William R. Handley: "The Brokeback Book"

[Front-Ranger]

About the genre, Milo. For instance, some writers take umbrage when people say it is a universal story about love, thinking that they're trying to ignore or minimize the fact that it's about gay men. I don't think people are really doing that, they're just saying that it's a story that everyone can relate to.

[milomorris]

About the genre, Milo. For instance, some writers take umbrage when people say it is a universal story about love, thinking that they're trying to ignore or minimize the fact that it's about gay men. I don't think people are really doing that, they're just saying that it's a story that everyone can relate to.

That makes sense. I don't think people are trying to skirt the issue of sexuality when they say that either. As a matter of fact I recall that Annie Liebowitz did a photo shoot with Jake, and he was holding the book Love Story.

Personally, I'm not so sure its as relate-able as we'd like to think. I remember talking with one of my gay neighbors about the movie. He was only 28 at the time. He said he got it, but he couldn't understand why they kept doing the same thing for 20 years. "All they had to do was ____." I tried to explain how J & E got into the rut they were in, and why change was so elusive. Then he complained about how slow the pacing was.

[brokeplex]

I have a copy of the book and have read it. Much of the book seems a regurgitation of what has already been written back in 2005 and 2006. I was disappointed in it, but it sits on the shelf with all the other "Brokie" phenom books I have bought since 2006.