Not So Good a Gay Man: A Memoir

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Description

Frank M. Robinson (1926-2014) accomplished a great deal in his long life, working in magazine publishing, including a stint for Playboy, and writing science fiction novels such as The Power, The Dark Beyond the Stars, and thrillers such as The Glass Inferno (filmed as The Towering Inferno). Robinson also passionately engaged in politics, fighting for gay rights, and most famously writing speeches for his good friend Harvey Milk in San Francisco. This deeply personal autobiography explains the life of one gay man over eight decades in America and contains personal photos. By turns witty, charming, and poignant, this memoir grants insights into Robinson's work not just as a journalist and writer, but as a gay man navigating the often perilous social landscape of twentieth-century life in the United States. The bedrock sincerity and painful honesty with which he describes this life makes Not So Good a Gay Man compelling reading.

Reviews

Chicago Review of Books Best Books for June 2017

Publishers Weekly Select Books with LGBTQ Themes for 2017 list

Praise for Not So Good a Gay Man

"Engaging."--Bibliosanctum (4 out of 5 stars)

"Vivid and detailed, Robinson's story is an engaging recollection of the golden age of pulp fiction interwoven with the story of a man's successful struggle to accept himself. Fascinating reading, especially for fans of 20th-century science fiction." --Kirkus

"[Robinson's] closely observed view of gay life and culture, especially in his home city of San Francisco, is insightful and often moving." --Booklist

"An incisive, fascinating and candid look at the award-winning sci-fi novelist's rocky writing career and life as a closeted gay man." --Shelf-Awareness (starred review)

Author Bio

Frank M. Robinson (1926-2014) was a journalist and writer best known for his techno-thrillers and his work as a speech writer for Harvey Milk. He was the author of The Power and Waiting, as well as The Glass Inferno, the basis for the film The Towering Inferno. He was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in 2009.