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A review by chazaiya
Close to the Knives: A Memoir of Disintegration by David Wojnarowicz
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Lucien described David Wojnarowicz as the artist who died super tragically. My immediate thought was that it wasn't particularly tragic. It is, but I think what I meant was that it isn't unique in its tragedy so it didn't feel particularly tragic. Many people died as he did (young with AIDS). I think that's what makes it especially tragic.
This book is deeply personal and wholly unique to David, but I think through his rage, through his grief, he was able to depict the bleak existence of being queer in america during the height of the AIDS epidemic. this isn't conveyed through vivid language or raw imagery but instead through his strongest characteristic, his empathy. yes he was filled with nothing but hatred for the government and the church and the people who hated him but what propelled him through life through the hatred was how much he cared for his community. how deeply he loved those around him and how much pain he felt for them. i think that's what made him so special and important. this is an incredible book.
This book is deeply personal and wholly unique to David, but I think through his rage, through his grief, he was able to depict the bleak existence of being queer in america during the height of the AIDS epidemic. this isn't conveyed through vivid language or raw imagery but instead through his strongest characteristic, his empathy. yes he was filled with nothing but hatred for the government and the church and the people who hated him but what propelled him through life through the hatred was how much he cared for his community. how deeply he loved those around him and how much pain he felt for them. i think that's what made him so special and important. this is an incredible book.