A one-man force in gay books, Jameson Currier published his first collection of stories with Viking in 1993, and, in the twenty years since, he's released half a dozen new books and a greatest hits, started a successful gay small press, and launched a thriving gay literary journal. His own books are, in reverse order,
What Comes Around,
The Third Buddha,
The Wolf at the Door,
The Haunted Heart and Other Tales,
Still Dancing: New and Selected Stories,
Desire Lust Passion Sex,
Where the Rainbow Ends,
and
Dancing on the Moon. From 2005 to 2012 he wrote the indispensable blog
Queer Type. Since 2010, his Chelsea Station Editions has released at least eighteen titles including Michael Graves'
Dirty One
and David Pratt's Lammy winner
Bob the Book. In 2011, Jim debuted Chelsea Station journal, soon to see its fifth issue. That same year he was inducted into the Saints & Sinners Hall of Fame in New Orleans.
At this point, what's left? You've done the essentials -- studied his great works
, read Richard Ellmann's biography
, and watched the Stephen Fry - Jude Law movie
. Well, you could fly to see the statue erected to him in Dublin or Maggi Hambling's strange bust in London (which creates the effect of everyone looking down on him) or pop over to Paris to put more flowers on his grave in Pere Lachaise. Or reread his letters, like this one, asking to see Walt Whitman a second time during his U.S. visit in 1882: "Before I leave America I must see you again -- there is no one in this
wide great world of America whom I love and honour so much. With warm
affection, and honourable admiration, Oscar Wilde." See the original here.
A memorable precis of Oscar Wilde, especially the beautiful letter to Walt Whitman. Where is the actual letter?
Posted by: clt | October 17, 2013 at 07:18 AM