Boy's Town

by Art Bosch

Scott, Nash & Buddy are close friends living West Hollywood. These close friends revel in their extended gay family despite burglers who steal their porn and re-arrange their furniture, anti-gay violence and the constant spectre of AIDS.

Genres: LGBT

151 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1988

Reviews

[Andrew Hattaway · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea of this book but it really felt choppy. The book felt like someone took a bunch of short stories and tried to make a single narrative with them. Nothing groundbreaking in 2025 but for 1988 I feel it was pretty out there (positive). Makes me wanna have a house full of my gay friends.

It being from 1988 def had ita drawbacks. It was nice to read about AIDs support and gay bashing but it came off a little prejudiced in how these men acted. I suppose they would've grown up in the 50s (and you can tell) but they're very antiwomen in this book. I think it's just a product of its time.

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about the trials and tribulations of a group of friends living in West Hollywood/Boys Town in the mid 1980s as the AIDS crisis breaks around them. It has a little of bit of everything: drama, illness, humor, gay parenting, closet vs coming out even a magical Negro helps solve all the gay guys problems and gives them tough love. The main characters are sketchily drawn but remain interesting. It reminds me of a Los Angeles version of Armistad Maupin's Tales of the City without the character depth.

[Jamie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A typical gay novel from the 80`s. What I found interesting about this one is that at the time it was written there were no treatments for HIV or Aids. People were seeing loved ones dropping like flies all around them, something I feel the younger generations of this day and age fail to understand, with all this talk about barebacking and 'I can just take pills and I'll be okay'.

[Daniel Sanderfer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witty, entertaining, and thoughtful. This was very interesting read and look back at the early days of Aids. The characters were likeable and interesting and I was sad to see the story end. A wonderful piece of gay fiction and important part of gay literary history.