Termina el Desfile
Barcelona: Seix Barral, 1981. 1st Edition. Octavo, publisher’s stiff illustrated paper wraps, french flaps.
Presentation copy first edition of Cuban author Reinaldo Arenas’s first book of short stories, depicting the decay of revolutionary idealism in his home country, inscribed by Arenas to George Stambolian. Initially sympathetic but ultimately critical of Fidel Castro and the Cuban revolution, Arenas fled Cuba for New York in 1980, where he was already seen as one of the most significant contemporary Cuban authors, with his books published via smuggled manuscripts. Even as Arenas was lauded for his unapologetic queerness, however, his anti-Castro sentiments were often shunned by Leftist intellectuals. He committed suicide by intentional overdose, after which it was revealed by his editor he had been battling AIDS for years. A French professor and editor central to the early gay literary movement, Stambolian is best known for his Men On Men anthologies, collections of gay male fiction published in the 1980s and early 90s featuring work by Andrew Holleran, Edmund White, and Felice Picano among other emerging gay writers. Stambolian played a pivotal role in legitimizing gay literature as a recognized literary field, and was a mentor to many of the writers of the generation that followed. Text in Spanish. Inscribed by Arenas in black marker to front endpaper: "To George Stambolian / with my best friendship / Yours / Reinaldo Arenas / New York / Sep 26/89." Additionally, Arenas has made a note to the half-title in blue ink indicating two stories in the collection as "gay short stories." Minor foxing to edges of textblock, else fine. Item #11817
$400.00