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More Than a Feeling
When I Knew
Edited by Robert Trachtenberg
Edited by Robert Trachtenberg
Many of us can remember our first kiss, our first day
of school, even our first memories. But what about
the instant you knew you were gay? In a sleek
softbound coffee table book titled When I Knew,
Robert Trachtenberg has assembled a brilliant
collection of anecdotes and short tales surrounding
this very topic.
From actor B.D. Wong to stage and screen
composer Mark Shaiman (Hairspray), and from
comics to agents and producers, dozens of
contributors offer their very personal tales, resulting
in both a laugh-out-loud and insightful work. While
nearly all of the contributors here are in the
entertainment and media industries, the stories are
poignant and spare, and are accompanied by the
masterful and complimentary original artwork of New
Yorker illustrator Tom Bachtell.
Readers will recognize names such as Billy Porter,
Dan Butler, Chip Kidd, Stephen Fry, Marga Gomez,
Michael Shulman, Steve Kmetko, and Lypsynka alias
John Epperson. The tales that these and others
contribute offer up a naked vulnerability that includes
freedom, fear, and revelation. Exposed is a certain
liberation–either by intent or accident–that is
comedic and quietly profound, as if the point of this
book was to induce a trip down the memory lane of
self-discovery, a bittersweet time in each of our
histories that exposed our naivete, our awkwardness,
and our determination to be ourselves, sometimes
despite ourselves and others.
Also included are stories about when parents knew,
when everyone else knew, and a few coming out
stories. Some of the most memorable tales, bound
to induce fits of laughter and a few tears, include an
anecdote about a father who catches his son with all
of his old bowling trophies as he is on his way to play
Academy Awards, three friends who catch their
buddy rollerskating in drag to the Xanadu
soundtrack, a switcheroo of Underoos, multiple trips
to see The Sound of Music because of Julie Andrews
in a nun’s habit, the maid's recommendation for
Michael Grana, the Ms. America pageant held in
Jake Lubin’s backyard, and Brett Freedman’s assault
on sister Dee Dee’s hairstyling skills.
The surprise ending of Trebor Healy’s story gives
the book heart, Kevin Williamson's scripted dialogue
gives the book gravatis, B.D. Wong’s poem The
Ballad of Baby B offers style and wit, Eddie Sarfaty’s
effective tale Second Guessing Grandma gives it
class, while Andy Towle’s contribution ends the book
on a perfect note.
As an editor, Trachtenberg has done excellently by
producing a substantive and yet aesthetically
pleasing book. Expect this to be the gift to give in
months to come, gracing coffee tables all across
America. It is Page & Author’s first choice as a
recommended nominee in next year’s Lambda
Literary Awards.P&A
of school, even our first memories. But what about
the instant you knew you were gay? In a sleek
softbound coffee table book titled When I Knew,
Robert Trachtenberg has assembled a brilliant
collection of anecdotes and short tales surrounding
this very topic.
From actor B.D. Wong to stage and screen
composer Mark Shaiman (Hairspray), and from
comics to agents and producers, dozens of
contributors offer their very personal tales, resulting
in both a laugh-out-loud and insightful work. While
nearly all of the contributors here are in the
entertainment and media industries, the stories are
poignant and spare, and are accompanied by the
masterful and complimentary original artwork of New
Yorker illustrator Tom Bachtell.
Readers will recognize names such as Billy Porter,
Dan Butler, Chip Kidd, Stephen Fry, Marga Gomez,
Michael Shulman, Steve Kmetko, and Lypsynka alias
John Epperson. The tales that these and others
contribute offer up a naked vulnerability that includes
freedom, fear, and revelation. Exposed is a certain
liberation–either by intent or accident–that is
comedic and quietly profound, as if the point of this
book was to induce a trip down the memory lane of
self-discovery, a bittersweet time in each of our
histories that exposed our naivete, our awkwardness,
and our determination to be ourselves, sometimes
despite ourselves and others.
Also included are stories about when parents knew,
when everyone else knew, and a few coming out
stories. Some of the most memorable tales, bound
to induce fits of laughter and a few tears, include an
anecdote about a father who catches his son with all
of his old bowling trophies as he is on his way to play
Academy Awards, three friends who catch their
buddy rollerskating in drag to the Xanadu
soundtrack, a switcheroo of Underoos, multiple trips
to see The Sound of Music because of Julie Andrews
in a nun’s habit, the maid's recommendation for
Michael Grana, the Ms. America pageant held in
Jake Lubin’s backyard, and Brett Freedman’s assault
on sister Dee Dee’s hairstyling skills.
The surprise ending of Trebor Healy’s story gives
the book heart, Kevin Williamson's scripted dialogue
gives the book gravatis, B.D. Wong’s poem The
Ballad of Baby B offers style and wit, Eddie Sarfaty’s
effective tale Second Guessing Grandma gives it
class, while Andy Towle’s contribution ends the book
on a perfect note.
As an editor, Trachtenberg has done excellently by
producing a substantive and yet aesthetically
pleasing book. Expect this to be the gift to give in
months to come, gracing coffee tables all across
America. It is Page & Author’s first choice as a
recommended nominee in next year’s Lambda
Literary Awards.P&A
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