Comments on: On How Incredibly Fucked Up: Book of Closet Cases Wins Lambda Literary Award for Men’s Fiction

By: The Accidental Aciman « Gay Book Blog

The Accidental Aciman « Gay Book Blog — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 04:25:50 +0000

[...] The Gay Recluse says the book is “homophobic” but I didn’t read it that way. [...]

By: The Gay Recluse

The Gay Recluse — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:01:46 +0000

Thanks for the comment, Homoneurotic. I suggest you read my full review of the book — the link is in the above post — in which you will see that my objection stems far less from the fact that Aciman is gay/straight/whatever (although I do think the “about the author” language and placement is hardly accidental), and more for the book’s careless assumptions about the psychological dimensions of homosexuality and the failure to adequately explore any of them. Yes, Aciman has good prose, but as a novel, it’s the opposite of revelatory, and is rooted in some very tedious stereotypes that certainly do not deserve to be lauded by any organization representing the gay “community.” (File under “self-hatred.”)

By: homoneurotic

homoneurotic — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 06:48:37 +0000

as I wrote elsewhere. I think i disagree with you on this point. i don’t think Aciman’s being gay or straight or bisexual changes the fact that this was a good book, with excellent writing, that deserved the award. I’ll have to read it to know for sure. Let’s hope FSG sends me a copy.

By: homoneurotic

homoneurotic — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 06:18:38 +0000

wow. well, if it’s any consolation. nobody really cares about the lammy’ awards. it’s sad, and charles is going to kill me for saying so. but no data shoes that a lammy win increases book sales. and when it call comes down to it. that’s the fucking point — getting books into people’s bookshelves, whether they read them or not.

i’m adding you to my blog roll btw. i’m enjoying your smart commentary.