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BOOK REVIEW: Gay Novels of Britain, Ireland and the Commonwealth, A Reader’s Guide

January 17, 2017

Gay Novels of Britain, Ireland and the Commonwealth, A Reader’s Guide

Drewey Wayne GunnĀ 

A book about books, what meta fun! While American gay fiction has received considerable scholarly attention, little has been given to developments in other English-speaking countries. This survey catalogs 254 novels and novellas by some 173 British, Irish and Commonwealth authors in which gay and bisexual male characters play a major role. Arranged chronologically from the appearance of the first gay protagonist in 1881, to works from the onset of the AIDS epidemic in 1981, in-depth entries discuss each book’s publication history, plot and significance for the construct of gay identity, along with a brief biography of its author.

This volume enlarges our understanding of the development of gay fiction and provides an essential reading list. Including iconic works like Oscar Wildeā€™s The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890) and E.M. Forsterā€™s Maurice, as well as lesser known but noteworthy novels such as Rose Macaulayā€™s The Lee Shore (1912) and John Broderickā€™s The Waking of Willie Ryan (1969), this volumeā€”the first of its kindā€”enlarges our understanding of the development of gay fiction and provides an essential reading list.

Out now.

For more info or to buy the book see the publishers website here:Ā 

 

 

 

 

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