I was jonesing the next book from GRRM so I could go watch the show and bitch about how everything was wrong, and decided to shelf that idea and read some gay literature. I had been really excited about the idea since I never had anything like that growing up, unless you count Anne Rice Novels. Not sure why it hasn't crossed my mind before.
So, anywho, I've read two, started 8, and I've noticed that all of these gay 'male' protagonists seem to be suspiciously pretty rather than cute or handsome, and also think and act suspiciously like shy and/or spastic women. I then noticed the authors were all women. This is... kind of insulting.
If you are a woman (Or stupid, as the case may be), imagine looking for some lesbian heroine novel or something only to find over 1,000 books, get excited, then discover they're all about suspiciously well muscled-and hairy- women who act suspiciously like stereotypical foot ball players. In fact, if they had penises, it'd be more or less considered sexist, assuming the idea I just suggested isn't already.
Sooo... what the fuck? Where is my fantasy-stand in? It's such a huge let down.
Or, less rationally but more honestly, I wanna be Hard Solo or Conan the Gaybearian chasing vulnerable -yet sexy- men across the galaxy and objectifying the hell out of them, but these books are all about ladies with dicks who are named ShyBoy VirginPucker or Sir Slutsalot, Master of the Way of the Gaping Anus wrapped up in a package of mellow drama, and it's making me sad. Is it too much to ask that the gay protag in some 70's horror show world just straight murders the prejudiced fucker before anyone finds out and ruins everything? Did that seriously never happen? Why is it necessary for me to fantasize about being a little bitch instead of the Midnighter?
SO, Anyone read a good piece of gay literature recently?
The only one that comes to mind is The Picture of Dorian Gray.
You need to read the steel remains
Thank me later
Giovanni's Room
The Kindly Ones
I feel like I've read more but can't remember any.
>>6159699
get a life, then crap like this won't bother you
>reading books written by women
Lol, do you like yaoi as well?
This is part of what inspired me to get back into writing. If you ain't findin' what you want to read, make your own.
The main character is supposed to make you want to self-insert as him, most masc jock type guys don't read books.
I haven't read most of your post. It's too long. Having that said,
Valslav, Arthur Japin (about the greatest male danseur ever)
Orlando, Virginia Woolf is not really gay more of a magical transition kind of book but a+
Mystiek Lichaam, Frans Kellendonk (this is Dutch but it's so good man oooohhh my god if you can find a translation read it)
The Art of Fielding, Chad Harbach has Owen Dunne who is gay and the best character
Schijnbewegingen, Floortje Zwigtman is also Dutch but it's like one of my favorite books
In One Person, John Irving is great. fucking great it's a coming of age story about a bisexual man trying to form his identity around all the love affairs he gets himself into
The Buddha of Suburbia, Hanif Kureishi is about a bisexual man who is in a gay relationship but he's mostly chronically depressed (not abt being gay tho)
I don't really like The Secret History by Donna Tartt but it has a homo who is in this really nice setting conceptually
The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller is p good
Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk is a gay horror story I guess
Golden Boy by Abigail Tarttelin is about an intersex guy and it's kind of simple and a Y.A. book I guess but it's pretty good
Michael Chabon's The Mysteries of Pittsburgh was really... depressing but Arthur is bisexual and most people like it so you might as well check that one out too
those are my fav gay lit + more recs
try kavalier and clay, death in venice, the illiad, and seconding this >>6159732