A review by schinko94
The Velvet Rage: Overcoming the Pain of Growing Up Gay in a Straight Man's World by Alan Downs

5.0

What can I even say about this book? It has the power to literally save lives. Alan Downs has a lifetime of experience in psychoanalyzing gay men, and his analyses are a wonder to behold. He sees gay culture for what it really is (sometimes fun but ultimately superficial), and really gets to the root of why gay men have so many relationship issues. I don't entirely agree with his "lack of a father figure" argument, simply because it's a little too Freudian and philosophical for me. However, for most of the book, he is spot on, and offers some very good advice to gay men who are looking to find true contentment in their lives.