The Night Listener (novel)

The Night Listener (novel)

infobox Book |
name = The Night Listener
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Armistead Maupin
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series =
genre = Novel
publisher = HarperCollins
release_date = 2000
media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
pages =
isbn = ISBN 0-06-017143-X
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"The Night Listener" is a roman à clef by Armistead Maupin. The plot is based on the real life story of Anthony Godby Johnson, the purported author of a book "" that was later revealed to have been a hoax.

Plot summary

Gabriel Noone is a gay writer whose late-night radio stories have brought him into the homes of millions. Noone has recently separated from Jess, his partner of ten years. Noone's publisher sends him the galleys of a memoir apparently written by a 13-year-old boy, Peter Lomax. The author claims to have been the victim of sexual abuse and infected with AIDS.

According to his memoir, his father started beating him at two and raped him at four; his mother videotaped the "sessions". When he was eight years old, his parents started pimping him and selling videotapes. When Pete was age 11, he ran away with the pornographic tapes, and his parents were jailed. A psychologist named Donna Lomax took the boy in and eventually adopted him.

Noone contacts the boy and they start exchanging a series of intimate phone calls that develop into a kind of father/son relationship. He begins to suspect that Pete does not exist and that he and his memoir are fabrications by Donna. Even a visit to their home is inconclusive, and the novel ends with Gabriel feeling that the value of the relationship to him is more important than whether or not Pete is real.

Subplots in the novel revolve around Gabriel's relationships with his lover and his father. Important themes are the nature of father/son relationships, the power struggle involved in caring for and being cared for by another, the embellishment of truth, and the secrets we keep even in the most intimate relationships.

Film, TV or theatrical adaptations

*The novel was adapted into a 2006 film starring Robin Williams, which was co-written by Maupin, Terry Anderson and director Patrick Stettner.

*"", a 2002 episode of "" TV series, borrowed heavily from the book's plot.

ee also

For a similar hoax, see JT LeRoy.

*List of books portraying paedophilia or sexual abuse of minors
*List of films portraying paedophilia or sexual abuse of minors

External links

* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E03E4D7133CF93AA35753C1A9669C8B63 New York Times review]
* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9906EFD9123EF93AA15753C1A9669C8B63 New York Times article]
* [http://www.portlandphoenix.com/archive/books/00/10/06/ARMISTEAD.html An article about "The Night Listener"]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • The Night Listener — may refer to The Night Listener (novel), a novel by Armistead Maupin The Night Listener (film), a 2006 film starring Robin Williams and Toni Collette, based on the novel This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If… …   Wikipedia

  • The Night Listener (film) — Infobox Film name = The Night Listener caption = Original poster director = Patrick Stettner writer = Armistead Maupin Terry Anderson Patrick Stettner starring = Robin Williams Toni Collette Bobby Cannavale Sandra Oh Rory Culkin music = Peter… …   Wikipedia

  • Night music (Bartók) — Night Music is a musical style of the Hungarian composer Béla Bartók which he used mostly in slow movements of multi movement ensemble or orchestra compositions in his mature period. It is characterized by eerie dissonances providing a backdrop… …   Wikipedia

  • The Bickersons — was a radio comedy sketch series that began in 1946 on NBC with Don Ameche and Frances Langford, moving the following year to CBS where it continued until 1951. Born as a recurring skit on The Chase and Sanborn Hour and refined on the lesser… …   Wikipedia

  • The Geoff Show — Infobox Radio Show show name = The Geoff Show caption = Geoff Show badge handmade by Annabel Port runtime = 3 hours country = flagicon|United Kingdom United Kingdom language = English home station = Absolute Radio presenter = Geoff Lloyd starring …   Wikipedia

  • The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical) — Infobox Musical name= The Phantom of the Opera caption=Logo music=Andrew Lloyd Webber lyrics=Charles Hart Richard Stilgoe book=Andrew Lloyd Webber Charles Hart Richard Stilgoe basis=1911 book Le Fantôme de l Opéra by Gaston Leroux… …   Wikipedia

  • The Fugitive (TV series) — infobox television show name = The Fugitive format = Drama runtime = 1 hour creator = Roy Huggins starring = David Janssen Barry Morse country = USA network = ABC first aired = 17 September 1963 last aired = 29 August 1967 num seasons = 4 num… …   Wikipedia

  • The Gene Krupa Story — Infobox Film name = The Gene Krupa Story caption = director = Don Weis producer = Philip A. Waxman writer = Orin Jannings starring = Sal Mineo Susan Kohner James Darren Susan Oliver music = Leith Stevens cinematography = editing = distributor =… …   Wikipedia

  • More Tales of the City (novel) — More Tales of the City   Author(s) Armistead Maupin …   Wikipedia

  • Maybe the Moon —   Author(s) Armistead Maupin Country …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”