Rating: 
Summary: Superb analysis of life in the gay male "fast lane."
Review: Signorile writes an insightful and long-overdue book on the self-destructive nature of current gay male circuit party life. While by no means representative of the gay community as a whole, he makes the very valid point that virtually everyone who is gay and male is affected by the standards promoted by this subgroup. The result is extremely damaging.Those who have attacked this book as intellectually inferior or "sex negative" miss the point. They are attempting to shift the discussion away from what are very ugly truths about much of gay male culture today. Fortunately, Signorile also offers insights into gay men who are choosing to build their lives outside of the gay urban demimonde - a model that is well worth emulating if gay men want to avoid the inevitable waves of disease and infection that are part and parcel of the "fast-lane" lifestyle and culture. A culture, I might add, with extremely distorted "values."
Rating:
Summary: This Insightful book offers much for reflection
Review: Signorile's purpose in writing this book is to show that there is not simply one way to be gay, the way propagated by the "urban gay sexual subcultural scene" (described in part one), which demands conformity to a rigid set of unwritten standards and beliefs that defines what one must do to fit in with the gay community. Part two shows how some gay men, although influenced by the "scene," are living in different ways and by different values. I recommend this book to anyone who is uncomfortable with conforming to certain standards of the "scene" and its ideology, and to those who feel like "outsiders" to the gay community just because their values, interests, and lifestyle don't match the gay stereotyical mold of the "scene." I also highly recommend this as a resource to counselors of gay men, as it will help with understanding the dynamics and struggles of those both "in" and 'outside" the "scene." The powerful influence of the "scene" has made me feel different and as an "outsider" both in heterosexual society and in the gay community. I found hope in realizing there are others out there who share my interests and values, and who will accept me for who I am. For this book I am grateful.
Rating: 
Summary: Inside/Outside--Leave Me Alone!
Review: Signorile's work is the fast food of gay studies, and with this book, he makes new strides in his efforts to turn himself into a franchise. It's a good thing so many are unwilling to buy what he would have us buy; we're smarter than that. Here, he reminds me of Shere Hite--another mediagenic intellectual lightweight who trades in controversy and salaciousness and eponymous studies. ("The Signorile Report"--indeed! That's supposed to be a selling point?) I've followed Signorile for some time now, and I'm happy to say that I think we've long since entered a post-Signorile state of affairs and left him behind whence he came--the early nineties. He's an opportunistic intellectual pygmy, someone who's always wanted celebrity and exploits his own culture in order to get it. He loves the media spotlight more than he likes to think. This sense comes across in his writings, but I do concede he's moved toward a more humanistic, or at least, well meaning point of view in this last book than when he was outing for attention. This book spoke to me because I was going through much of what it documents at the time it came out, and it had that kind of parallel value. But for all that, I found myself wishing someone smarter, a better writer and a better thinker, had addressed himself to this book's concerns. The writing here is tortured, put forth by someone who just doesn't express himself very well and who uses some pretty inelegant, repetitive language and constructions. Bottom line on this author and this book is that I think we--gays--deserve better and smarter, more sophisticated, and these days, we've been getting it: Bronski, Browning, Chauncey--they are the real thing; Signorile's an intellectual poseur.
Rating:
Summary: On Target
Review: The book hits the nail on the head. Felt like he was reading my mind. Love that kind of experience with a book. Serious stuff, big topics. But it's also a very sexy book, even hot. Story of our lives, I guess. Makes you feel good once you get past the scary stuff. A good beach read.
Rating: 
Summary: A wonderful wake up call...
Review: This book is a gem. The words and ideas in it ring very true, at least from this writers perspective. The pressure to be "cut, ripped and pumped", and to escape "Life" with drugs and fun is REAL. It was well on its way to destroying me before I jumped off the merry go round in the early 90's. Signorile is not preaching, nor is he buying into the "Cult of the Circuit". He freely admits he works out. He wants to look good. But not at any cost. His dipiction of the flight over the desert and mountains to yet another "Circuit party" was oddly chilling and yet sad. Are we(gay men) so desperate to "blend" and yet be noticed that the cycle of attention seeking behavior will not end? I did find that the disparity between the two types of lives led (Parts One and Two) was a bit too stark, and difficult to relate to. Having been to NYC and Chelsea several times-that description was more than apt. The looks from the "Pumped" to the "Non-pumped" are amazing-very withering and pitying. Signorile hit this one on the head. I think he is saying it is time to wake up, smell the coffee, and work on ourselves from the inside out, and not the other way around.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful wake up call...
Review: This book is a gem. The words and ideas in it ring very true, at least from this writers perspective. The pressure to be "cut, ripped and pumped", and to escape "Life" with drugs and fun is REAL. It was well on its way to destroying me before I jumped off the merry go round in the early 90's. Signorile is not preaching, nor is he buying into the "Cult of the Circuit". He freely admits he works out. He wants to look good. But not at any cost. His dipiction of the flight over the desert and mountains to yet another "Circuit party" was oddly chilling and yet sad. Are we(gay men) so desperate to "blend" and yet be noticed that the cycle of attention seeking behavior will not end? I did find that the disparity between the two types of lives led (Parts One and Two) was a bit too stark, and difficult to relate to. Having been to NYC and Chelsea several times-that description was more than apt. The looks from the "Pumped" to the "Non-pumped" are amazing-very withering and pitying. Signorile hit this one on the head. I think he is saying it is time to wake up, smell the coffee, and work on ourselves from the inside out, and not the other way around.
Rating:
Summary: A must read book for any gay male thinking to move to urban
Review: This book is a great INSIDE report on what really happens in the urban centers of gay ghettos. A must read book that will help you cope with what you have been thinking anayway. A review of what alteranatives and hopes gay males have today.
Many thumbs up!
Rating:
Summary: I must read for middle aged gay men.
Review: This book takes the dark side of gay culture and puts it in your face. You may not agree with every point, but you are challenged to at least take a stance. Some find the writing simplistic and repetitive but I think all agree the reader is forced to spend time with some very uncomfortable issues. For this reason I consider the work worthy of every gay mans attention.
Rating:
Summary: I must read for middle aged gay men.
Review: This book takes the dark side of gay culture and puts it in your face. You may not agree with every point, but you are challenged to at least take a stance. Some find the writing simplistic and repetitive but I think all agree the reader is forced to spend time with some very uncomfortable issues. For this reason I consider the work worthy of every gay mans attention.
Rating:
Summary: An eye-opener and a riveting read
Review: This is one of those books that has you nodding your head in agreement in between having your jaw drop in awe. The material is fascinating, and often scary, but toward the end, very hopeful. And the writing is wonderful, fresh and creative, like a novel. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and learned a lot.
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