A Boy's Own Story: A Novel

The “extraordinary novel” (The New York Times Book Review) about one boy’s coming-of-age during the 1950s—and one of the most groundbreaking portrayals of gay life in American fiction

“The best American narrative of sexual awakening since Catcher in the Rye.” —Chicago Sun-Times

Ridiculed by his classmates and beset by aloof parents and a cruel sister, the unnamed narrator of Edmund White’s first autobiographical novel finds solace in literature, works of art, and his own fantastic imagination. But as he strives to forge new friendships, his yearning to be loved by the men in his life evokes a crushing sense of shame and a struggle to accept who he is. Lyrical and poignant, A Boy’s Own Story—the first of a trilogy, followed by The Beautiful Room Is Empty and The Farewell Symphony—is an American literary treasure that became an instant classic upon publication for its pioneering portrayal of homosexuality.