The Humble Lover – Edmund White’s latest novel captures the complicated relationship between an older aristocrat and a younger ballet soloist

posted Thursday, June 22, 2023

by: Bryen Dunn in Books

The Humble Lover is a wildly hilarious and irreverent novel about a rich older man who falls in love with a young ballerino. Aldwych West, an eighty-year-old modern-day aristocrat living alone in his Manhattan townhouse, is used to having what he wants. And when he sets eyes on August Dupond, a strong, stunningly beautiful soloist […]

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Jim Nason’s “Self-Portait Embracing a Fabulous Beast” is like taking a masterclass in poetics

posted Wednesday, June 21, 2023

by: Jeffrey Round in Author by Author, Books

Reading Jim Nason’s latest poetry collection, Self-Portrait Embracing a Fabulous Beast, is like taking a masterclass in poetics. The economy and precision of words show effortlessly what makes a poem works. The subjects are noteworthy as well, ranging from ephemeral emotions through carnal sex to portraits of artists whose work is embedded in our cultural […]

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Pageboy: A Memoir from Elliot Page delves into the Canadian trans actors life, and his experience in Hollywood

posted Tuesday, June 20, 2023

by: Bryen Dunn in Books

In Pageboy, The Oscar-nominated Elliot Page finally gets to share his truth. The book gives readers a look into Elliot Page’s journey from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Hollywood. The memoir delves into Page’s relationship with his body, his experiences as one of the most famous trans people in the world, and also covers mental health, […]

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“Why Sinead O’Connor Matters” delves into her music and activism, and the culture that cancelled her

posted Wednesday, June 14, 2023

by: Bryen Dunn in Books

In 1990, Sinéad O’Connor’s video for “Nothing Compares 2 U” turned her into a superstar. Two years later, an appearance on Saturday Night Live turned her into a scandal. For many people—including, for years, the author—what they knew of O’Connor stopped there. Allyson McCabe believes it’s time to reassess our old judgments about Sinéad O’Connor and […]

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Dreaming Home – queer novel follows six characters across forty years, exploring trauma, betrayal, and the search for home

posted Tuesday, June 6, 2023

by: Bryen Dunn in Books

Dreaming Home is a novel in stories, set between Dallas, San Francisco, and Fort Lauderdale. It’s a queer coming-of-age, and coming-to-terms exploration, that follows the after-effects of betrayal and poignantly explores the ways we search for home. Following six characters across forty years, the novel recounts the fragmentation of a family. Kyle runs from his […]

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The Male Gazed – a pop culture reflection of masculinity in a queer world

posted Tuesday, May 30, 2023

by: Bryen Dunn in Books

The Male Gazed is as much a coming of age book as a coming out book. Featuring deep dives into thirst traps, drag queens, Antonio Banderas, and telenovelas—all in the service of helping us reframe how we talk about (desiring) men. Manuel Betancourt has long lustfully coveted masculinity—in part because he so lacked it. As […]

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Expressive Acts: Celebrations and Demonstrations in the Streets of Victorian Toronto

posted Sunday, May 28, 2023

by: Bryen Dunn in Books

Expressive Acts: Celebrations and Demonstrations in the Streets of Victorian Toronto tells the story of how the city may have a global reputation as being well-mannered, but its residents have been known taking to the streets to protest for over a century. Author Ian Radforth takes readers for a walk on the wild side of […]

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Siouxsie and the Banshees: The Early Years

posted Wednesday, May 17, 2023

by: Bryen Dunn in Books

Siouxsie and The Banshees The Early Years explores the adventures, trials and tribulations of a band defying categorisation, with their uncompromising brilliance being exemplified by three unique albums. Monday September 20th, 1976 saw one of the most unexpected moments in music history when what was to become one of the most iconic, important and mimicked […]

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Howl Like A Wounded Animal: Music Stories Vol. 1 – a story book of rock n roll adventures

posted Wednesday, May 17, 2023

by: Bryen Dunn in Books

Adam Sewell has written a book about a few of his rock n roll adventures from the past five decades of his life working within the music business, It’s told through “27 chapters, 3 intros, and 1 tearjerker of an epilogue.” That’s 27 different music-related stories taken from Sewell’s anything but ordinary life. From violent […]

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Playing The Palace – Paul Rudnick’s comical tale of a lovelorn New Yorker, and a dashing UK prince

posted Friday, May 5, 2023

by: Bryen Dunn in Books

In Playing The Palace, Carter Ogden is afraid love just isn’t in the cards for him, after having his heart trampled on by his cheating ex, However, he still holds out hope in a tiny corner of his heart, but even in his wildest dreams he never thought he’d meet the Crown Prince of England, much […]

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