I have no idea except for one movie, which of the movies and which of the people are real or fictional in this amazing take on being gay and famous and in the Hollywood studio system. Best version of that story I have ever read. In this case, I read the audio version, beautifully narrated by Jelani Alladin. Aaron Toussaint, is a different kid, a huge fan who cannot sit still and be quiet in his hometown’s Black movie theater. He would have been banned but for the kindness of the projectionist, a queer older man who took him under his wing and let him do chores and sit in the projection booth to watch the films. The projectionist sweet role model who accepted and was kind to this little boy with no feelings for girls well. Rufus, an overwhelmingly handsome teenager got invited to all male parties where mostly white young boy/men dover naked into the pool and were available in Hollywood to the older men who were in-the-closet and famous. He had a presence that transcended these jobs and made unexpected people consider him for his later acting career. When Aaron had to leave home in a hurry at 17, he enlisted in the Navy, went to Korea and met Horace Dixon, a Lieutenant, very close to becoming a flying ace. Horace, too is Black and already well known and admired for his achievements in the air. The officer is far above Aaron, yet end up getting to know each other well.
Ultimately, Horace and Aaron and Rufus, now the aspiring actor Xavier Barlow find themselves in Hollywood at the same time. Due to one early encounter at a party for Dorothy Dandridge and later when Xavier is filming for Skyline Studios where Aaron landed a security/fixer job, Aaron and Xavier become friends and their story moves together. Not as lovers but as close to each other men who are gay and supportive of each other. Things go up and down and spoilers must be left to themselves. But we know from page one that Aaron, in his later years, feels compelled to write his dear friend’s story. Because this is a telling of what the Hollywood studio system could and would do in the late 40’s through the late 60’s and how those who survive can choose to keep the truth and share the stories of those who did not survive.
The full range of the “gay” Hollywood scene is present with love stories involving two men; the bar and club scene; strangers cruising in parks; and police raids because it’s illegal to engage in gay sexual acts. There is sex and heartbreak and miscommunication and bad things happen. Throughout, these characters are fully developed in their back stories and their humanity. Also throughout, they are in places where they encounter or know a lot about the private and public lives of famous African American and Caucasian American actors and musicians. The films and music they made are woven throughout as the film buff Aaron recounts his encounters with famous people or his knowledge of their work and lives.
Over time, the talented and handsome Xavier becomes beloved and famous, but as he gains age and experience, Xavier takes a huge leap against his movie studio, giving author Rasheed Newson the hook he needs to tell a bigger story. We arrive at the beginnings of members of the Queer Communities’ activism as the sixties come to an end. The intersection of Gay Black Hollywood is beautifully pulled together with Skyline Studios where both “Black” and “White” movies are produced on very different terms for the players. I had to look it up. I knew it didn’t exist, but when an author deftly puts together Harry Belefonte, Billy Holiday and Dianne Carrol, and of course very importantly the guy Xavier rivals, Sidney Poitier, it’s hard to believe the protagonists in this book are not real along with their movie studio. And as a historical fiction fan, I bow to this author because mixing such famous people into the scenery requires care. He mostly sticks to putting their songs in their mouths or talks about their movies, shares the gossip on the street about them or how our fictional participants view them. Only one real person I can think of gets to be an actual talking character, Dianne Carroll who is necessary to the plot and a nice addition. Yet all these people are present in a meaningful way and add texture and veracity to Aaron’s story.
This was, in short, a really great novel with a lot of heart (and soul). It covers a huge range of what different people did to survive or did out of fear and what risks some people took to be who they are, the impact it had on them personally and on our culture. Beautifully done!
They Called me Bookworm 