Marlon James: Another Brief History

Jamaican-born, raised in affluent suburb of Kingston, 'nerd... batty boy', moves to New York, graduates from a Pennsylvania university, first novel, deleted, Kaylie Jones' encouragement, rescues book, 78 rejections, published, asked to teach creative writing in Minnesota, second novel, comparison to Dickens, writes A Brief History Of Seven Killings, part written in patois, violent drug gangs, Bob Marley shot, acclaim, moving coming out essay in New York Times, Booker Prize, HBO adaptation, how do I end this thing, 'the rest is (a brief) history.'

The Sunday Times profile.

And if you don't know Marlon's story by heart by now you can read it all again in FT Weekend.

Marlon James Award: Best Man

Guardian.

Independent.

The discovery that John-John K was the originating voice casts the novel’s trajectory in fresh light. A gay hitman from Chicago, John-John K performs two crucial jobs, one of which is to help Weeper, a gay gangster who has moved to the US from Jamaica, to affirm a kind of peace with his sexuality. (James laughs when he says that this fourth part was the only one he vetoed his mother from reading.) When James started writing A Brief History, with John-John K as the main character, did he mean to write a “gay” novel?

“If I’m going to go by how the book really started, yes,” he says. “It was a gay hitman going through boyfriend troubles, trying to kill someone. When the overall architecture showed up, it made sense to me. All of those tricky sexualities, the things we do to get accepted, and the things we do that make us acceptable, I really wanted to talk about that.” He says A Brief History is “a novel of exile”. (He once described himself as “post-postcolonial” but now rejects that label because “it implies that whatever you’re doing, it’s the still-dominant context”.)

Weeper’s meanness eases as he learns to accept himself. “From the get-go he was a gay character. And not just a gay character,” James says. “When people talk about homosexuality, the perception of homosexuality itself is one thing, but then there’s the perception of the role you play. Are you the top, the bottom? Are you submissive? There’s always someone who’s doing it and a person who it’s being done to. I deliberately played with that.” ...

Guardian.

Interesting to see how Marlon's sexuality is being acknowledged as central to his story - usually concentrating on his flight from Jamaica - and to A Brief History Of Seven Killings.

PS Why Marlon James had to get out of Jamaica to win the Booker prize. A Brief History of Seven Killings breaks some very strong taboos – and its writer says he feared becoming a victim of homophobic rage, Guardian Cif.

Marlon James: Gay Man Booker Winner (Geddit?)

Marlon James has become the first Jamaican writer to win the Man Booker prize, taking the award for an epic, uncompromising novel not for the faint of heart. It brims with shocking gang violence, swearing, graphic sex, drug crime but also, said the judges, a lot of laughs.

A Brief History of Seven Killings, a fictional history of the attempted murder of Bob Marley in 1976, was “an extraordinary book”, said Michael Wood, the chair of judges. “[It was] very exciting, very violent, full of swearing. It was a book we didn’t actually have any difficulty deciding on – it was a unanimous decision, a little bit to our surprise.

James, aged 44, who lives in Minneapolis, is the first Jamaican author to win the prize in the Man Booker’s 47-year history...

The Guardian.

As Marlon wrote in a moving New York Times' essay earlier this year, From Jamica to Minnesota to Myself, being a gay man is far from incidental to his story.

PS This Telegraph interview published this morning briefly touches on his sexuality.

Not sure how much the 'frank descriptions of gay sex and drug-taking' swayed the judges, ackchewlee.

Fagburn: Backpfeifengesicht

Ver actual media is full of stuff about Ukip and that smug posh twat Nigel Farage today, but here's a quick round-up of some other stuff that caught my red eyes recently...

Chris Denning: Shameless Ex-BBC DJ busted BBC News.
Burn the witch! etc etc.

Unreported World: Jamaica's Underground Gays Channel 4.
Tonight at 8pm.
RT with a :( if you want to pretend you care, but won't actually watch it.

Gambo: Shameless BBC DJ hosts Ivor Novello Awards Daily Express.
The 30th year he's done it. Good for him. x

Adorable!: The most pukey kid reacts to gayers 'viral' video EVER! Daily Mail.
It's rather instructive that only naff right-wing dweebs like Mail Online and Gay Star News like sentimental gay crap like this.

Old Vic: Matthew Warchus taking over from Kevin Spacey Daily Telegraph.
Old Vic? Queen Vic more like!
[Edit: Apparently Warchus, director of the new film Pride, isn't gay so... 'Old Vic? Old queen more like!' Not that I'm suggesting Spacey is a big gayer, either].

Disco Damaged: London website relaunched!!! DiscoDamaged.com.
Good news.

Brian Paddick: Ex-lover 'threatened to kill me' Via Gay Star News.
No comment.

Brighton Pride: Will they charge for the St James's Street party? GScene.
Probably. They always do what Sussex Police tell them to.

Sitges: Never Mind The Buggers Guardian Travel.
Fagburn's stepsister [Is there a nicer term to use?] used to live there with her kids and they all loved it.

RuPaul: Responds to 'tranny' 'controversy' HuffPost Gay Voices. 
Context is all. If The Sun used 'tranny' in a cruel, sensationalist story about a trans woman that would be offensive, but I really don't think that's what going on here. 

Harvey Milk: A frigging stamp unveiled at the White House! The Independent. 
A stamp!!!! Wow. It's the least they could do - they checked.

Edward Carpenter: Fundraising drive for a memorial in Sheffield Morning Star.
The pioneering radical gay socialist Edward Carpenter is one of Fagburn's heroes. Born in Hove, he didn't stay long...

Fred Phelps: Did a dying Fred come out for LGBT rights? Via Queerty.
Doubt it. This has apparently come from a member of the Phelps clan and they say all kinds of crazy shit.

Giovanni's Room: The last day at America's oldest gay bookstore Rolling Stone.
Thanks amazon! Maybe since your minimum wage slavery and tax avoidance helped put them out of business, some of the money you so publicly gave for mc same-sex marriage could go to help a community LGBT bookshop for gay people who like books. Ah, just realised the flaw in that plan...

PS Backpfeifengesicht is a German word for a person who should be punched in the face.

No idea why Fagburn kept thinking of that today.

Anyway, here is the real news!

Leave me alone, I can't fucking take it anymore

Daily Mail: Bingo!

The Daily Mail must be wetting themselves over this one - it's got it all going on!

But what do Mail Online readers think about this TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE?

'I don't want to waste time on deportation, absolute waste of funds. Bring back HANGING.' etc etc...

The Economist: Exports And Imports

There's an interesting overview in The Economist about how American evangelical Christians are exporting, funding and fermenting homophobia in Africa, the Caribbean, and Eastern Europe, and - ironically - particularly in Africa "campaigners adopt the language of anti-colonialism, portraying gay rights, and even homosexuality itself, as Western impositions; [even though their] opponents counter that the criminalisation of gay sex is itself largely a legacy of empire."
Further; "Anti-discrimination laws and other liberalising reforms are evidence of a worldwide secular conspiracy, against which Africa, or eastern Europe, or the Caribbean must fortify themselves. Occasional rebukes by the American government about persecution of gays abroad only prove the conspiracy’s power."
In fine, criticism that comes from those in the West - even signing some silly e-petition - can prove counter-productive and harmful.
Christ, this world is fucked.

The Daily Telegraph: Thou Shalt Not (Cont.)

Luckily for the archbishop, Cameron has no real intention of legalising gay marriage.
This story's not up on the Telegraph's website yet, so mañana...

...Okay. Hola!

This is the ever buffoonish Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, talking to the Telegraph, by the way.
He's a publicity whore - so much so they wanted him on Celebrity Big Brother.
Surprisingly he said no to that one.
Is it worth giving him any more of the oxygen of publicity?
This is a man who believes in God - why does anyone expect him to say anything rational or even sane?
He has form as a homophobe - he was one of a handful of Church of England bishops who refused to sign the mild as mother's milk Cambridge Accord condemning homophobia and supporting gay inclusion.
He was speaking from Jamaica, where he's taking part in the celebrations of their 50 years of independence.
Jamaica currently holds the world record for killing queers - will Sentamu be as vocal in his criticism of that?
Is it worth dignifying what he's said with a comment or critique?
Do you care what he says?
Do you really want to hear what he said?
Okay, try and make sense of this...

"Marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman. I don’t think it is the role of the state to define what marriage is. It is set in tradition and history and you can’t just [change it] overnight, no matter how powerful you are.

“We’ve seen dictators do it in different contexts and I don’t want to redefine very clear social structures that have been in existence for a long time and then overnight the state believes it could go in a particular way.

“It’s almost like somebody telling you that the Church, whose job is to worship God [will be] an arm of the Armed Forces. They must take arms and fight. You’re completely changing tradition."

See? This is nonsense.
The man's bobbins.
I can't even be bothered to take the piss out of it.
Bye.

PS Here's a video of his holiness talking about gay marriage.
I think he seems mentally ill.
You? 

Jamaica: Leading Newspaper Comes Out

'EDITORIAL - End Discrimination Towards Gays Now'

The Jamaica Gleaner, the country's leading newspaper, has come out for gay rights - arguing that the right to freedom from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation is added to the Charter of Fundamental Rights, and that the "buggery law" is repealed.

"To be clear, our position is neither an endorsement nor rejection of homosexuality. Frankly, we do not care. How consenting adults choose to live their lives is none of our business. There are, however, a couple of things that concern us and which we believe should be the concern of all Jamaicans.
"First, while we note and commend the advances in individuals' rights contained in the charter, we are aware that the possibility of discrimination against any group is a toehold for the erosion of the rights of others, notwithstanding the cover of constitutional protection.
"Moreover, the fear of stigma, discrimination and violence pushes many people into the closet. Their talents are often underutilised, to the detriment of the society and economy. There is evidence, too, of the health problems faced by gays, many of whom prefer to live without treatment for their illnesses, including HIV/AIDS, for fear of discrimination. The public-health risks are obvious..."

Story via LGBT Asylum News - Paul Canning's report gives some interesting commentary and background.

Jamaica: Perhaps You Had To Be There?

You may have heard that the alleged Mr Big of Jamaica's underworld, Christopher "Dudus" Coke", has finally been captured by the Kingston cops.
You must remember Dudus, "Jamaica's most wanted"?
He was the dude who managed to evade arrest last month following a huge shoot-out in Kingston that left over 70 people dead.
According to who you believe he's an evil drugs baron shipping shitloads of crack into the US, a much loved Robin Hood figure, or a businessman who's got the Jamaican government in his roomy pockets.
When he was caught in a police roadblock yesterday, the wonderfully named Mr Coke was escorted by a minister who claimed he was taking Coke to the US Embassy to give himself up.
The Jamaica Observer's account of his arrest prints his police mugshot where he is still wearing a disguise; glasses, a small afro wig and what looks like a hat.
A separate JO item has an unnamed police officer saying a pink wig was among items found in the car.
As you can see above The Jamaica's Observer's cartoon has taken just a little artistic licence conjuring up his impression of a bewigged Dudus being arrested.
As someone has posted on the JO messageboards; "I guess bad man DO WEAR LOTION AND POWDA after all..LMAO!!! Look at Dudus in Drag, who would've thought? LOL.. I guess when trouble tek yuh, pickney shut do affi fit yuh..LOL."
How silly? Well, The Daily Mail and other media also mangled the story into Coke being found in womens' clothes - he wasn't in the police report or the JO account.
LOL indeed.