A Boy's Own Story"A Boy's Own Story traces an unnamed narrator's coming-of-age during the 1950s. Beset by aloof parents, a cruel sister, and relentless mocking from his peers, the boy struggles with his sexuality, seeking consolation in art and literature, and in his own fantastic imagination as he fills his head with romantic expectations. The result is a book of exquisite poignancy and humour that moves towards a conclusion which will allow the boy to leave behind his childhood forever. Originally published in 1982 as the first of Edmund White's trilogy of autobiographical novels, A Boy's Own Story became an instant classic for its pioneering portrayal of homosexuality. Lyrical and powerfully evocative, this is an American literary treasure."--The publisher |
From inside the book
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Page 9
... legs by resting an ankle on his knee ; a sissy drapes one leg over the other . A man never gushes ; men are either silent or loud . I didn't know how to swear : I always said the final g in fucking and I didn't know where in the ...
... legs by resting an ankle on his knee ; a sissy drapes one leg over the other . A man never gushes ; men are either silent or loud . I didn't know how to swear : I always said the final g in fucking and I didn't know where in the ...
Page 60
... legs with a hairbrush . My father , resolved that his son should hold his own , pinioned my sister's arms behind her and ordered me to switch her on the back of her legs with a stinging branch . But I knew that soon enough he would dis ...
... legs with a hairbrush . My father , resolved that his son should hold his own , pinioned my sister's arms behind her and ordered me to switch her on the back of her legs with a stinging branch . But I knew that soon enough he would dis ...
Page 148
... legs above his head , holding a lit match to the seat of his pants . A quick spurt of blue flame was his reward . The whole building trem- bled with the thundering of boys climbing up and down stairs or now shrieking in a water fight by ...
... legs above his head , holding a lit match to the seat of his pants . A quick spurt of blue flame was his reward . The whole building trem- bled with the thundering of boys climbing up and down stairs or now shrieking in a water fight by ...
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Common terms and phrases
Addressograph adult afternoon Andrew Holleran asked beauty beside blond blue body Boy's Own Story breath Buddhist Chris Cox Chuck cold Cork Cottage Cheese crew cut dark DeQuincey door Edmund White Eton everything eyes face Father Burke fear feel felt floor Forgetting Elena friends girl glass gray guys hair hand he'd head Helen Paper homosexual hour iconostasis Juliette Greco Kevin kids knees knew laugh legs light lips listen lived looked marijuana mother never night novel O'Reilly once pale penis play psychoanalysis pulled Rachel Scotts seemed sexual shirt shoulders shouted silence sister smell smile smoke someone sort sound stepmother talk tell thing thought told Tommy took turned Vaseline Virgil Thomson voice walked wanted who'd window woman wonderful Yeah young