Wild Man

Set in late 1960s Spain that is struggling under the yoke of Francisco Franco's oppressive dictatorship, Patricia Nell Warren has woven a story of relationships, repression, and the human spirit's yearning to overcome. Author of The Front Runner, the novel that is generally considered THE breakout gay novel that has paved the way for all that have followed, Warren has exceeded herself in many ways with The Wild Man. Spain, in all her rustic beauty, deep traditions, and centuries-old history of violent repressions perpetrated by the Catholic Church, the throne, and governments that often backed and supported it, the political background of The Wild Man is a vital part of this story. Warren, having lived and worked in Spain during the period that's depicted in The Wild Man, has imbued the story with nuances only a real understanding of the climate and history of Spain can render. Antonio Escudero is The Wild Man. A fading bullfighter in the traditional style, battling an old injury and his own inner conflict, at thirty years old, he is edging towards retirement. Fueled by his crumbling conviction about the meaning of his art, he carries another burden. Living in a country known for its long history OF violent racial and ethnic cleansing of Moors, Jews, intellectuals, dissidents and homosexuals, Antonio is a maricón. He is a homosexual. He has dealt with his needs, "the Big Hunger," by seeking physical pleasures while abroad, and hiding his reluctance to marry in the accepted bachelorhood of the torero. With his confidence shaken from the old injury, with his yearning for a relationship rather than a tryst, and with the pressures to wed placed on him by his family, Antonio is at a crossroads. As Antonio limps from the ring after a fight at Santander on Spain's north coast, a working-class man wearing bloodstained coveralls leans out and offers a drink to Antonio. He is one of the butchers employed to dress the bulls that are killed in the ring. Antonio accepts the drink and moves on. After the fight, as Antonio and his entourage are leaving the arena and getting into their car, a man reappears in the crush of people scrambling for a piece of the toreros. It's the man who offered Antonio the drink. As the crowd presses in, Antonio's feet slip, he loses his footing and the young man, Juan, grabs him. Hidden in the mob of screaming people, Antonio feels Juan press his hips against him, and the unmistakable hardness in his pants. As Antonio jumps into his car, he pulls Juan in after him so that he won't be arrested by `the Grays,' Franco's police, there to squelch the mob's enthusiasm for the fights that could, at any time, erupt into a political riot. Antonio thanks Juan and offers him money. Juan proudly refuses. Juan is driven to a safe place, dropped off, and vanishes into the night. Thus, do Juan and Antonio first meet. Over the course of the next days and weeks, Antonio's obsession with the man he saw, overwhelms him.

Patricia Nell Warren is a legendary icon in gay literature. Her landmark novel "The Front Runner" has captivated over 10 million readers in two generation since its publication in 1974. It has been published in ten languages.Warren's newest novel, "The Wild Man" is argueably her greatest novel. The saga is set in fascist Spain in the late 1960s during the reign of Franco. The book is captivating. Once your read the first twelve pages you are hooked. The story revolves around a gay bullfighter, Antonio Escuedero, poised on the verge of retirement. A chance encounter with a peasant, Juan Diano Rodriguez, who has a unique ability to raise animals, leads to an unthinkable love story in an oppressive environment. The story is deepend through the relationship of Antonio and his twin sister, Jose, who is a lesbian with a hidden love life of her own.Warren has often come under for writing about men. "The Wild Man" is proof that she writes drmaticly about women as she does about men. Once again, however, she is able to get into the emotions and psyche of gay men in a way that is unique in glbt literature.Though set in Fascist Spain, Warren points out in the Notes and Acknowledgement section that follows the novel, that the increasing power of the religious right spells needed concern. Liberties fought for valiently can be easily lost if not carefully guarded."The Wild Man" is an excellent book. It is a quick read, a glimpse into a distant time and culture and a great deal of fun....

Simply the best novel I've come across in at least two years. Ms. Warren brings the relationships of two couples to life in her latest book THE WILD MAN. Set in Spain, during Franco's regime, the novel unfolds to reveal the secret, and endangered, lives of gay men and women. Ms. Warren writes eloquently and convincingly; her characters remain true to Spanish culture, and seem amazingly real. As I read THE WILD MAN, I felt myself being pulled into the world of a Spanish bullfighter and his secret lover. Ever aware of the dangers around them, the characters' relationship develops in near secrecy. The development and climax of the book is at times incredible, but always beleivable. The book is not only a fictional account, but also a warning of times to come. Ms. Warren carefully crafts a scene that often reflects the America of today. THE WILD MAN suggests what may become of gay rights, if the conservative agenda is allowed to eat away at the progress made in the last decades. Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with the characters of THE WILD MAN. This is what most of us have come to expect from Patricia Nell Warren: credible characters along with such a realistic story line, that you can't help but identify with them. THE WILD MAN enrages, as well as urges one to think seriously about the state of affairs in America.

The Wild Man far surpasses anything in the way of gay/lesbian fiction on the market, bar none. Told from the point-of-view of a "torero" (bull-fighter) in the Spain of the late 1960s, where every aspect of life is controlled either by the Church or by conservatives of the Franco regime, being gay or lesbian is tantamount to a prison sentence if discovered. Yet twins (a brother and a sister) from one of Spain's old families manage to find mates. Richly rendered, Warren's writing strikes many romantic and lyrical notes. No other writer of gay/lesbian fiction writes with such beauty and realism. Never artsy or pretensious, The Wild Man is delectable. ---Ronald L. Donaghe, author of Common Sons.