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Antique Dust - The PodcastAuthor: antiquedust
Antique Dust is dusting off classic British television, cult movies, and everything in between. Join us for reviews and features. Language: en-gb Genres: TV & Film, TV Reviews Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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A Boy's Own Story: Celebrating Edmund White
Friday, 13 June, 2025
Show Notes: A Boy's Own Story - Remembering Edmund WhiteAntique Dust: Out of the Closet Host: Rob | Runtime: 21 minutesEpisode SummaryA deeply personal exploration of Edmund White's groundbreaking novel "A Boy's Own Story" (1982), recorded as both celebration and farewell following White's recent passing. Rob examines how this revolutionary book fundamentally changed LGBTQ+ literature and provided a lifeline for countless young gay readers.From the hostile cultural climate of the 1980s to today's anti-LGBTQ+ backlash, the episode traces the enduring relevance of White's unflinching portrayal of gay adolescence through personal reflection, literary analysis, and comparison with contemporary works.Key Topics• Edmund White's role in the "gay literary renaissance" and the Violet Quill Club • Rob's personal discovery of the book as a teenager in 1980s Scotland • White's complex unnamed narrator and themes of identity, performance, and memory • Comparison with "Call Me By Your Name" and "Love, Simon" • Parallels between 1980s hostility and current attacks on LGBTQ+ literature • The book's psychological insights and literary techniquesBooks & Authors MentionedPrimary: "A Boy's Own Story" by Edmund White (1982) Comparative: "Call Me By Your Name" by André Aciman, "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli Related: E.M. Forster's "Maurice," works by Andrew Holleran, Joe Orton, Rita Mae Brown, Armistead MaupinHistorical Context1980s: Reagan presidency, Thatcher's Britain, AIDS crisis emergence, Section 28 debates, partial decriminalization of homosexuality in England/Wales (1967)Today: Book banning campaigns, restrictions on LGBTQ+ rights, bathroom bills, marriage equality rollback attemptsKey Quote"Reading White's opening pages was like experiencing a literary earthquake. Here was a voice speaking directly to experiences I thought were mine alone."About This Series"Antique Dust: Out of the Closet" focuses on LGBTQ+ stories, literature, and culture that have shaped our community - works that didn't just entertain, but helped LGBTQ+ people survive, understand themselves, and find their place in the world.Content WarningsLGBTQ+ youth isolation, historical/contemporary discrimination, AIDS crisis context, book censorshipFurther ReadingEdmund White's autobiographical trilogy: "A Boy's Own Story," "The Beautiful Room Is Empty," "The Farewell Symphony"Dedicated to Edmund White (1940-2025) and young LGBTQ+ readers finding themselves in honest literature.Tags: #EdmundWhite #LGBTQLiterature #ComingOfAge #BookPodcast #LiteraryAnalysis #QueerBooks
