BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS (This post is in answer to the few followers who have enquired about books I have enjoyed.)
My followers may have realised by now I am an avid reader, with slightly esoteric tastes. Whilst I do enjoy fiction, I mainly tend to read biographies, memoirs, letters, and diaries, mostly of other gay men. Most of these tend to be people who lived in the 20th century, at a time when some were struggling with being gay, and most were living a closeted life (although not all). A number belonged to the English upper class, and for them sexual orientation did not seem to exist, as most seemed to be pansexual.
The recommendations are in no particular order of preference. Unfortunately due to the restrictions of time, I will just list the books, and leave you to read details and reviews on sites like Amazon.
GEORGE (Part 1 of his autobiography) by Emlyn Williams
EMLYN (Part 2 of his autobiography) by Emlyn Williams
Highly entertaining and readable, childhood and youth of the Welsh actor. Covers a number of incidents of his love life with other boys and young men.
GENET by Edmund White
Biography of the French writer and criminal, Jean Genet. Author of two of my favourite gay novels, Querelle of Brest, and Our Lady of the Flowers.
AN AMERICAN SAILOR IN THE TIME OF SAIL (The Erotic Diaries of Philip C. Van Buskirk 1851 – 1870) by B.R.Burg
Although the main title may sound a little uninteresting to some, I found this biography of the young gay sailor Van Buskirk quite erotic.
SERIOUS PLEASURES – The life of The Honourable Stephen Tennant by Philip Hoare
Fascination life of Stephen Tennant, and his social circle. Full of comical anecdotes, his friendship with Cecil Beaton, and his love affair with Siegfried Sassoon.
EVELYN WAUGH by Selina Hastings
The biography of Evelyn Waugh, a gay rake as a young man, who with success became a family man. Not a nice character, but interesting.
THE NOTEBOOKS OF TENNESSEE WILLIAMS, Edited by Margaret B.Thornton
Having read the volumes of his letters, and his biography, these notebook are a lighter read, and they also cover Tenn’s love life, and cruising experiences.
CHATWIN, by Nicholas Shakespeare
The biography of the English novelist, and travel writer who died of AIDS in the late 1980s.
THE DIARIES OF JAMES LEES-MILNE ed. by Michael Bloch (Vols. 1 – 12) or
THE DIARIES OF JAMES LEES-MILNE, abridged by Michael Bloch (Vols. 1 – 3)
Some of the most entertaining diaries ever written. James Lees-Milne (1908 – 1997) was a bisexual man, who married in mid life. A scion of the English National Trust. A close friend of Eardley Knollys, one of the gay inhabitants of Long Critchel House, Diana Mosley and her sister Debo Devonshire. His life seems to have been one long episode of socialising, and he knew everybody. He was a terrible snob, but at the same time self-deprecating. I would think most people would prefer the abridged version of his diaries, and if as I did you thoroughly enjoyed these read the unabridged volumes.
HINDOO HOLIDAY
MY FATHER AND MYSELF
WE THINK THE WORLD OF YOU (All by J.R. Ackerley)
Joe Randolph “J. R.” Ackerley (1896 – 1967) British writer and editor. Starting with the BBC the year after its founding in 1927, he was promoted to literary editor of The Listener, its weekly magazine, where he served for more than two decades. He published many emerging poets and writers who became influential in Great Britain. He was openly gay, a rarity in his time when homosexuality was forbidden by law and socially ostracized.
Hindoo Holiday (1932, revised and expanded 1952), is an hilarious read. It is a memoir of Ackerley’s brief engagement as secretary to an Indian Maharaja in the city of Chhatarpur, which he called Chhokrapur (meaning “City of Boys”) as a joke in the book.
My Father and Myself (1968), a memoir of Ackerley’s life and relationship with his father., and the surprises in store for Joe, as he found our more about his father the “Banana King”
We Think the World of You (1960), Frank is a middle-aged, upper-class Londoner who has long nurtured a romantic relationship with Johnny. When his young lover is imprisoned for burglary, Frank attempts to gain custody of Johnny’s German shepherd, Evie. The dog is in the care of Johnny’s wife stepfather and mother. When they realize the truth about Frank, Johnny’s family does whatever it can to prevent Frank from seeing Evie. Made into a film with Alan Bates, Gary Oldham, Liz Smith, Max Wall and Frances Barber.
I WILL ADD MORE BOOKS IN A FEW DAYS TIME, ARE THERE ANY GOOD GAY ONES YOU WOULD RECOMMEND, EITHER FICTION OR FACTUAL. IF SO LET ME KNOW AND I WILL ADD THEM ONTO A LIST OF OTHER PEOPLES RECOMMENDATIONS.
DRESS: Vintage c.1970s BARRETTE: Vintage c.1990s SHOES: River Island PURSE: Skinny Dip London _____________________________________________________________________
SO for the end of 2015-2016 I’ve periodically been cycling in & out of obsessing over late 60s/early 70s fashion! Every now & then I go on vintage sprees and want only authentic instead of repo (not to knock it at all though). This dress seems late 70s since it’s got that 80s Edwardian feel to it. And when I saw these boots I flipped like 7 tables because they look like James Bond meets mahou shoujo & I am here for it, ya’ll. Of course my all time favorite, a novelty bag courtesy of Skinnydip London & a vintage barrette! I have no particular attachment to the year 1997, but the font was cool and it was sparkly & adorable!!
Ejakkulate 