Books to take to bed
A Winter s Reading List
¡1
1
V jW iV *
# he publishing industry is doing a
-*• monumental job o f providing us with
quality lesbian and gay reading. As I write this,
in October, Ifear that the 1988 election, plus the
frightening new obscenity trafficking law, may
snatch it all away. But right now it’s feasting
time in your local women's or gay bookstore!
Happy New Year!
VvV
' • V
1 -7
-v. • : . x - m . }
W'
^
m
> *- i
Bird-eyes by Mailelyn Arnold, Seal Press,
1988, $8.98. Latisha is an “ incorrigible”
minor, otherwise known as a hustling baby
dyke, who is institutionalized for her rebellions.
This is the story of her survival and of her
friendship with Anna, a deaf older woman.
Touching, infuriating, very well done.
The Obsidian Mirror by Louise M. Wisechild,
Seal Press, 1988, $10.95. It took me a while to
work up the courage to read this book by an
incest survivor, but it is more than palatable, it
is absorbing and honest.
Cows and Horses by Barbara Wilson, Seal
Press, 1988, $7.95. A slice of lesbian life, about
an angry, messy breakup and the surge outward
to find healing and understanding with friends.
W e’ve just about all been here.
Cows^Horses
A NCVU BY
Barbara W ilson
i
Better Angel by Richard Meeker, Alyson,
1987, $5.95. Much has been written about the
lost author of this classic from 1933 — how he
walked into a bookstore in San Francisco and
found his book reissued. It’s a wonderful
rendering of a young man coming out and
Finding his place in life and love.
Street Lavender by Chris Hunt. Gay Male
Press, 1986, $9.95. 1 love tales of cross
dressing, especially in other times. This is set in
Dickens's England. A cross between David
Coppetfield and Fanny Hill.
Splendora by Edward Swift, Meadowlarul
Books, 1988, $6.95. A comic Southern Gothic
about a male transvestite who returns to her
Texas roots in her new plumage and falls for the
town minister.
Dead Heat by Willyce Kim, Alyson Publica
tions, 1988, $6.95. Another truly original book
from Kim. this is the sequel to Dancer Dawkins
and the California Kid. In brief, funny, tension
building flashes. Kim tells a story of dykes in
gangster-land. The heroines are cool and strong
and lustful. I found the erotic sequences taste
fully but potently provocative.
Three Glasses of Wine Have Been Removed
From This Story by Marian Michener, Silver-
leaf Press, 1988, $7.95. A fine new writer has
done an excellent job depicting the end of a love
affair with alcohol.
Bulldozer Rising by Anna Livia, Onlywomen
Press, 1988, $6.95. Livia is a brilliant writer. In
this book she’s turned to science fiction, which
feels all too threateningly real, as she depicts a
society in which humanity is not valued, older
women are no better than trash, and lesbians
risk their lives for change.
The Wrong Apple by David Rees, Knights
Press, 1987, $8.50. A reflective love(s) story
about a British man whose HIV diagnosis
makes him feel that he’s a “ sexual outcast.”
Ripening by Valerie Taylor, Banned Books,
1988, $8.95. In this sequel to the Erika
Frohmann series (Naiad reprints of classic
1960s lesbian lit), elder stateswoman Taylor has
kept true to the style of her original books.
Concentration camp survivor Erika finds her
closeted, middle-age disturbed as lesbian-
feminism arrives in Tucson, Arizona.
Boys’ Town by Art Bosch, Alyson, 1988, $7.95.
A light novel about what really goes on in
notorious West Holly wood.
Mountain Climbing in Sheridan Square by
Stan Leventhal, Banned Books, 1988, $8.95.
His first novel. Leventhal has written a quiet,
introspective, and often funny story about gay
survival in New York in the 1980s.
Look Under The Hawthorne by Ellen Frye,
New Victoria, 1987, $7.95. The adventure of a
lesbian mother searching for the daughter she
gave up in her teens — and finding a surprise.
Thoughtful lesbian characters.
Sunday’s Child by Joyce Bright. Naiad, 1988,
$8.95. Is this the first lesbian jock novel? It’s
about a runner’s will to win more than
marathons.
Crush by Jane Futcher, Alyson, 1988, $6.95. A
reissue of the younger readers’ classic novel —
which most of my adult friends have loved.
Gay and Lesbian Poetry In Our Time, edited
by Carl Morse and Joan Larkin, St. Martin's
Press, 1988, $29.95. An excellent gift. A thick
representative treasure of variant verse.
The Cunt Coloring Book bv Tee Corinne, Last
Gasp Press. 1988, $6.95. Reissued, under its
original title, with additional drawings, an
introduction and translations into French.
German and Spanish. A work of art. Also
practical for a rainy day seduction.
Journeys, artworks by Roberto Gonzalez
Fernandez. Gay Male Press, 1988, $J0.
Introduction by John Russell Taylor, interview
with the artist by Javier Mazorra. Spanish and
English. Striking pencil and ink work of gay
men. Taylor questions whether this work is
super-realism or surrealism.
Gay Comix. 152815th St., San Francisco
94103, $IO/year. A subscription would make a
great gift for anyone, including people
who used to hate comics. I oughta know. Strips
by Bechdel, Barela, C ruse.
Other Dykes To Watch Out For by Alison
Bechdel, Firebrand, 1988, $7.95. Insightful
and delightful.
Shitkickers And Other Texas Stories by
Carolyn Weathers, Clothespin Fever Press,
1987, $6.95. “ All night long, life like a
jukebox, just the kind she wanted.” These are
truly dyke tales.
Last September by Helen R. Hull, edited by
Patricia Miller, Naiad, 1988, $8.95. An
important work of a distinguished lesbian writer
on the 100th anniversary of her birth. Literate
stories of women drawn to women in the olden
days.
Alienated Affections — Being Gay in
America by Seymour Kleinberg, St. Martin's
Press, 1988, $8.95. In these personal essays,
Kleinberg discusses growing up gay. mascu
linity, friendship, sampling heterosexuality. I
particularly enjoyed the picture he draws of the
gay New York intellectual world.
The Mayor o f Castro Street by Randy
Shilts, St. Martin s Press, 1988, $ 10.95. The
life o f Harvey Milk written in a way that made
me love him . Also a lively portrait of the Castro
and San Francisco in their gay heyday.
The God o f Ecstasy by Arthur Evans. St.
Martins, 1988, $8.95. An analysis of the influ
ence the Greek god Dionysos had on Western
civilization. Includes the play “ The God of
Ecstasy” and performance photos with the
magnificent Assunta Femia as Dionysos.
Sunday’s Child by Edward Phillips, St.
Martin's, 1988, $7.95. Mystery set in Montreal
and Toronto, the protagonist is a middle-aged
lawyer with a wonderful sense of humor.
Beyond Hope by Eve Zaremba, Amanita, 1987.
Also set in Canada, but with a lesbian sleuth
who’s all business.
After Delores by Sarah Schulman, E.P. Dut
ton, 1988, $16.95. In this mystery. Schulman’s
almost comic characters troop through the East
village after solutions of all kinds.
Grey Magic by Sarah Dreher, New Victoria,
1987, $8.95. The next Stoner McTavish
mystery, all about Southwestern magic.
Lessons in Murder by Claire McNab. Naiad.
1988, $8.95. An Australian schoolhouse mur
der and suspect-detective liaison.
Goldenboy by Michael Nava. Alyson, 1988,
$14.95. Gay Hispanic attorney Henry Rios is
far from a hard-boiled detective. Human con
cern rather than humorous hijinks grace this
book.
Stolen Moments by John Preston, Alyson,
¡985, $4.95, is an Alex Kane adventure story.
Politically correct or not, I get a kick out of gays
with near superpowers.
Before Stonewall by Andrea Weiss and Greta
Schiller, Naiad, 1988, $7.95. Subtitled “ The
Making of a Gay Community.” this is an
inspiring family album with visuals and words
that evoke our history in the first half of the 20th
century.
Living The Spirit, Gay American Indian
Anthology, edited by Will Roscoe. St.
M artin’s, 1988, $16.95. An exciting collection
of art, history, stories, interviews, and poetry
by lesbians and gay men from numerous tribes.
Gay Spirit, Myth and Meaning by Mark
Thompson, St. Martin's. 1988. $8.95. A collec
tion of essays which examines gay male spiritu
ality. More mind altering than any twenty 60s
chemicals and just as intoxicating.
Unholy Alliances edited by Louise Rafkin,
Cleis Press, 1988, $9.95. The lesbian stories
are very good and include little seen writers like
Canyon Sam and Jennifer Krebs.
•
Lee Lynch's newest book is The Amazon Trail.
a collection o f her syndicated columns. (Naiad.
1988, $8.95)
just out • 13 • January 1989