The plot:
Written by well-known sci-fi author Samuel “Chip” Delany, Bread & Wine: An Erotic Tale of New York, is an autobiography and unconventional love story about how Delany met his partner Dennis. Homeless at the time, Dennis was selling books on the sidewalk when he first met Chip. Despite their manydifferences, the two strike up a casual affair which blossoms into a long-term relationship (still on-going as far as I can find).
The coverage:
Positive: One of the most endearing traits that this book has to offer is how Delany recounted the humble beginnings of his relationship. Even though “erotic” is in the title, this isn’t an over-the-top romance. There is no steroid-infused man on the cover with his nipples showing. No one uses horrible plowing euphemisms to refer to sex unimaginative names for male genitalia. This story is simple and sweet. Two souls (who happen to both be male) have a chance meeting, strike up a tentative friendship, and organically progress forward in the relationship. Both men are cautious (their nervousness is almost palpably adorable), but we are taken along on their internal journey in the text.
The reason that this is a resounding positive is for its overwhelmingly human portrayal of these two men. Both are multi-dimensional characters (no, not in that Star Trek sort of way) who face real challenges—and all of this in 44 pages!
Bread & Wine also stands out in another way that I have yet to see duplicated elsewhere: the love story crosses the poverty line in such a striking fashion and doesn’t shy away from the discomfort that may come from it. Our society is one where the poor (especially the homeless) are marginalized, excluded, and ignored at best and vilified at worst. The fact that Delany would choose to pursue a relationship with a homeless man might be unsettling to some readers; however, we’re better for it. Neil Gaiman says it better than I could: “It’s filthy and earthy and beautiful, like an orchid in a gutter; it tells you more than you wanted to know, and makes you glad it did.”
Why this point is relevant for the issue of coverage relates to how it can combat a fairly endemic stereotype about gay men: how vain and judgmental they are. When the reader is treated to the picture of Chip who doesn’t run away screaming when Dennis takes off his boots for the first time in 3 years (where the socks had “simply decayed around his feet”) or turns two bathtubs full of water black into a “tub of India Ink,” hopefully he or she is forced to confront that insubstantial stereotype. Of course, there are some with the queer community who would fit the mold, but seeing a portrayal like this helps to round out the cultural view of gay men.
Negative: Although it is beautiful in the story to see the slow progression of Chip and Dennis from casual acquaintanceship into full relationship, some readers might take exception to the early phases of their relationship. Even though we ALL know that people have been having pre-marital sex before the institution of marriage was established, there may be some that view Chip and Dennis’ weekend hotel romp as inappropriate (but if you won’t give us marriage rights, does that mean we’re excluded from judgment….no?...oh, sorry. Thought I was speaking with someone sensible. Put mommy on the phone, please).
We also learn that Chip has a 16 year old daughter that he frankly speaks to about his sex life. Obviously, those who view people in the queer community as a corrupting influence or—more baffling—as too complicated to explain to their delicate children would be horribly offended by this. But grow up, already! It’s a brave new world now (whether you like it or not).
There also is a lot of peen depicted. So, if it isn’t your thing, don’t look! The subtitle has the word “erotic” in it…it was your fault for not reading closely in the first place.
The verdict:
Delany’s coverage of queer characters is overwhelmingly positive, especially considering the unconventional aspects of their relationships. If you’re in the market for a quick, uplifting read (with a bit of eroticism for your afternoon delight), then it would be worth it to pick up Bread & Wine.
