Straight James/Gay James

Straight James/Gay James by James Franco

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book can go either way according to the point of view of the reader.

I think this is a very profound compilation of poems and tales that reflects the complicated mind of an artist. We all have different personas, because even though it is hard to admit it, you can’t just sometimes say wat you feel without hurting someone, or going to jail.

The debacle of self-awareness and maybe low self-esteem is reflected in a comedic Q&A with his alter ego. Which James Franco is the real one? I think they are both. But the fact that he is gay or not is not relevant, a great artist is known for his work and from my point of view he is amazing, even though some poems gave me the chills.

Note: I received an ARC free for review.


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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

James Edward Franco is an American actor, film director, screenwriter, film producer, author, and painter. He began acting during the late 1990s, appearing on the short-lived television series Freaks and Geeks and starring in several teen films. In 2001 he played the title role in Mark Rydell's television biographical film James Dean, which earned him a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film.

Franco achieved international fame with his portrayal of Harry Osborn in the Spider-Mantrilogy. Since then, his films have included the war film The Great Raid (2005), the 2006 romantic drama Tristan & Isolde, and Justin Lin's drama Annapolis (2006). In 2008, Franco starred in the comedy stoner film Pineapple Express and received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. He played a prominent role in the 2008 biographical film Milk. In 2010, he played the lead role inHowl as Allen Ginsberg, and 127 Hours, a film about Aron Ralston, an American mountaineer who cut off his own arm to free himself after he was trapped beneath a boulder. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance.

In 2010, Franco published a collection of short stories called Palo Alto. The book is named after the California city where Franco grew up and is dedicated to many of the writers he worked with at Brooklyn College. The book has received mixed reviews; Los Angeles Timescalled it "the work of an ambitious young man who clearly loves to read, who has a good eye for detail, but who has spent way too much time on style and virtually none on substance". The Guardian said that "The Hollywood star's foray into the literary world may be met with cynicism in some quarters, but this is a promising debut from a most unlikely source."