I don't read many gay novels; I burned out on them in the Nineties, since so many seemed to be about AIDS and its impact. That's why it was strange reading this one, written in 1997, now. AIDS figures into the plot, but it's more a post-AIDS look at gay relationships, why they're different, and why they're also not. Still, the story, although well-written, seems dated. Maybe it's the frank and somewhat overemphasized promiscuity, maybe it's the repeated navel-gazing done by the narrator. Clearly Mann is a good writer, and I'm tempted to read some of his later work, but this novel is definitely of its time. Weird saying that about a book that's only slightly more than ten years old.
An emotional read, touching and explaining so many gay life issues. Why gay couples "open" up their relationships, why gay men replace families with friends who understand them better than families, and communicate better with them than families. And perhaps most important of all, that as gays age and mature their passions become the waves of the ocean on a sunny day, the setting sun, no different than heterosexuals. A most lovely crafted story, accurately describing gay life in the 90's and making us all wish we had summered each year in Provincetown.
What do You think about The Men From The Boys (1998)?
I have to admit but did not know what to expect when I was pulled into the world of gay men, gay friends, gay lovers trying to figure out themselves and the prevailing question of in the early 90's where the gay culture was trying to find out what separates the men from the boys. It was hard to root for the protagonist, but the couple of Jeff and Loyd were a heartbreaking depiction of a gay relationship. Great read, cleverly written, and looking forward to revisiting these lifelong gay characters in future books to come.
—Joel
I'm sorry to say, I did not like this book at all. I hated the back and forth between years, it just got really confusing. Secondly I have read many MM books and this is the first that gave being gay a bad name. Educated men who are gay activists but reduce to wear a condom during the big AIDS erra, really?! They even had many friends die of AIDS. I personally didn't like the open relationship between these two characters. I am very open minded to a lot of things but to me this is a disaster waiting to happen. On an up note, I found very few errors in this story.
—Kellie Kreutz norris
