Member: NADiaman

Hi Nikos

I can't see any Rhys Davies books here, although the novels I'm read of his - those almost exclusively published during the late 1920s and the 30s – play some really interesting gender games (he was gay and never came out, even after legalization). Nor is there any mention of Auden's friend, John Hampson, who was a little less devious in his concealment (but not that much). I've written about the work of both authors – although far, far more about Davies – on my blog, if you choose to key in their names there: http://tonyshaw3.blogspot.com

Cheers

Tony

posted by tonyshaw14 at 5:34 pm (EST) on Aug 26, 2009

Hi Nikos

Yes I enjoyed the Maupin a lot although I'm not sure that there is much else in my library that would fall under your definition of gay lit (your online library being mainly preoccupied with gay interest). Well, 'Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit' by Jeanette Winterson would (great book, funny to) and Alan Hollinghurst of course. I'm not sure that the Hap and Leonard series by Joe R Lansdale would count despite one of the main characters being gay - there overriding theme is firmly in the crime fiction oeuvre (with a lot of crude humour too and you strike me as a more of a romantic but perhaps I'm wrong).

I love the Greek Islands too although I was once stuck overnight on Ios which is a party island and gets overrun by waves of debauched Brits, Germans and Swedes throughout the season - I felt sorry for the locals, they may depend on tourism but all that drinking, puking and public exchange of body fluids right on your doorstop probably gets a bit much (Although I suppose it may have changed in the past twenty years).

I liked Alonissos and Skopelos (Sporades)but my favourite island is Halki in the Dodecanese, just below Rhodes and quite close to Turkey. There's only one town, one beach, one road - and hardly any traffic. There a few quite coves and a handful of Tavernas and bars - oh and of course the obligatory ruined windmills and a monastery somewhere remote and windswept. There are no marauding hordes of tourists and maybe only two real shops, one kiosk, a bakery and an astoundingly well equipped doctors surgery staffed by an avuncular doctor and his right hand man (who everyone thinks looks like George Clooney and tries to time their affliction so they get to see him). The road is known as Tarpon Springs Boulevard as it was paid for by the money sent home by relatives who had emigrated looking for their fortunes, apparently they all ended up in Florida, go figure!

There's nothing much to do except sit on your balcony and read books as you stare out at the endless blue vista of the Aegean sea (while drinking your frappes) - if it gets too hot (and if the jelly fish aren't in) you can take a swim in the harbour and in the evening you can wander through the maze of footpaths and eat out on the harbour front - Heaven

Good fortune and Good Luck with all your writing and photography.

Littlemiss

posted by Littlemissbashful at 12:04 am (EST) on Aug 22, 2009

Aloha Nikos,

Thanks for the friend request today. I look forward to reading your books.

Rob

posted by kauaisurfer at 10:42 pm (EST) on Aug 20, 2009

Hi Nikos

Just saw your friends request although I think maybe you clicked by accident as there is no comment to go with it and we don't have a lot of books in common. I thought I'd pop over and say hi anyhow.

I see you spend time in Athens, Greece - I lived there a while many years ago and worked at a budget hotel over by Victoria square - I remember one of the owners was addicted to Pacman and his girlfriend was a call girl. The family who owned the hotel had a big dog that used chase members of the Greek clergy down the street and there was an English guy on the desk who sometimes used to direct groups of unsuspecting Japanese tourists in to the phone-booth and tell them it was the lift.

Got to say you already seem to have enough friends to populate a small island, guess your just a friendly guy...

Littlemiss

posted by Littlemissbashful at 7:59 pm (EST) on Aug 20, 2009

Hi Nikos

Thanks you for your message - I very much enjoyed your book.

Benjamin

posted by Bembo at 3:14 pm (EST) on Nov 24, 2007

Hey Nikos!

Thanks for the add. I know we're friends on myspace too. I see you're a Joseph Hansen fan. I read them all years ago, and kept them along with all the other gay mysteries I collected at that time. Good thing I did, because many of them are out of print now. Anyway, just wanted to say hi. Nice to see you again. Hope you have a Happy Holiday season!

- Patrick

posted by patnelsonchilds at 2:27 pm (EST) on Nov 24, 2007

Hi,
Thanks for contacting me. I would swear I've seen you before, though I can not think when or where that would be.

Alex

posted by AlexTheHunn at 7:09 pm (EST) on Aug 16, 2007

Greetings,
I thought I would take a scan of your library before left you a comment. This has been the first chance I've had to take look. You have a nice collection weighted towards fiction. I mine is a bit more tangentile. I am myself a published writer of very small note. I welcome the opportunity to communicate with you and look forward
to it. I used to work with a novelist by the the name William Bostock who wrote a book called " I Cleopatra " and a few others. Have you heard of him?

posted by Suralon at 5:12 am (EST) on Aug 8, 2007

I see where you posted a comment, good to hear from you!...I am at work at the moment, (public library desk) but will take some time tonight and look over your collection, it seems we share a number of interests!

posted by oldmanriver1951 at 10:22 am (EST) on Aug 3, 2007

Hello, Nikos. I just got your comment. I will take a look at your library later. It's late and I'm finishing up some editing before I fall asleep.

Cheers,

David

posted by dawh at 10:24 pm (EST) on Aug 2, 2007