. . Essential reading: followers @theaidsmemorial highlight and recommend literature (fiction or nonfiction) in which AIDS or HIV is a significant topic or plot element. . "The works of #JohnPreston were sought out in my travels to cities that had gay and lesbian bookstores in the 1980’s and 1990’s. His characters and scenarios were skilfully written and provoked a familiarity of fantasies and dreams many of us had during that period. . Unfortunately, as the demise of these libraries of our history have faded from the landscape, so too many of the works that could be found then are no longer available or very difficult to find. AIDS has taken from our culture and world many great people and we can only hope that these histories and stories are not forgotten. . “Winter’s Light: Reflections of a Yankee Queer” is a collection of essays by John Preston that were written in this period and cover topics of being gay, life in New England, AIDS, and finding or reclaiming our homes. . In these essays, his voice is always full of the intelligence and wisdom we had come to know and love in his works of fiction. We are privileged to read his personal accounts and perspectives today more than ever. . The major sections of the publication are listed: The Importance of Telling Our Stories, The Men of Maine, Letters from Maine, Some of Us Are Dying, A New England Chorus, and Down East. The book jacket notes include references from #AnneRice, #DorisGrumbach, #MichaelBronski, and #AndrewHolleran. . I highly recommend this book be sought out and read for a better appreciation of this period of our history and of one of the men who influenced so many of us. It is rare to find a writer of fiction rich in fantasy to give us such a down to earth work of non-fiction that is so full of emotion and thought. . John Preston died of complications related to AIDS in April 1994. He was the author and editor of more than twenty-five acclaimed gay books." - by Nick Tortello @ntortello . Portrait of John Preston © by Robert Giard . #whatisrememberedlives #theaidsmemorial #aidsmemorial #neverforget #lgbthistory #lgbtlit #lgbtliterature #booksthatmademe (at Clermont, Auvergne, France)
