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Blackbird
by
Larry Duplechan,
Michael Nava (Goodreads Author)
First published by St. Martin’s in 1986, Blackbird is a funny, moving, gay coming-of-age novel about growing up black and gay in Southern California. The lead character, Johnnie Ray Rousseau, is a high school student upset at losing the lead role in the school staging of Romeo and Juliet; if that weren’t enough, his best friend has been beaten badly by his father, and his...more
Paperback, 225 pages
Published
May 1st 2006
by Arsenal Pulp Press
(first published October 1st 1986)
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"While reading "Blackbird," Larry Duplechan's second romantic gay comic novel, the term 'crossover' kept springing to mind. It's obvious that Duplechan sees no value in writing about a totally or predominantly black milieu.
As in "Eight Days a Week," the main character is Johnny Ray Rousseau, who is black and gay. However, this time we see him five years earlier when he was an 18-year-old high school student in a small Southern California town.
If Larry Duplechan were a much more careful writer, a...more
As in "Eight Days a Week," the main character is Johnny Ray Rousseau, who is black and gay. However, this time we see him five years earlier when he was an 18-year-old high school student in a small Southern California town.
If Larry Duplechan were a much more careful writer, a...more
Recently I’ve read somewhere that all coming-of-age stories are sort of “Catcher in the Rye”. Indeed “Blackbird” reminded me on the “Catcher” (it was mentioned in the book as well) but with one huge difference: I hated “Catcher in the Rye”; I’ve found Holden Caulfield as THE most irritating fictional character I’ve ever met. The conclusion might be that I hated “Blackbird” and its main character Johnnie Ray Rousseau as well. On the contrary: While I was reading “Blackbird” I couldn’t get rid of...more
Jun 08, 2010
Eriynn
added it
poignant and hilarious coming of age African American literature. sexuality is parallel to the main narrative i kept forgetting the main character is coming to terms with his sexuality. one is drawn in by the characters surroundings then reminded of his sexuality so subtly. wonderfully entertaining, endearing, yet an affirmation to those whom can relate. happened upon it on a Tuesday evening, by Thursday morning i had covered it! lol... i loved it!
A friend gave this to me to read; it's apparently the first YA novel about a gay African American male. It's hilariously dated in some ways (is very much set in the early 1970s), but still pretty progressive in other ways, even by today's standards. (This was published in 1986.) My friend called it Judy Blume-esque, which it is--it's starkly honest and personal, and quite possibly TMI for conservative readers, so it's a worthwhile read. ;-)
I don't normally like "coming of age" books and I only read this one because I liked Duplechan's book Tangled Up in Blue so much. Blackbird just didn't hold my interest because I didn't care for the main character Johnnie Ray or his friends. Johnnie Ray spent the majority of the book doing three things: feeling sorry for himself, wanking, and fantasizing about dudes. There was no real story here.
If you are a (young) gay man and in for an uplifting read, than this could be your pick. This is a lovely pulp novel on first love and first sex (gorgeously big servings of both), the stuff that turns a rainy cold autumn Sunday into a tropical holiday of sorts.
such memories, takes me back to my childhood. well written witty book
May 17, 2013
Idalmir Rodrigues
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Feb 02, 2013
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Jan 27, 2013
Gregg
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Dec 06, 2012
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Nov 10, 2012
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Jul 31, 2012
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