Gay Life: Leisure, Love, and Living for the Contemporary Gay Male [Paperback]

Eric Rofes (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This handbook of wit and wisdom is intended for "second-generation gay American men," those who have "comfortably integrated homosexuality into the whole person." Grouped into the categories "Health & Image," "Home," "Love," "Culture & Leisure," and "Gay Identity," the 42 essays include personal narrative, advice, humor, and historical analysis, all advocating self-acceptance. The writing is very uneven; even the pieces by Armistead Maupin, Samuel Steward, and Donald Vining are not among their best. As a guide to gay culture and lifestyle, this collection lacks the depth of Lavendar Culture , edited by Karla Jay and Allen Young (Jove, 1978). James E. Van Buskirk, Acad. of Art Coll. Lib., San Francisco
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 305 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday; 1st edition (September 24, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385193866
• ISBN-13: 978-0385193863
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,591,465 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Gay Life a Classic, March 24, 2004

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"baciosud" (Bryn Mawr, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gay Life: Leisure, Love, and Living for the Contemporary Gay Male (Paperback)

Though this is an old volume, the advice its many authors dispense is still true today. Finding love, living a good life, managing your friendship group -- all of these and more are the topics covered and covered well. The likes of Armistead Maupin, who gives sage advice to fellow gays, and others of note are wonderful to read. Some writers who were emerging at the time are included, like DeMarco, whose "Care and Feeding of a Gay Friendship Network" is funny and insightful. Eric Rofes, who is now a noted scholar in gay studies, put together a great collection and it deserves to be given another chance at reaching an audience.