Two of the most beautiful films ever made grew from the books/authors on this list: Beau Travail, an adaptation of Billy Budd by Claire Denis; and Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters by Paul Schrader. As Steve would say, they're wonderful, JUST wonderful. 😊
Great to see two sources for Benjamin Britten's operas on the list: Billy Budd and Death in Venice. Both fantastic in their own, unique ways. Thanks for the list, Steve!
Both stories also were adapted as films, 'Billy Budd' in 1962, starring Terence Stamp, Robert Ryan, and Peter Ustinov, and 'Death in Venice' in an elegantly elegiac realization by director Luchino Visconti in 1971, starring Dirk Bogarde as Aschenbach. 'Billy Budd' was also the inspiration for French director Claire Denis' 1999 masterpiece 'Beau travail', set among the French Foreign Legion in contemporary Djibouti, which stands as one of the last great films of the twentieth century.
Excellent, Steve. I especially appreciate your introduction. I'm eager to see you put together "A Starter Kit for the Lesbians"--and hear your thoughts on any differences in the two literary traditions.
Always great to see Tom Spanbauer get some love. And you probably already have a review copy of this, but there's a new translation of a collection of Mann's short stories, including Death in Venice, coming at the end of February. Looking forward to that one.
Just hopping back in to say Forbidden Colors is available. It looks like the e-book version might be formatted oddly, but that could also just be the way the sample is showing. Paper version also available.
Thank you for putting Angels in America at the top. That miniseries is an absolute masterpiece. The one scene that always sticks out for me is the climactic hospital scene between the jeffrey Wright character and Pacino's Roy Cohn.
This was excellent, as per, 🙂 I have that edition of Angels In America on dvd it's awesome. Did you ever watch the mini series by Russell T Davies called "It's A Sin"? It's wonderful, yet rather grim. I appreciate the subtle wink given to Anna Madrigal 😀 Nicely done, Steve.
Steve, love the thumb pic to the video. Talk about great marketing and advertising. Non-fiction wise there is Paul Monette: “Borrowed Time: An AIDS Memoir” (1988), and its 1992 award winning prequel, “Becoming a Man: Half a Life Story” (National Book Award for Nonfiction). Sadly, he passed away from AIDS himself in 1995, survived by his lover and family.
Fantastic video, Steve! I've read a lot of non-fiction on LGBTQ+ history, particularly UK history, and am pretty well versed in stuff on the theatre side of things, but haven't read much gay fiction at all, so your suggestions are really helpful! I read the plays of Angels in America when I was about 19 and it floored me. I was a wreck after reading it - it was one of those plays that showed me the raw power that theatre could have. Incredible stuff.
I saw both parts of Angels in a marathon performance with a dinner break in-between, which was probably the wrong choice. My date and I each had a burger and a couple of cocktails during the break and let me tell you, Perestroika was something of a blur. I've seen it since over two separate nights (as well as the Mike Nichols movie version) and that is a much better way to go. Amazing freaking work, regardless.
I remember when Angels of America aired on TV and thinking it was so important and brilliant. Al Pacino, wow. I found the book recently and was wondering if it was just as good. I'm glad to hear that it is.
Why did you mention Simonetta Perkins? Was it meant to be on the list? Really surprised Giovanni's Room and A Boy's Own Story weren't mentioned - two books that could be on another starter kit, I suppose, and address the dilemma in different ways.
Thank you for this list, and the social context behind each title. Billy Bud...who knew? I'll be picking up a copy at the first opportunity. Maurice by EM Forster is an old favourite of mine, tragic that it couldn't see the light of day until after the author's death. I devoured the Tales of Michael, Mona and Mrs Madrigal from Barbary Lane as they were published in paperback. I agree they are quite lightweight but legions of LGBTQI+ people will have found themselves represented for the first time in those pages, so worthy of inclusion. Also agree that the TV adaptation of Angels in America is an important but devastating watch.
I would add F*****ts (youtube made me edit) by Larry Kramer, although this is a controversial pick indeed. However, his response to the liberation era of the 70s is very interesting to compare with Holleran's. His satirical bite is something I think a lot of people would take offense to today, but I think it's totally worth it. For non-fiction, I would add Denis Altman's Homosexual Oppression & Liberation and The Stonewall Reader, edited by Edmund White (Penguin).
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Two of the most beautiful films ever made grew from the books/authors on this list: Beau Travail, an adaptation of Billy Budd by Claire Denis; and Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters by Paul Schrader. As Steve would say, they're wonderful, JUST wonderful. 😊
I knew as soon as I saw this title it would be illuminating. Thank you Steve! Your channel is an education.
Great to see two sources for Benjamin Britten's operas on the list: Billy Budd and Death in Venice. Both fantastic in their own, unique ways. Thanks for the list, Steve!
Both stories also were adapted as films, 'Billy Budd' in 1962, starring Terence Stamp, Robert Ryan, and Peter Ustinov, and 'Death in Venice' in an elegantly elegiac realization by director Luchino Visconti in 1971, starring Dirk Bogarde as Aschenbach. 'Billy Budd' was also the inspiration for French director Claire Denis' 1999 masterpiece 'Beau travail', set among the French Foreign Legion in contemporary Djibouti, which stands as one of the last great films of the twentieth century.
Excellent, Steve. I especially appreciate your introduction. I'm eager to see you put together "A Starter Kit for the Lesbians"--and hear your thoughts on any differences in the two literary traditions.
Always great to see Tom Spanbauer get some love. And you probably already have a review copy of this, but there's a new translation of a collection of Mann's short stories, including Death in Venice, coming at the end of February. Looking forward to that one.
Oh I am ALL OVER this!
The second you mentioned “the blousy auntish figure” I immediately thought of The Barefoot Contessa 😂
What an incredible selection, no one knows about books (and so, so much more) like you, Steve. Thank you for yet another wonderful video!
What's your opinion about Brokeback Mountain? Should it be in a starter kit or not?
I like my beer cold, my TV loud, and my homosexuals fuh-laming!
Just hopping back in to say Forbidden Colors is available. It looks like the e-book version might be formatted oddly, but that could also just be the way the sample is showing. Paper version also available.
Thank you for putting Angels in America at the top. That miniseries is an absolute masterpiece. The one scene that always sticks out for me is the climactic hospital scene between the jeffrey Wright character and Pacino's Roy Cohn.
This was excellent, as per, 🙂 I have that edition of Angels In America on dvd it's awesome. Did you ever watch the mini series by Russell T Davies called "It's A Sin"? It's wonderful, yet rather grim.
I appreciate the subtle wink given to Anna Madrigal 😀 Nicely done, Steve.
Steve, love the thumb pic to the video. Talk about great marketing and advertising. Non-fiction wise there is Paul Monette: “Borrowed Time: An AIDS Memoir” (1988), and its 1992 award winning prequel, “Becoming a Man: Half a Life Story” (National Book Award for Nonfiction). Sadly, he passed away from AIDS himself in 1995, survived by his lover and family.
Oooo very glad you did this!
Fantastic video, Steve! I've read a lot of non-fiction on LGBTQ+ history, particularly UK history, and am pretty well versed in stuff on the theatre side of things, but haven't read much gay fiction at all, so your suggestions are really helpful! I read the plays of Angels in America when I was about 19 and it floored me. I was a wreck after reading it - it was one of those plays that showed me the raw power that theatre could have. Incredible stuff.
I saw both parts of Angels in a marathon performance with a dinner break in-between, which was probably the wrong choice. My date and I each had a burger and a couple of cocktails during the break and let me tell you, Perestroika was something of a blur. I've seen it since over two separate nights (as well as the Mike Nichols movie version) and that is a much better way to go. Amazing freaking work, regardless.
I remember when Angels of America aired on TV and thinking it was so important and brilliant. Al Pacino, wow. I found the book recently and was wondering if it was just as good. I'm glad to hear that it is.
Dancer from the Dance by Andrew Holleran.
Thank you for doing this!
Why did you mention Simonetta Perkins? Was it meant to be on the list?
Really surprised Giovanni's Room and A Boy's Own Story weren't mentioned - two books that could be on another starter kit, I suppose, and address the dilemma in different ways.
Thank you for this list, and the social context behind each title. Billy Bud...who knew? I'll be picking up a copy at the first opportunity. Maurice by EM Forster is an old favourite of mine, tragic that it couldn't see the light of day until after the author's death. I devoured the Tales of Michael, Mona and Mrs Madrigal from Barbary Lane as they were published in paperback. I agree they are quite lightweight but legions of LGBTQI+ people will have found themselves represented for the first time in those pages, so worthy of inclusion. Also agree that the TV adaptation of Angels in America is an important but devastating watch.
I think I've read Angels in America one hundred times but I've never actually seen it.
I would add F*****ts (youtube made me edit) by Larry Kramer, although this is a controversial pick indeed. However, his response to the liberation era of the 70s is very interesting to compare with Holleran's. His satirical bite is something I think a lot of people would take offense to today, but I think it's totally worth it. For non-fiction, I would add Denis Altman's Homosexual Oppression & Liberation and The Stonewall Reader, edited by Edmund White (Penguin).
I admire the Thomas Mann choice, but I think I would prefer A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood.
♥