, among others, but wisely sticks to the obscure and hard-to-find works to cover in-depth. For further reading (and as a quick reference) he includes an annotated appendix of American gay fiction from 1940-1969.
If the book has a weakness its that Bronski doesn’t give as much analysis of the books and authors he covers as I’d like. He tends to keep things brief, which arguably allows the selected excerpts to speak for themselves, but I often felt like I wanted more input from him, because that he did his homework is very clear. Bronksi might have kept things light because often there is very little information about these authors. Most of the books haven’t seen print since their first run 40+ years ago and the authors themselves were mostly writing under pseudonyms.
Another small complaint - 'Pulp Friction’s cover nails the moody tension and high cheese that can be found in pulp covers. So much so that I wish it could have been cost-effective to include color plates of them in the book.
I knew I would take my time reading this so I made some notes on bookmarks, but I was very conscious of the lack of space so I’m not sure how helpful they are. I reproduced them here in their cryptic entirety:
Part One: Maintream Fiction
1. Harrison Dowd - 'The Night Air'
Sad and lovely. something like a more honest The Lost Weekend with some slice-of-life observations of gay culture. Absolutely one I’ll seek out.
2. Lonnie Coleman - 'Sam'
Boldly sexy affectionate. Sentimental. Appealing to the str8-idealizing gay man. But honest.
Part Two: The New Gay Novel
3. James Barr - “Spur Piece” from the collection 'Derricks' (can't find in the database)
Author of 'Quatrefoil'. Growing love between man and boy. At least he waits until boy's of-age before going for it. Confusing writing.
4. Jay Little - 'Maybe--Tomorrow'
Actually Clarence Lewis Miller. Hmmm. Interesting transgender fantasy. Disturbing near-rape.
Part Three: Truly Pulp
5. Michael De Forrest - 'The Gay Year' (again, nada on database)
Pulpy maddening melodrama. Kind of offensive?
6. Marijane Meaker (Vin Packer) - 'Whisper His Sin'
Intriguing characterization. FUNNY. (and oh yeah, she also wrote the kid's book 'Shoebag')
7. Ben Travis - 'The Strange Ones' (nothing on db)
Frank sex talk. A little simplistic, but for ’59….(“Frank sex talk”? My grandmother wrote that one....)
8. James Colton (Joseph Hanson) - 'Lost on Twilight Road'
Missed something, but it was positive. younger generation not so troubled.
9. Jeff X - 'Memoirs of Jeff X'
Hilariously bad. First explicit sex/rape. Quote: “This is the worst!” (I’ll say)
Part Four: Out of the Twilight World
10. Guild Press - 'The Boys of Muscle Beach' (no pseudonym was secret enough!)
Late 60s reprint from late 50s. Porn. Old prod. keeps 2 men sex hostages. spank, etc. (I’m already so blasé.)
11. Richard Amory - 'Song of the Loon'
Pastoral longing.
12. Carl Corley - 'My Purple Winter'
Purple is the word.
13. Jack Love - 'Gay Whore'
Eh. High class brothel. Curtains and shit.
14. Chris Davidson - 'A Different Drum'
Didn’t really allow for period. 'Loon' silly, but not like this (NOT LIKE THIS!)
B (ed.) points out weird soc. ctext on back cover (quotes from psych and sociological treatises)
Part Five: The World Split Open
15. Marcus Miller - 'Gay Revolution'
sf. The drinking water is laced with gay! Two agents try to find the who and why. “He just got word that Washington…well, it’s all queer...including our boys.” (yep, full quote)
16. Bruce Benderson - 'Kyle'
Of course he picks the furry chapter. I would. (He wants to find Kyle, instead…he finds, uh. Hawkman?)
17. Victor Jay (Victor J. Banis - 'The Gay Haunt'
Hahahaha (it’s like, 'Topper' but gay).
18. John Ironstone - 'Gay Rights'
Split difference. (Chapter for) sex and (another for) screwing over the homophobe boss that fired you.
Did Bronski illustrate the positive progression from the 1950s to the post-Stonewall era? Obviously, he made the selections himself to prove his point and admits that he enjoyed finding exceptions to the rules, like Coleman’s 'Sam', but it was interesting to read the shift from introspective and sad to campy sleaze that got better written, more complex, and agenda’d as society became more open. I’d like to see some academic’s analysis of straight sexual mores as witnessed through Harlequin (are they that old?) novels of the same period someday.
Michael Bronski argues that, while postwar America straitened its laces and filed into regimented suburbs, fiction with gay themes and subjects became ever-more prominent, first in literary circles and, audience proven, in the burgeoning pulp market. He gives a good overview of gay fiction in America leading up to his focus of the 1950-1969 “Golden Age” (no scare intended), mentioning big names such as Carson McCullers, Charles Jackson, and Truman Capote, among others, but wisely sticks to the obscure and hard-to-find works to cover in-depth. For further reading (and as a quick reference) he includes an annotated appendix of American gay fiction from 1940-1969.
If the book has a weakness its that Bronski doesn’t give as much analysis of the books and authors he covers as I’d like. He tends to keep things brief, which arguably allows the selected excerpts to speak for themselves, but I often felt like I wanted more input from him, because that he did his homework is very clear. Bronksi might have kept things light because often there is very little information about these authors. Most of the books haven’t seen print since their first run 40+ years ago and the authors themselves were mostly writing under pseudonyms.
Another small complaint - 'Pulp Friction’s cover nails the moody tension and high cheese that can be found in pulp covers. So much so that I wish it could have been cost-effective to include color plates of them in the book.
I knew I would take my time reading this so I made some notes on bookmarks, but I was very conscious of the lack of space so I’m not sure how helpful they are. I reproduced them here in their cryptic entirety:
Part One: Maintream Fiction
1. Harrison Dowd - 'The Night Air'
Sad and lovely. something like a more honest The Lost Weekend with some slice-of-life observations of gay culture. Absolutely one I’ll seek out.
2. Lonnie Coleman - 'Sam'
Boldly sexy affectionate. Sentimental. Appealing to the str8-idealizing gay man. But honest.
Part Two: The New Gay Novel
3. James Barr - “Spur Piece” from the collection 'Derricks' (can't find in the database)
Author of 'Quatrefoil'. Growing love between man and boy. At least he waits until boy's of-age before going for it. Confusing writing.
4. Jay Little - 'Maybe--Tomorrow'
Actually Clarence Lewis Miller. Hmmm. Interesting transgender fantasy. Disturbing near-rape.
Part Three: Truly Pulp
5. Michael De Forrest - 'The Gay Year' (again, nada on database)
Pulpy maddening melodrama. Kind of offensive?
6. Marijane Meaker (Vin Packer) - 'Whisper His Sin'
Intriguing characterization. FUNNY. (and oh yeah, she also wrote the kid's book 'Shoebag')
7. Ben Travis - 'The Strange Ones' (nothing on db)
Frank sex talk. A little simplistic, but for ’59….(“Frank sex talk”? My grandmother wrote that one....)
8. James Colton (Joseph Hanson) - 'Lost on Twilight Road'
Missed something, but it was positive. younger generation not so troubled.
9. Jeff X - 'Memoirs of Jeff X'
Hilariously bad. First explicit sex/rape. Quote: “This is the worst!” (I’ll say)
Part Four: Out of the Twilight World
10. Guild Press - 'The Boys of Muscle Beach' (no pseudonym was secret enough!)
Late 60s reprint from late 50s. Porn. Old prod. keeps 2 men sex hostages. spank, etc. (I’m already so blasé.)
11. Richard Amory - 'Song of the Loon'
Pastoral longing.
12. Carl Corley - 'My Purple Winter'
Purple is the word.
13. Jack Love - 'Gay Whore'
Eh. High class brothel. Curtains and shit.
14. Chris Davidson - 'A Different Drum'
Didn’t really allow for period. 'Loon' silly, but not like this (NOT LIKE THIS!)
B (ed.) points out weird soc. ctext on back cover (quotes from psych and sociological treatises)
Part Five: The World Split Open
15. Marcus Miller - 'Gay Revolution'
sf. The drinking water is laced with gay! Two agents try to find the who and why. “He just got word that Washington…well, it’s all queer...including our boys.” (yep, full quote)
16. Bruce Benderson - 'Kyle'
Of course he picks the furry chapter. I would. (He wants to find Kyle, instead…he finds, uh. Hawkman?)
17. Victor Jay (Victor J. Banis - 'The Gay Haunt'
Hahahaha (it’s like, 'Topper' but gay).
18. John Ironstone - 'Gay Rights'
Split difference. (Chapter for) sex and (another for) screwing over the homophobe boss that fired you.
Did Bronski illustrate the positive progression from the 1950s to the post-Stonewall era? Obviously, he made the selections himself to prove his point and admits that he enjoyed finding exceptions to the rules, like Coleman’s 'Sam', but it was interesting to read the shift from introspective and sad to campy sleaze that got better written, more complex, and agenda’d as society became more open. I’d like to see some academic’s analysis of straight sexual mores as witnessed through Harlequin (are they that old?) novels of the same period someday.
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