Flesh and the Word: An Anthology of Erotic Writing

In an era of changing attitudes, this ground-breaking anthology offers an exciting selection of gay erotic writing from the early days of pulp paper and underground distribution to today's imaginatively provocative writing. While providing a fascinating look at the course of gay consciousness over the past fifty years, it also, most enthrallingly, offers the best sexually arousing fiction centering on gay men.

Featuring two original tales by Anne Rice, this elegantly written collection also includes such literary luminaries as Edmund White and Alan Hollinghurst, and such legendary cult figures as Larry Townsend and Pat Califia. The stories here range from the nonphysical but highly charged "Brian's Bedroom" by Leigh Rutledge, to the famous, boundary pushing story "Blue Light" by Aaron Travis - a fantasic, haunting piece that explores reversal, compulsion, domination, and otherness in a Texas boarding house. But whether an understated gem or an unforgettable, flamboyant display of sexuality, each of these works has a power of its own, while editor John Preston's commentary places them all in context. This collection of short fiction and nonfiction is for both gay and straight readers who enjoy masterully written erotica. It is at once a cross-section of fine erotic writing, a chronical of gay male sexuality and its growing influence on the culture at large, and an imporatnt addiction to gay literature.


Contents:

Correspondence with George Platt Lynes by Samuel M. Steward
The sergeant with the rose tattoo by Samuel M. Steward writing as Phil Andros
From 'Cruising horny corners' by "Clay Caldwell" writing as Lance Lester
Workout by Roy F. Wood
Peekers by T.R. Witomski writing as Ray Waldheim
They call me "Horsemeat" by D.V. Sadero writing as Rick Lane
A cowboy Christmas by Lars Eighner
The shirt by Robin Metcalfe
Negative image by Michael Lassell writing as Michael Lewis
Brian's bedroom by Leigh Rutledge
Blue light by Steven Saylor writing as Aaron Travis
Getting Timchenko by Steven Saylor writing as Aaron Travis
Belonging by Pat Califia
Elliott : the garden and the bar by Anne Rice
Elliott : below stairs by Anne Rice
From 'Run little leather boy' by Larry Townsend
"Malory's big brother" from 'The green hotel stories by Gordon Hoban
From 'A boy's own story' by Edmund White
From 'The beautiful room is empty' by Edmund White
"The Brutus cinema" from 'The swimming pool-library' by Alan Hollinghurst
"Mmmmpfgh" by Andrew Holleran
Thinking off by Scott O'Hara writing as Spunk
Safe sex without condoms by John Wagenhauser
Soggy Biscuit by Barry Lowe
The reality of a dream by W. Delon Strode
The group by John Wagenhauser writing as Wolfgang
Good with words by Stephen Greco