Felice Picano
Encyclopedia
Felice Picano is an American writer. He graduated cum laude from Queens College in 1964 with English department honors. He founded SeaHorse Press in 1977, and The Gay Presses of New York in 1981 with Terry Helbing and Larry Mitchell; he was Editor-in-Chief there. He was an editor and writer for The Advocate
, Blueboy, Mandate, Gaysweek
, and Christopher Street. He was the Books Editor of The New York Native. At The Los Angeles Examiner, San Francisco Examiner, New York Native
, Harvard Lesbian & Gay Review and the Lamdba Book Report, he was a culture reviewer. He has also written for OUT and OUT Traveller. With Andrew Holleran
, Robert Ferro
, Michael Grumley
, Edmund White
, Christopher Cox
, and George Whitmore
, he founded The Violet Quill
considered to be the pathbreaking gay male literary nucleus of the 20th Century.
In his memoir Men Who Loved Me, he describes his close friendship with the poet W. H. Auden
. In his later memoir/history, Art & Sex in Greenwich Village, he writes about contacts with Gore Vidal
, James Purdy
, Charles Henri Ford
, Edward Gorey
, Robert Mapplethorpe
and many contemporary and younger authors.
Among those who Picano introduced to the public via his publishing companies were Dennis Cooper
, Harvey Fierstein
, Jane Chambers, Brad Gooch
, Robert Gluck
, Doric Wilson
, and Gavin Dillard. Several of his novels have been national and international best-sellers, and they have been translated into fifteen languages.
A long time resident of Manhattan and Fire Island Pines, Picano has resided for periods of time in Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, England, and Berlin, Germany. He now lives in West Hollywood, CA.
and was nominated for four Lambda Literary Awards.
(New York, NY), 1985.
York, NY), 1989.
MA), 1997.
Horse Press (New York, NY), 1980.
The Advocate
The Advocate is an American LGBT-interest magazine, printed monthly and available by subscription. The Advocate brand also includes a web site. Both magazine and web site have an editorial focus on news, politics, opinion, and arts and entertainment of interest to LGBT people...
, Blueboy, Mandate, Gaysweek
Gaysweek
Gaysweek was New York City's first mainstream weekly lesbian and gay newspaper. It was founded by Alan Bell in 1977. Gaysweek began as an 8-page single-color tabloid and when it ceased publication in 1979 after 104 issues, it had grown to a 24-page two-color publication. Its monthly arts...
, and Christopher Street. He was the Books Editor of The New York Native. At The Los Angeles Examiner, San Francisco Examiner, New York Native
New York Native
The New York Native was a fortnightly Pre-Immunization Revolution newspaper published in New York City from December 1980 until January 13, 1997. It was the only paper in New York City during the early part, and pioneered the notion of cancer in combination with AIDS, when most others ignored it...
, Harvard Lesbian & Gay Review and the Lamdba Book Report, he was a culture reviewer. He has also written for OUT and OUT Traveller. With Andrew Holleran
Andrew Holleran
Andrew Holleran is the pseudonym of Eric Garber , a novelist, essayist, and short story writer. He is a prominent novelist of post-Stonewall gay literature. He was a member of The Violet Quill, a gay writer's group that met briefly from 1980-81. The Violet Quill included other prolific gay writers...
, Robert Ferro
Robert Ferro
Robert Ferro was an American novelist whose semi-autobiographical fiction explored the uneasy integration of homosexuality and traditional American upper-middle-class values.-Biography:...
, Michael Grumley
Michael Grumley
-Biography:Grumley was born in Bettendorf, Iowa. He attended the University of Denver, the City College of New York and the Iowa Writers' Workshop Grumley received a B.S. Degree with a major in Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on June 7, 1964....
, Edmund White
Edmund White
Edmund Valentine White III is an American author and literary critic. He is a member of the faculty of Princeton University's Program in Creative Writing.- Life and work :...
, Christopher Cox
Christopher Cox (writer)
Christopher Cox in Manhattan, New York City) was an American writer.-Biography:Cox, who was gay, is perhaps best known for his collaboration within The Violet Quill. He later went on to become senior editor of Ballantine Books....
, and George Whitmore
George Whitmore
- Biography :George Whitmore lived in Manhattan.He was a member of The Violet Quill, the Gay Academic Union and the Gay Men's Health Crisis.Alongside his novels and non-fiction work, he wrote for the New York Times Magazine,the Advocate, the New York Native, and Christopher Street.- Bibliography...
, he founded The Violet Quill
The Violet Quill
The Violet Quill was a group of seven gay male writers that met in 1980 and 1981 in New York City to read from their writings to each other and to critique them...
considered to be the pathbreaking gay male literary nucleus of the 20th Century.
In his memoir Men Who Loved Me, he describes his close friendship with the poet W. H. Auden
W. H. Auden
Wystan Hugh Auden , who published as W. H. Auden, was an Anglo-American poet,The first definition of "Anglo-American" in the OED is: "Of, belonging to, or involving both England and America." See also the definition "English in origin or birth, American by settlement or citizenship" in See also...
. In his later memoir/history, Art & Sex in Greenwich Village, he writes about contacts with Gore Vidal
Gore Vidal
Gore Vidal is an American author, playwright, essayist, screenwriter, and political activist. His third novel, The City and the Pillar , outraged mainstream critics as one of the first major American novels to feature unambiguous homosexuality...
, James Purdy
James Purdy
James Otis Purdy was a controversial American novelist, short story-writer, poet, and playwright who, since his debut in 1956, published over a dozen novels, and many collections of poetry, short stories, and plays. His work has been translated into more than 30 languages. He has been praised by...
, Charles Henri Ford
Charles Henri Ford
Charles Henri Ford was an American poet, novelist, filmmaker, photographer, and collage artist best known for his editorship of the Surrealist magazine View in New York City, and as the partner of the artist Pavel Tchelitchew...
, Edward Gorey
Edward Gorey
Edward St. John Gorey was an American writer and artist noted for his macabre illustrated books.-Early life:...
, Robert Mapplethorpe
Robert Mapplethorpe
Robert Mapplethorpe was an American photographer, known for his large-scale, highly stylized black and white portraits, photos of flowers and nude men...
and many contemporary and younger authors.
Among those who Picano introduced to the public via his publishing companies were Dennis Cooper
Dennis Cooper
Dennis Cooper is an American novelist, poet, critic, editor and performance artist.-Career:Cooper grew up the son of a wealthy businessman in Arcadia, California. His first forays into literature came early, focusing on imitations of Rimbaud, Verlaine, de Sade, and Baudelaire...
, Harvey Fierstein
Harvey Fierstein
Harvey Forbes Fierstein is a U.S. actor and playwright, noted for the early distinction of winning Tony Awards for both writing and originating the lead role in his long-running play Torch Song Trilogy, about a gay drag-performer and his quest for true love and family, as well as writing the...
, Jane Chambers, Brad Gooch
Brad Gooch
Brad Gooch is an American writer.-Biography:Born and raised in Kingston, Pennsylvania, he graduated from Columbia University with a bachelors in 1973 and a doctorate in 1986....
, Robert Gluck
Robert Gluck
Robert Gluck is a pianist and composer whose repertoire spans jazz, live electronic music, and avant-garde concert music. Karl Ackermann , wrote of the latest of Gluck’s five recordings: “As a composer and player, Gluck ranks with the likes of Andrew Hill and Cecil Taylor… Something Quiet is...
, Doric Wilson
Doric Wilson
Doric Wilson was an American playwright, director, producer, critic and gay rights activist.He was born Alan Doric Wilson in Los Angeles, California, where his family was temporarily located. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, he was raised on his grandfather's ranch at Plymouth, Washington on...
, and Gavin Dillard. Several of his novels have been national and international best-sellers, and they have been translated into fifteen languages.
A long time resident of Manhattan and Fire Island Pines, Picano has resided for periods of time in Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, England, and Berlin, Germany. He now lives in West Hollywood, CA.
Literary prizes
He won the Ferro-Grumley Award and Gay Times of England Award for best gay novel and the Syndicated Fiction/PEN Award for short-story. He was a finalist for the Hemingway Foundation/PEN AwardHemingway Foundation/PEN Award
The Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award is awarded annually to a novel or book of short stories by an American author who has not previously published a book of fiction. The award is named after Ernest Hemingway and funded by the Ernest Hemingway Foundation, which has been administered by the Hemingway...
and was nominated for four Lambda Literary Awards.
Novels and short story collections
- Smart as the Devil, Arbor House (New York, NY), 1975.
- Eyes, Arbor House (New York, NY), 1975.
- The Mesmerist, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1977.
- The Lure, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1979, Alyson Books (Los Angeles, CA), 2002, Bold Strokes Books, Inc, (Valley Falls NY) 2008
- Late in the Season, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1981, Bold Strokes Books, Inc, (Valley Falls NY) 2008
- An Asian Minor: The True Story of Ganymede Sea HorsePress (New York, NY), 1981.
- Slashed to Ribbons in Defense of Love and Other Stories Gay Presses of New York (New York, NY), 1983.
- House of Cards, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1984.
- To the Seventh Power, William Morrow (New York, NY), 1989.
- Dryland's End, Masquerade Books, 1995, Harrington Park Press (New York, NY), 2004.
- Like People in History, Viking (New York, NY), 1995.
- Looking Glass Lives, illustrated by F. Ronald Fowler, Alyson Books (Los Angeles, CA), 1998, Bold Strokes Books, Inc, (Valley Falls NY) 2008
- The Book of Lies, Alyson Books (Los Angeles, CA), 1999.
- The New York Years: Stories (contains An Asian Minor and Slashed to Ribbons in Defense of Love), Alyson Books (Los Angeles, CA), 2000.
- Onyx, Alyson Books (Los Angeles, CA), 2001.
- Tales: From a Distant Planet (collection), French Connection Press (New York, NY), 2005.
Memoirs
- Ambidextrous: The Secret Lives of ChildrenAmbidextrous (novel)Ambidextrous: The Secret Lives of Children , is a novel by American author Felice Picano. The book is a semi-autobiographical account of the author's life growing up in the 1950s. Major themes include adolescent sexuality and coming out....
, Gay Presses of New York
(New York, NY), 1985.
- Men Who Loved Me: A Memoir in the Form of a Novel, New American Library (New
York, NY), 1989.
- A House on the Ocean, a House on the Bay: A Memoir, Faber and Faber (Boston,
MA), 1997.
- Fred in Love, University of Wisconsin Press (Madison, WI), 2005.
- Art and Sex in Greenwich Village: Gay Literary Life after Stonewall, Perseus Publishing, 2007.
Poetry
- Carroll & **The Deformity Lover and Other Poems, Sea Horse Press (New York, NY), 1978.
- Window Elegies, Close Grip Press, 1986.
Anthology
- A True Likeness: An Anthology of Lesbian and Gay Writing Today (editor) ', Sea
Horse Press (New York, NY), 1980.
- Ambientes: New Queer Latino Writing (co-edited with Lazaro Lima), University of Wisconsin Press (Madison: WI), 2011.
Drama
- One O’Clock Jump (one-act play), produced Off-Off Broadway, 1985.
- Immortal (play with music; based on Picano’s novella An Asian Minor: The True Story of Ganymede), produced Off-Off Broadway, 1986.
- The Bombay Trunk, produced in San Francisco, 2002.
Screenplays
- Eyes, based on the novel of the same title (1986)
- Universal Donor (2003)
- Very Large Array (2007)
- Perfect Setting
Nonfiction
- The New Joy of Gay Sex, co-authored with Charles Silverstein, preface by Edmund White, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1992, revised and expanded 3rd edition, illustrated by Joseph Phillips, HarperResource (New York, NY), 2004.
Reference and critical works including Felice Picano
- The Cambridge History of American Literature: Vol. 7—Prose Writing, 1940-1990–Sacvan Bercovitch, Ed. Cambridge University Press, 1999
- A Concise Companion to American Literature & Culture since World World II—Josephine Hendin, ed. Wiley-Blackwell, 2004
- Eyewitness To America: 500 Years of American History In the Words Of Those Who Saw It—David Colbert, Vintage Books, 1998, New York
- The Readers Catalog: An Annotated Listing of the 40,000 Best Books in Print–Geoffrey O'Brian, RC Publications, 1997
- Contemporary Authors: Autobiographies: Felice Picano–Thomson-Gale press, 2007.
- Contemporary Authors: Volume 20—Thomson-Gale Press, 1992
- Contemporary Gay Male Novelists; A Bio-Bibliographical Critical Sourcebook–Emmanuel S, Nelson, Greenwood, 1993
- The Post Modern Short Story: Froms & Issues–ed. Ifteharrudin, Boyden, Rorberger, Caluidet, Praeger Books, 20003
- Gay Fiction Speaks: Interviews with 12 Authors, Vol 1–Richard Canning, Columbia University Press, 2002
- The Violet Hour: The Violet Quill Club and the Making of Gay Culture: David Bergman, Columbia University Press, 2005
- The Gay & Lesbian Literary Companion—ed. Malcolm Boyd, Sharon Malinowki, Christa Brelin, Visible Ink Press, 1994
- Gay & Lesbian Literature Since World War II: History and Memory—Sonya L. Jones, Routledge, 1998
- Gay & Lesbian Literary Heritage–Claude Summers, Routledge, 1995
- A Sea Of Stories: The Shaping Power of Narrative in Gay & Lesbian Cultures—Sonya L. Jones, Routledge, New York, 2000
- The Other Side of Silence: Men’s Lives and Gay identities A 20th Century History—John Loughery, Holt, 1999
- Displacing Homophobia: Gay Male Perspectives in Literature and Culture—Ronald R. Butters, John M. McClan, Michael Moor—Durham, N.C. Duke University Press, 1989
- The Man I Might Become: Gay Men Write About Their Fathers—ed. Bruce Shenitz, DaCapo Press, 2002
- Art & Sex in Greenwich Village—Felice Picano, Carrol & Graf, 2007
- The Beinecke at Yale University—Stephen Parks, Yale University Press , 2003