About us
Sydney Gay Men of Letters is a book club for classic gay male writing. Books chosen will be easily available, either from local bookshops, local council libraries, or free soft copies from the organiser (write to me at dalemills@cantab.net).
Although almost everyone there will be a gay man (as the title suggests), non-gay men and women are welcome. The only request, really, is that you read, or attempt to read, or listen, to the book.
Feel free to join the Facebook group to keep in touch with other members. https://www.facebook.com/groups/636542215866313
The facilitator can be contacted here on MeetUp or my personal email at dalemills@cantab.net
Upcoming events
2
Faggots by Laurie Kramer
The Shakespeare Hotel, 200 Devonshire Street, Sydney, AUMeeting at the usual place, The Shakespeare Hotel (upstairs) at 200 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills on Thursday 14 May 2026 at 7.00pm, we will be discussing Faggots by Larry Kramer.
Published in 1978, it is set in about the same time time and place as a previously discussed book, Dancer from the Dance.After Stonewall but before the AIDS crisis, a 39-year-old screenwriter searches for a committed relationship, while living in a world of hedonism, drug use, and anonymous sexual encounters. Many iconic places discussed in Dancer from the Dance are discussed in this novel – such as the Everhard Baths and Fire Island.
The novel was famously divisive upon its release and was condemned by both conservatives and some sections of the gay community itself, for reinforcing negative stereotypes. Some bookstores refused to sell it.
Today, Faggots is seen as a seminal work in the Swiftian satirical tradition.Inner West library seems to be the only local library which has a hard copy. Check out ebay and amazon for hard copies starting at around $25. Soft copies available from the usual places. Contact dalemills@cantab.net for a free pdf.
We meet upstairs in a semi-private room conducive to discussion. We talk about the book in a fairly focused way for about 45 mins and then the meeting formally ends. Almost everyone stays back to talk more about the book or anything else. Although the meeting starts at 7.00pm, people start to arrive up to an hour earlier for drinks and food.
4 attendees
Kiss of the Spider Woman by Manuel Puig
The Shakespeare Hotel, 200 Devonshire Street, Sydney, AUMeeting at the usual place, The Shakespeare Hotel (upstairs) at 200 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills on Thursday 11 June 2026 at 7.00pm, we will be discussing Kiss of the Spider Woman (1976) by Manuel Puig.
The novel explores the relationship between two cellmates in an Argentine prison. One has been imprisoned for 'corrupting a minor,' while the other is a Marxist revolutionary. The narrative has a unique structure, primarily consisting of the two men's dialogue and the use of (fictional) footnotes discussing the psychology of homosexuality and gender.
The novel is celebrated for how it weaves together themes of political oppression and sexual liberation, suggesting that personal and political freedom are inextricably linked. The novel was faithfully adapted into the 1985 film of the same name, available on youtube.
Available from local libraries. Soft copies available from the usual places. Contact dalemills@cantab.net for a free pdf.
We meet upstairs in a semi-private room conducive to discussion. We talk about the book in a fairly focused way for about 45 mins and then the meeting formally ends. Almost everyone stays back to talk more about the book or anything else. Although the meeting starts at 7.00pm, people start to arrive up to an hour earlier for drinks and food.
4 attendees
Past events
15
