BOOKS

BIGOTRY has a field day

IS HOMOSEXUALITY A MENACE? by Dr. Arthur Guy Mathews: New York. Robert M. McBride Company. 1017, pp. 302. Reviewed by Joseph A. Moore.

"There must be a very good reason for spending many years researching and writing on such a subject as homosexuality," reads the first sentence of the author's introduction to this volume. His answer would seem to be that he considers it his mission in life to rescur the world from this "scourge" and that no holds are barred in his attempts to do so. But the mass of distortions, half-truths, and unsupported bias which make up the volume suggest that this "doctor" (his specific degree is nowhere mentioned in the book) probably has a serious personal problem of a psychiatrie nature in the sexual arca. He ignores most recognized scientific literature in the field of homosexuality and attacks violently when he cannot logically do so, as for instance in the case of the Kinsey studies. His "case studies" are based exclusively on his own experiences, with no indication, for example, of the doctors, clinics or hospitals where his reported “cures” were effected. His arrogance and vituperativeness are carried to fantastic extremes. Broad generalizations are alternated with such ignorant specific statements as: "I know at least 18 top humorists who are having great difficulty in getting real down-to-earth humorous books published because a majority of editors in the good publishing houses are unhappy sexual deviates not inwardly disposed to enjoy a good belly laugh."

INFORMATION FOLDERS

Two folders, designed to be used as companion mailing pieces, are available from national headquarters of the Mattachine Society and its branch offices. They are "In Case You Didn't Know" and "What Has Mattachine Done?" The first outlines the homosexual problem in the U.S. and describes the purpose of the Society; the second tells how the Society is deal: ing with the problem and what the organization is doing. Prices are: 100 for $1.50; 50 for $1.00; smaller quantities, 3 cents each. Unless specified otherwise, orders will be filled with equal quantities of each folder.

In general the book appears to be a sort of Lait-Mortimer "Confidential" volume completely emasculated by leaving out all famous names, except a few long-dead movie actors. But both the author and publisher are likely to find that the public which goes in for arrogantly moralistic pseudo-pornography of this kind are much less interested when the moderately salacious material is not connected with the names they are used to seeing in the gossip columns.

As a serious approach to an important problem in our society-the place of the homosexual within it-the volume is utterly useless, cheap, vulgar trash.

RE-CREATED by literary magic

COUP DE GRACE by Marguerite Yourcenar. Translated by Grace Frick in collaboration with the author. Farrar, Straus and Cudahy, New York, 1957. 151 pages. $3.00. Reviewed by Richard Mayer. Marguerite 'Yourcenar is a literary magician. She doesn't just create characters; she becomes them. First she was the Emperor Hadrian writing his memoirs in second century Rome. Now she is Erick von Lhomond, cynical soldier of fortune, recalling two friends he lost during the campaign against the Bolsheviks on the Baltic front just after World War I.

But her magic goes further. She does not merely describe places; she transports us to them. While reading Memoirs of Hadrian, we lived in the rich, lush, technicolored Mediterrean world. In Coup de Grace we are in barren, gray northern lands. (Having now been taken both places, this reviewer must express a personal preference for Rome. The climate is better and the people, on the whole, are more interesting.)

Only the magician can understand fully the method of the magic, but certainly one aspect of it is an uncanny preciseness in the use of just the right word which will create the image or express the exact evocative overtone she wants.

Coup de Grace is primarily a fascinating self-portrait of an ambivalent homosexual, alternately attracted and repelled by the offer of a woman's love. When Sophie, suddenly grown out of childhood, fell in love with Erick, his love had long since been given to her brother, Conrad. "Why is it," wonders Erick, "that women fall in love with the very men who are destined otherwise, and who, accordingly, must repulse them or else deny their own nature?" The triangle was bound to end tragically in any circumstances; here war raised the stakes to life and death.

While the book is mainly an account of the anguished relationship between Erick and Sophie, the most poignant pages tell of the death 41

mattachine REVIEW