We Both Laughed In Pleasure: The Selected Diaries of Lou Sullivan

It took me almost a year to finish this diary because I couldn't bring myself to read the last portion. I didn't want him to die. I wanted to pretend that Lou was still alive so that I could call him up and invite him for dinner because I know we would have been friends.

If the publishers are doing an audiobook pls contact me because my extremely transsexual and gay voice would be perfect thank you xo

It took me almost a year to finish this diary because I couldn't bring myself to read the last portion. I didn't want him to die. I wanted to pretend that Lou was still alive so that I could call him up and invite him for dinner because I know we would have been friends.

If the publishers are doing an audiobook pls contact me because my extremely transsexual and gay voice would be perfect thank you xo

This is...difficult to review. On the one hand, reading someone's diaries -- rather than a memoir or autobiography -- is compelling because diaries are by their nature raw, unfiltered, honest. On the other hand, it consequently often feels scattered, nearly incoherent. And many of Sullivan's raw unfiltered thoughts are off-putting, even upsetting or offensive -- see, for example, Sullivan's reports of having or wanting to have sex with his own siblings (?). Ick, to say the very least! But of course, on the other hand, it feels wrong to rate so harshly the record of a life that ended so tragically. Sullivan's descriptions of the last years of his life, after being diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, are genuinely heartbreaking in spite of show more Sullivan's sometimes cavalier attitude towards it. You can't help but feel that it's all just so unfair. It certainly has worthwhile insights into the history of trans activism (and particularly gay trans activism) and HIV/AIDS for those looking to go beyond summary, but I wouldn't recommend starting here. show less

Extraordinary, overwhelming. I'm so so glad this is published and related easy to access now, it is vital. Thank you, Lou, and thank you, Ellis and Zach.

purchased @ the new Bluestockings NYC, 9 June 2021