Reviews (7)

Thoughts on sister outsider
If you are looking for some consiousness raising, inspiring, and honest words - then this is the book that will bring that to you.I highly recommend it.

Still Saving Lives
"I have come to work on you like a drug or a chisel" wrote the late Audre Lorde. Her passing created a hollow space in my soul that is now full again, thanks to Audre Lorde. Despite the fact that 'Sister Outsider' is assigned in virtually every women's studies and gender studies 101, do not think it is dry, ultimately a mere 'academic' book. Audre Lorde lived in and for a radical poetics and a radical pedagogy. If you have not discovered her work yet, please get a hold of a copy. It might save your life the way it saved mine, and I am white, male and straight, with a fierce hatred of white supremacy, patriarchy, and homophobia. But never mind my repeating a mantra you have heard, simply read this book as soon as possible.

Incredible essays
No poems this time around, folks: prose that gets under your skin and into your head.The late, great Audre Lorde, known primarily for her poetry over the years, wrote what is one of the most compelling books on sociology, sexuality, racism and the nature of human character and existence in the last 20 years.Her charges are damning, but dashed with more than a spoonful of hope when appropriate, and it is impossible to walk away from this book unchanged.Read more

Subjects:  1. African American women    2. Black women    3. Essays    4. Feminism    5. Feminism & Feminist Theory    6. Lesbian Studies    7. Lesbianism    8. Nonfiction    9. Poetry    10. Social Science    11. Sociology    12. Women's studies   

Reviews (11)

AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT TO THE GOTH TRIUMVIRATE
which I deem:
in depth eye opener
Mr. Clint has really let all of us, no matter what stage of life we are in, what planet we are from, or the aumont of zeros on our paycheck, look inside his world and gave us a whole new realm of thought. I loved this book. I read it in two days. AND thats with two kids under the age of 4, a hubby and a big white dog. I couldnt put it down. Its an awesome book. I can not wait for his next wonder in print... keep up the good work clint. This is definately a must read!

Catalyst at his Best!!
This is a great selection of essays and poetry from Clint Catalyst.They deal with gay relationships, adolescence, and out of control drug addiction.These subjects are dealt with in such an honest, clear and edgy way.The lives of these unconventional characters are brought to the page so intensely with all their flaws clearly exposed.You'll feel their thoughts and feelings.The artistic language used in this book make it a pleasure to read right through to the last page.No matter how dark and trashy these characters get you'll want to read more. Read more

Subjects:  1. American - General    2. Drug abuse    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - General    5. Gay    6. Gay youth    7. Goth culture (Subculture)    8. Homosexuality    9. Literary collections    10. Popular American Fiction    11. Short Stories (single author)    12. Fiction / General    13. Literature of special Gay interest    14. Modern fiction    15. American    16. Essays    17. Poetry   

Reviews (2)

An inspiring and enriching anthology
"Gay and Lesbian Poetry in Our Time: An Anthology," edited by Carl Morse and Joan Larkin, brings together the work of nearly 100 poets, mainly from the U.S. and Canada. This anthology is a stunning achievement. The poets represent a multigenerational group of men and women. These poets also represent many different cultural heritages: Native American, Jewish, Asian, Latina, and more. There is a particularly strong representation of African-American poets: Essex Hemphill, Audre Lorde, Cheryl Clarke, and many, many more. A must have for any poetry-lover!
That's right, any poetry-lover.The poems in this collection reflect truly universal themes that anybody can relate to.This is a collection of nothing but masters of the art of poetry.From Beats to Surrealists toConfessionalists, it's all here (and not just for queers). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American - General    2. Anthologies (multiple authors)    3. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    4. Poetry    5. Literature of special Gay & Lesbian interest    6. Poetry / Anthologies (multiple authors)    7. Poetry texts & anthologies   

Reviews (1)

Unafraid to Fight
Alexis DeVeaux presents a comprehensive account of self-described feminist, lesbian, and poet warrior, Audre Lorde.The author pulls together a myriad of published documents, unpublished journal entries by Audre Lorde herself, and a host of interviews with personal friends and family members to create a well documented look at the poet's life.The book is divided into two major sections called "lives."The first life begins prior to Audre's birth, and highlights some aspects of her parent's early life, their eventual marriage and move from the Caribbean to the United States.This family background helps readers understand Audre's nearly lifelong quest to come to terms with her relationship with her often emotionally detached parents.This portion of the book also details information about Audre's childhood, educational background, and young adult life.We learn about Audre's marriage to a white, gay, man and their eventual divorce and follow her process of "coming out" regarding her own lesbianism.Her long-term relationship with a white woman, Frances Clayton, and the challenges associated with raising a bi-racial son and daughter in a lesbian household during an era of rampant, overt racism and sexism was also discussed.DeVeaux also takes time to highlight some of Audre Lorde's flaws, thus providing a somewhat more balanced view of the author.Her professional career as a poet develops slowly, and the evolution of her writing career parallels the evolution of her political views and personal growth.
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Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Ethnic Cultures - General    7. Feminists    8. Lesbians    9. Literary    10. Lorde, Audre    11. Lorde, Audre - Poems & Criticism    12. People of Color    13. Poets, American    14. Specific Groups - Lesbians    15. United States    16. Biography: general    17. English    18. Poetry & poets: from c 1900 -    19. USA   

Reviews (2)

Plesasurable reading
Rare and Commonplace Flowers innovates in the scholarly field. A carefully documented biography, it reconstructs step by step the story of Elizabeth Bishop and Lota de Macedo Soares.Carmen Oliveira's literary achievement lies in conveying this research of undeniable academid value in a very agreeable piece of storytelling.A must for Women's Studies, the book is recommended to anyone who enjoys a good read.

At last, in English!
This book is a treasure, a delightful read.It speaks to a broad range of interests.Fans of Elizabeth Bishop will enjoy learning about her relationship with Lota and her experiences during the 17 years she lived in Brazil.If you are interested in Brazilian history and politics, you will find a rare account of the early sixties in Rio de Janeiro, as the country headed toward military dictatorship.It is also a marvelous and tragic love story.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1910-1967    2. 1911-1979    3. Artists, Architects, Photographers    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Bishop, Elizabeth,    8. Bishop, Elizabeth, 1911-1979    9. Fiction    10. Lesbian Studies    11. Lesbians    12. Literary    13. Soares, Lota de Macedo,    14. Specific Groups - Lesbians    15. Biography: general    16. Bishop, Elizabeth    17. Brazil    18. English    19. Individual artists    20. Poetry & poets: from c 1900 -    21. Soares, Lota de Macedo   

Reviews (6)

not good at all
she claims to be a feminist, yet she eschews all jobs she has and decides to be a prostitute, since she can make so much money in so little time.
regular babble written in poetry form
i bought this to read on an airplane, and this is exactly what this collection is good for (a quick read). there was nothing particularly insightful or interesting, and the repetition of subjects throughout the years of this collection suggest that tea is stuck in a teenaged emotional state, and without any wit. tea's main problem is that she needs to find more interesting content. what she does write about, she writes very dramatically, but it doesn't seem to have much depth or true feeling behind the matter. she does have an interesting style, but one that can be found from countless other poets. when she starts writing poetry about writing poetry, it lead me to believe that tea loves the idea of being a poet more than writing poetry.

meh.
it's allright. the whole book is more like reading a diary of a 15 yr old aspiring poet. you know, the kind of teenager that takes themselves too seriously. throughout the collection, tea never seems to mature or to learn anything, but perhaps that comes in a later book. tea's writing does draw you in, though. if only she would apply her style to something other than her angsty relationships, her writing would be great. the best parts of her poems are usually when she digresses and talks about her surroundings, but then she always goes back to the afore-mentioned angst.
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Subjects:  1. American - General    2. American Contemporary Poetry    3. Lesbians    4. Poetry    5. San Francisco (Calif.)    6. English    7. Literature of special Lesbian interest    8. Poetry / General    9. USA    10. Works by individual poets: from c 1900 -   

Reviews (7)

Looking Forward to More Brownstone Stories
Could this be "Tales of the City" for New York? While this first installment may not have allowed for Maupin's depth of character development, "Brownstone" certainly shows promise. This was a great invention to introduce a number of lives, most of them intersecting each other. The characters were believable because the author didn't resort to stale stereotypes or tired queerisms. I do hope that we'll be seeing more of the Brownstone. If only there were such a place in every neighborhood. Not a bad place to weather either the storms of reality or metaphor.

Great light weekend read
One of my Christmas gifts was the Kevin Scott novel "The Boys in the Brownstone", and I was given the perfect opportunity to curl up with it on New Years Eve, when my husband was out working, and I was home alone during a rainstorm-induced power outage. Nothing to do but pour a glass of eggnog, light some candles, and read this entertaining story. The Brownstone is a gay bar on the upper east side, and the novel is really a series of tangential vignettes. Think "Desperate Housewives: Gay New York Edition". Each chapter introduces a new set of characters, and explores a different flawed relationship, but all of the characters end up at the Brownstone sooner or later, and featured characters in one vignette often appear one the sidelines of other vignettes. Sometimes in the bar, we revisit the same conversations from another character's perspective (like the film "Go"). The characters and stories were all engaging enough to keep me turning the pages with interest. The fact that it was set during Christmastime made it more fun to read it at this time of year, but that's certainly not essential. Reading it all in one weekend is useful, as the number of characters starts to accumulate, and there were a few times where I had to stop and think "now who was that one again?". Doubtful you'll glean any profound insights here, as it's all a bit melodramatic (all of the characters have issues). But it's very entertaining, a great read for a weekend at the beach or a long flight. Or a New Years Eve power outage.

An Excellent Read
A rare form, this work can be read in 2 hours at the beach or on a plane, or can be savored and analyzed for weeks. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bars (Drinking establishments)    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - General    4. Gay    5. General    6. Men    7. New York    8. New York (State)    9. Poetry    10. Upper East Side (New York, N.Y    11. Literature of special Gay interest    12. Modern fiction   

Reviews (9)

The Emergence of an Entire Genre and of a Remarkable Author
Alice Street Editions has released a new edition of this 1986 novel by author Katherine V. Forrest, originally published by Naiad Press.If you read this novel long ago, it is worth the purchase price just to read the foreword from the author and the afterword written by Victoria A. Brownworth.But the book is worth rereading for its own merits.
Wow!What a dramatic story - more a coming to awareness than a romance

Not my kind of thing really
I was quite disappointed in this book - it was the first fiction of its kind I have ever read and sadly it lived up to all the negative stereotypes. The husband character in the book is such a cardboard-cut out villian the lesbian lover is a virtual saint. However the author has a real talent for making sex scenes erotic. Definitely a book for flicking through ... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient, Classical & Medieval    2. Bisexual women    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - General    5. General    6. Lesbian    7. Lesbians    8. Married women    9. Poetry    10. Women artists    11. General & Literary Fiction    12. Literature of special Lesbian interest    13. Poetry texts & anthologies   

Reviews (4)

Rite/Right/Writing
This has to be one of the most significant books on human rights...not just gay issues!Hemphill was responsible for supporting and bringing into the light many Black gay/gay Black writers, and doing so unselfishly.Of all the gay Black writers of his generation he is probably the most creative.This book is an important record of an incisive intelligence and a true human being.His poetry, ranging from brief lyric to complex sequence, is evocative and accomplished (a pity that it remains overlooked by White gay anthologists!)His essays read like finely-tuned, emotional short-stories, especially "Miss Emily's Grandson Won't Hush His Mouth". Ceremonies also contains probing attacks on racism and key thoughts about Mapplethorpe and the representation of the Black male. Essex Hemphill possessed a comprehensive political mind that embraced race issues, gender issues and class issues. In Ceremonies, his voice often rings out angrily in the name of human equality.It is a powerful voice that supports the vulnerable with concern and tenderness.A work of great honesty.

An Unselfish Gift
"I have nothing to lose tonight" -- the line that starts it all. "Ceremonies" by the late Essex Hemphill is a collection of the poet/essayist/activist's remarkable prose and poetry culled over his many years of writing. An impressive collection of memorable poetry and commentary
Ceremonies is an impressive collection of memorable poetry and commentary by Essex Hemphill, one of the few authors who dares to openly portray African American gay life. Raw, compelling, gut-wrenching verse is the hallmark of this serious and powerful compilation. American Hero: I have nothing to lose tonight./All my men surround me, panting,/as I spin the ball above our heads/on my middle finger./It's a shimmering club light/and I'm dancing, slick in my sweat./Squinting, I aim at the hole/fifty feet away. I let the tension go./Shoot for the net. Choke it,/I never hear the ball/slap the backboard. I slam it/through the net. The crowd goest wild/for our win. I scored/thirty-two points this game/and they love me for it./Everyone hollering/is a friend tonight./But there are towns,/certain neighborhoods/where I'd be hard pressed/to hear them cheer/if I move on the block. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American - General    2. Gay & Lesbian    3. Gay Studies    4. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    5. Gender Studies    6. Lesbian Studies    7. Social Science    8. American English    9. Other prose: from c 1900 -    10. Poetry & poets    11. USA   

Reviews (1)

Vey Informative Research about H.D.
I read this book as part of a graduate project on H.D. It was very informative about the nature of H.D.'s poetry, especially as it concerns encoded language. The comparisons drawn between Sappho's writing and H.D.'s poems show a linear connection between the poets in their subjects, speech and rhythms. H.D.'s images can be understood as a continuation of an ongoing conversation with the ancient Greek poet. H.D.'s interest in palimpsests is another interesting connection and influence in her writing. H.D. was lyrically attuned to Sappho's intent, and many of her poems are enriched by this layer of understanding. Collecot focuses on several poems in depth to capture the sense of what H.D. was trying to do with her work. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. (Hilda Doolittle),    2. 1886-1961    3. 20th century    4. Appreciation    5. English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    6. Greek poetry    7. H. D    8. History    9. History and criticism    10. Knowledge    11. Lesbians' writings, American    12. Literary Criticism    13. Literature    14. Literature - Classics / Criticism    15. United States    16. Women Authors    17. Women and literature    18. American English    19. British Isles    20. H. D.--(Hilda Doolittle),--1886-1961--Knowledge--Literature    21. Influence    22. Literary Criticism & Collections / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    23. Poetry & poets: from c 1900 -    24. Sappho   

Subjects:  1. 1830-1886    2. American - General    3. American poetry    4. Criticism and interpretation    5. Dickinson, Emily,    6. Gay & Lesbian    7. History and criticism    8. Intellectual life    9. Lesbians    10. Lesbians' writings, American    11. Literary Criticism    12. Literature - Classics / Criticism    13. United States    14. Women Authors    15. American English    16. English    17. Gay & Lesbian studies    18. Literary Criticism & Collections / American    19. Poetry & poets: 19th century    20. Poetry & poets: from c 1900 -    21. USA    22. Women's studies   

Reviews (1)

A stunning work of criticism
Given the importance of this book, I find myself puzzled by thefact that I am the first to review it..., but am delighted tohave the opportunity. This book was a real milestone when itappeared. In a very factual, unbiassed but totally proficient andpersuasive way it demonstrated in great detail that the persona of thepoems is presented, through them..... Sonnet 20 is of course a crucial targetfor Pequigney, and he reads it superbly, but he is hardly less good ona great many other of Shakespeare's wonderful poems, and is by nomeans narrow or obsessive about his point of view: on the contrary, hehas an excellent notion of how his argument fits into a wider schemeof things. Those who read the poems in Katherine Jones's disappointingArden 3 edition will realise, if they examine Pequigney's work, thatthat editor's claims about the supposed novelty of her views on thebisexuality presented within the poems is greatly exaggerated, andthat Pequigney makes many of the important points both earlier andbetter. Anyone seriously interested in the Sonnets will want to readthis book, which I would rank as one of the most significant and bestworks concerned with those poems: more essential to read than, forexample, John Kerrigan's edition, competent though that is, and insome ways more to the point than Stephen Booth's excellenttome. Someone reading both Pequigney and Helen Vendler would perhapsbenefit more from those two books than any others, though I wouldrecommend using Ingram and Redpath's edition of the Sonnets alongsidethese critical works.... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1564-1616    2. England    3. English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    4. History    5. History and criticism    6. Homosexuality and literature    7. Literary Criticism    8. Love poetry, English    9. Poetry    10. Shakespeare, William,    11. Sonnets    12. Sonnets, English    13. English    14. Poetry / Single Author / British & Irish    15. Shakespeare studies & criticism    16. United Kingdom, Great Britain   

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. England    3. English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    4. Feminism and literature    5. History    6. Homosexuality and literature    7. Literary Criticism    8. Literature - Classics / Criticism    9. United States    10. British Isles    11. English    12. Literary Criticism & Collections / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    13. Poetry & poets: from c 1900 -   

Reviews (5)

Magnificent, Enduring Literary Art
Amidst our contemporary fog not only of war, but of idiocracy, theocracy, presidential flubbings of language and ethics, and hipster lit lite that's about as innovative as patented Starbucks coffee drinks, Richard Hell's Godlike shines as a transcendent, devastating work of art.If you're not reading this novel, you're just not engaging with the great literature of our time.
Dissapointing
After the brilliant "Go Now", "Godlike" clocks in as one big dissapointment.Sure the writing has more 'craft' now, but the storytelling is scattered, and the flipping between multiple viewpoints and time frames succeeds only in making the pace drag, and the - rather simple - plot seem convulted and messy.
era respiration-byte!
"Hell is guerrilla=sex mutant by the era respiration-byte of a chemical=anthropoid." - Kenji Siratori, author Blood Electric
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Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - General    3. Gay men    4. General    5. Poets    6. Fiction / General    7. Modern fiction   

Reviews (1)

Loved it, Loved It, LOVED IT!!
This was the best money I've spent on a book this year, maybe ever, and although I'm not much of a poetry book-buyer, I read my share of books.(I've reviewed gay- and lesbian-themed books free-lance for over 15 years.)"Love Speaks Its Name" is simply an excellent anthology of gay- and lesbian-themed poetry with artists as diverse as Sappho, Shakespeare, Whitman, Cavafy, Cole Porter, and several Baby Boomers sounding off on AIDS as well as traditional themes of love.Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthologies (multiple authors)    2. Gay men's writings    3. Gays' writings    4. Homosexuality    5. Love poetry    6. Poetry    7. Poetry / Anthologies (multiple authors)   

Reviews (4)

Brilliant papyrologist, Not as brilliant a literary critic.
The late D.L. Page's talents were certainly in creating solid, serviceable texts, such as his work with Aeschylus, the Poetarum Lesbiorum Fragmenta, etc.His exegesis of textual problems in this text is still remarkably useful, and provides the scholar with adequate information to proceed in an informed manner when working with the text.As far as a literary critic, Page has always been less than creative, looking at things with a rather prosaic lense.His interpretation of Alcaeus fr. 357 (LP Z34, V 140) is foolishly literal, and fails to contribute anything to the understanding of the piece.His wide reading and abilities with the language itself more than make up for his shortcomings, making this an essential book to have for suggestions that point the reader towards parallel passages, and as survey of the textual corruption/emendation in the selection of poems contained within.

An Introduction to the Study of Ancient Lesbian Poetry
[As that is the subtitle of this book.(Take note "Lesbian" is a historical and geographical appellation, not a sexual one.)] An Introduction to the Study of Ancient Lesbian Poetry
[As that is the subtitle of this book.(Take note "Lesbian" is a historical and geographical appellation, not a sexual one.)]Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient and Classical    2. Gay & Lesbian    3. International    4. Law    5. Literature - Classics / Criticism    6. Ancient (Classical) Greek    7. Classical Studies | Literary Criticism    8. Literary Criticism & Collections / Ancient & Classical    9. Poetry & poets: classical, early & medieval    10. Works by individual poets: classical, early & medieval   

Subjects:  1. Feminism    2. Lesbians    3. Poetry   

Reviews (1)

Excellent. A Classsic Chicana text.Exhileratly Powerful
A famous first for Chicanas, a bold continuation of the subject after "Companeras:Latina Lesbians."Poetry, Art, letters, an interview with Ana Castillo, crtical theory and validation.Alcala's ending piece is an excellent summary. "I think of other Chicana lesbians as family..." Still the best comprehensive text on the subject 7 years after its publishing. An absolute must read for anyone interested in the subject "because many of us have a cousin, a sister etc.."-Trujillo ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th Century American Literature    2. Hispanic American Literature    3. Lesbians' writings, American    4. Literary collections    5. Mexican American lesbians    6. Poetry   

Reviews (1)

Marvelous!A not to be missed book

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Subjects:  1. Erotic literature, American    2. Erotica - General    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - Adult    5. Lesbian    6. Lesbians    7. Literary collections    8. Erotic fiction    9. Literature of special Lesbian interest    10. Short stories   

Reviews (1)

Essays as Lively as the Aeneid
Virgil's Aeneid: Interpretation and Influence by Michael C.J. Putnam (Can't Amazon maintain the paragraphing and formatting I give this review? It looks terrible the way your program jams my careful prose into one long paragraph.) It is fairly certain that Latin scholars urged Professor Putnam to collect his essays into an anthology so future students and scholars could have ready access to his indispensable work. I will never be a scholar, but I am a lifelong student, and am immensely glad for Putnam's contribution to my understanding of the Aeneid. With the exception of one essay written for this volume, all essays in Virgil's Aeneid: Interpretation and Influence (1995) were published in various journals between 1970 and 1992. It would take hours just to prowl library aisles to find the indexed journals and cart them to photocopy machines. Yes, some details in individual essays are repetitive, but even the redundancies are useful: No one who reads these pages will ever forget Anchises, father of Aeneas, from the depths of Hades, urging his Romanus son to spare the suppliant, war down the proud. That moment, writes Putnam, is the ethical center of the poem, a center that comes terrifyingly apart in the closing line when Aeneas forgets (if he ever heard) all that his father tried to teach him. He brings his sword down on the defeated, wounded Turnus, who has raised his arm as suppliant, clearly visible to all who observe. Yes, readers can understand the human emotion involved: Aeneas hesitates, then sees the belt worn by Pallas, son of Evander, youthful ally for whom he had a deep if ambiguous personal affection. But this was a moment of profound possibility for a much larger good, witnessed by other defeated Latins on whom Aeneas would now call to build a new nation. How eagerly could they now serve this invader Aeneas who so mercilessly slaughtered their leader? And how carefully the poet had to craft this unfolding war, to suggest to his own Emperor Augustus that Roman leaders had deeply failed the empire by indulging so many avoidable civil wars, most often for some petty personal motive. Putnam helps me see subtleties I could never have imagined despite multiple readings of the Aeneid, and despite decades of meditating Greek and Roman myths. His discussion of the Daedalus myth as outlined in Book 6 is stunning, a revelation of meaning where I had read carelessly, thinking the poet was just dallying to display his learning. Oh, no; in the Aeneid every word truly counts. And in Putnam's essays too; he supports each conclusion with precise details, as trifles in ponds ever expanding