I'll admit I'm a Duberman fan. As I was reading this work my thoughts turned to writers. Are authors above it all? Do they live lives different from how we live? Are their lives devoid of conflict because they put so much of their being into their writing? If anything this is certainly not the case for Paul. He bleeds and feels and deals with the world as best as one can--and sometimes not as good as one might. In the Rest of It Martin examines these years using memory and dairies that give such an honest portrait of the life of an gay author at this time. I find it interesting that Duberman can be so honest with himself and readers in describing his loves and failures and conflicts. He holds nothing back in this work. I especially enjoy the history/difficulty of writing of his Paul Robeson biography.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing this electronic version.

There are times when Duberman's political bent can get a bit tedious, and when his axe grinding takes up too much time in this wonderful book. I also think not all characters, especially his close friends are rendered in three dimensions. Stick with it. This is a raw, honest story that is well told. In the end its flaws are the ones the author himself acknowledges. The people he has met, the professional life he had led all make this a good book . More importantly, At its best, this book is a journey towards compassion, an unsentimental story of redemption.

A beautifully written and compelling story that held me captive from beginning to end. Very enjoyable and highly recommendable.

Martin Duberman is an overlooked figure in the history of LGBTQ. His own history is as compelling and moving and this is a future classic.