It’s been forty-one years since Edmund White got the world’s attention when A Boy’s Own Story broke the New York Times bestseller list. The simple fact that a literary queer novel could sell transformed the publishing business forever. Perhaps less noticed is the consistent quality of the books he has written since then. Put simply: Edmund White never disappoints. And his latest book—his fourteenth—is no exception. The Humble Lover is rooted in two worlds Mr. White knows well: classical ballet and New York’s contemporary queer scene. His depiction of these two overlapping worlds is realistic, richly detailed. And yet there is something dream-like about this novel. It is the story of two very lost souls—so lost they don’t even realize that they’re lost. One, Aldwych, is an aging queer. He’s rich—so rich he doesn’t seem to have any idea what to do with all of his money. The other, August, is a young, highly successful ballet dancer. He stumbles into his career as accidentally as he—almost literally—stumbles out of it. The force that drives Aldwych—old money from New Jersey—and August—a working class French Canadian—together feels unstoppable, bigger than anything the characters can perceive.
From the beginning Aldwych wants only to possess August. The moment he sees him dance, it seems destined that August will change his life. His obsession with August leads to extensive plans to build a rival dance company around him. He moves in with Aldwych and the relationship that develops between them is predictably one-sided. It is also sex-less, although Aldwych does seem to get a vicarious thrill from listening to, and occasionally witnessing his roommate’s sexual escapades.
The Humble Lover is frequently laugh-out loud funny. The contrast between these two vey different characters provides a lot of humor. And yet, there is something terribly sad about this story: two lost souls who don’t realize until it’s too late that their relationship is doomed
Needless to say, Queer Reader strongly recommends The Humble Lover.
Edmund White’s The Humble Lover is published by Bloomsbury
1/3/24