Farm Boys: Lives of Gay Men from the Rural Midwest (Paperback)

~ William D. Fellows (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The vision of the "gay lifestyle" conjured up by many Americans is informed chiefly by media and cultural images emanating from the large cities of the East and West Coasts. This vision, however, is limited and limiting. In places like Eau Claire, Lincoln, and Des Moines, there are also queers who possess their own distinct experiences, views, and voices that are often obscured in the bicoastal din. The two works here attempt to right this situation as they explore and celebrate from a Midwestern point of view the diversity within the gay community. Farm Boys presents a series of autobiographical narratives by gay men raised on farms over this century?the oldest was born in 1909, the youngest in 1967. They describe perceptions of and responses to conditions inherent in farming communities and the influence this experience has had on their lives. The roughhewn quality of the narratives (only one was written by a professional writer) creates an ambience that is often powerful and poignant, conveying the sadness of isolation and the strength of self-reliance. Reclaiming the Heartland takes a more literary approach, presenting a diverse collection of fiction, poetry, drama, essays, and photography by men and women who have lived or are living in the Midwest. The works focus on the Midwest as place, the broader issues of desire, and the Midwestern perspective on and in other locations. The goal is to prove that queer identity and cultural practices do indeed thrive in the heartland. The pieces themselves are something of a mixed bag, but the whole is satisfying. Both these works serve as important reminders that gay people do live, work, and love all across the land. They should be seriously considered by all libraries supporting gay studies as well as public libraries throughout the Midwest.?David W. Henderson, Eckerd Coll. Lib., St. Petersburg, Fla.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"A moving and insightful collection of unheard stories that unsettles as it expands our understanding of gay identity and American culture in the twentieth century."-David Romn, University of Southern California -- David Romn, University of Southern California

"Farm Boys breaks the silence that has fallen on gay rural life."-David Bergman, editor of Men on Men 5: Best New Gay Fiction -- David Bergman, editor of Men on Men 5 : Best New Gay Fiction --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press (March 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0299150844
• ISBN-13: 978-0299150846
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #476,456 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This city boy loved it, September 6, 1998

By	Karlis Streips (Riga, Latvia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The stories told in "Farm Boys" are sometimes touching, sometimes funny, sometimes sexy and virtually always compelling. The loneliness which an emerging gay personality must feel in the solitude that characterizes most American farms must be overbearing at times. A key element in many of the stories told in this book is families which do not and cannot understand homosexuality until it comes to roost at home. Another is the strong religious background which many of the men have faced and dealt with. Not all of the stories end happily -- one of the men, for example, committed suicide shortly after the interview with him was completed. But most of the tales are affirmations of personal confidence and development, and they are bracing even to those of us who feel that the best thing about the countryside is that it is possible to return to the city from it, preferably immediately. Will Fellows has added an important contribution to gay male history, and he is to be highly praised for it. Even greater praise, however, must go to the men who have forthrightly told their tales, many of them reporting along the way that their communities are still not aware of their sexuality. That takes bravery, as does the ability to look deeply into one's own life and background. What a wonderful book.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Study of Rural Gay Life!, April 4, 2001

By	Joseph J. Hanssen "Joe" (Upstate New York) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I was more than impressed with this wonderful collection/study of over three dozen rural gay men who grew up on farms in the Midwest. I never had the experience of living on a farm, having lived in the city while I was growing up, so this was a real eye opener for me. These gay coming of age stories told by the individuals are spell-binding. You not only learn about their first gay experiences, what their families were like, and their everyday life on the farms, but what happened to these individuals after leaving, which most of them did, their farming lives.

This is an excellent look into the lives of these rural gay men and their isolated struggles. It should be required reading for any gay history course. It is fascinating and so well-researched. There are many books out there covering gay life in the cities. This is a wonderful and enlightening study of the rural gay man. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hidden history, May 2, 2003

By	california-bookworm (California) - See all my reviews

"Farm Boys" is a superb work of American oral history and sociology. Author Will Fellows spoke to rural gay Midwestern men of all ages, to draw out, record and give shape to their life stories. The result is a poignant and revealing mosaic-portrait that shows the rich intersections of farm life, gay culture and the American twentieth century. Of especial interest to me were the stories of those men born nearly a century ago - we have so little written testimony of what it was like to live as a gay man "back then." And while the subject is gay men, I imagine this book would also be of interest to any reader wanting to know more about rural lives and attitudes in twentieth-century America. Thank you, Mr. Fellows for all your hard work!