The Penguin Book of Gay Short Stories 1st Edition

This is a big fat wonderful collection of stories by gays or having to do with gays in some way, and I enjoyed it. I won't comment on any particular story; each is different. I love the fact that not all of the writers are gay themselves and not all of them are well-known; in fact, I've never heard of most of these writers, and often their stories struck me as more powerful than those of the well known. Some left me rather awestruck, others had me in stitches, and a few are frankly tragic, but that's what short stories are: slices of life. Not all the stories have any particular "twist" at the end; some of them just end like mini art films. Cool. On a more critical note, there is a certain mustiness to some of the stories, as if the book is intended to appeal to older readers. I did not pay attention to when the book came out, but at times it was a bit like rummaging through an old closet with mothballs as if adding a few more contemporary stories would've made the project seem less "literary". The book also would benefit from a more attractive cover; it somehow looks like one of those dreadful books one is forced to read in high school or college. Trust me when I say it is far more entertaining than that! Nevertheless, I determined to read one or two a day until I finished and was mostly rewarded in the process save a few head-scratchers. I believe there is another and newer volume; I will definitely be getting it also. For those who enjoy the short story form, this book is a treaure.

Some good writing of historically taboo subject matter.

A variety to choose from

.....has introduced me to several authors I had not previously read and I have followed up with some of their longer works....used copies are pretty inexpensive.....

This book is filled with beautifully written short stories that will blow your mind away. Not like what I have read before. A must have.

While I enjoyed this book, at 651 pages it took awhile to wade through it. At times the going was tough for me. I found the beginning of the book was weighted with authors with literary reputations and actually found D.H. Lawrence, Christopher Isherwood's pre-Cabaret short story, Graham Greene and Noel Coward to be like being lost in a forest of words. So obviously I'm wrong, but that's how it hit me. David Plante's "The Princess from Africa" developed distinctive characters that connected in unexpected ways. Richard McCann's "My Mother's Clothes: the School of Beauty and Shame" about a boy becoming a teenager who forms a bond with the new boy on the block as they experiment modeling his mother's wardrobe was sweetly heartbreaking with its innocence and crash landing into a hostile reality. Christopher Coe's "Gentlemen Can Wash Their Hands in the Gents" made me smile as a father is less concerned about what his son does than where he does it. "The Dancing Lesson" by Gerry Atharelli initially put me off with the stream of words, but eventually moved me like a better Hemingway. Some of the AIDS-themed stories were so sad, reflective of such a difficult era and the many losses suffered in the gay pandemic. Overall, I was glad I got to read this collection. It made me appreciate the unique ways men adapt to their sex drive and in their desire for love. Enjoy!

This anthology offers a cornucopia of gay writers--some notorious and others undiscovered. We are offered different perspectives on the gay experience, and the stories transgress not only time periods, but age groups as well. The writers are gifted in their writing techniques, creating characters that are identifiable yet anomalous. I would recommend this anthology for those who are new to gay literature.

This is an excellent collection of gay short fiction, many from the pre-Stonewall period of obscurity. With the current explosion of GLTB literature, a sequel is in order:)

Haven't quite got to this book just yet, but it looks like it will be a very exciting read - in bed!

Great