At Your Own Risk: A Saint's Testament [Hardcover]

Derek Jarman (Author), Michael Christie (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1993

One of the most controversial filmmakers of our time (Caravaggio, The Last of England, Edward II), and outspoken crusader for gay civil rights in Britain, Derek Jarman was diagnosed HIV positive in December of 1986. At Your Own risk is Derek's distillation of his philosophy of life and an impassioned and witty guide to gay sexuality from the repressed 40s through the libidinous 60s to the Aids-chilled present. Derek confronts his death, describing the reality of being HIV positive. Of a walk home after a sexual encounter on Hampstead Heath, he writes: "Why are you doing this, Derek? You shouldn't be standing under these cold stars. You shouldn't have the stamina to do this.' The answer is that I didn't have the stamina, but throwing my arms around a stranger is an act of defiance that keeps me alive." At Your Own Risk is an act of defiance - a defiant statement against a society that vacillates between indifference and moral censure on the issue of Aids and a defiant celebration of gay sexuality. At Your Own Risk argues that if you are HIV positive you can only remain frightened for so long and that there comes a point at which fear gives way to acceptance - a point after which you have to start living again.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

British filmmaker, author, AIDS activist, and all-around cultural upstart, Jarman has written a moving, visually evocative memoir of his life and times. One of the first filmmakers to project an unabashed gay sensibility onto screen, Jarman creates here a montage of autobiography, interviews, and social history that shifts back and forth through time, resulting in an intriguing portrait of his personal and artistic growth from the 1940s to the present. Jarman is able to distill the essence of an era with just a few well-chosen anecdotes. He is outraged at what he sees as the complicit passivity of the British government's response to the AIDS epidemic; throughout, he drops the uncaring words of government officials like deadly bombs. Some readers may find his honesty brazen and offensive, but Jarman is truly a spokesman for his tribe, a teacher and a sage who, while staring death in the face, keeps his eyes open to report back with a deep understanding of what is important to the gay community. Highly recommended.
- Jeffery Ingram, Newport P.L., Ore.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Overlook Hardcover (February 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879514736
• ISBN-13: 978-0879514730
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,505,796 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Derek Jarman in book form, May 23, 2005

By 

Jeffery Mingo (Homewood, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: At Your Own Risk: A Saint's Testament (Paperback)

If you can't get enough of Jarmen's films, you may love this book. It's hodgepodge: half autobiography/half manifesto. It reminds me of much output by ACT-UP and Q Nation members. (I guess it's called Outrage! in Britain.) Because the West has become less AIDS-phobic and gay-friendly, this book may feel incredibly dated. Because it is true to life, parts may make you uncomfortable. For example, Jarmen retells how he rejected a man once and I felt soooo bad for the guy. This book also mentions public lice, black and white female impersonators fighting and other stuff. This is not easy reading. Still, for those who love Paul Monette, Tony Kushner, Robert Ferro, or their kind, this will be a book that you may want to have or read.