by Nigel Cawthorne

In this new addition to his popular series, Nigel Cawthorne turns his gaze to the sex lives of gay icons in film, the arts, history, politics, and religion.

Over the years, some gay men, such as Oscar Wilde, have suffered for their sexuality. Others, like Quentin Crisp, have made a career out of it. Noel Coward was overtly camp; J. Edgar Hoover hid his sexuality while persecuting other homosexuals. British playwright Joe Orton died because his partner could not accept his sexual needs, while for Japanese novelist Yukio Mishima, death itself was a sexual act. Sex Lives of the Famous Gays contains a richly diverse collection of gay lives—from the noble and heroic to the outrageous and compellingly weird. Its cast includes poets, playwrights, novelists, soldiers, dancers, film directors, actors, and entertainers.