Boy in the Sand: Casey Donovan, All-American Sex Star [Paperback]

Roger Edmonson (Author), Jerry Douglas (Foreword), Cal Culver (Principal), Casey Donovan (Principal), Alyson Publications (Publisher)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1998

This candid look at the first gay porn superstar tells the story of a young man with dreams of fame who began as a stage actor and always dreamed of making mainstream films. Instead, he found himself trapped as an icon of gay sexuality.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Roger Edmonson details the life of one of the most famous and beloved American gay porn stars. In 1971, gay model and actor Cal Culver went from being relatively unknown to superstardom when he appeared in the acclaimed high-brow porn movie Boys in the Sand. Rechristened Casey Donovan, he became a stage star, a world-renowned celebrity, and an idol for gay men. In 1987 Culver died of AIDS-related complications. Boy in the Sand is remarkably free from moralizing, simply presenting the reader with the everyday realities of Donovan's life, from his careers as advice columnist for Stallion magazine and hustler to his romantic pursuits. Like Charles Isherwood's critically acclaimed Wonder Bread and Ecstasy: The Life and Death of Joey Stefano, Edmonson's book is more than simply a portrait of the artist as a young stud--it's an examination of how gay-male sexuality and identity are constructed and marketed for both homosexual and mainstream audiences. --Michael Bronski

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Alyson Books; 1st edition (October 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1555834574
• ISBN-13: 978-1555834579
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #473,932 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #72 in Books > Gay & Lesbian > Biographies & Memoirs > Gay

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Like a so-so date: great package, but where's the depth?, January 14, 2000

By 

DAMwriter "David Moore" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Boy in the Sand: Casey Donovan, All-American Sex Star (Paperback)

Confession: I started reading this book wanting to like it. Really. After all the inaccuracies that have been written and said about gay men and their (supposedly? occasionally?) promiscuous sexuality (which depends, I suppose, on who's doing the talking; to use a literary analogy, you say "bookworm", I say "well-read"), I was looking forward to an in-depth look at the development, creation and iconization of a gay porn star. What would lead an otherwise "normal" young man, in the era of the overwhelming closet, to enter, and ultimately maintain a career, in this industry? Long before it was considered somewhat fashionable to have a little bit of scandal in your past, long before the days of straight bodybuilders making a few quick bucks, most hardcore gay film performers were doing it out of desperation for the money, to avoid homelessness, or under some form of duress (e.g. runaway teens, drug users, etc.). Then along comes this boy next door, who seems to want nothing but to be a performer, and there he is, making adult films? What created this man? What created our urge to watch him, honor him, and make him an icon of liberated gay sexuality? How did all these factors come together, and ultimately help create the mega-billion dollar industry that is gay porn today?

Unfortunately, we're left hanging, unsatisfied, on most of these fronts. While the author does occasionally delve into the psyche of his subject, his family, and the public that seemed (and still seems) to adore him, these are brief glimpses. In most cases, the curtain is pulled back rather quickly, as if the author is somehow more shy about revealing the interior of this person than he is about revealing the external body he dwelt in.

Not that those looking for a quick bit of titillation will get much here, either. Better to purchase an anthology of male erotica, if what you're looking for is a bit of arousal. Here again, the author experiences a surpising chastity about his subject.

Where the author does exult, however, is in his descriptions of Cal/Casey's natural beauty, and its effect on those around him (not to mention the author himself). There is a certain degree of goddess-worship in his tone and constant, repitious descriptions of our hero's boy-next-door looks, unwavering smile, honest eyes, tight body (and so on, over and over again).

True, you can hardly blame the guy: Cal/Casey WAS good looking, seems to be awfully charming, and might not be a bad person to spend an evening with. But, like the end of an ultimately boring date, where you don't get much beyond the surface of your partner, this book, too, leaves the reader wanting more substance.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A detailed, absorbing look at the first gay XXX celebrity., August 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Boy in the Sand: Casey Donovan, All-American Sex Star (Paperback)

BOY IN THE SAND is a much-needed look back at gay porn's first celebrity, the much-loved and still greatly missed, Casey Donovan. It's also a good overview of the growth of the gay XXX industry, and a quick, absorbing read, overall, with lots of juicy behind-the-scenes details.

Edmonson nicely details the duality of Casey's personality; he was equal parts sex pig and clean-cut boy next door. The facts of his life are all here, but I would have liked a closer, more detailed examination of his inner life. Still, relatively few authors have attempted to examine the gay adult video industry, and those who have cannot seem to resist moralizing, or snickering. Edmonson does neither, and his discretion and respect for the life and work of Casey Donovan is much appreciated.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars EVERYTHING YOU WANNA KNOW ABOUT CASEY, January 12, 2000

By 

Lancaster Daniel Ray - See all my reviews

This review is from: Boy in the Sand: Casey Donovan, All-American Sex Star (Paperback)

Being a big porn fan (especially 80's movies), I found this book very interreting to read. Lots a details. The short interviews of people who knew Cal/Casey are put in in an original way. With all the modeling he did, I was a little deceived there were only a few pictures of him. But I bought the book for his story, and that part was good. I can only imagine that his life was not ordinary and was one of a kind. Other porn stars must have been through hell in comparaison. You'll enjoy the reading !