l
g
a cover (I'm assuming this because In some ways the book is like
they used a Magic Marker to check the WIZARD OF OZ (a running meta-
that you paid; you can imagine how phor through the book), with its
chic El Marko all over your hand crazy, warm, wild, wicked charac—
looks.), they were charging two dol- ters, all scrambling to unscramble
lars until 1 a.m., then raised it to themselves-~usually by magic. It's }
three. This didn't even entitle one like a life that is taken into the
to a drink. I am reasonably sure "rabbit hole" or "over the rainbow” f
none of this money went to the and swirled and twisted to a place
March; if so, they had no signs or where you meet beautiful and fright
notices to that effect. And the ening people and laugh and cry at
bars were so crowded! It took up to the beginnings and endings of rela-
an hour to get into some (and it was tionships but finally you find more
quite cold outside, too.) More than peace "in your own backyard."
a few people cruised the waiting There is a recognition that un—
line and didn't make it as far der the rainbow is a good place to
as the bar. be and that over the rainbow is at
Monday was rather sad. We best a fleeting Visit that lacks
weren't so obvious any longer and substance.
just about everyone had gone his/her Until I had finished the book I
merry way. Practically every person didn't know where the twister was
on the subway going back to the air— taking me. I frequently felt de—
port had come for the March, so we pressed and angered by the Oz-like
had some nice conversations. The characters. Although joy presented
feeling of unity had not totally itself, it seemed always surrounded
dissipated. As a matter of fact, I by dread and dark attempts of try-
met a guy from San Francisco who had ing too hard. Over and over I was
some friends in Lexington (take confronted with value questions.
heart, gay Lexington, they know Not that they were labeled as such
we're here.) but my own values and sense of mor-'
All in all it was a most moving als were confronted, questioned and
weekend and well worth the time, ef— attacked. The book is good mater
fort and money, regardless of the ial for such personal investiga—
fact that a bankruptcy trial is in tions. ‘
the offing. Kantrowitz is an English pro-
Joe Lincoln fessor and some very common lite—
rary themes run through the_book.
, The search for truth, the battles ‘
BOOK REVIEW over social injustice, the struggle
for peace and honesty, efforts to
Under the Rainbow- Arnie Kantrowitz distinguish between truth and hon-
(William Morrow & Co.) esty, and the gnawing fight (which
is no fight at all) to know a High—
Arnie Kantrowitz's search for er Spirit. All of this, in the
that illusive "inner core" is the context of growing up gay, smoothly
basic premise of Under the Rainbow. flows into a very readable book.
Kantrowitz carries us along on that Because of my failure to real-
search through his childhoos, ado- ize I was on a journey which was,
lescence, college years, his fears indeed, a man's search for self, I
of his feelings, his family rela- didn't really feel a closeness to
tionships, his work with GAA, his Arnie until the final chapters of
lovers, his communal living experi— the book. I found myself saying,
ence, his experimentation with "Where is the substance to this
drugs, his visit to Europe (perhaps man?" At times he seemed so mind- .
the best written chapter), but most less. But, of course, the sub— ‘
of all he takes us on the search of stance was there; it was just scat—
a person finding himself. tered all over the place. Upon