Blackouts: A Novel

Blackouts is a novel that explores queer histories and their place within them, from the critically acclaimed author of We the Animals. It is a haunting, dreamlike rumination on memory and erasure, blending fact with fiction to force us to look again at the world we have inherited and the narratives we have received.

Format: Hardback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 02 November 2023
Publisher: Granta Books

Winner of the National Book Award for Fiction, Juan Gay is a deeply personal and emotionally rich novel that explores the queer histories of two men, one young and one old, and their place within them. Set in The Palace, a monumental and fading institution in the desert that was once an asylum, the story revolves around Juan's final days as he is tended to by a young man who he met only once but who has haunted the edges of his life ever since. As the end approaches, the two trade stories, resurrecting lost loves, lives, mothers, and fathers, and their lives become inextricably woven into a broader story of pathology and oppression.

Charged with sifting through Juan's belongings, the narrator uncovers a copy of Sex Variants: A Study in Homosexual Patterns, its pages blacked out, censored, and reduced to poetic dispatches. As he sifts through the manuscript, another story is told: that of Jan Gay, a radical, queer anthropologist whose groundbreaking work was co-opted and stifled by the committee she served.

Blackouts is a haunting, dreamlike rumination on memory and erasure, blending fact with fiction to force us to look again at the world we have inherited and the narratives we have received. It draws from historical records, screenplays, testimony, and images to create a rich and layered narrative that is both intimate and expansive. Through the characters of Juan and Jan, Gay explores the complexities of identity, sexuality, and the power of storytelling to shape our understanding of the world.

The novel also delves into the historical context of the AIDS epidemic, providing a poignant and powerful portrayal of the lives and struggles of those affected by the disease. Gay's writing is characterized by its poetic and evocative language, which brings the characters and their experiences to life in a way that is both heartbreaking and inspiring.

Blackouts is a testament to the power of literature to challenge our assumptions, broaden our horizons, and remind us of the importance of empathy and understanding. It is a must-read for anyone who seeks to explore the complexities of human experience and the enduring legacy of queer history.

Weight: 432g
Dimension: 144 x 223 x 31 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781847083975