Gay Soul: Finding the Heart of Gay Spirit and Nature with Sixteen Writers, Healers, Teache (Paperback)

~ (Author) "To talk about soul is not necessarily to know it..." (more)
Key Phrases: Ram Dass, New York, Los Angeles (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Thompson (Gay Spirit, St. Martin's, 1987) plumbs "the potentialities of otherness" in these compelling interviews with a remarkably diverse, insightful roster of gay men, all of whom ponder and exemplify the spiritual possibilities of the gay experience. At 81, poet and filmmaker James Broughton is yet the imp of the collection, gleefully exhorting readers to revel in "the delicious absurdities of the world." Spiritual activist Ram Dass invites us to understand suffering as grace, to see one's "incarnation as a curriculum." Jungian psychotherapist Robert Hopcke suggests that drag queens embody the trickster archetype in American culture. And anthropologist Will Roscoe sees promise in the Native American berdache tradition of the third cultural gender accepted because he "mediates the divisions and contradictions within the community." Rife with uncommon visions, Gay Soul is an excellent sourcebook of psychical constructions of queerness.
Thomas Tavis, San Francisco P.L.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

Gay spirituality and sensibility come to light in these pages of striking portraits and trenchant interviews. Thompson brings out the unique contributions of the esteemed gay men – including Will Roscoe, Joseph Kramer, Harry Hay, James Broughton, Andrew Harvey, Paul Monette, Malcolm Boyd, and Ram Dass – who lead the spiritual life. Thompson elicits vivid musings on such provocative issues as the third gender, S&M, ritual as ‘holy fire’, and spirituality in the age of Aids. His interviews call out the deepest emotions of each of these vibrant leaders who reveal, as never before, the spirit and the soul of the gay life.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne (May 12, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006251041X
• ISBN-13: 978-0062510419
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #467,653 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A long needed look at Gay Spirituality, February 2, 1999

By A Customer

At long last someone has done a study of gay spirituality! Soul and Spirituality among gay men are increasingly becoming much stronger and deeper as we approach the millenium and the Age of Aquarius. When overcoming difficulties of the modern age such as homophobia and the stigmatisation of the AIDS epidemic, gay men such as myself have started to look inside themselves for the fulfilment that lacks in society, and this book is one of very few available that studies the many different aspects of this new spritiuality. The interview format takes a bit of getting used to at first, but from the start the writing has a conversational style which makes it much easier to read, and more difficult to put down! I would highly recommend this for any gay man seeking to discover his true spirituality in whatever form- it truly is a brilliant book!

3.0 out of 5 stars Pink Highlighter, October 16, 2009

By	Benjamin Ramsay "untitled-thing" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This is an absolutely phenomenal book. I wasn't notified that it would be liberally marked up with pink highlighter, otherwise I might have bought another used copy. But nothing can get in the way of this book being inspiring and incredible. Every gay man must read it.

4.0 out of 5 stars A great collection of essays!, November 11, 1998

By A Customer

This book is a great resource for a gay male looking for viewpoints on sexuality, spirituality, and morality. The various essays included are mostly in interview form, and make it feel that you are "listening" into a conversation. In this indirect eavesdropping, you find a wealth of viewpoints and guidance on issues that have traditionally plagued many gay men -- sex, self-esteem, and sense of purpose in society.