I Remember

by Shane Allison

Poetry. LGBT Studies. African American Studies. Inspired by the underground classic I REMEMBER by Joe Brainard, Shane Allison takes us on a fragmented, lustful, and poetic tour of his life, from a turbulent childhood in Florida to his life in New York City. Allison's book is an epic poem/memoir full of frozen moments that capture a sexual, cultural, and emotional coming of age.

"Shane Allison taps directly into memory, like a faucet pushed into a maple tree to procure the sweet syrup. Sexy things, embarrassing things, the ugly and the fraught, the things of the child and the things of the man, all pour out in profusion. His testimony—of bullying, racism, and casual homophobia, but also the best rimjob he ever had—has the power to dismantle centuries of chains, the crippling superego."—Kevin Killian

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction, Memoir

110 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 2011

Reviews

[Kevin]

Coming out in January from Future Tense, this book is like Shane Allison's take on the Joe Brainard classic of the same name. But instead of a white southern gay man growing up in the 50s and 60s, this is about a black gay southern man growing up in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. This epic poem/memoir is not for the sexually shy. It's one of the most dazzling and revealing things that Shane has done. You can pre-order the book here: http://www.futuretensebooks.com/futur...

[Michael Seidlinger]

I remember who I was.
I remember who I wanted to be.
I remember questioning what I had become.
I remember trying make sense of the choices I've made.
I remember trying to be something I'm not.
I remember giving up.
I remember...

[Eve]

I read this for a reading challenge, and I'm not sure how to rate it, because it's so far outside my usual reading patterns, I have nothing to compare it to. I liked it, but felt a little embarrassed reading it on the subway, in case anyone was looking at the page. But on the other hand, isn't that on them if they're being nosy and looking at what I'm reading?

[J.A.]

Interview at Monkeybicycle: http://monkeybicycle.net/blog/i-remem...

[Renée]

Here is a link to my review online at THE COLLAGIST:

http://thecollagist.com/the-collagist...

[Andrea]

Just started. Feeling anxious and competitive in my love for Joe Brainard but completely won over by the very first "I remember...". More soon. Terrific cover!