Edmund White talks about finding a style and a mode of expression to approach the gay subject matter which has been his life’s work. Discussing social, professional, and aesthetic attitudes toward gays and “gay literature,” White reveals his experience as an emerging writer in the 1960s, reactions to gay lifestyles at institutions like Time and The Nation, and the varied attitudes among writers he’s known, including Susan Sontag, Elizabeth Bishop, and John Ashbery. Along the way, White discusses several of his books, including The Joy of Gay Sex, States of Desire: Travels in Gay America, A Boy’s Own Story, and Hotel du Dream.
From 2008: New Voices.
This recording is available for noncommercial and educational use only. All rights belong to the author. © 2008 Edmund White. Used with permission from Edmund White.
