Mike Mazza's notes on "Slashed to Ribbons"

Thanks once again to Mike Mazza for these notes on the first set of short stories in Felice Picano's Slashed to Ribbons: In Defense of Love and Other Stories, which we'll discuss on Nov. 19. (I'll share Mike's notes on the second half of the collection in March, when we'll read those stories.) Note: The citations (e.g., loc 44, 1%, etc.) below refer to the Kindle edition, not the paperback.

Felice Picano, _Slashed to Ribbons in Defense of Love and Other Stories_. Foreword by Eric Andrews-Katz. ReQueered Tales, 2022.

—note that the stories are copyright 1975-1982.

Why did I nominate this book for the book club?

—I had not previously read this book; in fact, I had not read any of Picano’s books. But I was aware of his status as a prolific and important figure in gay literature. I have been wanting to read something of his for some time.

—I chose to nominate this book specifically because of the time frame of the stories. I believe that 1975-1982 time frame to be especially significant in gay history, and I suspected that the collection could be a valuable time capsule of that era.

My overall assessment of the collection: an excellent group of stories. Very well written, with memorable characters and very vivid descriptions.

—A book that really focuses on the gay male experience, with an emphasis on romantic relationships and sexual activity, as well as the literary and artistic culture of gay men. The geographic heart of this collection is New York City, with forays into Fire Island and a New England writers’ colony.

—Satiric at times, the book is also unflinchingly naturalistic; Picano writes with confidence about aspects of gay male life that some might find controversial, shocking, or distasteful. There is a freshness and an honesty to both his subject matter choices and his mode of exploring the chosen material.

Foreword: p 9; loc 44; 1%.

—Andrews-Katz places these stories in context without spoiling them; a good foreword.

—Picano’s groundbreaking work as a novelist: 10.

—notes Picano’s role as a founding member of the Violet Quill group: p 12.

“Spinning”: p 15; loc 87; 2%. 1st story in collection.

—opens in a dance club. Narrator, Billy, is DJ.

—narrator notices a new face at the club; discusses “the number” with Butchie, the light effects operator.

—Billy finally recognizes the number as Pat Remington, a model who later branched out into music and record production: p 19.

—note sensory details about his experience as a DJ, especially p 22.

—note the many specific songs mentioned.

—Billy hopes that Par is listening to his set, and imagines being asked by Pat to collaborate with him: 24.

—he imagines a future of success and affluence.

—interesting details about the art of both the DJ and light effects operator.

—“the gay national anthem”: 25.

—Irony; Butchie reveals that the number is not Pat Remington, but rather Jos, an old number of Billy’s; Butchie gives Billy a note from the number.

—Billy recovers from the shock of the revelation and DJs on.

My assessment: a really fun, slice-of-life, character-driven story that vividly evokes 70s/80s gay nightclub scene. Funny and ironic, with an irrepressible protagonist/narrator This collection is off to a strong and vibrant start.

“The Interrupted Recital”: p 29; loc 305; 8%. 2nd story in collection.

— introduces character of Ken Kaufman, a classical musician (violoncello).

—Narrator: attended Kaufman’s last recital.

—part 2 of story: p 31.

—Narrator recalls being invited by Ken to his recital, and first having dinner with him; the two had a history.

— they recall their time as students together.

—during dinner, Ken discusses his current lover, Davey. Apparently a “sugar daddy” type relationship.

—narrator names the kept boy archetype as Macon, Georgia.

—my note: this story reminds me of Rechy’s City of Night.

—Ken tries to convince the narrator that his Davey is different from the typical hustler type: 36.

—part 3 of story: p 36.

—before the recital’s start, narrator gets a taste of the “cult of Kaufman.”

—note the picturesque description of the small concert hall—like something from the era of Maria Theresa.

—a concert goer recalls Kaufman’s eccentric behavior.

—late in concert Davey dramatically bursts in holding a gun.

—Kaufman suffers an accidental fall during the chaos in the concert hall.

—part 4 of story: p 41.

—Narrator visits the recovering Kaufman in the hospital following the concert hall incident.

—Kaufman suffering from paralysis. He says he can no longer play his instrument.

— My note: story has a bit of a Henry James meets Saki flavor; I like the satire of the elite culture vulture class.

—Narrator berates Davey in the hospital.

—part 5: p 44.

—Conclusion reveals that Davey has become a classical musician.

My assessment: a wonderfully ironic story; Kaufman is a delightfully eccentric gay character.

“Shy”: p 47; loc 573; 14%. 3rd story in collection.

—great opening line.

—evocative New York City setting.

—Narrator sets up a story of his sexual encounter with Robertson Webb, a famous person whose name he has changed for the story.

—Webb picks up the narrator on the street and invites him home for a drink. Although Webb is an actor, the narrator doesn’t recognize him.

—note the expertly written, poetic, surreal sex scene: 54.

—after the sex act, narrator sees an old photo that reveals Webb’s identity.

—irony: narrator had idolized Webb but hadn’t recognized him.

My assessment: very well written story with a feel like John Rechy’s City of Night.

“Teddy—The Hook”: p 59; loc 752; 19%. 4th story in collection.

—set-up: a letter received from a military service member after the fall of Saigon (Vietnam War).

—my note: rank given is “Lt. Corporal”; maybe author meant Lance Corporal.

—Narrator receives photos of Teddy Kincannon, a soldier reported killed in Vietnam.

—Narrator reveals that Teddy had been his lover; backtracks to tell their story: p 60.

—Teddy had been a new truck driver employee of export business of narrator’s father: 61.

—Teddy’s physical beauty.

—Narrator backtracks further to describe a same sex junior high crush: 62.

—Narrator and Teddy go to a party after dinner.

—they find marijuana at the party house, and flee as the cops begin a raid: 67.

— they hide in backyard as raid occurs. They kiss and caress.

—Teddy receives his draft letter: 71.

—Narrator moves into a NY city apartment.

—Teddy visits narrator while on military leave. They have sex.

—Teddy visits again after time in Vietnam.

—Ted tells narrator how he had sex with a chaplain after the chaplain explained that his unusually curved penis was ideal for anally pleasuring male partners: 78. —Ted reveals he has re-enlisted.

—ends with description of Ted’s ornately designed bomber jacket that pays tribute to his own “hook”.

My assessment: a vivid tale, both comic and tragic; a bit of an outrageous satire. Ted’s sexual deformity causes him to be rejected by women, but embraced by men who enjoy receiving anal sex.

—compare to the great gay Vietnam war novel _The Boy Who Picked the Bullets Up_.

“Mr. World Buns: A Story Without a Moral”: p 81; loc 1093; 27%. 5th story in collection.

—introduces characters Larry and Howard.

—bartender Howard tries to convince his lover, psychiatric social worker Larry, to enter a beautiful “buns” contest in order to win money and a vacation. —note Colorado setting.

—Larry displays his asset at the contest—funny scene: loc 1159.

—Larry wins the contest.

—Larry and Howard go to Manhattan for the next level of the contest: 1185.

—Larry meets Hal Sykes, fellow contestant.

—Larry and Hal play poker: 1278. Turns into strip poker. Then sex, despite Hal allegedly being straight.

—Larry argues with Howard.

—Hal wins the contest, with Larry 1st runner up: 1329.

—Larry goes on the Rio prize vacation with Hal.

My assessment: a fun comic tale that gently satirizes urban gay life.

—Also takes on the issue of sexual orientation: is Hal straight? Heteroflexible? Bicurious? Closeted gay? None/all of the above?

“And Baby Makes Three”: p 97; loc 1357; 33%. 6th story in the collection.

—opens by setting story at Fire Island Pines.

—geography, economics, transportation infrastructure, and culture of setting.

—Narrator is on vacation there with partner Aram.

—Aran: older; divorced with 2 daughters.

—Dancer/choreographer Buddy Duvall arrives on the island: 100. He and Aram have a history.

—Buddy’s companion: a younger man named Lee, aka Baby.

—note vivid descriptions: ex. p 101.

—a butterfly lands on Baby; narrator ponders a symbolic meaning.

Part 2 of story: p 103; loc 1455; 36%.

—Aram tells narrator that Buddy has literally known Baby since he was a baby.

—Aram recalls his own friendship with Baby’s mother, Debbie, a NYC wife. Story backtracks to those days.

—Buddy and Lee (Baby) seem smitten with each other from first meeting: 107.

—Aram recalls staying with Buddy at the Long Island summer home of Baby’s family with the family.

—Buddy tells Aram that astrologer Alina declared he and the baby Baby to be a good fit.

—Debbie tells Aram of her decision to divorce her unfaithful husband Jock, and then move out to California with Buddy and her children: 111.

—Buddy’s career flourishes in California; he marries Debbie.

—Buddy returns to NYC and achieves Broadway success.

—Buddy reveals his amicable divorce from Debbie.

—Buddy and Baby are reunited when Baby arrives to attend Columbia: 116. Baby comes out as gay to Buddy.

—Buddy admits he planned and waited 20 years and now wants Baby to be his lover: 117.

Part 3 of story: p 117; loc 1690; 42%.

—Narrator, attracted to Baby, resents Aram having shared the story.

—The characters visit the Sandpiper shipboard dance club.

—Baby a sensation among Sandpiper guests.

—Narrator encounters Baby on dock.

—despite renouncing his interest in Baby, narrator keeps running into him: 121.

—Narrator tries to convince Aram to go with him to Oakleyville, where a friend, Billy. has a rustic house they can use.

—after arguing, narrator decides to go to Oakleyville alone.

—After hiking alone to Billy’s house, narrator finds Baby there: 127.

—Narrator gives in to temptation and has 6 days of sex with Baby.

—Baby gives a totally different version of the story of when and how he and Buddy came to know each other.

—Baby speculates that Aram lied to narrator.

—Baby convinces an angry narrator to forgive Aram.

—When the foursome reunites in the Pines, Aram accepts the idea of narrator seeing more of Baby.

Part 4 of story: p 132; loc 1925; 47%.

—This section introduces a ne character, Tim, to whom narrator has apparently told the story of Aram and narrator.

—Narrator had stayed with Aram until he died, and met Tim after Aram’s death.

—story ends with narrator sending out his Burton translation to be freshly bound, and reflecting on the idea of a story within a story.

My assessment: an expertly written longer form story. Excellent use of the Fire Island setting, with attention paid to both its geography and culture.

—great twist when we discover that Aram’s version of Baby’s story is a cleverly designed fiction.

—Interesting portrayal of age difference in gay male relationships.

—I like how this story really pushes against the limits of good taste; Aram’s “tale within the tale” takes on the toxic, defamatory stereotype of the gay man “grooming” a male child into the gay “lifestyle.” But Picano skillfully handles the potentially offensive subject matter in a cleverly disorienting way—he makes the story-within-the-story almost like a surreal fable or fairy tale.

More LGBTQ poetry for your reading pleasure (Part 2)

These poems were disseminated in the American Academy of Poetry's Poem-a-Day newsletter in September, October and November.

Art by Herman Melville

This Is Not a Horse by Blas Falconer

Dementia Is a New Way to Be Buddhist by Kelli Russell Agodon

Ode to Those Who Block Tunnels and Bridges by Sam Sax

Conflation by Matthew Gellman

All-American Ghazal by Dujie Tahat

SoMa by Hieu Minh Nguyen

The Sonnet in Drag by Chris Watkins

Note: I think Watkins' poem is so witty that I'm taking the liberty of inserting it here:

The Sonnet in Drag

She’s charismatic, mistress of the brag.

Who turns a look like hers? The highest tuck

you could have—you might say she’s enjambed. Her wig

don’t ever slip. Her lip sync’s never slack.

She struts around in five-inch heels and lines

her syllables in red lip liner. Looks

like one of Shakespeare’s girls. And boy she rhymes

like he’s inside her—thumbing through her book.

You’ll want to read like her. You’ll want to wear

hip pads beneath your quatrains. Stuff big words

in every line to burst the iamb’s brassiere.

To be Elizabethan, queen of bards.

But can you bring it like a bottom from the top—

from the title to your couplet’s death drop?

Copyright © 2025 by Chris Watkins. Originally published in Poem-a-Day on November 14, 2025, by the Academy of American Poets.

Some LGBTQ poetry for your reading pleasure (Part 1)

I hadn't realized how long it's been since my last compilation of LGBTQ-themed poems (not all by LGBTQ poets, I should note) from the American Academy of Poetry's Poem-a-Day newsletter. These poems were disseminated in July and August; another post will bring us up to now. Enjoy!

I'd Have You Think of Me by Djuna Barnes

Black Pastoral by Lillian Yvonne-Bertram

Drenched in Reflection by Jzl Jmz

Karl Lagerfeld's line of beauty by Tommye Blount

Tender Buttons [Breakfast] by Gertrude Stein

What the Birds Do by Leonel Sanchez Lopez

Panhandle by Jesse Nathan

August by Miguel Murphy

I'm Dating a Man Who Is Married by Aaron Smith

Eros by Paul Tran

Task by Ari Banias

Ite lista est: The 2026 BookMen lineup

NOTE: This list includes books on the 2025 list that have not yet been scheduled (marked with an asterisk), as well as a couple of anthologies we have already begun (marked with two asterisks). 

FICTION

Bath Haus: A Thriller by P.J. Vernon

Falconer by John Cheever

Florenzer by Phil Melanson

Hawk Mountain by Conner Habib*

Hemlock and After by Angus Wilson

I’ll Take It by Paul Rudnick

Kiss of the Spider Woman by Manuel Puig

Lies with Man by Michael Nava

Love Junkie by Robert Plunket*

Small Rain by Garth Greenwell*

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon (NOTE: Because of its heft, we’ll discuss this novel over third-Wednesday sessions.)

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray*

The Wildes: A Novel in Five Acts by Louis Bayard

The Wrong People by Robin Maugham

NON-FICTION

American Scare: America’s Hidden Cold War on Black and Queer Lives by Robert W. Fieseler

The Celluloid Closet: Homosexuality in the Movies by Vito Russo*

BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR

Before Night Falls: A Memoir by Reinaldo Arenas, translated by Delores M. Koch

Gertrude Stein: An Afterlife by Francesca Wade

Not My Father’s Son: A Memoir by Alan Cumming*

PLAYS

Picnic by William Inge

The Rolling Stone (Modern Plays) by Chris Urch

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (as revised by the playwright in 2006) by Edward Albee*

ANTHOLOGIES

A Place I’ve Never Been by David Leavitt

Amplitudes: Stories of Queer and Trans Futurity by Lee Mandelo (Editor)

Secret Anniversaries of the Heart: New and Selected Stories by Lev Raphael**

Slashed to Ribbons in Defense of Love and Other Stories by Felice Picano**

Mike M.'s musings on Moffie

As always, I'm grateful to Mike Mazza for sharing his extensive, detailed notes on Andre Carl Van Der Merwe's Moffie, which we'll discuss on Nov. 5.

Mike comments: "This book made quite an impression on me! In addition to my usual overall thoughts and chapter summaries, these notes include some other features, including a thematic commentary and a character breakdown."

Note: The citations (e.g., loc 78, 8%, etc.) below refer to the Kindle edition, not the paperback.

—————- Moffie notes

Author: Andre Carl van der Merwe.

Copyright 2006.

Brief summary: the coming-of-age story of a young gay man who serves in the South African military during the apartheid-era border war.

Thoughts on completing the book

—There is a subset of gay literature that I would call “gays in the military” literature. This includes novels like _Quatrefoil_ and _The Boy Who Picked the Bullets Up_, as well as nonfiction books like _Conduct Unbecoming_. _Moffie_ is another example of this literature; what makes it stand out is its setting in apartheid-era South Africa, and its address of the South African border war.

—I found the book extremely engaging, touching, and powerful. The author depicts both friendship and romantic love between young gay men with tenderness and dignity.

—As a US Army war veteran, I found a strong ring of truth in the book’s many details of military life. See notes on recurring themes/motifs below.

—For much of the book, the chapters alternate chronologically between the story of Nicholas’ experiences in the military and flashbacks to his childhood and family life. This split chronology is an effective device.

Vocabulary notes (see also the glossary that starts on p 379. I compiled the vocabulary notes immediately below while reading the book, and most of these words are not in the book’s glossary.)

—kraal, p 11: a livestock enclosure, or a village

—Swapo, p 193: South West Africa People’s Organisation.

—trommel, p 171: steel trunk.

—vasbyt, p 212: means to hold tight, or bite the bullet. Used in novel as a proper noun, Vasbyt, and defined on p 220 as a 5-day route march. See also p 221.

—lekker, p 238: can mean “great” in general, or “tasty” or “delicious” in reference to food.

—korhaan, p 276: type of bird.

—Ovambo, p 278: largest ethnic group in Namibia. A Bantu people native to southern Africa.

—Prestik, p 296. A reusable putty adhesive originally developed in the UK.

Recurring themes/motifs

—masculinity; labeling of individual as a “sissy” or “moffie”: 56; 62; 67; 71, 88, 91; 110; 136; 141; 192; 225.

—languages of South Africa: 54; 58 (Zulu); 94 (Afrikaans and English); 287 (Nick’s uncle Dirk using the Afrikaans version of Nick’s given name); 308.

—Geography, including cities, of South Africa: 112; 209; 222, 316; 355. Special note: if a reader has a map of South Africa handy, the reader can trace Nicholas’ travels around South Africa and into Namibia over the course of his narrative.

—apartheid: 56; 58.

—violence within the family: 58; 72; 75.

—shame and secrecy: 138; 265 (speaking in alphabetical code); 325.

—role of religion in anti-gay bigotry and internalized homophobia: 153; 208; 248.

—institutional homophobia: 192.

—interesting details of military life: 117 (sleeping on floor); 120 (inspections); 158 (laundry); 175 (cleaning rifles), 222 (“Vasbyt”); 247 (marksmanship emblem); 266 (field meals); 282 (Malcolm’s combat zone coffee recipe); 297 (depiction of interagency operations).

—degrading and abusive treatment of military trainees by instructors: 224 (excrement).

—Nicholas’ diary excerpts interspersed throughout the main first-person narrative: 119; 135; 220; 286; 349.

—impact of popular American music on the characters: 49; 277 (Neil Diamond).

Thematic commentary

—In chapter 13 of Part Three (p 137), Nicholas recalls his teenage fear of burning in hell for his homosexuality. He also recalls praying to be made heterosexual. The impact of this religion-based internalized homophobia is especially significant in the context of apartheid-era South Africa, in which a faction of Christendom used the Bible to justify apartheid. See the anthology _Apartheid Is a Heresy_.

—I see a parallel between the performative toxic masculinity and anti-gay bigotry that Nicholas experiences within his family, and that which he experiences in the military; it is worth noting that the slur “moffie” is used in both contexts.

—Another important topic is writing. The following important texts are incorporated into the narrative: first, excerpts from the journal of narrator Nicholas; second, Dylan’s combination coming out letter and suicide note to his parents; and third, a bundle of Dylan’s writings that Dylan’s father gives to Nicholas.

—Each of these texts is the writing of a young gay man living in the midst of a horrifically oppressive homophobic society: a society in which young gay men are pressured by religion, law, the medical/psychiatric establishment, and family demands; in the case of Nicholas and Dylan, they are further pressured by the homophobic environment of the apartheid-era South African military.

—I feel that the author is perhaps pointing to a larger truth about how written gay testimonies, in various formats, can be lost, hidden, preserved, exploited, and/or destroyed. This motif of the written gay testimony carries through the entire narrative in two ways: first, in direct quotes of these fictional “primary” texts, and second, in the narrator’s commentary on the treatment of these physical texts by various characters.

Characters

—Nicholas Van der Swart: narrator. Also known as Nick. Son of an Afrikaner father and “English” mother. Gay conscript in apartheid-era South African army.

—Peet: Abusive, homophobic, toxically masculine father of Nicholas. A Dutch Reformed adherent, although his wife (Nick’s mother) is Roman Catholic.

—Suzie: Nick’s mother.

—Bronwyn: Nick’s sister.

—Frankie: brother of Nicholas; dies young. His loss has a profound impact on Nick.

—Sophie: Zulu woman who takes care of young Nicholas during a period when his mother was ill: see p 15.

—Hendrik: Peet’s brother; Nick’s uncle. See p 38. Owns a farm. Values family tradition and continuity: see p 39 (family graveyard). Believes in maintaining strict boundaries between white and non-white people: 58. An oppressive figure in Nick’s life.

—Sannie: Hendrik’s wife.

—Hanno: Son of Hendrik and Sannie; Nick’s cousin.

—Malcolm Bateman: Army friend of Nicholas. Also gay; they come out to each other. Playful and fun-loving; tutors Nick on gay slang.

—Ethan Vickerman: fellow soldier beloved by Nicholas. Reclassified for medic training after serious injury.

—Dylan Stassen: Nicholas’ platoon mate and friend at Infantry School. Talkative (with Nick) and philosophical. Described in Nick’s diary as having “pitch-black hair” and “a sallow skin”: 119. Dies by suicide.

—Mr. Lance Davids: Nicholas’ biology teacher at Paul Roos Gymnasium. Target of homophobic rumors.

—Precious: black woman who works as a household servant for Ethan’s mother. See p 147.

—Deon: trainee soldier caught in a same sex embrace with another trainee. He is the son of a minister.

—Sergeant Dorman: abusive Infantry School instructor.

—Ben: Nick’s maternal uncle; lives in Namibia.

—Oscar: soldier in training at Infantry School. Admired by both Malcolm and Nick for his beauty.

—Gerrie: another Infantry trainee. Ingratiates himself to platoon leadership and gains special status.

—Lieutenant Maurice Engel: Nick’s platoon leader following the post-Vasbyt company reorganization; a “fiend.”

—Storm: attractive young man whom the young Nicholas meets while on a family holiday; denounced as one of the “hippies” by Peet.

—Tracy: Storm’s girlfriend.

—Dirk: Nicholas’ uncle (unclear to me whether he is Peet’s brother).

—Michael: Nick’s cousin; Dirk’s son.

—Ben: an Ovambo member of Koevoet, a South African police unit; tells Nick and Malcolm that he was trained by Cubans in Angola to fight for Swapo, but switched sides. See p 293.

—Margaret Stassen: Dylan’s mother. A woman of apparent wealth and privilege; lives in an opulent house with uniformed servants.

—John-Andrew Stassen: Dylan’s father.

—Pranks: woman Nicholas meets on a train; see p 348. An elegant looking smoker who tells Nicholas the story of her abandonment by her husband.

Memorable passages

—Nick sees Ethan’s room: 150.

—ironic thought upon Nick’s reunion with parents: 235.

—irony of gays serving in the military of a country with anti-gay policies: 237.

—impact of war on a baobab tree: 269.

—war in context: 282.

—vivid, impressionistic depiction of weapons use in combat: 306.

Background: p 7; 1%.

—South African and Namibian history.

—mandatory military service for South African men.

Part One: p 10

—narrator: 19 years old. Performing mandatory Defence Force service during border war.

—Malcolm: narrator’s best friend; also a draftee.

—Narrator references two additional important figures: Dylan, and Ethan, who narrator describes as “my love”: 12.

Part Two: p 14

[chapter] 1: p 15. 2%.

—narrator recalls his childhood; his older brother Frankie, and Zulu woman Sophie who takes care of him.

—his sister Bronwyn: 16.

—narrator: born in 1961: p 16. His father is an Afrikaner.

[chapter] 2: p 18. 3%.

—narrator at home with his mother and his dog, anticipating start of military duty. Also mentions his father and sister.

—narrator’s name: Nicholas.

—Nicholas argues politics with his father Peet, who calls Nicholas a moffie: loc 174. Peet strikes Nicholas and argues with mom.

—Family drives Nicholas to train station: p 25.

—the train departs.

[chapter] 3: p 28; 5%.

—on the train ride.

—Nicholas writes in his diary while on the train.

—he witnessed apparent racist abuse directed at a black man at a train stop.

—fellow conscript Gerrie plays guitar on train: 32.

—the conscripts disembark train at final station and are taken to the military training camp: 33.

[chapter] 4: p 34; 7%.

—back to a scene with his family. A memory from when Nicholas is 4 years old.

—travels with his family in South Africa.

—Peet and Suzie (Nicholas’ mom) discuss Peet’s sister. Peet disapproves of sister’s lifestyle, saying she drinks and that her partner is a hippie.

—family arrives at Peet’s childhood home; Peet greets his brother Hendrik, who has a son, Hanno, with his partner aunt Sannie: 38.

[chapter] 5: p 42; 9%.

—hunting a springbok with uncle Hendrik.

—Peet is horrified by Nicholas’ aversion to hunting; Hanno calls Nicholas a sissy: 42.

—note graphic description of brutality of continued hunt.

—auntie Ester introduced.

[chapter] 6: p 47; 11%.

—year is 1977. A school garden has been converted to a parade ground for military training.

[chapter] 7: p 48; 11%.

—mother finds family a home in a suburb of Cape Town.

—mother Catholic; father Dutch Reformed.

—Nicholas’ grandparents: 48.

—paternal grandma prizes Afrikaner heritage.

[chapter] 8: p 49; 11%.

—parade ground.

[chapter] 9: p 50; 12%.

—returns to time Nicholas turns 5 years old and Frankie’s 7th birthday is coming up.

—Frankie dies after automobile accident.

[chapter] 10: p 53; 12%.

—preparation for Frankie’s burial.

—Nicholas in conflict with cousin Hanno over Hanno’s cruelty to a dog.

—Nicholas visits the area of the black farm laborers, among them Piet: 57.

—uncle Hendrik scolds Nicholas for being around blacks and speaking Zulu: 58.

[chapter] 11: p 60; 14%.

—Nicholas reflects on his “damaged” relationship with sister Bronwyn.

[chapter] 12: p 63; 14%.

—military training.

[chapter] 13

—Peet berates Nicholas for not wanting to play rugby.

—Dave deeply misses his dead brother, even talks to him.

—his family’s interest in tennis.

[chapter] 14: p 66; 15%.

—visit from extended family.

—his cousin Michael and “distant cousin” Oscar, aka Blackie; uncle Dirk.

—Uncle Dirk organizes family wrestling matches.

[chapter] 15: p 70; 16%.

—Nicholas and Ethan at military training.

[chapter] 16: p 71; 16%.

—Nicholas acknowledges to himself that he is gay.

[chapter]17: p 72; 17%.

—Nicholas reflects on his mother’s protective support of him.

[chapter] 18: p 73; 17%.

—Nicholas’ frustrating experiences with tennis and cricket.

—His father beats him with a rope: 75.

Part Three: p 76; 18%.

[Part Three, chapter] 1: p 77; 18%.

—military training.

—description of food service and mess kit: 79.

—Nicholas considers Frankie’s spirit to be his angel: 80.

[Part Three, chapter] 2: p 82; 19%.

—military barber.

—the barber hits Ethan with a broom: 83.

—Nicholas develops a friendship with Ethan.

—they go to Catholic church service together.

[Part Three, chapter] 3: p 88; 22%.

—Peet berates his 4-year old son Nicholas to not be a sissy. This is a time when Frank is still alive.

—Peet pressures little Nicholas to ride a bicycle.

[Part Three, chapter] 4: p 90; 21%.

—back to military training.

—intraracial ethnic tension among recruits; “English” boys called out: 91. Afrikaner vs English.

—Malcolm and Nicholas assigned to same platoon: 93.

—the relaxed friendship between Malcolm and Nicholas.

—Nicholas discusses his mixed Afrikaans/English background.

—homosexuality forbidden by SA Military: 95.

[Part Three, chapter] 5: p 97; 23%.

—young Nicholas at home listening to opera.

[Part Three, chapter] 6: p 99; 23%.

—Nicholas ponders his relationship with Ethan.

—Journal entry dated 2 February 1980: p 99.

[Part Three, chapter] 7: p 101; 24%.

—Ethan creates a secret picnic for him and Nick using the contents of a care package.

—Ethan shows Nicholas the book The Little Prince: 103.

—they hug. Nicholas does not try to go farther than hug, and worries that Ethan might not be gay.

[Part Three, chapter] 8: p 107; 25%.

—clearing out day from the training camp.

—Ethan, Malcolm and Nicholas remain together during transit to next military site.

[Part Three, chapter] 9: p 110; 26%.

—back in time to family scene.

—Peet warns Nicholas not to be a moffie.

—family discusses plan to take on pig farming in Banhoek: 112.

[Part Three, chapter] 10: p 113; 27%.

—the soldiers arrive at Infantry School.

—Ethan and Nicholas assigned to different companies.

—Ethan appears ill, collapses in formation.

—Malcolm and Gerrie wind up in Golf Company with Nicholas: 116.

—Nicholas befriends Dylan, a trainee in his platoon.

—Dylan shares his favorite book, One Hundred Years of Solitude, with Nicholas.

—Dylan’s racial identity becomes a point of discussion amongst trainees; is he “colored”?: 124.

—instructors develop an aversion to Dylan.

—Dylan is unfairly treated during inspected parade and denied a liberty pass.

—Dylan and Nicholas in a “bivvie” shelter during platoon week in the veld: 130.

[Part Three, chapter] 11: p 133; 33%.

—back in time; Nicholas ‘ first day at Paul Roos Gymnasium.

—Nicholas Hayes the school; only positive aspect is his biology teacher, Mr. Davids.

—his sense of sharing a coded language with Mr. Davids.

[Part Three, chapter] 12: p 135; 33%.

—Nicholas reflects on his teenage gay sexual awakening and fear of being outed.

[Part Three, chapter] 13: p 137; 34%.

—in high school, Nicholas fears burning in hell for his homosexuality and prays to be changed.

—Sodom and Gomorrah: p 137.

[Part Three, chapter] 14: p 139; 34%.

—Nicholas fights temptation to touch Dylan.

[Part Three, chapter] 15: p 140; 34%.

—back to Nicholas’ school days.

—rumor spreads that Mr. Davids is gay.

—Nicholas hears from a senior student that Mr. Davids was the victim of what sounds like a violent anti-gay attack by three boys.

—Nick argues with his parents as he defends Mr. Davids.

—Nicholas is burdened by the unmentionable secret of being gay, and feels condemned by both his father’s Dutch Reformed faith and his mother’s Roman Catholic faith: 142.

[Part Three, chapter] 16: p 144; 35%.

—in the bivvie shelter with Dylan.

[Part Three, chapter] 17: p 145; 35%.

—Nicholas home on pass from training.

—Nicholas decides to try to find Ethan while on pass.

—Nick finds Ethan’s house and is welcomed by Ethan’s mother and the black servant woman Precious.

—Ethan’s mother tells Nick that Ethan suffered serious injuries during training and required surgery.

—Ethan’s mother gives Nick her son’s new address.

—Tender scene where Nick gets to see Ethan’s bedroom: 150.

[Part Three, chapter] 18: p 152; 37%.

—narrative moves back in time; about 45 days after incident with Mr. Davids.

—Mr. Davids does not return to school, and Nick is unable to reach him.

—Nick prays to be made “straight”: 153.

—Nick fails and realizes he will have to repeat a year of school.

—Nicholas overcomes suicidal thoughts.

[Part Three, chapter] 19: p 157; 39%.

—Back to Army training.

—Two young soldiers are subjected to both a violent physical attack and institutional persecution after being discovered in a secret gay embrace.

—Nick talks to Deon, one of the persecuted soldiers.

[Part Three, chapter] 20: p 162; 40%.

—Mishap involving a garter causes trouble for the platoon.

—Nick tells Dylan that his grandparents were children on opposite sides during the Boer War: 163.

—Dylan is punished by Sergeant Dorman.

—Dylan feels despair, partly because of the two persecuted soldiers.

[Part Three, chapter] 21: p 167; 41%.

—Nick’s uncle Dirk has a tense encounter with a black man over a parking spot; note Dirk’s racist attitude.

—trip to a public swimming pool.

[Part Three, chapter] 22: p 169; 42%.

—Dylan discusses a book he has been reading with Nick.

—the two discuss a time of riots.

—Nick describes his maths tutor to Dylan.

—Nick tells Dylan about his teen spiritual crisis without explicitly mentioning the root cause: his homosexual struggle.

—Dylan tells Nick that his worst time in life happened in New York, but Dylan is interrupted and never finishes the story: 177. Note: this foreshadows the Part Five revelation of Dylan’s abuse by his uncle.

—Dylan and Nick dig and share a trench during training in winter: 177.

—ammo training.

—misery of outdoor training in the rain.

—Dylan and Nick have an intense experience in the sleeping bag during training, but they both seem to be holding something back.

—Dylan admits to Nick that he burned himself with a cigarette: 183.

—Dylan tells Nick about his uncle in New York.

—Nick receives a letter from the hospitalized Ethan: 189.

—second letter from Ethan: he had been reclassified and is in a medics course.

—Dylan dead from weapon fire; apparent suicide.

—during an assembly to discuss the suicide, an officer denounces Dylan as a homosexual: 192.

—Malcolm and Nicholas go on a pass to Johannesburg.

—while on pass, Malcolm and Nicholas talk about Dylan and his death.

—Nicholas starts telling Malcolm a story about his maternal uncle who lives in Namibia.

[Part Three, chapter] 23: p 201; 51%.

—Back in time to Nick and his uncle Ben. On a Land Rover ride.

—Grisly spear killing of a caged mother baboon. Baby baboon also brutally killed.

[Part Three, chapter] 24: p 204; 52%.

—While still on pass, Nick comes out to Malcolm, who in turn reveals that he is also gay.

—Nick and Malcolm resolve to visit a gay club.

—Nick recalls an anti-gay magazine article that references the Bible and Dutch Reformed ministers: 208.

—Nick and Malcolm at the gay club; a drag artist performs.

—The two go to Ethan’s duty station. Malcolm leaves so that Nick can have some private time with Ethan.

—Malcolm and Nick return from leave.

—on the ride back, Malcolm tells Nick about a gay man he knew who suffered through cruel anti-gay medical treatment: 217.

[Part Three, chapter] 25: p 220; 56%.

—anticipation of Vasbyt.

—Vasbyt prep.

—abuse and suffering during Vasbyt.

—Sergeant Dorman makes a vulgar, abusive tirade against the deceased Dylan: 225.

—Dorman heaps verbal abuse on Nick; they have a tense confrontation.

—Nick makes it through the ordeal of Vasbyt. Note the intense details about the experience.

Part Four: p 229; 59%.

[Part Four, chapter] 1: p 230; 59%.

—Malcolm and Nick.

—Company is reorganized after Vasbyt attrition.

—Sergeant Dorman has Nick transferred into his platoon.

—Platoon leader Maurice Engel introduced; Nick sees him as a fiend.

—Gerrie ingratiates himself to the platoon leadership and gets special privileges.

—Gerrie creates a conflict right before a barracks inspection.

—Nick goes home with his parents on pass: 236.

[Part Four, chapter] 2: p 240; 62%.

—back to a family holiday in 1970.

—Peet complains about “hippies.”

—Nick meets “hippies” Storm and Tracy; he is mesmerized by Storm’s attractiveness.

—Storm teaches Nick to surf.

[Part Four, chapter] 3: p 246; 63%.

—returning from leave.

—Gerrie engages in gay-baiting harassment of Nicholas and Malcolm.

—Dorman and Gerrie persecute Malcolm and Nicholas.

—theological discussion of homosexuality by soldiers in homophobic context: 248. Nicholas uses his knowledge of the Bible to argue with other soldiers.

—Oscar defends Nick’s position in the debate.

—the soldiers arrive by air in the military border camp at Oshivelo: 251. It is a training base for the war.

—Dorman delivers more cruel punishment to Nick: 257.

—After the training at Oshivelo, the troops move to the operational area: 260.

—Golf Company is deployed with Koevoet, a division of the South African Police known as a ruthless killing machine: 260.

[Part Four, chapter] 4: p 262; 68%.

—Nick’s 10th birthday during annual family holiday in Jeffrey’s Bay.

—Nick has his farewell to Storm and Tracy.

[Part Four, chapter] 5: p 264; 68%.

—Malcolm tells Nick how his mother had left the family when he was young.

—Nick and Malcolm speak in code about gay issues due to the homophobic military environment: 265.

—Malcolm and Nicholas overhear Sergeant Dorman boast that he could murder a disliked soldier from his own unit and get away with it in this operational setting: 266.

—Nick tells Malcom a childhood event story: how he freed a captive cheetah on his uncle’s property, was tatted out by his sister Bronwyn, and got a beating from his father: 268.

—the unit stops at a Koevoet base.

—The Koevoet personnel seem undisciplined to Nick: 270.

—Nick sees the horribly mutilated bodies of enemy war casualties.

—they have combat action.

—on patrol, the unit establishes a temporary base: 276.

—Malcolm and Nicholas witness a prisoner being tortured via a deliberate nonfatal push out of a hovering helicopter: 279.

—Nicholas decides not to record the helicopter torture in his diary: 280.

[Part Four, chapter] 6: p 281; 73%.

—back to a childhood time when Frankie was still alive.

—tender scene of Peet tucking his young sons into bed.

—my note: this scene really humanizes Peet, a character who thus far has been depicted in an overwhelmingly negative light.

[Part Four, chapter] 7: p 282; 73%.

—soldiers in a bunker.

—Malcolm tells Nicholas about his hatred for his sister’s husband.

—Malcolm and Nick discuss their individual future plans, as well as the prospective future of South Africa: 285.

[Part Four, chapter] 8: p 287; 75%.

—Nick recalls his uncle Dirk insulting him in front of Peet, and Peet not defending him.

[Part Four, chapter] 9: p 288; 75%.

—Nick recalls Storm giving him a gift: a necklace with shells on it.

—Peet rips the necklace off Nick in anger.

[Part Four, chapter] 10: p 290; 75%.

—Soldiers’ change of watch.

—mortar attack: 292.

—Malcolm and Nick are assigned to accompany Koevoet personnel to deliver fuel to a sympathetic local chief.

—Nick asks Malcolm to teach him gay slang: 295.

—During operation with Koevoet, Nicholas and Malcolm see a human head impaled on a stick: 299.

—The operation continues as the South African personnel hunt down and kill enemy person.

—Malcolm and Nicholas are reunited with their platoon after combat action with Koevoet.

—Platoon soldiers’ vehicle triggers a mine: 311.

—Nick is medically evacuated to a prefab hospital after the mine attack.

—the wounded Malcolm and wounded Nick are taken on a journey that ends at a military hospital near Pretoria: 316.

—Nick, recovering from concussion, is deeply worried about Malcolm’s serious hand injury.

—Ethan and Nick are reunited at the hospital: 319.

—Nick plans to visit Dylan’s parents.

—Malcolm reveals to Nick that Gerrie is actually a closeted gay and that the two had a sexual encounter together.

[Part Four, chapter] 11: p 327; 86%.

—Dylan’s parents agree to see Nicholas. He has lunch with them on their opulent estate.

—Dylan’s grieving mother is dependent on alcohol and drugs.

—Privately, Dylan’s father shows Dylan’s suicide letter to Nick; Dylan had written that he killed himself because he was gay and in love, but felt his situation was hopeless due to the bigotry and repression of society. It was a “coming out” letter as well as a suicide note.

—Nicholas notices a portrait in the Stassen house. Mr. Stassen explains that it depicts his mother and younger brother (i.e. Dylan’s grandmother and uncle) with Dylan. Mr. Stassen speaks disparagingly of his brother, who he said lived in New York with their mother. 335-336. Special note: I believe that more about Dylan and his uncle is explained in Part 5.

—Nicholas asks Mr. Stassen if he could help with Malcolm’s medical care for his injured hand; Mr. Stassen promises to do so: 336.

—Mr. Stassen gives Nicholas an envelope before Nick departs.

—Nick experiences regret and guilt over Dylan’s suicide.

[Part Four, chapter] 12: p 338; 89%.

—Nick reads the sorrowful writings by Dylan that Mr. Stassen had given to him in an envelope.

—while accompanying Ethan on an errand to Ward 22, Nick sees Deon, who is in a terrible condition and tells Nick of abusive practices in the ward.

—Nick reflects on the epic life journey of his 19th year: 347.

—Ethan and Nick have a tender farewell at the train station.

[Part Four, chapter] 13: p 348; 92%.

—Nicholas on the train. He meets a flamboyant woman who calls herself Pranks.

—on train, Nicholas meets the medic who stitched up his injured head; he learns that Oscar cared for him while he was dazed from his head injury: 351.

[Part Four, chapter] 14: p 353; 93%.

—Nicholas recalls a family argument, involving his uncle Hendrik, stemming from Nicholas bringing a dog into uncle Hendrik’s house.

[Part Four, chapter] 15: p 355; 94%.

—Nicholas’ journey to Oudtshoorn continues.

—Back at the military installation, Nicholas learns that most soldiers are away on pass. He runs into his cousin Hanno, and learns that Hanno has dropped out of his military training course.

—Ethan comes to pick Ethan up from the deserted Infantry facility. When they are alone in the car, Ethan kisses Nicholas.

—Ethan tells Nick that Malcolm’s hand will be fine; surgery was a success.

—the passing-out parade: 362.

—At family dinner after the military festivities, Nicholas finds out that Oscar is actually his cousin.

—Oscar and Nick spend some private time together after the family dinner, and Nick comes out to Oscar.

Part Five: p 372; 98%.

—revelation about incest that occurred in New York. This appears to fill in a gap in Dylan’s story. See also Part Four, “chapter” 11.

Epilogue: p 375; 99%.

—Nicholas describes his post-Army life.

Glossary: p 379.

About the Author: p 382; 100%.

The passing of Passolini...

Openly gay Italian film director Pier Paolo Passolini (1922-1975) was brually murdered exactly 50 years ago today, supposedly by one of the rent boys he (like Oscar Wilde) regularly sought out. But The Silver Book, a new book by British author Olivia Laing (whose essay collection, The Lonely City, we read five years ago), speculates that the Italian government may have staged his murder to discredit Passolini, a longtime critic. Writing in The Guardian, Laing says:

"What if this reputational as well as actual murder was designed to drown out – contaminate, confuse – the warnings he’d been issuing with increasing ferocity in the final years of his short life? “I know” was the central refrain in a famous essay published a year before his death in Il Corriere della Sera, Italy’s leading newspaper. What Pasolini knew, and what he refused to remain silent about, was the nature of power and corruption during Italy’s brutal 1970s; the so-called “Years of Lead”, named for an epidemic of assassinations and terrorist attacks by both the extreme left and right. What he knew, in short, was that fascism was not over, and that the right would metastasise, returning in a new form to claim power over a populace stupefied by the tawdry blandishments of capitalism."

Whatever the truth of that theory, Laing pays tribute to her subject's legacy as an artist, thinker and political force in her essay.

Oscar Wilde's grandson speaks

Following up on the previous item, Merlin Holland, a grandson of Oscar Wilde has just published a memoir reflecting on his grandfather's legacy. It is only available on the other side of the pond currently, but will be published here in April.

After Oscar: The Legacy of a Scandal traces the laborious path Wilde's literary standing took from "none dare speak his name" to become hailed one of the key figures in the gay liberation movement. Writing in The Guardian, reviewer Matthew Sturgis notes that "After a childhood trying to avoid what seemed an embarrassing association, and a post-university career in academic publishing in the Middle East, [Holland] came to realise that honesty was what was needed. If he was going to acknowledge his grandfather it must be not as a mere 'living link' with the past, but as an informed expert. And that is what he has become: the author of several important books of Wildean history and historiography – including this one.

Better late than never...

The Oct. 16 New York Times reports that 125 years after his death, Oscar Wilde is posthumously receiving something taken from him long ago: his library card. Merlin Holland, a grandson of Wilde’s, accepted a "Reader's Pass" on his ancestor's behalf.

On June 15, 1895, the Irish poet and playwright was excluded from the British Museum’s Reading Room, the precursor to the British Library, following his conviction for "gross indecency." Wilde was already imprisoned by then, however, and it appears he never knew about the card's revocation--a small mercy.

Ironically, over the years the British Library has amassed a large collection of Wilde’s works, including “De Profundis,” the 50,000-word love letter that he wrote in jail to his paramour, Lord Alfred “Bosie” Douglas. The library’s collection also includes manuscripts of some of Wilde’s best known plays, such as “The Importance of Being Earnest,” “An Ideal Husband” and “Lady Windermere’s Fan.”

Questions for Mr. Kirchick

If any of you plan to attend James Kirchick's book talk on Saturday evening (see below), Lee Levine has come up with some excellent questions to ask the author:

Will you update the book to cover 21st-century presidents, particularly Donald Trump?

Of all the sad stories in your book, which one moves you the most?

Are there things you couldn't put in the book?

Again, the talk will take place at the Georgetown Barnes and Noble on Saturday, Oct. 11, at 6 p.m., on the occasion of National Coming Out Day.

Happy 100th birthday, Gore!

Gore Vidal was born a century ago today, on Oct. 3, 1925. Over the years, we've read just two of his many novels: The City and the Pillar (discussed in 2004) and Julian (discussed in 2020). Will our next reading list include more of Mr. Vidal's books? Stay tuned...

In the meantime, Vanity Fair just published this fascinating article about the writer, "Gore Vidal's Final Feud."

Little District Books move update

Following up on my earlier post, Little District Books has just announced that it will close on Monday, Oct. 6, and reopen in its new location, 631 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, on Saturday, Oct. 11.

Background viewing for Kureishi

The Buddha of Suburbia, which we'll be discussing this Wednesday, takes place during the short prime ministership of James Callaghan (who is mentioned by name in the novel). Accordingly. our friend Mike Mazza suggests this video as a good reference for understanding the cultural and political backdrop of the story: "U.K. Prime Ministers: James Callaghan," from the channel Politicoteacher. It's about 11 minutes long. Thanks, Mike!

My 25 Years Before the Mast

In late September 2000, I attended my first meeting of what was then the Potomac Gay Men's Book Group. I remember we met in a restaurant on Connecticut Avenue NW, a couple of blocks up from Lambda Rising, and I felt welcome, but the rest is lost in the mists of time.

I've looked through the "Books We Have Read" section of our blog (at the bottom) to refresh my memory on what we discussed that night, but there's no entry for the third week of that month, alas. (If any of you old-timers happen to remember, let me know.) So my guess is that the group returned to an anthology already in progress, for which our blog only gives the date when we start it.

I was still working full-time in those days, so I didn't make it to all that many BookMen meetings initially. But I always enjoyed the discussions and the camaraderie, and in May 2009 I took over as facilitator from Tim Walton (and as blogmaster, eventually). It's been a great quarter-century, and I hope to be around for many more BookMen gatherings!

Little District Books is moving

Little District Books has outgrown its current space on 8th Street SE, so in October (exact date TBD) it will move to 631 Pennsylvania Avenue SE. Stay tuned!

James Kirchick at Barnes & Noble

My thanks to Richard Schaefers for the tip that James Kirchick will give a Secret City book talk at the Georgetown Barnes and Noble on Saturday, Oct. 11, at 6 p.m., on the occasion of National Coming Out Day.

Outage vs. outing

In Chapter 37 of Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington, part of the section we'll discuss tomorrow night, James Kirchick discusses what he calls "outage": disclosing the homosexuality of individuals without their consent. We know that practice much better today as "outing," so I find it strange that Kirchick never uses that term in this chapter. (I haven't looked ahead yet to determine whether he does so later in the book; neither term appears in his index.)

The Wikipedia entry on the subject goes into more detail about the history, but here is the "money quote": "It is hard to pinpoint the first use of outing in the modern sense. In a 1982 issue of Harper's, Taylor Branch predicted that "outage" would become a political tactic in which the closeted would find themselves trapped in a crossfire. The article "Forcing Gays Out of the Closet" by William A. Henry III in Time (January 29, 1990) introduced the term "outing" to the general public."

One more appetizer for our Reagan discussion

Presumably, many of you have watched or read coverage of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's recent threat to punch out a fellow Trumplican. Mike Mazza kindly sent me a link to this Queerty article on the flap, which asks the $64,000 (or $64 million, in this case) question: "Is Scott Bessent overcompensating for something?"

Mike comments: "I think this would be another great appetizer for the "Reagan" chapters of Secret City. Reading these gay-themed Trump 2.0/MAGA stories after having finished Secret City really gives me that "everything old is new again" feeling!" Me, too, Mike!

Notes on the Reagan section of "Secret City"

As always, I'm grateful to Mike Mazza for sharing his extensive, detailed notes on James Kirchick's Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington, to which we'll return on Sept. 17 to discuss the first half of the Reagan section (Chapters 33-37), the longest in the book. I'll go ahead and post all Mike's notes on the Reagan years now, in case you want to read ahead, but will also repost the notes on Chapters 38-41 in December when we discuss those, along with the rest of the book. Enjoy!

Note: The citations (e.g., loc 78, 8%, etc.) below refer to the Kindle edition, not the paperback.

Secret City—Reagan notes, updated.

Overall thoughts on the Reagan section:

—one of the most compelling and best written sections of the entire book so far.

—the story told here is a truly repulsive freak show. It’s an expose of the elitism, hypocrisy, self-indulgence, extravagance, selfishness, greed, and criminality of the privileged, yet closeted, gays who formed a big part of the human infrastructure of Reaganite conservatism.

— The often repugnant cast of closeted gay power brokers represent the spiritual and ethical heirs of Roy Cohn.

—this section of the book would make a great Netflix docudrama series—think “The Boys in the Band” meets “Dynasty,” with a sprinkling of “Real Housewives” trashiness.

—especially interesting is disgraced closeted gay Republican Congressman Bob Bauman: after his resignation, he keeps popping up like a pitiable opportunistic phantom.

—Arguably the key figure in this section is closeted gay conservative activist Terry Dolan.

—After reading this vulgar, absurdist soap opera, some readers might want to give themselves an enema, followed by s long, hot shower.

—The focus in these chapters is on elite, wealthy white gay men; this makes me wonder about the untold stories of LGBTQ+ people of color and poor or working class LGBTQ+ people during the Reagan era.

Ronald Reagan: p 489; loc 8948; 45%.

Chapter 33: “‘The Homosexual Thing’”: p 491; loc 8954; 45%.

—gay/bi rumors about potential Reagan running mate Jack Kemp: 494.

—introduces California Congressman Pete McCloskey: 495.

—conflict between McCloskey and fellow Republican Reagan.

—rumors of Reagan being controlled by a homosexual cabal: 498.

—Congressman Livingston’s panic over a perceived gay overture from think tank member Bouchey: 501.

Chapter 34: “The Manchurian Candidate”: p 502; loc 9160; 46%.

—former Democratic Congressman Allard K. Lowenstein introduced. Married and a father, but possibly gay or bi.

—Lowenstein shot to death: 503.

—William Best’s letter to McCloskey making accusations about homosexuals on Reagan’s staff: 505.

—McCloskey’s 13-page memo warning that Reagan might be a Manchurian candidate.

—McCloskey brings his info to Ben Bradlee of the Washington Post.

—Best shares rumor of a Reagan gay tryst with 17-year old William Seals: 510.

—my note: this is all some wild, weird stuff!

—Persistence of Kemp rumors.

—Anti-gay Marine misconduct at gay bar Equus: 513. McCloskey acts as arbitrator.

—Peter Hannaford, subject of gay rumors, does not join Reagan administration: 515.

Chapter 35: “An Enclosed and Enchanted Garden”: p 518; loc 9463; 48%.

—introduces Bob Gray, 1981 Inaugural Committee co-chair.

—Gray as “Reagan’s Capote”: 520.

—claim that incoming Reagan WH staff was full of gays.

—John Ford introduced.

—ironic tension between Reagan’s anti-gay evangelical constituency and his closeted gay “foot soldiers”: 521.

—Gray forms his own DC PR shop; his skill at navigating DC power as a gay man.

—Gray’s skill at designing facades: 522.

—Gray’s ironic close relationship to Ed Meese.

—Gray’s close relationship to Nancy Reagan: 524.

—Nancy as “First Fag Hag”: 525.

—Nancy as a camp icon; her many gay friends and image crafters.

—Craig Spence introduced: 527. His background as a journalist.

—Spence’s Japanese-American “Operation Sunshine” events; his skill as a Washington socialite.

—shady nature of “Operation Sunshine”—cover for espionage?

—commercialization of (white) homoerotic imagery during Reagan era: 533.

—acronyms of the gay Reaganite elite: RPG, BLOW, GATT.

—young gay Reaganites and Brideshead Revisited: 534.

—“a refined yet repressed aristocratic homosexuality.”

Chapter 36: “Sodom-on-the-Potomac”: p 536; loc 9804; 49%.

—Martin Price and the “Deep Backgrounder” tabloid.

—former CIA employee Victor Marchetti introduced.

—NBC report on alleged threat of gay prostitution connected blackmail: 538.

—Dan Bradley becomes the highest ranking government official to come out of the closet: 539.

—Deep Backgrounder as muckraking, sensationalistic alternative press with a focus on the elite gay DC closet.

—congressional page Leroy Williams introduced: 541.

—Williams’ closeted homosexually, alcohol and cocaine use.

—CDC report on deadly Kaposi’s sarcoma among gay men: 542.

—page Jeffrey Opp introduced: 543.

—Richard Kind and Friendly Models, a DC-area gay escort service.

—Price’s claim of surveillance conducted by Friendly Models employees upon clientele: 544.

—Friendly raided by police and FBI.

—police raid Stables, another gay prostitution service; fears about client lists of these businesses.

—Leroy Williams makes shocking homosexual allegations in CBS news national report: 546.

—bachelor Republican Congressman Larry Craig issues a preemptive denial.

—fear of closeted gay government employees’ vulnerability to foreign agents: 548.

—Deep Backgrounder outs Bob Gray: 549.

—inconsistencies in Leroy Williams’ claims: 550. He recants.

—Price founds an anti-gay PAC: 552. His apocalyptic anti-gay attitude. His unexpected death.

Chapter 37: “‘I don’t have it. Do you?’”: p 553; loc 10129; 51%.

—AIDS pandemic.

—tainted Tylenol scare: 556.

—Randy Shilts’ assessment of the failure of American institutions to address AIDS: 556.

—Terry Dolan introduced. Conservative PAC chair.

—Dolan’s double life as a closeted gay conservative: 559.

—his organization’s anti-gay rhetoric.

—Larry Kramer vs Dolan: 560.

—Weyrich organization’s 680-page anti-gay political book: 561. My note: like Protocols of the Elders of Zion?

—conflict between Weyrich and Dolan.

—Deep Backgrounder essentially outs Dolan: 562.

—rise of “outage” (“outing”): 562.

—hypocrisy of both closeted conservative gay professionals and those who benefited from their skills; “minuet of mutual hypocrisy and deceit”: 564.

—Congressman Gerry Studds introduced: 564.

—After scandal, he becomes the first openly gay member of Congress.

—Studds survives censure and wins re-election: 566.

Chapter 38: “‘Them’ Is ‘Us’”: p 567; loc 10389; 52%.

—Bob Bauman comes out of the closet in a speech.

—CAIR, organization trying to make Republican Party more gay friendly.

—Rock Hudson and the Reagans: 569. Larry Kramer calls out Nancy.

-“the era’s decadence and hypocrisy”: 571.

—impact and stigma of AIDS.

—Rock Hudson’s AIDS diagnosis made public: 573.

—inappropriate jokes about AIDS and homosexual in the Reagan WH: 575.

—Reagan ignores AIDS crisis in his memoir: 577.

—Bill Buckley, his wife Pat, and her gay male companions: 579.

—Bill Buckley’s vile suggestion, in a 1986 column, that all people with AIDS be tattooed as a warning sign.

—John Ford stands up to an attempt to blackmail him with a threatened outing to Secretary of Agriculture John Block: 582.

Chapter 39: “‘Our Sebastian’”: p 583; loc 10693; 54%.

—young death of gay conservative activist Terry Dolan.

—controversy over reporting AIDS as Dolan’s cause of death.

—WH speechwriter Tony Dolan’s problematic eulogy for his brother; Brideshead Revisited reference.

—separate memorial to Dolan held; attended by gay conservatives: 588.

—The Washington Post’s Bradlee decides to pursue the Dolan story: 589.

—Tony Dolan tries to convince Post reporter Elizabeth Kastor to abandon her article about Terry Dolan: 590. He continues his attempts to stop the article.

Chapter 40: “Mr. Green”: p 594; loc 10898; 55%.

—introduces Carl “Spitz” Channell, founder of conservative activist group.

—Channell attends a pro-Contra presentation by Oliver North.

—Channell: a gay man who had started his career working for Terry Dolan’s NCPAC: 595.

—Channell’s anti-Communist zeal: 596.

—He starts his own Channell Corporation. Bauman visits his office.

—Channell’s efforts in the work to raise money to support the Contras in Nicaragua.

—Channell and Oliver North: 597.

—Reagan signs a letter endorsing the work of Channell’s organization: 599.

—Channell’s staff: “‘Those gay boys of Oliver North’s’”: 599.

—gay staffers on Republican campaigns: 600.

—“‘a perverse form of self-esteem’” comment on gay staff of right wing politicians (p 600); my note: cf Bill Maher’s comment to Larry King that “hating yourself can be the greatest love of all.”

—the ugly side of Channell : 601.

—Margaret Scattergood’s activities after the death of her partner Florence Thorne: 602.

—Channell and Fawn Hall: 603.

—Grifting by Channell? He pleads guiltily and fingers Oliver North. Role of “Fruit Loop” in the scandal. Irony of the elitist closeted gay cabal within the Iran-Contra scandal.

Chapter 41: “The Wonderful, the Creative, and the Brave”: p 607; loc 11,137; 56%.

—introduces Republican Congressman Stewart B. McKinney: a married father living a secret gay life in Washington.

—McKinney: 1st Congressman to die of AIDS: 607.

—the Washington Post’s approach to reporting on McKinney’s death and life: 608.

—before his death, McKinney writes a letter in support of a Connecticut state gay rights ordinance: 608.

—After final unsuccessful attempts to get Tony Dolan to speak on the record, the Washington Post publishes Kastor’s article on Terry Dolan and the gay conservative closet: 610.

—Washington Times runs Tony Dolan’s rebuttal of the Kastor article as a lengthy paid advertisement: 612.

—in his diatribe, Tony Dolan claims Terry rejected homosexuality in a deathbed conversion.

—Drama behind Reagan’s speech at an amfAR benefit dinner: 613+.

—Tony Dolan’s rage against WaPo continues: 615.

—Bob Bauman pops up again: 616.

—Openly gay Dr. Frank Lilly appointed by Reagan to new AIDS commission: 617.

—Gary Bauer in the Reagan administration.

—the 2nd March on Washington for lesbian and gay rights: 619.

—unveiling of AIDS quilt.

—1989 death of Chasen Gaver: 621.

Mr. Kirchick on Trump's gays

Several of you have flagged this Aug. 27 New York Times article, "Donald Trump's Big Gay Government," which quotes James Kirchick, author of Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington. We'll be discussing the first half of the Reagan section in that book on Sept. 17, and this article will give you a sense of how far we have come over the past four decades.

Growing up gay in Russia

Jacob Green is the author and translator (from Russian) of the novel Truth with Ornaments. He contacted me to say that he recently published an autobiographical essay on his gay experience as a teenager during the formation of modern Russia in the early post-Soviet period of confusion and unrest. The essay is available on Amazon Kindle, and here is a link to a teaser on his website: https://mrjacobgreen.com/news/sex-and-the-suburbs.html.

Neapolitan nocturnes

Since Garth Greenwell gives so much else away (ahem) in his foreword to the novel we'll be discussing tomorrow night--Edmund White's Nocturnes for the King of Naples--I am surprised he didn't address the provenance of its title.

It almost certainly refers, at least obliquely, to the actual King Ferdinand IV of Naples (a colorful, sybaritic character in his own right), who commissioned Franz Josef Haydn to compose five concertos for the lira organizzata in 1786. This long-obsolete instrument, essentially a glorified hurdy-gurdy with a miniature organ attached, had a severely limited tonal palette, yet enjoyed a brief fad in the late 18th century. Haydn's concertos, and other compositions for it, are now generally performed as flute-oboe duets.

I suspect White changed "concertos" to "nocturnes" for the sake of alliteration, much as Maurice Ravel said that he chose Pavane pour une infante défunte--known in English as "Pavane for a Dead Princess"--as the title for the famous piano piece (later orchestrated) purely for how it sounded in French--not as a memorial to any particular individual.

New York, New York

The July 22 issue of the Washington Post's Book World featured a combined review of two different memoirs about New York City in the 1980s: Thomas Mallon's The Very Heart of It: New York Diaries, 1983-1994 and John Loughery’s Where the Pulse Lives.

Charles Kaiser (whose The Gay Metropolis: The Landmark History of Gay Life in America was one of the first books our group discussed, way back in 1999) is an almost exact contemporary of Mallon and Loughery, so he is perfectly placed to assess their accounts of gay life in the Big Apple during the AIDS epidemic. He is far more enthusiastic about Loughery's memoir than Mallon's, and his reasons for that judgment strike me as sound. Still, I'm a big enough fan of Mallon that I plan to read his book, too--but only after Loughery's.

A different Sept. 3 meeting venue

BREAKING NEWS: On Wed., Sept. 3, we will meet at the West End Library in Foggy Bottom--2301 L St. NW--because our normal venue will be closed for air conditioning repairs. Don't worry; I'll send several email reminders to BookMen members.

A new James Baldwin biography

The Aug. 18 New Yorker features Louis Menand's review of Nicholas Boggs’s Baldwin: A Love Story (Farrar, Straus & Giroux). Curiously, Menand's review, titled "The Lives and Loves of James Baldwin," concentrates almost exclusively on the former, with only passing attention to the latter.

Menand makes some claims that strike me as questionable, such as this: "The novels have their moments, but they have the humorless and fatalistic quality of literary naturalism. They are not books you are eager to get back to." Let me confess that I haven't reread either of the two Baldwin novels our group has discussed: Giovanni's Room (2003) or Just Above My Head (2022). But that isn't because I didn't find them worth my time; I've just had too many other books piled up demanding my attention.

All that said, the review is worth reading. And the bio sounds like it is, too. (I'll post other reviews as I come across them.)

Notes on TW's Memoirs

As always, I'm grateful to Mike Mazza for sharing his extensive, detailed notes on Tennessee Williams' Memoirs, which we'll be discussing tomorrow night. Enjoy!

Note: The citations (e.g., loc 78, 8%, etc.) below refer to the Kindle edition, not the paperback.

Tennessee Williams, Memoirs notes—updated 250726.

Introduction by John Waters.

Afterword by Allean Hale.

My reaction upon finishing the book:

—I really enjoyed it, and found it very interesting. The memoir has a confessional aspect— Williams seems like he really wants to share the good, the bad, and the ugly in his life, and he doesn’t sugarcoat his own behavior.

—There are some wonderfully warm, affectionate, and sometimes funny portraits of the important people in his life: his long time lover Frank Merlo, fellow writer Carson McCullers, and others. But perhaps the most loving and poignant portrait is that of his sister Rose, a lobotomy survivor. I think it would be tempting for readers to dwell on the gossipy, “bitchy” and risqué elements of the memoir, but for me, it is the tender and caring portraits that I found most impactful.

—the memoir seems to be organized, in a fashion, around his produced and published literary/dramatic works, and thus I think the memoir would be a great read for those who value and enjoy his classic works.

Introduction— “Mr. Williams Saved My Life,” by John Waters: Loc 12; 1%.

—“see Librarian” censorship of Williams’ work in 1950s.

—Williams labeled a “bad man” by nuns.

—Williams “my childhood friend”: loc 24.

—Williams’ work gave him the confidence to not be a conformist—either to mainstream straight society or to “gayly-correct” orthodoxy.

—homophobic review of Williams’ Memoirs at 1975 publication.

—Waters values both “bad” and “good” Williams films: 51.

—significance of Provincetown to both Williams and Waters: 79.

—compares reading the memoirs to having drinks with Williams as he tells stories.

Overall comments on the memoir

—note how he often seems to shift back and forth between time periods in the narrative. In particular, he keeps returning to the period of the production of his play Small Craft Warning: a period which he writes of as if it is his “present” time.

—a lot of name dropping; gossipy

—lots of anecdotes, but at times the book feels unfocused and chaotic; episodic. However, the overall structure of the book felt more cohesive to me the further I progressed into it.

—His identity as a homosexual is a strong. persistent element of the narrative. This makes the book a great choice for a queer studies course. —note his financial struggle as a young writer.

—note the humor throughout the book. Made me laugh out loud more than once. Examples: Carson McCullers’ praise of Tennessee’s volatile, profane lover “Santo” (p 107); Frankie’s saucy reply to Jack Warner (168); joke about “Queen’s Division” in hospital (loc 4371).

—He occasionally writes reflectively about the memoir itself and his own authorial choices and ethics in writing it; see, for example, p 144; p 153 (why he resists writing about his own plays); p 177; 179; 202 (considers changing title); 243 (1972-1975 time frame of the writing of the memoir; his “disregard for chronological order”); 250 (direct address to reader).

—interesting accounts of his encounters and relationships with other important figures in LGBT cultural history: Christopher Isherwood, Carson McCullers, Gore Vidal, Truman Capote, Candy Darling, Yukio Mishima, etc. I found his portrait of McCullers especially warm and moving.

—examples of his aphoristic statements: 157 (on inability to hold his liquor); 173 (on his career); 229 (on hurting people); 243 (on being a queen in one’s own dream world); 247 (“not even my own skin”); 249 (on pride).

Foreword: loc 106; 2%. —the play Out Cry.

—his invitation to hold a symposium with Yale drama students.

—he admits “mercenary,” for profit motivation for writing memoir.

Chapter 1: p 1; loc 180; 3%.

—1939: he is a feather picker on a squab ranch: p 4.

—he receives a grant.

—his lunch with Russian poet Yevtushenko, who harshly critiques Williams’ play Small Craft Warnings: 8.

—Issue of homosexuality in Russia (Soviet Union) discussed.

—He departs St. Louis for New York City: 10.

—He meets his agent.

Chapter 2: p 11; loc 359; 5%.

—his childhood in Mississippi.

—move to St. Louis.

—“the makings of a sissy”: 11.

—his first publication; in Weird Tales magazine in 1928: 16.

—his adolescent shyness.

—his attraction towards his childhood friend Hazel.

—ocean voyage to Europe; he tried alcohol for the first time: 19.

—Captain seems to imply 17 y/o narrator will turn out gay.

Chapter 3: p 24; loc 587; 9%.

—starts college at U of Missouri.

—he joins a fraternity.

—he becomes a salesman for a woman’s magazine: 27.

—he meets “an outrageous young camp.”

—seemingly flirtatious behavior from attractive fraternity roommate “Smitty”: 30.

—Smitty expelled from fraternity.

—another fraternity brother, Melmoth, expelled explicitly for homosexuality: 33.

(Time shift?)

—He takes a role in his own play Small Craft Warnings: 33.

—his friendship with “transvestite” cast member Candy Darling: 35.

—back to his college years.

—he leaves the U of Missouri without graduating to work for the shoe company that employs his father: 36.

—he writes short stories.

—his cardiovascular health problem: 39.

—1934: his first play, “Cairo, Shanghai, Bombay!” Produced: 40.

—his love of the writing of Chekhov.

—his only consummated heterosexual relationship, with “Sally”: 44.

—his roommate “Abdul.”

—finally persuaded that he is “queer”: 49.

—he recalls a production of a Stein play with a gay cast: 50.

—his critique of “‘swish’ and ‘camp’”: 50.

—Back to Candy Darling and Small Craft Warnings.

Chapter 4: p 52; loc 1186; 18%.

—first great male love of his life.

—In Provincetown in 1940. He is “thoroughly out of the closet.”

—he meets Kip: 54. They have a sexual relationship.

—after the end of the relationship with Kip, he travels to Mexico City: 58.

—Kip’s death at age 26.

—my note: story of Kip would fit right into John Rechy’s City of Night.

—he meets Tallulah Bankhead: 61.

—story of the play Battle of Angels: 62.

—Marion Vaccaro.

—in Key West.

—Hemingway and Cuba: 68.

—his gigs as a Manhattan elevator operator and as a waiter.

—in Macon, Georgia: 72.

—his eye operations: 73.

—at a go-go boy bar in New Orleans: 75.

—he gets a Hollywood screenwriting gig and meets Christopher Isherwood: 76.

Chapter 5: p 81; loc 1726; 26%.

—Glass Menagerie rehearsals in Chicago.

—Broadway opening of Menagerie: 84.

—Success of Menagerie.

—more gay amorous relationships.

—Williams and William Inge. His alcoholism, psychological problems and suicide: 89.

Chapter 6: p 92; loc 1915; 29%.

—his depression after the success of Menagerie.

—his return to Mexico.

—return to New York.

—interview by Mike Wallace: 96.

—1946 opening of “You Touched Me!” On Broadway: 98.

—steam room hookups

—picture of Tallulah B: loc 2058.

—aside about his decision to omit some people from the memoir: p 99.

—his affliction of loneliness.

—relocation, again, to New Orleans.

—at a party, it is revealed that he shares the single bedroom with his male apartment mate: 100.

—intense pain and diagnosis of appendicitis: 103.

—surgery for maecles diverticulum.

—return to Manhattan: 105.

—his new companion: “Santo” (an invented name).

—their tempestuous relationship.

—he meets up with Carson McCullers in Nantucket: 106.

—note his warm and funny portrait of his ongoing friendship with McCullers. Their support for each other after bad reviews.

—He returns to New Orleans. Note his writerly work habits.

—His grandfather comes to live with him: 110.

—trip to Key West with grandfather.

Chapter 7: p 114; loc 2333; 36%.

—back to Small Craft Warnings production.

—“tragedy” of his sister Rose:114.

—his close relationship with Rose: 119-20.

—his cruel, angry outburst at Rose after she had tattled to his parents about a youthful wild party he had thrown: 122.

—1937:Rose removed to state asylum in Missouri: 125.

—Rose lobotomized. She goes to live with an elderly couple on a farm near the asylum.

—He has Rose sent to an expensive sanitarium in Connecticut: 126.

—He then moves her to Stoney Lodge in Ossining.

Chapter 8: p 130; loc 2605; 40%.

—traveling to New York; prep for production of Streetcar.

—casting Brando and Tandy.

—with Santo in Provincetown: 133.

—more erratic and troubling behavior from Santo.

—Santo pursues him in New York City.

—audience with Thornton Wilder in New Haven: 135.

—progress of Streetcar in other cities prior to “smash” New York opening.

—his encounters with Garbo: 139.

—his trip to Europe: 139.

—“nocturnal pleasures” of Paris: 140.

— He proceeds to Italy and takes an apartment in Rome: 141.

—Italian sexuality, prostitution and his novel _The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone_: 141.

—His encounter with a faunlike young man, “Rafaello,” in Rome. They have an ongoing relationship.

—meeting Gore Vidal in Rome: 146. Vidal’s groundbreaking homosexual-themed novel.

—Prep for London production of Menagerie.

—meeting E. M. Forster after a Brighton performance: 148.

—his friendship with the Lady St. Just, née Maria Britneva: 149.

—traveling with Truman Capote.

—story of Truman and the bishop aboard the Queen Mary: 150.

—return to living in New York City.

—his encounters with redheaded NYC hustler Tommy Willians: 154.

Chapter 9: p 155; loc 3079; 47%.

—his “re-encounter with Philip Franklin Merlo.”

—beginning of their 14-year relationship.

—arriving by ocean liner at Gibraltar with Paul Bowles and Frankie: 159.

—his praise for Jane Bowles’ writing.

—continued travel in North Africa.

—The Rose Tattoo: 162.

—his friendship with Anna Magnani.

—lunch with Bill Inge: 165.

—development of Camino Real

—discriminatory behavior of Irene Mayer Selznick towards Frankie: 167.

—his reflection on playwriting and on his own work: 168.

—story behind “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” His anxiety over its reception, and its ultimate success.

—Repeats his praise of Jane Bowles as a writer: 170.

—1959 failure of Orpheus Descending: 172.

—his feeling that the critics turned on him.

—his use of drugs and alcohol.

Chapter 10: p 180; loc 3565; 54%.

—story of “Iguana.”

—dog bites result in staph infection; dog “Satin” euthanized.

—his sexual promiscuity and tension with Frankie.

—Frankie’s mysterious ailment: 185.

—after more tension, and violence, he leaves Frankie.

—he has a new romance with a young poet—“Angel.”

—tension with Frankie after the break up; Frankie battled lung cancer: 189.

—He tries to help Frankie after learning the cancer is terminal.

—He, Frankie and Angel live together; they share a vacation rental on Nantucket.

—He returns to NYC with Frankie; Angel goes to Key West.

—he praises Frankie’s “strength of spirit” and “pride never broken”: 192.

—Frankie ravaged by cancer; his suffering. His death: 194.

—beginning of a 7-year depression for Tennessee.

—Tab Hunter In Milk Train: 199.

—his own defense of Milk Train: 201.

—he resumes his relationship with Angel in Key West: 203.

—he dismisses Angel.

—he is depressed and socially withdrawn.

—he moves to New Orleans.

—he also spends time in New York.

—he begins to receive injections, and also vials, from “Dr. Feel Good”: 209.

—his relationship with “Ryan.”

—return to time period of Small Craft Warnings; his concern about his mother’s health: 215.

—conflict while he is living in Los Angeles: 215. His mental health deteriorates.

—he returns to Key West: 218.

—He decides to seek help after an accidental burn.

—in hospital for psychiatric care, he argues with his family members. He experiences convulsions and is reassigned to another part of the hospital—the “Violent Ward”: 221.

—his memories of violence and disturbing scenes in the hospital.

—his hospital stay is extended.

—occupational therapy at hospital: 223.

—he is transferred to an open ward in the hospital: 224. He plays bridge with others in the ward.

—one of his bridge partners is terrified of her shock treatments.

—released from hospital.

—watching film version of Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone on TV with his mother: 226.

—severing of his professional relationship with Audrey Wood: 227.

Chapter 11: p 230; loc 4572; 70%.

—on being a writer.

—return to Key West after his psychiatric hospitalization.

—“eviction” of Ryan.

—his play Out Cry.

—his 1970 voyage to Bangkok: 235.

—his diagnosis of breast cancer.

— his last encounter with Yukio Mishima.

—his current companion: “a stormy young man”: 242. A novelist.

—point at which time past and present converge in the chronologically alternating story he is telling: 243.

—his sister Rose’s delusional state.

—Carson McCuller’s fondness for Rose; suicidal threat from Carson’s husband Reeves: 244-45.

—his “fugitive” life: 247.

—his thoughts on death: 248.

—after effect of Rose’s lobotomy: 251.

—the Lodge staff approves a 3-day holiday visit away for Rose.

—note his fondness and respect for Rose; she is a survivor.

—I find it significant that he ends the memoir with Rose. It is tender and moving.

Afterword by Allean Hale: p 253; loc 4990; 76%.

— fact check of historical inaccuracies in memoir, which Hale attributes to Williams’s stream of consciousness style.

—detachable figleaf story: 253.

—Hale reveals the true identities of Santo, Angel, and more.