The Gay Canon: Great Books Every Gay Man Should Read

Literary study demands a Gay Anthology, and a companion to such a compilation, but this particular attempt is sparse and leaves much to be desired. Drake offers brief commentary on a variety of works, some that overtly belong in the "gay canon," some that don't, but in too many places, the commentary is too brief. For example, the entry on Arthur Rimbaud is merely 3 paragraphs long. There is no mention of Sappho in the book. Overall, this book is a great idea, but it has been a poorly executed one in this case.

This is a definite must-have; even if its only for the bibliography. The bibliography provides a great map to sketch out a reading program for yourself. The summaries and critiques are also useful. The book points readers to only some of the most important works however.