Homosexual pairs in each book

[Sumeetha]

Has anyone noticed the homosexual pair that are mentioned in each book? Fall of Giants has Robert and his companion (jorg) while Winter of the World has Chuck and his partner. Any thoughts on that?

[Sofiab]

No women pairs!!

[Sumeetha]

Sofia wrote: "No women pairs!!"

That's true. Hope Ken Follet includes it in the third part :)

[Penny]

Why are people so hung up on Homesexual and gay references in books? It drives me mad, like you have to put the token LGBT in there, to keep everyone happy!!! Get over it!

[Sofiab]

I actually think both story lines with the gay couples served some purpose. It didn't feel like it was added just to have some gay characters.
Maybe in the last book they could include some of the liberation of homosexuals and maybe also the AIDS epidemic. But I don't know if the 80's will be covered in that much detail.

[Sue]

Slight spoiler but in Giants (were Robert and Jorg in Giants or Winter) instead of going full tilt into the Final Solution to the Jewish question Follett went a different direction with those first sent to concentration/work camps such as gays, communists, political dissenters, etc.
In Winter I think he used Chuck and his partner as representative of those who lied to serve because this was their country too. Too often authors who do add this to books concerning WW2 down play how many served, their divergent family backgrounds and financial status.
I did not think Follett dwelled on the two couples overly much and that this was a real part of the history he was writing about. The third book cannot come to soon for me.

[Sumeetha]

Sue wrote: "Slight spoiler but in Giants (were Robert and Jorg in Giants or Winter) instead of going full tilt into the Final Solution to the Jewish question Follett went a different direction with those first..."

Very true Sue :)

[Sharolene]

And really? Why not have gay characters in books? There are probably hundreds of thousands of them in America. Why shouldn't they be represented. I don't understand why anyone would point that out in a discussion group honestly.

[Sue]

Penny wrote: "Why are people so hung up on Homesexual and gay references in books? It drives me mad, like you have to put the token LGBT in there, to keep everyone happy!!! Get over it!"

I don't normally chose books based on the sexuality of the characters unless I'm grabbing a quick read romance for a rainy day or a cruise. But you should be prepared for seeing another couple gays in the last book. I mean he's doing the Cold War and I am assuming spies and atomic secrets will be in it. You can't do that era's espionage without the gay angle because the Russians loved using a bit of blackmail now and then.

[Marco]

I don't think that Ken Follet includes gay characters, or jews, or students, or politicians, or 'bon vivants'. They are just there - he just reflects the society.

[Riley]

Why no gay sex scenes? Most of the hetero ones seem cookie-cutter: the woman throw themselves at the guy and "open their legs" for him.

[Sue]

Lack of personal research?

[Sheila]

Penny wrote: "Why are people so hung up on Homesexual and gay references in books? It drives me mad, like you have to put the token LGBT in there, to keep everyone happy!!! Get over it!"

I so agree with you Penny!

[Jeanine]

It was written as part of a larger story. Who cares??

[Sophia]

I believe there was a much more open gay scene in Berlin at the time so Follett was reflecting popular culture. I don't think he was just being politically correct although I notice in most books that gay people are almost universally portrayed as very good people. it as if authors are too frightened to have a gay person as the villain.

[Kristin]

The lack of lesbian pairs, might just be because it's a male author and he might find it easier to describe a relationship between men than between women. As for there always being gay characters in his books, there have always been gay/bi people in the real world. Even when it was illegal and considered unacceptable, there weren't fewer homosexuals than there are today.

[Sue]

Rereading Fall of Giants in anticipation of the last book right now. I had totally forgotten several references to pedophile or just plain horny orthodox priests in Russia way back. Strange when you realize that marriage was/is possible for many orthodox priests.