The Secret Lives of Married Men: Interviews with Gay Men Who Played It Straight

by David Leddick

Book Overview

Why would a man, aware of his attraction to other men, choose to marry a woman and live as a heterosexual? David Leddick reports after having interviewed forty men ranging in age from 29-88, that the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1555837743
• ISBN13: 9781555837747
• Release Date: October 2003
• Publisher: Alyson Books
• Length: 270 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.4" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Review by Richard Violette, Library Journal, Sept. 1, 2003

I would like to call readers' attention to a review by Richard Violette of "Secret Lives" by David Leddick. This review appeared in the Library Journal of Sept.1, 2003."Why would a gay man marry a woman? Leddick ('Intimate Companions'; 'My Worst Date') has discovered as many reasons as the 40 men profiled here. Ranging in age from 29 to 88 and representing a broad spectrum of ethnicity and spirituality, these men are grouped by generation. Men born before World War II married almost by rote, succumbing to parental pressure, desires to procreate, or the mores of the time, which deemed wives necessary for socioeconomic mobility. Succeeding generations, influenced by the sexual revolution of the Sixties and gay liberation in the Seventies, have more easily accepted the fluid nature of their sexuality and adapted their lives accordingly. While most ultimately abandoned their marriages, many genuinely loved their wives and sought to establish a modus vivendi that allowed for both traditional family life and discreet same-sex relationships. Leddick trains a novelist's eye on his subjects, allowing each to emerge as a fully fleshed human being in a few pages. These engaging portraits are subtly voyeuristic, as the come-hither title implies, without being prurient. By turns witty, frank, thoughtful, and compassionate, this book is recommended for all gay and lesbian studies collections."