The Front Runner

Rating:
Summary: Finest Gay Romance Novel Ever Written!
Review: Consciously I know that Nell Warren is a woman, but she has an amazing insight into the gay male mind. The Front Runner is a primer. It is THE definitive work of gay romantic fiction. This is the gay Gone With the Wind. I've never loved characters so much as I've loved the ones in this book. I've been angry with them and happy with them, but ultimately, I've read and reread about them.

I can't tell you anything about the book, because you MUST read it to know it and if you don't already know what it's about then you've been living in a bomb shelter for too long - - get out and buy this book!

Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I have ever owned.
Review: Every time I read this book I go through so many emotions. Thank you Paticia. I bought it on a second thought and it is worth it's weight in gold. I am going to get it in hard back. It captures the feeling of the older gay man with all the fears of growing old and being alone. God bless Harlan.

Rating:
Summary: A remarkably honest protrayal of a gay relationship
Review: Harlan Brown is an ex-Marine and a track coach. In 1974, after he is dismissed from Penn State due to rumors of an alleged homosexual romance with one of his athletes, Harlan finds himself as the track coach at Prescott, a smaller university which he discovers is a more diverse than any other school in the country. Harlan's coaching life is thrown into turmoil when three young track athletes, kicked out of another university for their openness about their sexuality, want to join his team.

One of the athletes, Billy Sive who looks to be a contender for the Montréal Olympics, piques his interest, and Harlan soon finds himself falling for the young man. Billy begins to have the same feelings for Harlan. Once they admit their feelings, they form a strong, positive relationghip face together the fear and hatred of the athletic world and society, determined to give Billy his shot at a gold medal.

First published in 1974, this became a national bestseller. Patricia Nell Warren's depiction of two gay athletes in the 1970s is filled with so much that's positive about being gay: Harlan and Billy form a strong, monogamous relationship and don't hide it from the rest of the world. (They also don't flaunt it.) They tackle many issues that gay men and women are struggling with today: gay marriage, children, gay rights. The novel also handles the societal negatives regarding homosexuality with much humanity and empathy. You can either run and hide from it, or you can stare it down, be happy with yourself.

I also liked the characters. Harlan has only recently come out and is trying to deal with his feelings and jealousies along with his memories of the past and society. Billy is calm, confident, knows who and what he is and is determined that no one is going to keep him from what makes him happy. The two of them together make a great and very realistic couple.

While it is a gay novel, it's also a sports novel. Warren was a long-distance runner herself and draws from her experiences to give a realistic view of the amateur sports world, especially when it comes to the politics of jsut being able to compete. It's a world that I found very intriguing and want to learn more about.

This is a remarkable book, one that should be read by everyone, gay and straight.

Rating:
Summary: The Goddess is Patricia Nell Warren
Review: How is it that a female story teller so adeptly delved into the emotions and mind of gay men? I was 27 when I first read The Front Runner, it was published when I was only 5 years old. Even though it is a story about life set in the 70s, it is a truly remarkable tale about love, destiny, passion and the search for that special love we all seek. Harlan, the track coach at the center of the book, has paid some tough prices for coming out as a gay man. He lost a wife, a family, and yes it would be easy to say he should never have gotten married and cheating on his wife...through Ms. Warren's words, we see the pain and confusion that his sexual identity has caused him. It is not until he is into his 40s that he finds he can be out and lead a life deserving in respect & love. The tragic ending will move any heart I'm sure, gay or staright or questioning. Along with its sequels, each just as brilliant, TFR is a landmark book that is a celebration of the gay & lesbian community.

Rating:
Summary: Stunning
Review: I am always amazed that this book "The Front Runner" was not written by a gay man. I'm sure that Patricia Nell Warren must have been one in a previous life or something to write so well and true to the kind of experiences that men have. The key character in the novel is Harlan (the subject of the sequel that came out many years later). "The Front Runner" is a metaphor in different respects, not only of Harlan's lover, the young track star Billy, but also of the novel, which was years ahead of its time in subject matter.

Harlan is a track coach who falls unexpectedly for his young student athlete Billy. Billy comes to the college where Harlan is teaching after he and two friends, who also feature in the novel prominently, are kicked off the team at the other school for being gay. This four-some have a strong bond of identity and experience, and end up supporting each other not only in the races of the track meets, but also the race of life. The climax of the novel comes when Billy makes the Olympic team, and again in "front runner" fashion is selected to be the flag-carrier in the parade.

The way Warren crafts the characters and the situations is incredible. I re-read this book every few years or so, and recommend it highly to anyone coming out, anyone not yet out, and anyone who wants to understand some of the emotions of the gay community. While this is not representative of all gay men, it touches a lot of points that are true.

Rating:
Summary: Stunning
Review: I am always amazed that this book "The Front Runner" was not written by a gay man. I'm sure that Patricia Nell Warren must have been one in a previous life or something to write so well and true to the kind of experiences that men have. The key character in the novel is Harlan (the subject of the sequel that came out many years later). "The Front Runner" is a metaphor in different respects, not only of Harlan's lover, the young track star Billy, but also of the novel, which was years ahead of its time in subject matter.

Harlan is a track coach who falls unexpectedly for his young student athlete Billy. Billy comes to the college where Harlan is teaching after he and two friends, who also feature in the novel prominently, are kicked off the team at the other school for being gay. This four-some have a strong bond of identity and experience, and end up supporting each other not only in the races of the track meets, but also the race of life. The climax of the novel comes when Billy makes the Olympic team, and again in "front runner" fashion is selected to be the flag-carrier in the parade.

The way Warren crafts the characters and the situations is incredible. I re-read this book every few years or so, and recommend it highly to anyone coming out, anyone not yet out, and anyone who wants to understand some of the emotions of the gay community. While this is not representative of all gay men, it touches a lot of points that are true.

Rating:
Summary: A book I will always remember
Review: I first read this book back in the mid 1970's when I was 20, shortly after coming out. Less than a handful of books that I have read in my lifetime have elicited an outward emotional response. This is one of those few. I cried. In retrospect it was an emotional response to the unexpected death of the book's hero as much as it was an emotional response to the fact that the book had been written at all --- by the time I had reached that point in the book, I was ready to cry anyway from having finally read a legitimate novel about "us". Those of us who had not yet come of age when this book was originally published may not be able to appreciate the power it held for those of us who did. In this day and age the outcome of the book may seem melodramatic and unreal, but they need to be aware of the time in which it was written when the gunning down of an openly gay celebrity was something that was very possible, even likely.

This book would not win awards for it's writing style -- while the author is certainly talented, she is not a beacon of literary accomplishment. The power of this book lies in the content and the age in which it was published. In that respect, this is a landmark book.

Rating:
Summary: passionate & provoking
Review: I first read this book in the 70's and have enjoyed it many times since. I am waiting for someone to make the movie! This is a timeless story of deep enduring love. Themes of sports, rebellion, hate, love, homophobia & victory entertwine within the characters as do fine grapes on a warmed Tuscany vine.

Rating:
Summary: Still Running
Review: I first read this book in the mid '80s. It was loaned to me by my best friend who insisted that I read every word. I did, and it became my all-time favorite. Since then I've recommended it to almost everyone who's come into my life, and they've all welcomed it as one of the finest reads around. Nobody I know, straight or gay, has been able make it through the last few chapters without realizing how much they've embraced these characters to their hearts. I've bought and given away so many of my own copies that I've stopped counting. Simply one of the best books ever written.

Rating:
Summary: Still Maintaining It's Lead
Review: I first read this book twelve years ago, having heard it was the first big breakthrough mainstream gay novel. It wrecked me. I remember sitting in my bed crying my eyes out and marvelling that this was written by a woman. The love story of Olympic track hopeful Billy Sive and his coach Harlan Brown still manages to hold up after twenty seven years.Not only is the love story effective, but the book now almost reads as a primer for the gay rights movement. Paul Newman had bought the rights originally to adapt the book into a feature, but apparently no actor wanted to take on the then controversial role of Harlan. Times have changed. Now it would be considered a career boon for an actor. Better late than never. And if you've never read this book, the same adage applies.