Franny, the Queen of Provincetown

By John Preston

Book Overview

In Franny, The Queen of Provincetown, John Preston created one of his most memorable characters from the more than 30 books he authored or edited over his storied career. Franny is a proud, protective friend to the gay men of Provincetown, Massachusetts, as they fight their battles against self-hatred and ostracism. Haunted by the loss of his first love, Franny vows never to let fear and anger consume those who are treated differently for who they are. It's Franny's goal to ensure that there is a place in the world for everyone who feels they do not belong. First published to wide acclaim in 1983, Franny was a book of gay heroism and camaraderie in the shadow of the burgeoning AIDS crisis. Today, one can read Franny with a sense of nostalgia and with the knowledge that Franny's dreams of a society that accepts gays and lesbians without question is closer to fruition, but far from complete. This edition features an appendix of supplementary materials about Franny and the author, as well as an introduction by Michael Lowenthal, the novelist and anthologist and author of two books, including the Lambda Award-nominated Avoidance .

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1551521903
• ISBN13: 9781551521909
• Release Date: September 2005
• Publisher: Arsenal Pulp Press
• Length: 140 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.1" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

This is not erotica or pornography

This very short books is a series of monologues by Franny, a gay man who embraces the role of "queen" not only by wearing what might be considered feminine clothing but also by protecting and teaching other gay men to accept themselves and not hide from the world around them. The monologues begin in 1950 when Franny is just accepting who he is and learning to become part of his community. The monologue chronical Franny's life for four decades as he interacts with dragqueens, butch gay men, lesbians, politicos, and intellectuals who come to view Franny as a staple and inspiring force in their lives. No explicit sexuality at all but a serious of honest and common spoken pieces representing the changes gay men and the mainstream culture around them experience post WWII. Often considered one of the best gay novels in American literature.