Boy in the Sand:  Casey Donovan, All-American Sex Star
Roger Edmonson details the life of one of the most famous and beloved American gay porn stars. In 1971, gay model and actor Cal Culver went from being relatively unknown to superstardom when he appeared in the acclaimed high-brow porn movieBoys in the Sand. Rechristened Casey Donovan, he became a stage star, a world-renowned celebrity, and an idol for gay men.  In 1987 Culver died of AIDS-related complications.Boy in the Sandis remarkably free from moralizing, simply presenting the reader with the everyday realities of Donovan's life, from his careers as advice columnist forStallionmagazine and hustler to his romantic pursuits. Like Charles Isherwood's critically acclaimedWonder Bread and Ecstasy: The Life and Death of Joey Stefano, Edmonson's book is more than simply a portrait of the artist as a young stud--it's an examination of how gay-male sexuality and identity are constructed and marketed for both homosexual and mainstream audiences.--Michael Bronski