A Boy's Own StoryThe "extraordinary novel" (The New York Times Book Review) about one boy's coming-of-age during the 1950s--and one of the most groundbreaking portrayals of gay life in American fiction "The best American narrative of sexual awakening since Catcher in the Rye." --Chicago Sun-Times Ridiculed by his classmates and beset by aloof parents and a cruel sister, the unnamed narrator of Edmund White's first autobiographical novel finds solace in literature, works of art, and his own fantastic imagination. But as he strives to forge new friendships, his yearning to be loved by the men in his life evokes a crushing sense of shame and a struggle to accept who he is. Lyrical and poignant, A Boy's Own Story--the first of a trilogy, followed by The Beautiful Room Is Empty and The Farewell Symphony--is an American literary treasure that became an instant classic upon publication for its pioneering portrayal of homosexuality. |
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Page 84
... mean something - may even mean something most particular to you , my eccentric , pa- tient , scrupulous reader , willing to make so much of so little , more patient and more respectful of life , of a life , than the au- thor you're ...
... mean something - may even mean something most particular to you , my eccentric , pa- tient , scrupulous reader , willing to make so much of so little , more patient and more respectful of life , of a life , than the au- thor you're ...
Page 109
... mean right now - what'd you think I meant , stupid ? Geez ... chewing gum ? You call that doing something ? Naw ... I'm staying in . My mom's on my back about the old homework . ' Sides , there's that weird new sci - fi thing on TV ...
... mean right now - what'd you think I meant , stupid ? Geez ... chewing gum ? You call that doing something ? Naw ... I'm staying in . My mom's on my back about the old homework . ' Sides , there's that weird new sci - fi thing on TV ...
Page 188
... mean to get him into trouble , ” I said ner- vously . " That's probably not the word he used ; I just gathered that he's crazy about your new poem . " The terrible silent chuckle continued behind clouds of smoke . The Cumaean Sybil ...
... mean to get him into trouble , ” I said ner- vously . " That's probably not the word he used ; I just gathered that he's crazy about your new poem . " The terrible silent chuckle continued behind clouds of smoke . The Cumaean Sybil ...
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Common terms and phrases
Addressograph afternoon asked beauty beside blond blue body BOY'S OWN STORY breath Brooks Brothers Chuck cold Cork Cottage Cheese crew cut dark DeQuincey door EDMUND WHITE Eton everything eyes face Father Burke fear feel felt floor girl glass goose bumps gray guys hair hand he'd head Helen Paper homosexual hour iconostasis Juliette Greco Kevin kids kiss knees knew laugh legs light lips listen lived looked marijuana mother never night nocturnal emission O'Reilly ofay once pale penis play Pouchet psychoanalysis pulled Rachel Scotts seemed sexual shirt shoulders shouted silence sister sloppy seconds smell smile smoke someone sort sound stepmother talk tell thing thought told Tommy took turned Vaseline voice wait walked wanted watched who'd window woman wonderful Yeah young