The Rest of It
Hustlers, Cocaine, Depression, and Then Some, 1976–1988
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Duke University Press
Published:6th Mar '18
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
For many, the death of a parent marks a low point in their personal lives. For Martin Duberman—a major historian and a founding figure in the history of gay and lesbian studies—the death of his mother was just the beginning of what became a twelve-year period filled with despair, drug addiction, and debauchery. From his cocaine use, massive heart attack, and immersion into New York's gay hustler scene to experiencing near-suicidal depression and attending rehab, The Rest of It is the previously untold and revealing story of how Duberman managed to survive his turbulent personal life while still playing leading roles in the gay community and the academy.
Despite the hardships, Duberman managed to be incredibly productive: he wrote his biography of Paul Robeson, rededicated himself to teaching, wrote plays, and coedited the prize-winning Hidden from History. His exploration of new paths of scholarship culminated in his founding of the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies, thereby inaugurating a new academic discipline. At the outset of the HIV/AIDS epidemic Duberman increased his political activism, and in these pages he also describes the tensions between the New Left and gay organizers, as well as the profound homophobia that created the conditions for queer radical activism. Filled with gossip, featuring cameo appearances by luminaries such as Gore Vidal, Norman Mailer, Vivian Gornick, Susan Brownmiller, Kate Millett, and Néstor Almendros, among many others, and most importantly, written with an unflinching and fearless honesty, The Rest of It provides scathing insights into a troubling decade of both personal and political history. It is a stimulating look into a key period of Duberman's life, which until now had been too painful to share.
"Challenging gay invisibility and confronting anti-gay bigotry among the intelligentsia are key battlefronts on which Marty fought early, bravely and often. The passion of his arguments and efforts is everywhere in the testimony of The Rest of Us." -- Lawrence D. Mass * Medium *
"Sharp and engaging, with tasteful anecdotes that anchor Duberman not in a historical lineage but firmly within his own personal journey. This highly intelligent book is not just another contribution to gay history; it is also an important pillar in the author's literary biography. A fascinating look into a significant period in the life of a much-loved literary figure." * Kirkus Reviews *
"We queers are better off, better informed and better empowered, for Duberman’s astute, engaged lifetime of work. We are also better off for reading The Rest of It, for understanding the beautifully written history of one man, yes, but in effect, a part of the history of us all." -- D. Gilson * Lambda Literary Review *
"The Rest of It is not a revisionist memoir or the roars of a gay literary lion in winter. It is instead an intimate, revealing, and vibrant account of a writer’s personal struggles with Duberman in top form. Duberman’s account of this pivotal time in GLBTQ history is as sharp as ever...." -- Lew J. Whittington * New York Journal of Books *
"Duberman is one of America's great intellectuals; all readers can enjoy this well-rounded self-portrait of a tumultuous decade in the life of an important thinker." -- David Azzolina * Library Journal *
"The Rest of It, a memoir of the years 1976 to 1988, confirms Duberman’s status as one of our most brilliant and essential memoirists. This is clearly a skilled, dedicated historian’s memoir, as it minutely details the writer’s personal life while also grounding us in the political and social turmoil of the time. . . . The Rest of It will engage and enrich readers with its brutally honest examination of one man’s life lived fully. It deserves a place on your bookshelf." -- Hank Trout * A&U Magazine *
"Duberman's emotionally raw and keenly observant memoir illuminates both his turbulent life and the years when gay publishing began to flower just as AIDS started to devastate its landscape." -- Kevin Howell * Shelf Awareness *
"Martin Duberman has been a touchstone for a generation of gay men, and, once again, he offers up his life experiences to help us better understand our own. The Rest of It is a lively book; it forces readers to engage with the difficult, often contentious personality of a brilliantly accomplished gay man wrestling with his demons." -- Daniel A. Burr * Gay & Lesbian Review *
"Filled with tidbits of gossip with appearances by luminaries of the era like Gore Vidal and Norman Mailer, The Rest Of Us is a brutally honest examination of a painful period in the writer’s life and career." * The Advocate *
“[I] highly recommend this book. It was a pleasure to read, and I learned a great deal about Duberman and the world he inhabited. The book is at times witty, sad, happy, and darkly funny. We urge our students to write history ‘warts and all,’ and Duberman has turned that advice upon himself and produced a book that I am glad to have read.”
-- Jerry Watkins * Journal of the History of Sexuality *ISBN: 9780822370703
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 499g
256 pages