Fresh Men 2: New Voices in Gay Fiction

by Donald Weise (Editor), Andrew Holleran (Foreword)

Fresh Men 2 collects the best new writing by emerging gay authors from around the nation. With equal parts sensitivity and irreverence, the anthology speaks to the broad range of gay experiences. From stories of coming out, coming of age, self-representation and family to sex and love in the time of AIDS, from living in the closet to loving in a post-gay world, this book highlights the complexities of gay life. Fresh Men 2 is a groundbreaking collection that also embodies a wide spectrum of literary tastes, from works rich in experimental, transgressive elements to more conventional, traditionally crafted stories.

Genres: Gay

350 pages, Paperback

First published October 17, 2005

About the author

I've been in independent book publishing the past 20 years, mostly in LGBT literature. I've served as Publisher of Magnus Books, Alyson Books, and Senior Editor at Carroll & Graf Publishers. Magnus is now part of Riverdale Avenue Books, where I'm partnering with friend and Publisher Lori Perkins.

Among the many authors I've worked with are Gore Vidal, Edmund White, David Mixner, Alan Cumming, John Rechy, James Purdy, Ann Bannon, Edward Albee, Mart Crowley, Samuel R. Delany, Leslie Feinberg, Christopher Bram, E. Lynn Harris, Marijane Meaker, Keith Boykin, Dennis Cooper, and Kate Clinton.

My own three award-winning books include Black Like Us: A Century of Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual African American Fiction; Time on Two Crosses: The Collected Writings of Bayard Rustin; and Fresh Men: New Voices in Gay Fiction. I'm also co-editor of The Huey P. Newton Reader with Black Panther Party founding member David Hilliard. My most recent book, The Long Walk to Freedom: Runaway Slave Narratives, is the first book of writings by fugitive slaves.

I was named by Publishers Weekly as an industry "Change Maker" and listed among Out Magazine's "100 Most Intriguing Gay Men and Lesbians" of the year.

Reviews

[Liam Ostermann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am sorry this anthology has gathered so few reviews on Goodreads, this is an exceptionally fine collection of stories and other writings. I'll be honest it doesn't have anything to rival the pieces by Barry McCrea and Patrick Ryan in the first Fresh Men but that sort of serendipity doesn't occur regularly or to order.

This is still a fine anthology - I missed it back when it first came out - but I didn't find that the passage of time had dulled in any way the strength of the stories. As always with my favourite anthologies it has provided me with numerous writers to seek out their other work. It has also, as have many other anthologies, left me wondering about contributors of first rate stories who it appears have published nothing further. The opportunities for new literary writing have steadily declined since this volume was published (2005) and as a series Fresh Men ended here. In fact all the attempts to rival the original Men on Men series died out around this time. A great pity because these type of anthologies showcased a great deal of new talent.

If you like short literary fiction then I can't imagine that you won't enjoy this anthology.

[Rick Hribko · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been a while since I read it, but I will not part with it because it was one of mu first experiences with gay stories for me. While I remember liking some of the stories and not others, I still rated it high as that is what anthologies are all about.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the stories in this book were spectacular, but of course, others weren't. I did like it, though.