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Book cover of Loss Within Loss: Artists in the Age of AIDS
General & Miscellaneous American Art, Literary Criticism - General & Miscellaneous, Art - General & Miscellaneous, AIDS & HIV - Social & Political Aspects, AIDS Patients - Biography, Modern Art

Loss Within Loss: Artists in the Age of AIDS

by Edmund White
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Overview

"A searing, and often bitingly funny collection of personal essays by almost two dozen writers—John Berendt, Brad Gooch, Allan Gurganus, and Sarah Schulman among them— Loss within Loss remembers over twenty creative artists lost to AIDS in the past twenty years, including poet James Merrill, filmmaker Derek Jarman, and painter and writer David Wojnarowicz. Rather than being a harrowing, in-the-trenches account of AIDS . . . Loss within Loss is a reflective, self-possessed, and frequently inspiring testimonial, benefiting from the perspective that only time provides."—David Bahr, The Advocate

Author Biography: Edmund White is the award-winning author of The Married Man, The Farewell Symphony, Genet, The Beautiful Room Is Empty, A Boy's Own Story, and several other books. He is professor of creative writing at Princeton University.

Synopsis

"A searing, and often bitingly funny collection of personal essays by almost two dozen writers—John Berendt, Brad Gooch, Allan Gurganus, and Sarah Schulman among them— Loss within Loss remembers over twenty creative artists lost to AIDS in the past twenty years, including poet James Merrill, filmmaker Derek Jarman, and painter and writer David Wojnarowicz. Rather than being a harrowing, in-the-trenches account of AIDS . . . Loss within Loss is a reflective, self-possessed, and frequently inspiring testimonial, benefiting from the perspective that only time provides."—David Bahr, The Advocate

Author Biography: Edmund White is the award-winning author of The Married Man, The Farewell Symphony, Genet, The Beautiful Room Is Empty, A Boy's Own Story, and several other books. He is professor of creative writing at Princeton University.

Tim Miller

Searingly honest, full of feeling, and pissed off, the essays uncover new truths about one of the most horrific events of the twentieth century. The writing is endlessly surprising and is a huge contribution to acknowledging the psychic and emotional scars of the last two decades.

About the Author, Edmund White

Edmund White is the award-winning author of The Married Man, The Farewell Symphony, Genet, The Beautiful Room Is Empty, A Boy’s Own Story, and several other books. He is professor of creative writing at Princeton University.

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Editorials

David Leavitt

These essays and memoirs are lucid, thought provoking and always surprising. I commend Edmund White and the authors for their bravery and eloquence.

Ned Rorem

An instructive volume of highest intellect and humanity. With his special compassion, literary skill, and vast personal knowledge of our era's saddest phenomenon, Edmund White is the ideal editor for this unique collection. For myself, who recently had heart and soul broken by the AIDS related death of my dearest friend, I can only salute this worthy project.

Philip Gambone

An original and powerful piece of work.... These writers quite effectively and movingly combine elements of profile, eulogy, eye witness reportage, artistic appraisal, and assessment of the impact (negative and positive) that AIDS had on their friends' work and careers.

Tim Miller

Searingly honest, full of feeling, and pissed off, the essays uncover new truths about one of the most horrific events of the twentieth century. The writing is endlessly surprising and is a huge contribution to acknowledging the psychic and emotional scars of the last two decades.

Library Journal

This volume, published with the support of the leading nonprofit serving HIV-positive artists, is a poignant reminder of the devastating impact of the AIDS epidemic on the arts. This collection of emotionally charged essays recounts the lives of a variety of artists who have died of AIDS, including relative unknowns as well as such renowned individuals as poet James Merrill, painter David Wojnarowicz, and filmmaker Derek Jarman. The authors, primarily the artists' lovers and close friends, include such esteemed writers as Maya Angelou, Alan Gurganus, Brad Gooch, John Berendt, and Robert Rosenblum. What resonates throughout these intensely personal essays is that many of these artists died prematurely, never achieving their full potential. White's introduction vacillates between nostalgia for the 1980s and the sorrow and despair that AIDS has brought him. Surprisingly, his apolitical introduction lacks the outrage at society's inaction often associated with AIDS discourse. Recommended for general collections in both academic and public libraries. Krista Ivy, Bryn Mawr Coll. Lib., PA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Booknews

A moving collaboration by some of America's most eloquent writers who supply wry, raging, sorrowful, and buoyant accounts of artist friends and lovers struck down by AIDS. Published in association with the Estate Project for Artists with AIDS, the 23 essays stand as a powerful reminder and survey of the devastating impact of the AIDS epidemic on the arts community. The book also contains biographies of the subjects and the authors, as well as many b&w photographs. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Book Details

Published
January 1, 2002
Publisher
University of Wisconsin Press
Pages
312
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9780299170745

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