IN THE NIGHTMARE HOUSE IN THE DREAM HOUSE is a mind-blowingly original book; not just because of its dreamy prose that weaves gothic aesthetics with hyperrealism, but also the incredibly sensitive subject matter – domestic abuse within a lesbian relationship. Sensitive for all the nuanced and well-argued reasons mentioned in the book, including the fear … Continue reading
Sartorial innovation has become something of a trademark, even a cliché or stereotype, of the (in)famous ‘homosexual sensibility’ (think Queer Eye). In Susan Sontag’s 1964 essay, ‘Notes on Camp’, she writes: “A sensibility (as distinct from an idea) is one of the hardest things to talk about.” Better, perhaps, to show rather than tell, … Continue reading
Much has been written about the special friendship between Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Speed. Louis Bayard’s novel is a fictional take, told from the views of Mary Todd and Speed. Since Lincoln and Speed almost always spoke to each other using surnames, I will do the same. Mary Todd relocated to Springfield, Illinois to live … Continue reading
Every year when our little hamlet of Provincetown empties out, I am reminded of the wonderful song from the musical Grey Gardens, “Another Winter in a Summer Town.” This year those melancholy feelings seem quaint. When the town is so quiet, empty and cold, I find comfort in cracking open another book, never knowing precisely … Continue reading
Whilst not massively enamored of poppers myself – they smell of old socks and give me a headache – my housemate’s a big fan, they’re delivered in bulk. So, during the first lockdown, when we were all trying to find ways to keep entertained at home, we booked tickets for Adam Zmith’s online lecture on … Continue reading