Sex on Six Legs

You might remember UC Riverside Biology Professor Marlene Zuk's book Sexual Selections. It told the story of gay penguin partners Roy and Silo.

Zuk is out with a new book called Sex on Six Legs. In this volume, Zuk writes about the relationship between animal sex and human sex. Below is an interview in which the author discsses animal sex. If you want to know more, you'll have to buy the book.

The Picture of Dorian Gray

The New Yorker has a good write-up on Oscar Wilde's only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. Alex Ross considers the consequences of writing about homosexuality in Victorian society:

The furor was unsurprising: no work of mainstream English-language fiction had come so close to spelling out homosexual desire. The opening pages leave little doubt that Basil Hallward, the painter of Dorian’s portrait, is in love with his subject. Once Dorian discovers his godlike powers, he carries out various heinous acts, including murder; but to the Victorian sensibility his most unspeakable deed would have been his corruption of a series of young men.

Ross goes on to review two contradictory biographies of Wilde's gay and literary life.

In twentieth century literature, The Picture of Dorian Gray remains a seminal work in the gay fiction genre.

Chelsea Boy

Craig Moreau's recent book of poetry keeps getting good write-ups. From Amos Lassen's review:

Moreau’s poetry is best defined by the words “fresh and original” (and you do not have to know about Chelsea to enjoy it). What I especially like is that he writes poems that others have not written and he takes us to different plays with his beautiful use of the English language. It seems clear to me that it is not enough to live in Chelsea to be a Chelsea boy.

Moreau recently posted about his role as a poet and as a gay poet. In his post, he discusses the importance of breaking down stereotypes. If you need encouragement to make it to one of his readings, it's worth noting the Moreau breaks any stereotypes about what you think a poet should look like.

The Great Night

Congratulation to Chris Adrian on his latest novel, The Great Night, which hit bookstores last month. From the San Francisco Chronicle review:

With a terrible honesty, making us laugh with tears in our eyes, Adrian reminds us that "it won't be all right, not exactly, not ever." Try as we might, and perhaps as we must, we won't be able to extract a satisfying, let alone permanent and profound, meaning from our lives, our losses and our death.

But, as with Adrian's other works, that doesn't mean there's not some ribaldry and fun along the way.

Remembrance of Things I Forgot: A Novel

Comedian and writer Bob Smith has a new novel out, and it's available via Amazon this week. It's got some great press. My favorite comment is from Edmund White:

If H. G. Wells had been funny and Oscar Wilde obsessed with time travel they might have mated and produced Bob Smith, who has written the funniest and wildest ride imaginable through the recent past and near future.

Bob may be best known for his humorous Openly Bob. Looking forward to the next chapter in his writing.

Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

With Oranges are Not the Only Fruit, Jeanette Winterson won the Whitbread Award for a First Novel in 1985. She has said that she doesn't consider Oranges are Not the Only Fruit to be lesbian literature. The story is based on her life as a girl in a religious family. From Winterson's website:

Brought up to preach the gospel alongside such spiritual giants as Testifying Elsie and Pastor Spratt, Jeanette is destined for the missionary field, but her high success rate of converts turns into a charismatic encounter with one girl in particular. Love and sex were not scheduled into her timetable, but at 16, Jeanette decides to leave the church, her home and her family, for the young woman she loves.

Winterson is an acrobatic and prolific writer. This early work demonstrates her skill as a writer and thinker. Winterson's later works are more conceptual and experimental.

Easily accessible, the book became the basis of a BBC series by the same name. For an excellent lesbian coming-of-age story, read Oranges are Not the Only Fruit.

2011 Lammy Awards

On May 26, attend the 23rd Annual Lambda Literary Awards in New York City. This year's recipients include Edward Albee and Val McDermid.

Lamda Literary is the leader in LGBT book reviews, author interviews, opinion and news since 1989.