The Go Go Boy: Sonnets
Men of the New York Club Scene
by Edmund Miller, Ph.D., Professor of English,
C.W. Post Campus
Inkwater Press, 2005, 308 pages, poetry

The image of the New York club scene has an almost mythic quality. Often depicted in film and literature as a bastion of loud music, bright lights and fabulous outfits, it is rarely the starting point for serious character study. In his latest book, Edmund Miller goes beyond the stereotypes to truthfully profile the dancer-bartenders who populate this social stratosphere. Part witty exercise in poetry, part sociological investigation, “The Go-Go Boy” is a celebration of the icons of gay New York. Miller pays homage to the indomitable spirit behind the pretty faces, displaying great affection and respect for his subjects as he captures the unique essence of each man. His word portraits, composed in sonnet form, are accompanied by biographical notes, and where appropriate, translations into the subject’s native tongue or other relevant languages. Where others tread only in broad, clichéd strokes, Miller crafts his sparkling verse with great specificity, revealing the shared humanity that lurks beneath the facade of this unconventional setting.