Whenever Victor J. Banis drops by the site I never know what to expect because he’s unpredictable. But he makes me laugh, so he can do no wrong in my book. When I asked him to guest blog on The Golden Age of Gay Fiction I should have known that he couldn’t resist the ‘golden’ opportunity to poke fun at whatever he found offensive on that particular day and I wasn’t disappointed. Here, then, is Victor’s post on The Golden Age of Gay Fiction, with a few side trips along the way.:)
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They stink! Ha, ha, I know what you’re thinking: he’s ranting about the Lammies again. But no, just for the moment I am referring to those armored and odiferous Chinese interlopers currently plaguing parts of West Virginia and Pennsylvania, the stink bugs. To be more specific, the Chinese Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs, and not our good ole American stinkers, which, in the American way, are nowhere near as nasty, if none too lovable. These suckers are very hard to kill and, boy, just step on one and you’ll know how they got their name. Which is what had my thoughts occupied this early morning, since I collided with one in my kitchen and it completely put me off an otherwise delightful breakfast.
Of course, as practically everyone knows by now, I think the Lammies stink too, and they have put me off a meal or two as well, and I don’t recommend stepping on them, either, though sometimes toes cannot be altogether avoided.
I was interested to note that along with (predictably) the many women who wrote to say they agreed with my recent blog rant, many gay men wrote to say they agreed with me also, which was a bit more of a surprise, albeit a pleasant one. Yes, I did read a couple of dissenting opinions, but that’s fine with me. If someone is disagreeing with me, it means I got them to think, and that is as much as a writer can hope for, I believe.
Plus, to be honest, I have reached the curmudgeonly state where I don’t much care if people agree with me or not, since I don’t need a lot of validation (at my point in life, if you don’t have a good sense of who and what you are, you’ve spent too much time in the bushes) and I’m not a whole bunch impressed with the way a great many people these days think—or don’t think, which is closer to the truth. We live in a culture, seems to me, where people are in fact increasingly discouraged from thinking for themselves. Too many of them get their politics from Barbara Streisand, their moral values from People magazine and their philosophy from tee-shirt slogans. I am dismayed at how many of those tee shirts I’ve read of late that say, “It ain’t bragging if it’s true,” which I think aptly demonstrates my point about non-thinking.
So, fine with me if someone expresses a contrary opinion, which is what free speech is all about. Mine own opinion remains unchanged: which is, the Lambda people shot
themselves in the foot—again.
But, I may as well come clean. I was already ticked off at those folks. Mightily so, and here’s why. I went to the last awards ceremony, in May in NYC. As most of you probably know, each year the Foundation presents a gay pioneer award. Now, my dictionary defines pioneer as “one of those who is first or earliest in any field or endeavor…” And while I don’t deny that some of the people they have honored have made legitimate contributions to the genre, so far, with the exception of my buddy Ann Bannon, who was indeed writing lesbian fiction in the fifties, none of Lambda’s so-called “pioneers” – and certainly not this year’s recipients – were even around when Ann and I and a passel of others were stirring things up. Not even close. So how did they get to be pioneers and not émigrés to an already settled land?
It appears that the genuinely courageous efforts, the hard work, of scores of writers, editors and publishers – who had quite literally created the genre of gay literature – have been swept under the rug without so much as a “kiss our patooties.”
I came home from that award ceremony disheartened and profoundly depressed.
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But, like the Ginzu ads say, “Wait, there’s more.” Happily, I don’t have to continue grousing about this injustice, and here really is the whole point of this essay: MLR Press has just released a splendid anthology, edited by Drewey Wayne Gunn, titled The Golden Age of Gay Fiction, and herein the misconceptions of the Lambda Foundation and the faux pioneers are laid to rest, and may praises be sung on high. This is all about the early years, as far back in fact as the thirties, forties and fifties, but focusing mostly on that turbulent era of the sixties and the early seventies, when we really were rewriting the rules.
I can’t write a review of this book, since I’m in it. Suffice for me to say I have contributed to nothing in my entire career of which I am more proud. I know that some of you are only interested in fiction, but for any who find the history of our genre interesting and meaningful, I would urge you to pick up and read The Golden Age of Gay Fiction . Given my druthers, I’d want to see it on the bookshelf of every writer, editor and publisher of gay or M/M fiction in the world today. It would give everybody a little bit of perspective to understand that we are all of us a part of something much bigger, much more meaningful, than our individual scribblings, happy though those may be. And, yes, I see the current popularity of M/M writings as a logical out-growth of those early, pioneering efforts, just another step along the road to the promised land, where as I like to envision it, what one has dangling or not will matter far less than who one is and what one does with that. Oh, happy frabjous day!
In lieu of a review, then, here is a tidbit, to be gleaned from Golden Age, that will surprise some of you, judging from comments I’ve read of late, and will underline yet again why I don’t think gender or sexual orientation has anything to do with the end product. Today the discussion is on women writing glbt fiction, which apparently some find shocking, though there were women writing it in the sixties, too (we just called it gay fiction then.) But, surprise, surprise, the shocking truth is revealed at last: back in the day, there were straight men writing it as well—apparently convincingly, since nobody ever started a rant about it. Which is to say, it really does all come down to how well you do the job. Do it right, and nobody notices. Do it badly, and hey, what difference does it make which side of the bed you sleep on?
See. Now you have to read this book to find out more about this, don’t you?
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Thanks, Victor! As you know, I think this is an absolutely splendid book — wonderful essays, impeccable scholarship, a bibliography that will serve as a comprehensive resource for gay literature for years to come. Plus the added bonus of the color illustrations of the covers, some of which are shown here in your blog. Magnificent. I received my print copy of the book yesterday and it is absolutely out of this world. Everyone who has even a passing interest in gay fiction and literature should have a copy of this essential reference. If $70 for the print book seems to steep then buy the PDF which is much cheaper and a passable substitute (and what I read for my review). But I have to say, I am thrilled to have the paper version for my archive and collection and I think it is worth every penny.
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L
I want to thank you, Victor, for yet another entertaining blog which somehow manages to educate me while I wasn’t really looking! I have bought the pdf version of ‘The Golden Age of Gay Fiction’ and am working my way through it. Such a treasure. I agree with you and Leslie that everyone who writes in this genre would benefit from reading it. I’m finding it an invaluable resource and am even considering getting the print version as well – never mind the outragous shipping charges to the UK that will doubtless apply. It is that good!
Serena
Try The Book Depository which is in the UK – They don’t charge S & H.
Wave, I’ll have to get them to list the book as available first – but, yes, they are good like that. Thanks!
thanks, Wave, for the opportunity once again to demonsrate what an old crab I am. Yes, I am so thrilled with this book – and you know what? I’m actually waiting to see my print copy (waiting breathlessly I add ) At the moment I’m on the road, so I’m thinking it will be waiting for me when I get home.
and thanks, too, Leslie and Serena
Victor
Victor
You know I love you and I cherish every time you grace the site with your presence. You’re a legend (and I mean that sincerely), but a fun one as well. Imagine the stories you could tell if someone were to persuade you to write your biography. Wait, you have already written one and I think we’re going to review it sometime soon.*g*
I think many of us who come late to the genre or are younger (that’s NOT me by the way) don’t really appreciate the changes made by authors/publishers/etc. that allows Wave have a site to review so many amazing (and a few less than amazing
books). It just seems “normal” to us to have those options freely available.
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Although little things crop up from time to time that make even little Miss Oblivious me take notice. The fact that I can’t mail a fellow poster/friend in the Middle East yaoi because it will be confiscated at customs. The fact that even in my fairly large city (1 million or so), the largest chain bookstore does not carry many LGBT books because in the words of the staff I asked “They didn’t know where to place them. If they put them in a separate section some people would be offended at the “segregation” and if they put them in with mainstream books some people would be offended finding a gay book next to their het romance.” (Although Alex and Erastes are in the romance section.) I was stunned. Their solution to not wanting to offend anyone was simply not to carry ANY GLBT books at all. Ummm. Okay. What the hell kind of policy is that? I suppose it’s great for our small independent GLBT bookstore but most people (especially many straight women) are not going to seek it out. I may be an exception as I am known to phone them and ask if they carry something before heading off there. But these small examples show me that all is not quite equal in the publishing/book selling world yet and there is still work to do, but the “pioneers” have made it possible for our GLBT bookstore to exist openly and for people like me to shopt here if I choose.
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So even if you don’t get a formal recognition, know that those of us enjoying the current (and past) crop of gay fiction/romance/whatever do appreciate what went before.
It is profoundly sad for me, to see that so many years after we fought this fight, there is still so much that needs to be done. And I often remind people that there are so very many out there who would like nothing so much as to see all of us – gays, women, blacks, latinos – all of the one-time disenfranchised – shoved back in our closets and the doors nailed shut. And some of those folks are in positions of great power. Yes, we,ve come a long way, baby, but the road ahead still stretches for many and many a mile. Not until the last drag queen among us can sit at the table and truly know that they are a part of the family (and I fear they will indeed be the last to arrive at this particular party) will we be entitled to kick off our shoes, loosen our girdles, and say, “Well, finally, that’s over.” I’d like to think I will live to see this day, but I’m along in years…
Victor
Thanks so much Victor, both for contributing and announcing this book, and in all you do to make the genre inclusive and entertaining and relevant to all. There’s always a struggle of some kind or another, I know, but it’s in reading books like this that we get the context of it all, that we realise what *has* been achieved. How – despite some of the intransigence of human nature – attitudes and society can be changed.
And it’s always a treat to read you, the person!
And as a note to Serena up above – the Book Depository has it in stock in the Uk right now, I know because I’ve ordered my copy
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What have I done wrong, Clare? I couldn’t find it… I’ve e-mailed them to ask if they can get it for me…I’ll have to look again, but thanks for letting me know!
Serena, I couldn’t find it there either. I’ve been checking for a while now, because I’m very keen to buy this book. I’ll be very interested to see what reply you get from The Book Depository.
Gaycrow, they replied to let me know they have no control over their suppliers (huh? I sort of don’t get that). THey said to keep checking the website…
I’ve now found it at amazon.co.uk (tanks to Clare London) with a reference to ordering it via bookdepository. Only if I’d used that route bookdepository would have charged S+H. So I ended up ordering at amazon this time. Not sure this would help you, though…
Thanks for the quick reply.
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I checked both the US and UK Amazon sites, and buying from the US would be about $A14 cheaper for me. But I think I’ll wait for a while, to see if The Book Depository does list it. Their rates seem to be the cheapest option for me.
thanks, Clare. I knew from the moment I heard that Laura (MLR)was doing this book and Wayne Gunn was heading the project, that I had to be a part of it. As Laura has said, this was not about money for any of us. I’d happily have paid her for the privilege. And what a privilege, to be in this kind of company!
Victor
it’s always a pleasure to see you around. I, for one, am glad that there were men and women out there like you in those early days.
As always Victor you were there when I started reading Gay Fiction long long ago at a little library in the San Francisco Bay Area and it is a major stroke of luck for us you are still here to continue to add not just a voice of experience online but also continue to contribute a voice of reason to our community.
I will gladly get off your lawn anytime.
[...] here: The Golden Age of Gay Fiction – Victor J. Banis guest blog … Tags: entire, entire-career, [...]
No, no, Teddy, you can spend all the time you want on my lawn. And, James, thank you, but I like to remind folks that I was just one little man in a very big cause. There were many men and women, gay and straight, fighting the fight. Many of them put it all on the line. Some of them lost everything. Some of them went to prison. And not a few of us got our butts kicked big time. Many of these people were friends of mine and all of them are my heroes. Which was why I was so very upset with a certain literary group whom shall henceforth remain nameless.
Victor
As always, Victor’s commentary hits the nail on the head. IMO, the genre we write in today has it’s roots deep into the beginnings of gay pulp fiction. And those that went before us deserve to be recognized and honored. I published THE GOLDEN AGE OF GAY FICTION because this era of gay literature’s history needed to be preserved and documented before it was completely forgotten. It was about doing what is right, necessary–not about business or profit time around. And Victor is one of the few at the heart of it all. Bless him and all the other contributors who made it possible.
I’m sorry to tell you, guys, but this will be it from me till yomorrow. I’m on the road, and the local librarian let me use their conference room, but I’ve been kicked out – sigh. I’ll try to get online tomorrow, Can you believe, a town full of relatives and none of them are online
Victor
Thanks for this interesing post, Victor. I’m really looking forward to reading this book. I’m wondering if Joseph Hansen’s mentioned, as he’s one of my all time favourite writers.
Yes, Josh Lanyon wrote a whole chapter on Joseph Hansen, “The Play of Shadows and Light: Hansen Before Dave.”
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L
Thanks Leslie! I’m really looking forward to getting this now. *happy dance*
Hey there, Gaycrow! Reading the novels Hansen wrote under the Colton pen name was a huge treat. Probably the best reading experience I’ve had in a very long time. If you’re unfamiliar with those novels, I highly recommend them.
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And of course it’s always a pleasure reading Victor’s thoughts! I think this book will go a long way toward introducing him to a readership sadly unfamiliar with his work.
Thanks, Josh. I hadn’t checked under Joseph’s name at Amazon for ages, and was very happy to see some of his older books are now available, and they’re pretty cheap in the used books section. (I haven’t read any of Victor’s books, but I had ordered two of them as well. So many great stories to look forward to.)
As always, it is fabulous to get Victor’s perspective on the various aspects of the GLBTQ publishing world.
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I’m very much looking forward to reading this work about the history of gay fiction. It will be fascinating to understand more about the genre that I’ve come to enjoy so much.
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I also think MLR Press is to be much congratulated for making the effort to take on such a worthwhile and extremely significant project.
What a great post and wonderful discussion. I am in a fortunate position to get many of the classics from my public library in Berkeley, or from San Francisco or Oakland, so I have a feeling that I’ll be dusting off some older tomes — and my library card — in the coming months. And perhaps I’ll be able to convince BPL to get The Golden Age of Gay Fiction onto their shelves as well…
Lynn
The Golden Age of Gay Fiction is available as an ebook from MLR Press – I bought it but am debating whether to get the print volume which is a real collector’s item. My library would never carry it because they are too cheap.
Straight men writing gay fiction? Wow. That takes some nuts.
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But it must be so. How can I doubt the word of a man who knows the name of Chinese Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs?
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Wonder if we’re now in the second Golden Age. Still, the best age of all will be when GLBTQ fiction is simply . . . fiction.
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Thank you, Victor.
Great posts here, and thank you all. KZ, Wayne has always said we’ll know we’ve gotten there when a gay character can appear in a book or a movie and his/her gayness has nothing to do with the plot.
Josh’s piece on my old buddy, Joe Hansen, is one of the highlights of Golden Age.
Victor
Hi Victor
Great to see you found another computer:-D
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Re your comment
“we’ll know we’ve gotten there when a gay character can appear in a book or a movie and his/her gayness has nothing to do with the plot.”
I can’t remember exactly because it has been so long since I’ve seen it, but didn’t the movie Philadelphia try to move the yardstick a bit even though it was about Tom Hanks’ character being unjustly fired because he contracted AIDS? Like most people who saw the movie I could not help but be moved about the story and the broader messages that it was trying to portray.
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Maybe we’ll get there eventually where ALL minorities are treated with respect.