No Se Lo Digas A Nadie

Thursday, 25 September 2008 07:33

Author: Jaime Bayly
Publisher: Editorial Seix Barral
Year: 1997
Price: About $12.95

While this book was written more than a decade ago, regardless of the social and cultural changes in today’s Latino culture, “No Se Lo Digas A Nadie” manages to stay relevant and up to date. If there is a book out there that captures what it is like being gay in Latin America, this is it. Personally I’ve read this book three times: the first one back in 2001 (I was 17), the second time around in 2005, and the third time 2008, just a few weeks ago. Not only is “No Se Lo Digas A Nadie” an easy and engaging read, it’s a great book to better understand yourself if you’re gay; it helps you understand those around you that are- let it be a friend, a cousin or a sibling. Better yet, you don’t have to be a homosexual to appreciate Jaime Bayly’s semi-autobiographical novel.

Other than homosexuality and bisexuality, Jaime Bayly touches bases on other recurring topics such as machismo in the Latino culture, substance abuse, prostitution, and religious fixation.

Again, you don’t have to be gay or be acquainted to one to enjoy and get into this novel. Queerness aside, it’s your archetypal coming-of-age novel that narrates the main character’s rough experiences while growing up in an uncomfortable setting as an outcast, dealing with drug addiction and alcoholism, and the indefinite and endless search for love.

If you happen to be a bit queer-intolerant, then you might want to skip “No Se Lo Digas A Nadie” since it has some strong and explicit sections that’ll make even the biggest slut among us blush.