Giovanni's Room
An American in Paris, engaged to one person and in love with another, in Baldwin's shortest novel.
Read our take
A Boy's Own Story
by Edmund White
A boy learns shame early and tries every available way to turn himself into someone else.
- 1982
The story, briefly
Spoiler-freeWhite's narrator knows he is attracted to boys but spends his youth hoping, scheming, and seeking treatment in an attempt to become heterosexual. The comedy never erases the damage of that shame.
What's inside
A boy narrates the desires, deceptions, and attempts at self-correction that shape his adolescence.
Why we recommend it
Shame learned early
It goes directly to the beginnings of the self-deception that defines David in Giovanni's Room.
What this book explores
Book editions
Paperback
- Paperback
Reader reviews
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References
References
The sources below include the primary text, editions, scholarship, archival materials, and other records that informed this page. They document A Boy's Own Story, its publication, and its place in literary history.
1A Boy's Own Story — Open Library ISBN catalogue
Official recordOpen Library, Internet ArchiveUsed forOpen Library ISBN catalogue used to verify the title, ISBN, and publication metadata.
2A Boy's Own Story — Google Books edition record
Official recordGoogle BooksUsed forGoogle Books catalogue record used to cross-check the title and edition metadata.
3A Boy's Own Story — Internet Archive ISBN catalogue
Official recordInternet ArchiveUsed forInternet Archive ISBN catalogue used to cross-check the edition and its availability in library holdings.
4A Boy's Own Story — Library of Congress books catalogue
Official recordLibrary of CongressUsed forLibrary of Congress books catalogue used to cross-check the bibliographic record by ISBN.
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Why these sources are here
The primary text is the baseline reference for every book page. Additional references document publication history, interpretation, and historical context where that evidence is available.
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