Astonishingly frank a young edmund white a boys own story is both a masterpiece in the literature of adolescence and a pivotal book in the history of gay writing, opening up the landscape of. The nameless narrator in this deeply affecting work reminisces. Buy a boys own story picador books reprints by white, edmund isbn. The books unnamed narrator, growing up during the 1950s, is beset by aloof parents, a cruel sister, and relentless mocking from his peers, compelling him to seek out works of art and literature as solace. Whites lyrical and flowery language and his dream like and surreal style and forthright depictions of homosexuality bring to mind the french writers marcel proust and jean genetlike genet, white is fascinated by macho, masculine men and the femininity beneath their macho veneer. A novel of sexual awakeningas an unnamed narrator tells of his boyhood desire to love men, but always with the simultaneous wish not to be a homosexual. Where i think edmund white missed a chance is just here. I havent read the other novels, and i was initially put off because of my experience with this novel. The title of edmund whites novel in the form of an autobiography or is. Edmund whites a boys own story is a comingofage novel centered on the sexual awakening of a queer teenage boy in the midwest during the 1950s. Before spending a year in rome, he worked for timelife books from 1962 until 1970.
With searing clarity and unabashed wit, edmund whites unnamed protagonist yearns for what he knows. A boys own story by white, edmund, 1940publication date 1983 publisher london. A boys own story is an autobiographical depiction of edmund whites childhood. Works like a boys own story, first published in 1982, and the beautiful room is empty 1988 helped pave the way for more openly gay nonfiction books to be published. Many readers make the mistake of calling it autobiographical, forgetting it is a work of fiction loosely autobiographical. An instant classic upon its original publication, a boys own story is the first of edmund whites highly acclaimed trilogy of autobiographical novels that brilliantly evoke a young mans coming of age and document american gay life through the last forty years. A boys own story is the first of edmund whites highly acclaimed trilogy of autobiographical novels that brilliantly evoke a young mans coming of age and document american gay life. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Edmund white was born in cincinnati, ohio, in 1940. Brief summary a boys own story is the story of the authors, edmund white, own self discover of his homosexuality in the 1940s and 1950s in america. Edmund white in a boys own story and jack holmes and. With searing clarity and unabashed wit, edmund whites unnamed protagonist yearns for what he knows to. With a boy s own story american literature is larger by one classic novel.
With searing clarity and unabashed wit, edmund whites unnamed protagonist yearns for what he. The first few chapters are strong, with a vivid presentation of the driving forces in the boys background. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. A boys own story by edmund white overdrive rakuten. A boys own story is a literary masterpiece both moving and disturbing. Alan hollinghurst on edmund whites gay classic a boys. The trilogy continued with the beautiful room is empty 1988 and the farewell symphony 1997, which brought the setting up to the 1990s. With a boys own story american literature is larger by one classic novel. The books unnamed narrator, growing up during the 1950s, is beset by aloof parents, a cruel sister, and relentless mocking from his peers, compelling him to seek out works of art and. It is a clear and sinister pool in which goldfish and piranhas both swim. Whites book is itself an aesthetic conundrum, of dreamlike ingenuity, in which an amnesiac narrator learns through observation the codes of a.
The washington post the story edmund white tells is spellbindingby turns incisively satiric, goldenly nostalgic, calmly voluptuous, and throbbing. Beset by aloof parents, a cruel sister, and relentless mocking from his peers, the boy struggles with his sexuality, seeking consolation in art and literature, and in his own fantastic imagination as. A boys own story is the first of his trio of autobiographical novels followed by the beautiful room is empty and the farewell symphony. A boys own story is the first autobiographies in a three book series spanning the authors late childhood throughout his adulthood. His works have chronicled gay life with such books as a boys own story, the beautiful room is empty, and the farewell symphony.
His fiction includes the autobiographical trilogy a boys own story, the beautiful room is empty, and the farewell symphony, as well as caracole, forgetting elena, nocturnes for the king of naples, and skinned alive, a collection of. The result is a book of exquisite poignancy and humour that moves towards a conclusion which will allow the boy to leave behind his childhood forever. The washington post book world edmund white has crossed j. A boys own story is quite a well known novel about growing up as a gay teen in the fifties in america. Salinger with oscar wilde to create an extraordinary novel. Edmund white is a patriarch of gay american literature. A boys own story by white, edmund, 1940publication date 1982 topics teenage boys, gay youth publisher new york. Critically lauded upon its initial publication in 1982 for its pioneering depiction of homosexuality, a boys own story is a moving tale about comingofage in midcentury america. In a boys own story and jack holmes and his friend, my idea was to take someone totally different from my real self and, at the same time, to assign to him my own life trajectory. The subject of a boys own story is less a particular boy than the bodies and souls of american men. Edmund white long ago established himself as a premier voice in gay america. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, the times does. Beset by aloof parents, a cruel sister, and relentless mocking from his peers, the boy struggles with his sexuality, seeking consolation in art and literature, and in his own fantastic imagination as he fills his head with romantic expectations. It begins with experiments and realizations of adolescence and proceeds through his firsthand account of the stonewall uprising.
San francisco chronicle with a boys own story, american literature is larger by one classic novel. The audiobooks unnamed narrator, growing up during the 1950s, is beset by aloof parents, a cruel sister, and relentless mocking from his peers, compelling him to seek out works of art and literature as solace. Edmund white has 97 books on goodreads with 115255 ratings. Originally published in 1982 as the first of edmund whites trilogy of autobiographical novels, a boys own story became an instant classic for its pioneering portrayal of homosexuality. A boys own story ends with the boy me betraying his teacher, a man with whom he had sex. This is a digitized version of an article from the timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. A boys own story by edmund white read online on bookmate. A boys own story is a 1982 semiautobiographical novel by edmund white. A boys own story originally published in 1982 as the first of edmund whites trilogy of autobiographical novels, a boys own story became an instant classic for its pioneering portrayal of homosexuality. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. A boys own story is the first of a trilogy of novels, describing a boys coming of age and documenting a young mans experience of homosexuality in the 1950s in cincinnati, chicago and michigan. The book s unnamed narrator, growing up during the 1950s, is beset by aloof parents, a cruel sister, and relentless mocking from his peers, compelling him to seek out works of art and literature as solace and to uncover new relationships in the struggle to embrace his own sexuality. A boys own story by white, edmund and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Chicago suntimes ridiculed by his classmates and beset by aloof parents and a cruel sister.
A boys own story is a popular piece of fiction by edmund white. Its an account slanted, as whites best books are, toward the intimate. A boys own story is a moving tale about comingofage in midcentury america. Edmund whites book is based on his own experiences. The books unnamed narrator, growing up during the 1950s, is beset by aloof parents, a cruel sister, and relentless mocking from his peers, compelling him to seek out works of art and literature as solaceand. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. Part fiction and part autobiography, a boys own story is the tale of a youth discovering his homosexuality in the 1940s and 1950s in america. Louis monierrue des archiveswriter pictures a boys own story is a book about loneliness if the story.
A boys own story the independent banned books series edmund white on. I cant imagine being gay and not having read this book. This particular moment in gay history provides an interesting context when reading edmund whites a boys own story. The novel discusses topics such as the corruption of innocence, the pressures of masculinity in the lives of young boys, the emergence of childhood sexuality, and the exploration of humanity through. Alan hollinghurst on edmund whites gay classic a boys own story. A boys own story the independent banned books series. A boys own story traces an unnamed narrators comingofage during the 1950s.
It is part one of a trilogy of novels based on the same character. This article appeared in the books and arts section of the print edition under the headline the boys own story. Originally published in 1982 as the first of edmund whites tril. Edmund white the boys own story books and arts the. Salinger with oscar wilde, to create an extraordinary novel. Originally published in 1982 as the first of edmund white s trilogy of autobiographical novels, a boy s own story became an instant classic for its pioneering portrayal of homosexuality.
485 536 125 1102 1032 1508 1053 1384 984 2 797 871 807 271 1272 463 888 1212 1326 144 199 1411 451 1376 434 814 1409 920 295 77 1037 1112 165 1271 1412 1015