Robert Gluck Essays
The evolution of new narrative and queer writing/art
A Long Note on New Narrative ( 2019)
I see my good friend Keaton at the campus cafeteria we frequent, something I have wrote about constantly in my writings. I believe this interaction was so influential to me because, in essence, it changed my life completely. Now, I have always loved writing, ever since I was a little kid, but this conversation was different. Something had shifted inside me, a light switch had been flicked on. I got it. Finally.
Reading about Robert’s friendship with Bruce moved me. Learning about his relationship with Ed. Seeing Robert struggle with the same questions and feelings I have had about writing and relationships was so wonderful. I just kept reading the essay, wanting to know more and more.
That’s when, in my literature class, my professor tells us that we are going to read Gluck’s essay and an excerpt from About Ed (2023) and Margery Kempe (1994). I got to know more. I talked with my professor so much after class, she saw how much I lit up. I was the only one in class that next week to speak at all.
Robert speaking so freely about being gay is so refreshing to see. Being a trans woman from Florida, and moving to Washington state, and finally REALLY seeing gay, queer and trans people move around freely is enough to make me cry. Reading about someone being gay when it was such a hard thing to deal with was deeply, utterly moving. Being back in Florida for 2+ years doesn’t help at all. I need to go back……
(Note: I will be continuing this essay <3 taking a small break from writing it, the next book I will cover by Robert Gluck is About Ed, as I need to finish it and buy his others)