Contemporary Gay American Novelists: A Bio-Bibliographical Critical Sourcebook [Hardcover]

Emmanuel S. Nelson (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 30, 1993

Publication of this sourcebook on important gay American fiction writers grants legitimacy and recognition to this rapidly emerging area of literary studies. Though wary of canon-formation in this groundbreaking work, editor Nelson has selected fifty-seven writers whose works have received serious critical acclaim and/or have won large audiences or, in a few cases, are worthy of greater attention. Included are representative writers of detective fiction and science fiction, but not authors of erotic fiction or pulp novels. Also excluded are a few novelists whose expressed wishes for privacy were respected. Writers and their works are examined in the gay literary context, and a majority of the contributing essayists are themselves gay male scholars and writers who bring with them a level of personal and political sensitivity that is generally lacking in non-gay assessments of this literature. Each entry begins with biographical information, proceeds to an interpretive summary of major works and themes, provides an overview of critical reception accorded the author, and concludes with bibliographies of primary and secondary materials. In a lively and perceptive introductory essay, Bredbeck inquires into what we mean by "gay literature" and the inherent tensions in these terms. Conceding the impossibility of speaking conclusively of gay literature, he nevertheless stresses the importance of the task and ends with a survey of critical studies of the gay male novel and works of gay male criticism.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The 57 male novelists in this volume range from Isherwood and Baldwin to Maupin and Leavitt, with some lesser-known writers appearing as well. There are notable absences, but several authors requested that they not be included. Each entry includes a biography, summary of major works and themes, assessment of critical reception, and bibliography of both primary sources and selected studies. The bibliographies are wildly uneven. Primary sources list only novels for some authors, whereas for others short stories and nonfiction are also given. Secondary sources also vary greatly, but generally not enough scholarly articles are given. Still, the material provided is excellent, and the sections on critical reception, which often delineate how homophobia has informed critical opinion, are invaluable and unprecedented. A fine essay by Gregory Bredbeck helps define the idea of "gay literature." Gay/lesbian studies are blossoming, and this volume will begin to fill the enormous gap in our reference collections on the subject; nothing like it is currently available. A companion volume on lesbian writers is forthcoming. Recommended for all undergraduate and research collections.
- Brian Kenney, Brooklyn P.L.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

“This book would be strongly recommended if for no other reason than that so little has been published about most of the novelists. It is important for providing analysis unavailable elsewhere.”–Choice

“The material provided is excellent, and the sections on critical reception, which often delineate how homophobia has informed critical opinion, are invaluable and unprecedented. A fine essay by Gregory Bredbeck helps define the idea of 'gay literature.' Gay/lesbian studies are blossoming, and this volume will begin to fill the enormous gap in our reference collections on the subject; nothing like it is currently available.”–Library Journal

“Hardbound and made to last a century or so, the book covers fifty-seven modern gay novelists, giving you run-downs on each writer's biography, books and reputation. There are big names and small, some dubious, and some missing, but the volume is definitely historic.”–Mandate

“Nelson has done an excellent job in editing this book about gay novelists, which should be a welcome addition in all research libraries as well as other libraries where there is an interest in gay and lesbian culture. It fills a need in the area of gay and lesbian studies and is recommended for academic and large public libraries.”–Reference Books Bulletin

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 456 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood Press (January 30, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0313280193
• ISBN-13: 978-0313280191
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,011,053 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An uneven yet important piece of scholarship, October 2, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Contemporary Gay American Novelists: A Bio-Bibliographical Critical Sourcebook (Hardcover)

While many of the articles in the collection Gay American Novelists lack a sufficient critical background to make them important contributions the the ever expanding field of gay studies, individual articles represent outstanding insights into the works of gay Ameican novelists, most notably Emmanuel Nelson's essay on the the works of James Baldwin, among others. Although the collection as a whole may be at best uneven in quality, the effort to create a sourcebook for information concerning gay American novelists was long overdue and will make a substantial contribution to the field.