"Why Gay Men Do What They Do": An Inside Look at Gay Culture [Paperback]

Aaron Silver (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1425938752 | ISBN-13: 978-1425938758 | Publication Date: July 14, 2006

My reasons for writing this book are rather complex because I have seen no other books on the shelves that were comprehensive enough to interest the straight population as well. This book is as much for them as it is for gay people because I believe it provides important information to help them understand themselves better and why many gay men behave the way they do. The gay culture has always seemed mysterious to the straight culture as if we were hiding something. Perhaps we have been. I hope this book helps them to better understand themselves and also provide the necessary insight into gay culture so that the straight culture doesn't feel so left in the dark about what gay culture is all about. This seemingly hidden culture only creates unnecessary suspicion, therefore distrust between each other. I also provide a bit of a history lesson on how and why it is likely that gay culture became its own separate entity apart from the dominant culture in which it lives. My hope is that this will also aide in a better understanding between the two cultures. This I believe is absolutely essential. My greatest hope is that this book will cause the much needed discussion about why many of us behave the way we do. My thoughts are that the high school girlish behaviors are the manifestations of unhealed wounds, which I refer to as "ghost wounds". These wounds I believe are a direct result of the damage that has been done during the very critical school age years when many of us were trying to find out who we were and develop a sense of self. Unfortunately, most gay men I have spoken to or interviewed from many countries from all over the world have very similar childhood experiences. Most felt lonely, isolated, picked on at school, and they most often felt like outsiders. I believe these experiences have done more emotional damage to gay people then we have ever given credit too. As a result, these ghost wounds have never been healed and follow them around for a lifetime unl

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

I was brought up in a very quaint small town of about 5 people in a middle to upper class family with 7 children, 4 boys and 3 girls. We lived about 20 miles East of Lake Michigan and ironically about 20 miles from one of the largest gay resorts in the country called, "Saugatuck". I have many fond memories as a kid going to the beaches in Saugatuck and playing in the water. Of course¿at that age I was unaware that the beaches¿were ranked as¿some of the most beautiful beaches in the country.¿ After finishing high school I went directly into Western Michigan University where I studied Spanish and Sociology.¿ However, during my junior year I went to Guatemala alone and caught a very serious bug, the travel bug.¿ There is no known cure or treatment except to do it.¿ So to help with my treatment I quit college around my senior year and have spent most of my life since traveling all over the world, to around 60 countries now. But I was not merely a bystander, but have lived amongst the native peoples of Guatemala, which was my first adventure out of the country.¿This was such an extraordinary experience that it¿caused me to fall in love with the adventures of exploring developing countries and living amongst the indigenous peoples from all over the world. I enjoyed cultural contrast that they had to offer which I feel taught me more about who I was and what I was about, and that they were teaching me much more about life and priorities than I could have learned¿traveling in Europe. However, I loved traveling all through Europe as well, and traveling to 3rd world countries certainly provided me goose bumps from meeting so many interesting people. ¿For the past 30 years I developed a successful dog boarding, breeding and grooming business because of my love of animals. I now live on a small horse farm with a dog kennel¿5 miles outside the gay resort of Saugatuck Michigan, hence my interest and concerns with the gay culture of today. ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿

Product Details

• Paperback: 260 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse (July 14, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1425938752
• ISBN-13: 978-1425938758
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,053,638 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Pathetically Written a True Waste of Money, October 14, 2006

By 

Byron Montel "Byron Montel" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: "Why Gay Men Do What They Do": An Inside Look at Gay Culture (Paperback)

I agree with Robert W. Eastman. I heard and seen firsthand that the author of this book is a self-destructive time bomb waiting to go off!!! His so-called published editorial book was paid for by the author and not professionally published. As Mr. Silver has poorly written his "fantasies." After I wasted the money, on his pathetic material. I could see that Mr. Eastman was accurate in saying, "Mr. Silver is a confused individual, his perception of what happened in his relationship and life is misconstrued. The whole book is about poor Aaron. He definitely needs counseling."

I also know for a fact that his sister wrote the only five-star reviews published on Amazon, way to go Lisa, to encourage her brothers psychotic state of mind. After all their family only committed him to the psychiatric ward several times after he admitted, suicidal thoughts...

I would much rather see you donate the money to charitable causes or purchase a book that of Ten Smart Things Gay Men Can Do to Improve Their Lives Or ManReaders: A Woman's Guide To Dysfunctional Men Forbidden Love with a Married Man: E-mail Diaries How I Made My Husband Gay: Myths About Straight Wives

I hope Aaron Silver get's the help he needs and wishes him the best on his journey through life...

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Did anyone proofread this?, September 4, 2006

By 

Robert W. Eastman Jr. "Dream On Alice This Ai... (Grand Rapids, MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: "Why Gay Men Do What They Do": An Inside Look at Gay Culture (Paperback)

First of all I would like to say that this is the most poorly written piece of "Fantasy" that I have ever had the displeasure of reading. He is truly a confused individual. His perception of what happened in his relationships and life is misconstrue. The whole book is about poor Aaron. He definitely needs counseling.

3 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Truth Hurts!, February 2, 2007

By 

news reporter "news reporter" (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: "Why Gay Men Do What They Do": An Inside Look at Gay Culture (Hardcover)

If you are a gay man, as I am, then the contents of this book will hit home and resonate with you. The truth hurts, but it will provide insight into the behaviors of "our" community as some of us continue to deal with shame, guilt, anger, rejection and other feelings. If you are not gay, then this book will open your eyes. You will have a much better understanding of the issues that gay men dealt with growing up and still wrestle with today. It is important to read this book to get a better understanding of this ever growing community that is gaining momentum to move it's agenda for greater equality through the political process.