Brian Bouldrey Knihy

Storytellers, said Walter Benjamin, are descended from one of two tribes: the mariners or the peasants. We revel in the stories of the sailors, with their lure of exotic places and the treasures a mariner brings home. We hearken to the stories of the peasants for a glimmer of the past, best revealed to natives and landed people. Brian Bouldrey, professional vagabond, and his very organized friend Garth, two unlikely mariners, hit dry land with backpacks and point their hiking boots down the Ulster Way. Along the more than 600 miles of Northern Irish mountains, moors, and monuments, they pursue a quest. Among the causeways and caves and publicans cups, they seek faraway places revealed by the wisdom that only the peasant can offer. Part of the Gemma Open Door Series, originally designed for new readers, these books confirm the truth that a story doesn't have to be big to change the world.

Set in early 1990s San Francisco, the story follows Dennis Bacchus, an HIV-positive gay man navigating friendships amid the backdrop of loss and the urgency of life. As he forms a bond with Jimmy, their connection deepens against the backdrop of a rapidly changing landscape due to medical advancements. The narrative explores themes of friendship, mortality, and the impact of hope as the characters grapple with the uncertainties of their futures.

Exploring unconventional relationships, this book delves into the dynamics between unlikely companions who find comfort and connection despite their differences. Through engaging dialogue and unexpected scenarios, it highlights how the most peculiar pairings can lead to profound insights and emotional support. The narrative emphasizes the importance of understanding and acceptance in fostering meaningful bonds, showcasing that the best conversations often arise from the most surprising friendships.

Set in the quirky town of Monsalvat, Michigan, the story follows young Michael Bellman as he navigates a summer filled with eccentric relatives. His Great Uncle Jimmy converses with his deceased wife, while Cousin Anne's antics test Michael's patience, and Cousin Tommy dreams of adventure in Vietnam. Amidst this chaotic yet loving family dynamic, Michael grapples with the allure of a double life, capturing the essence of coming-of-age amidst the complexities of family relationships.

This collection showcases a diverse array of voices and styles in contemporary gay fiction, featuring established authors like Andrew Holleran and David Wojnarowicz alongside emerging talents. The stories, drawn from works published in 1996, explore various themes, including coming-of-age experiences and the complexities of aging. The anthology highlights the richness of gay life today, incorporating perspectives from African American, Latino, and Asian American writers, and spans genres from gritty 'zine fiction to finely crafted narratives.

In Wrestling with the Angel, twenty-one authors - gay men who are Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, and Mormon - explore in moving and powerful essays the paradox at the center of their faiths: If God creates each of us in His own image, then how can that image be "wrong"? In vivid descriptions of their paths toward spiritual and sexual identity, such eloquent contributors as David Plante, Mark Doty, Lev Raphael, Alfred Corn, Andrew Holleran, Frank Browning, Michael Nava, Brad Gooch, Fenton Johnson, and Felice Picano reveal the joys and frustrations of communicating with one's excommunicator or, in some cases, of constructing a faith of one's own. Heightened by the urgency of this brutal age of AIDS, their essays are both intensely personal and partisan. They rise off the page like rambunctious prayers, reflecting not only the spiritual hunger brought on by the new millennium, but also the fact that we can no more choose our God than we can our sexuality

Brian Bouldrey traveled to the island of Corsica, with its wine-dark Mediterranean waters, powdered-sugar beach sand, sumptuous cuisine, and fine wine. And then he walked away from all of them.     Bouldrey strapped on a backpack and walked across Napoleon's native land with the same spirit many choose to dance or to celebrate, to mourn, to think, to avoid thinking, to recall, to ignore, to escape, and to arrive.     This wonderfully textured account of a two-week ramble along a famous Corsican hiking trail with his German friend Petra (she was good at the downhills while he was better at the uphills) offers readers a journal that is a launching point for thoughts on cultural differences, friendship, physical challenge, personal challenge, and getting very, very lost. Part travelogue, part memoir, and part lampoon, this book offers readers an impressionistic view of a little talked about yet stunningly beautiful landscape.Best Books for General Audiences, selected by the American Association of School Librarians and the Public Library Association Runner-up, Best Travel Book, National Association of Travel Journalists