Customer Reviews

Sex Longing & Not Belonging : A Gay Muslim's Quest for Love & Meaning

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Although VERY sexually graphic, this book is an acute analysis of the confusions first of being Pakistani and attracted to males, and then of being a gay Muslim in Anglo North America (New York, Toronto, San Francisco). There are too many adjectives for some tastes, and more will cringe at how the author treats servants and other sex objects. He is more honest than most of us dare to be--particularly about the marriage he permitted his family back in Pakistan to arrange for him. One friend who accommodates his homosexuality to marriage and family in Pakistan and one who cuts his cultural and family ties to live entirely in a New York gay world provide contrasts of other possible paths and a (rather coldly academic) afterword by the author of ISLAMIC HOMOSEXUALITIES draws out other comparisons of gay Muslim lifeways.

But I guess that is what gay men want to read. As a Muslim, I was really hoping for more insight on Islam and homosexuality. Instead it's just the tales (many of which, the author notes in the introduction, are fake) of an oversexed man and his sex life. Probably most American gay men who have ethnic fetishes will find the book titilating, he does go into great detail of his sex life (ex. seducing the servents in his home, sex on vacation, when he moves to San Francisco). I on the other hand wish there was more to it than that.

Wow! What a find! This is the first book of its kind, and well written too! The book describes in first person the authors experiences, growing up Muslim and gay in Pakistan....but beyond that, it also includes striking commentary on what it means to be "gay" in North America, from another point of view, and a very educated one at that. I enjoyed the writing, and read the book at one (very long) sitting...couldnt put it down...it is a bit specialized, though, but a must read if you are interested in cross cultural issues

A real page turner. I recommend this book as a good summer read on the beach (though you run the risk of an erection)or a serious study of how life really is like for a gay man in a Muslim country. I found the normalcy and erotic semsitivity of the sex scenes to be charming and real. My big complaint was that I finished it too quickly. As I finished, I wanted to learn more about the charming Dick, and how the transmutation of life was proceeding. In other words, I wanted more! A sequel! More sex, more pompous analysis. More!

A friend suggested I read this book, and I must say it is one of the most interesting books I have read in a long while. My only complaint is, it should be longer, his style of writing is engaging and a pleasure to read, and the subject matter is handled from a wide range of perspectives. This is the first book written BY a gay Pakistani that I have read, and I hope Badrudding writes some more. The book is satisfying, entertaining, provocative, and just plain fun to read.

I was surprised to see I did not leave a review. So although it's been a few months since I read the book, I remember liking it very much and still have it on my shelf, which means I intend to keep it (at least for now). What different lives people from other third world countries lead. I thought we in the U.S. have to put up with a lot coming out, but this is quite different. More power to them.