Landscape with Traveler

by Barry Gifford

Francis Reeves discusses his unusual friendship with Jim and his own idiosyncratic view of life and the universe

Genres: Fiction, Gay Fiction, LGBT, Gay

142 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1979

About the author

Barry Gifford is an American author, poet, and screenwriter known for his distinctive mix of American landscapes and film noir- and Beat Generation-influenced literary madness.

He is described by Patrick Beach as being "like if John Updike had an evil twin that grew up on the wrong side of the tracks and wrote funny..."He is best known for his series of novels about Sailor and Lula, two sex-driven, star-crossed protagonists on the road. The first of the series, Wild at Heart, was adapted by director David Lynch for the 1990 film of the same title. Gifford went on to write the screenplay for Lost Highway with Lynch. Much of Gifford's work is nonfiction.

Reviews

[Jim Coughenour · Rating 4 out of 5]

As another reviewer wrote, this book belongs on the shelf for “books that must be kept forever.” I first read this in the very early 80s, at which time it felt contemporary and archaic at the same time, one of the triumphs of Barry Gifford’s invention (or recreation) of a middle-aged gay man living in NYC in the late 1970s. Back then, a few years’ difference in age seemed to define a chasm of generations: men who hailed each other by women’s names vs. those who insisted on their salt-of-the earth normality and were ready to fight for it. (It’s funny now. It was funny then.)

I just revisited Landscape this morning, roughly 40 years later. It’s held up pretty well, a time capsule. Certainly there are passages that would irritate contemporary sensibilities, but that was just as true when it was new.

Here’s Pillow Book entry 67 in its entirety:

Things I hate:
Lies.
Circumcision.
“Perfect” binding.
Plastic.
TV programs re gays.

The emotional center of the book is the narrator’s friendship with a young straight man. I can only guess that Gifford himself is a version of this friend, as Francis Reeves must be a version of someone he knew. If anyone knows the answer, please tell me.

The novel (Gifford’s first I believe) redefines “unpretentious” — cast as a series of entries modeled on the The Pillow Book by Sei Shōnagon, completed in 1002. There’s a running joke here as Sei Shōnagon was disparaged by the more famous Murasaki Shikibu, author of The Tale of Genji. And Genji is the one favored by the narrator, who mentions it again and again. This in turn reminded me of another eccentric, Edward Gorey, who claimed to reread Genji every year.

Other references that will only make sense to someone familiar with the gay subculture of yesteryear: the narrator’s list of favorite books, which includes Edmund White’s Nocturnes for the King of Naples, which I remember buying the week it appeared in 1978. Also the reference to Fred Halsted’s “experimental gay pornographic film” as Wikipedia calls it – LA Plays Itself. (For the curious, I recommend Halsted Plays Himself (Semiotext.)

Gifford is famous for his books about Sailor and Lula, which David Lynch transformed into the film Wild at Heart. The audience for Landscape may be vanishingly small, but for that fit audience though few it is a treasure that retains its humor and wistful wisdom, an artifact of a world as distant as Genji himself.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a rule, it seems obvious that you should read works in the original language whenever possible, but this book, originally in English, fell into my hands in its French translation at a friend's apartment in Paris, and I couldn't resist the subject matter, which relates to a book I'm writing at the moment: the relationship between a gay man and a straight man, and the kinds of intimacies that are and aren't available in such a circumstance. Told in short, loose narratives like diary entries, the individual episodes in this book are more affecting and pleasurable than the overall arc of the narrative or the work taken as a whole, but there is enough wit, tenderness and pathos here to carry the reader enjoyably from one episode to the next. By casting a light on the difficulties and joys of this one sort of friendship, Gifford lets us consider the unavoidable strangeness and multiplicity of forms of human intimacy in general.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book at least 20 years ago and this same book sits in that small area of my bookshelf for "books that must be kept forever." This book is a gem. Using a novel diary-like format, the narrator (who is gay) tells about his deep friendship with a younger man (who is straight). It is an engaging, probing, deep examination of self -- short, but wonderfully introspective and engaging.

[Liam Ostermann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never liked the film 'Wild at Heart' and I have been less than taken with the whole 'Beat' movement so when I saw I found this little book pretentious and tiresome indeed the word precious in an unflattering way comes to mind but this may reflect my own prejudices. Seeing a work is by a Beat poet doesn't shivers of anticipation down my spine but makes me look around for somewhere to puke.

For no reason I could explain, except perhaps their brevity and the alien setting in terms of the authors backgrounds, I kept thinking of the novel 'Missouri' by the German author Christine Wunnicke. It is set in the 'wild west' of 19th century America a time which I am utterly antipathetic towards. But I loved that little novel while this modern day 'pillow book' was just annoying.

Because so much of my reaction is gut based prejudice against the tiresome antics of the Beats in general I have given this book three stars because while I thought it was bollox there is probably something that others will appreciate.

[carelessdestiny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel was a revelation to read. It seems to me to be a masterpiece of "gay" writing, yet it's written by a heterosexual male which makes me think that a lot of trivial writing is produced under the guise of "gay literature". Also, because this was written just before the onset of the Aids epidemic, it is not possible for people to write about sex and life in such an integrated, holistic way anymore.

[Tama · Rating 3 out of 5]

This idea of love in the 2nd chapter could be that of the non-monogamous brain. This series of adorations and loves, perhaps “obsession”s, with those one meets. It is putting a certain sexuality and closeness in every relationship.

Rowland S. Howard is the first creative I heard of with this relationship to people. Call it autism. Call them muses.

It strikes me with all these relationships and voyeuristic portrayals of others and Reeve’s perspective on everything. It could only come from a privileged, beautiful man. The figure on the 1982 Owl softcover a chiseled well trimmed white man in a New York apartment, is close to a manga beauty, these striking eyes that have humanity and half of that is in the shading. This man with cheek bones and hollow cheeks is a beautiful man only made gay by the novel. I guess it’s what an average looking gay man is attempting to get to with light makeup and closely groomed hairlines.

His author photo I’ve found through the ‘Wild at Heart’ book. He’s got a kind face. Not pretty.

The section of the first orgasm has led me to spreading these images with others. With Stella a lol shocking reaction as it goes on past what I’d read of this kid imagining a cinematic plane crash as masturbation. It gets bestial and though it was funny, my sharing it also had an air of “search poon” or “go to the bottom of page 112 of this ‘Cherub’ book” where it’ll say “penis and balls.” It was sharing a scarring image, though it’s well written.

(Tom at work had the same reaction when I explained this spread of the chapter but used Cherub page 223 as an example.)

The youthful perspective hasn’t changed after 45 years. I have the same open sensibilities. When did this start. Probably thousands of years ago? Were the bohemians of one thousand years ago this open minded? Or too conditioned, like a gay in Singapore would probably vote NZ National if given the ballot.

This is making me want to go back through The Pillow Book to honour it in my recently reinvigorated novel draft. Since reading that my best friend has gone through her lists in front of me. She’s listed many things, beautifully. Part of that beauty is an earnest perspective on the things she’s listing.

[C.B. Wentworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written as a series of random memories, is the life of a man who struggles to find his place in the world. He always felt a bit different for reasons that were obvious to him and for others it took him a lifetime to piece together. He knew he was gay from an early age, which set him apart from the norm. However, he always accepted himself in this regard despite finding himself on the outs with his family and society in general. Where he struggled most was finding his place in society because he can't see himself living in any of the "boxes" society has created. He watches his friends commit relationships that don't fit them, jobs that don't make them happy, and succumbing to rules that don't make sense. What started as a exploration in to sexuality (often in graphic detail), ends up being a something entirely different. Rather than searching for the right "box" to fit into, Francis questions why the divisions are even there to begin with. Somehow it's easier to make peace with those divisions when you decide they don't define your happiness.

[Darcy Jay Gagnon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think some knowledge of Sei Shonagon's Pillow Book probably helps the reading experience of this, not only just in terms of style but voice. The narrative voice in Shonagon's diary actually translates pretty well to this modern-day dandy character of Francis Reeves, if one is willing to suspend their disbelief and ignore the ridiculousness of him. Overall I found it a pleasant enough reading experience if not a little pretentious, but was wholly within my venn diagram of interests (though not sure if I would recommend it for others).

[Jared Estes · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of Barry Gifford's early titles. It is a quite interesting portrait of a bisexual man reviewing his life. I enjoyed it just a little bit less than Gifford's others, although it is good. At times it can be an irritating read, as the narrator fancies himself a genius and is quite pretentious, and full of himself. Nonetheless...

[kate lowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I wonder sometimes whether loving someone isn’t simply paying attention to him. In friendship, paying attention to his mind and welfare, and in “love,” in its popular sense, to his body as well.”

A beautiful, radical travelogue of a gay man born in the 30s in the Deep South. Is Francis an anachronism of his time or was it the rest of us who were so far behind?

[Seth Tisue · Rating 4 out of 5]

marvelous. I will read the sequel

[Stuart Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rather odd but intriguing novel about a gay man's life in modern America.

[Jason LeRoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this on the recommendation of a friend, who actually sent me a copy. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, and it certainly wasn't like anything I've read before. It's written in the Japanese style of so-called "pillow books," so it's essentially a fictitious journal written from the perspective of a gay man named Francis who grew up in the south, went into the military, and then drifted around the world before settling in NYC. It was published in 1980, so it qualifies as historic queer literature (despite the fact that its author was married with children, which makes his uncanny insights into this protagonist all the more remarkable). It's not an especially compelling read, given the banal nature of much of what Francis is describing. As a neurotic, I was repeatedly frustrated by the sense of detachment that was so fundamental to Francis' worldview and perspective. Still, it was a fascinating and transporting read.

[Alistair · Rating 3 out of 5]

The provenance of this book is one of the interesting things to note: "a pillowbook of Francis Reeves." (A pillowbook is a book of observations and musings). There is no such person as Francis Reeves - OK, well it is fiction, however Gifford has based his novel on the very real life of one of his friends who happens to be gay (Gifford is not). In short chapters Francis reflects on the life he's led and the consequences of the decisions he's made. He ruminates on love, death, sex, friendship in a refreshingly candid and clear-eyed way, unburdened by the sturm und drang afflicting quite a few gay memoirs.

[Charissalee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spend some time with a middle aged gay gentleman who's alone but not lonely, wry but wise, and matter of factly insightful about the way we live our lives with one another.

The book is readily consumable, as it is parsed out into chapters (vignettes?) spanning only a few pages apiece. I want to buy up every used copy I see, and dole them out to those loved ones who aren't overly offended at the recounting of juvenile blowjobs. (I should mention our narrator isn't a bit squeamish when it comes to sexual encounters.)

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely book. It's authenticity is what makes it compelling. Hard to believe it's a work of fiction. A real paean to the individual. Reminded me of talking with my gay friend a generation or two ahead of me.