I prefer the company of women, but I need the comfort of men
First published in 1993, The Comfort of Men is about thirty years of love and sexual discovery, politics and betrayal, self-realisation and loneliness. Steven must come to terms with his homosexuality, Hester will experiment with radical celibacy, and Gerald is embroiled with the anti-Vietnam War movement.
REVIEW – Dr Bob Brown
‘An Australian classic. Dennis Altman’s seismic novel gives a vivid insight into a hidden world erupting to change Australia forever … Altman takes us into the heart of Australia’s gay revolution with compassion, wit, and sheer authenticity.’
ISBN: (paperback) 978-1-7645843-4-0
ISBN: (hardback) 978-1-7645843-6-4
Re-issue of the original edition (William Heinemann, 1993)
Clouds of Magellan Press 2026. 224 pages. C format
Cover image John Douglas https://www.instagram.com/johndouglasart/
1993 reviews
‘Altman’s maturity as a writer is evident not only in the ease of his prose but in his building of a careful narrative … it is a story many readers will recognize as their own.’ – Marcus O’Donnell Outrage
‘… a welcome addition to literature about homosexual relationships … Altman shows himself to be an assured storyteller … [and] is affirmative, even romantic about both the 1960s and homosexuality.’ – John Hanrahan, Australian Book Review
‘When he writes about sex and love, as he does for many of his 247 pages, Altman is direct without being blunt, compassionate without being sentimental, observant without being prurient. … It is a tall order for a first novel to be bold, iconoclastic, compassionate and smart. Altman has good reason to be pleased.’ – Mark Thomas, The Canberra Times
