Newfoundland in the North Atlantic World, 1929-1949

Book excerpt: A collection of three dozen interviews conducted with gay men ranging in age from 24 to 84 who grew up in the rural Midwest, uncovering a much neglected aspect of the gay experience. The stories are at times touching and also deeply disturbing as they reminisce about the rigid gender roles common to farming communities, social isolation, racism, religious conservatism, and little information to help them make sense of their identities. The other side of the coin is the deep and loving feelings these men have for the land, their families, communities, and churches. Told sometimes from urban exile, and sometimes from the middle of the field, all the interviews have a brave openness in common. Lacks an index. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR