Secrets of the gay retreat
Fire Island: Love, Loss, and Liberation in an American Paradise
Jack Parlett/Granta Books
The very words Fire Island conjure up images of sand dunes, blue skies, boardwalks, perfect pecs and cocktail parties. An enclave whose very name evokes a sense of queer utopian mystique, a realm of hedonism, cruising and liberation. With its distinct Cherry Grove and Pines communities, this thin Atlantic sandbar off the southern shore of Long Island means different things to different people. In this fascinating and thought-provoking social history and personal memoir, British academic Jack Parlett sifts through the fascinating story of this beguiling stretch of land. He makes a pilgrimage to the halcyon scenes of Frank O’Hara’s poetry; the
