Customer Reviews

The Unofficial Gay Manual

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A laughing friend thrust this book into my hands, saying that it had really made him laugh. I took it home, and sat down with it, and started to chuckle. But by the end of the book, I wasn't laughing nearly as much as I thought I would.

Here's the deal: It's not really all that funny, because although it's right on the nose and pokes a lot of fun at our own gay ideosyncracies, the book is also showing just how shallow, lacking, and fundamentally messed up gay culture is.

Now, I'm certainly not going to say that this wasn't a pleasure to read, it just left me with a melancholy feeling: Gosh, isn't it sad that we're pretty much just a joke. It was fun, but sometimes bitter, light, but sometimes kind of mean, this book seems to adeptly sum up the so-called gay culture: Laughable, but not all that funny sometimes, and very often pretty damned sad and lacking in self-esteem.

I first bought this hilarious book in 1995 at the UBC bookstore, and its humour helped me through a difficult time. Having grown up in small-town Alberta, I had always associated being openly gay with shame and fear, but this book light-heartedly revealed a world I had no idea of (remember, this was pre-Internet time and there were no bookstores with gay and lesbian literature sections.)

I read it several times before lending it to a friend, and both were soon long gone. I've been looking for it ever since and just today I chanced upon it here and immediately ordered it.

Delightful, expert mixing of deadpan-style narration and photographs. Thoughtfully-written work is another fabulous creative triumph for gay and lesbian brethren. I recommend "...Living The Lifestyle" for skeptical "straight" folks as a great ice-breaker, conversation-starter, and laugh-inducer. So much in book sounds "true to life", e.g., beginning and ending relationships in tongue-in-cheek manner. Just seeing the cover of this book always brings a genuine smile to my 37-year-old face. Carefree guy.

From ten things not to say to your mother when coming out. To were the best place to live. The top cd's every gay man should own to magz. My favorite part is the quotes from movies and actors. If you want to have a good laugh and to learn something along the way then this is the book for you. Happy reading.

This book picks out every possible gay stereotype and really analyzes it. The result is complete and utter humor, but it really gets you thinking. Why are we the way we are? And you know what... who cares? I'm proud to be me!

The explanations really make sense and even though its all in jest, you do wish some of it were true. The cartoons and the lists are to die for! The pictures of the gay facial expressions and the guide to "gay types!" AHH! It really is a handbook.

I've bought probably over 10 copies of this book and have given it out as gifts to all my close friends (gay or straight, who cares) and have been thanked many times over. The layout has variety, the content is humorous (but very TRUE-to some extent), and provides an appealing way of being everything from fashionable to down right NAUGHTY. A must buy for gay people who really need "a clue."

This book is simply fantastic. It is the handbook of every gay man (and woman). Geared towards the male point of view, this book covers everything from coming out to settling down with your partner.

Most of all, it is hilarious. You will be proud to be gay when you read this great book.

I found this book to illustrate every stereotype of the gay man that I'm not. It's tired. This book could have been written any Friday night by the drag queens that perform at GiGi's in Detroit. Sometimes I found this book to actually be painful, like I was reading about my own foolish mistakes that I made when I came out in 1984...like trusting a gay man to be a real pal. Dull, dull, dull.

I agree with some of the reviews that this book exploits stereotypes at times, but for the most part it is quite funny. I laughed heartily as the Author listed "10 Things NOT to say to your Mother when Coming Out." They list 10 "Musts" CD's and movies and even mention that the gay-rights movement began with Judy Garland's death. The inclusion of "Where the Boys Are" ( a listing of places to go to meet men) is dated and not always accurate. Still an enjoyable read

This is one of the most amusing books I've ever read. Given to me by my exboyfriend, I look through this more than just about any other book I own. Some of the information is a bit out of date, so I'd love to see a revision to it, but it's got a lot of stuff that's timeless.. and hilarious. "How to break up with a psycho killer" couldn't have worked better! :)