As the literary award season approaches, it’s time to revisit the novel that may well have changed Queer Lit forever. With The Prophets, Robert Jones Jr. shattered three assumptions about Queer Literature. The first and most obvious of these
On the Importance of The Prophets Read More »
As much as Queer Reader enjoyed Richard Ellman’s Oscar Wilde biography, one finished it with the impression that certain parts of the the story weren’t completely fleshed out. Although all the important events were covered, the book lacked a certain
The Definitive Oscar Wilde Biography Read More »
Queer Reader approached Sarah Schulman’s latest book with some trepidation. As a veteran of ACT UP, this reviewer had grown tired of the misrepresentations, innaccuracies, and false narratives. As much as Queer Reader admired David France’s impeccably researched How to
Let the Record Show is Magnificent. Read More »
John Maynard Keynes is a somewhat awkward queer icon. In his youth he had numerous gay affairs and was a member of the Bloomsbury Group, but he ultimately married a woman: the Russian ballerina, Lydia Lopokova. Throughout his life, it
Advice to President Biden from a Queer Icon Read More »
Yesterday it was announced that Jericho Brown’s The Tradition won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. Rarely has a collection displayed the depth and breadth of poet’s talent as well as this volume does. Blackness plays a big role in
Jericho Brown’s The Tradition Wins the Pulitzer Prize. Read More »
Girl, Woman, Other is an important feminist novel. It tells the stories of twelve women in an experimental style that is both readable and entirely fitting for these characters. Reading this Booker Prize-winning novel is an edifying experience. But it
Girl, Woman, Other is Surprisingly Entertaining. Read More »
In some respects the literary award season isn’t all that different from the film award season. The most recent releases have an advantage. And sometimes those released earlier are forgotten. As this year’s queer lit award season approaches, queer reader
Don’t Forget Patsy. Read More »
It’s astonishing how good How We Fight For Our Lives is. Though the title implies a polemic, Saeed Jones’s latest book is oh, so much more than that. It is a lyrical memoir: an important book that will be read–and
Read How We Fight for Our Lives. Read More »
In September it was announced that Ocean Vuong had been awarded the MacArthur Foundation’s “Genius Award”. Queer Reader has never described an author as a “genius”, but in this case the word is entirely appropriate. Ocean Vuong is a brilliant
Why Ocean Vuong Matters Read More »
It’s awards season again. Soon lists will be released of the best books of last year. We will know shortly whether Stephen McCauley, the author of so many consistently superb novels, will be rewarded for his efforts. It remains a
Stephen McCauley’s My Ex-Life is the Best Novel of 2018 Read More »