The Lost Language of Cranes (1986) By David Leavitt

In 1986 when I first read David Leavitt’s novel The Lost Language of Cranes, gay-themed literature was in transition.  It was still a small publishing niche but was becoming commercially viable and slowly developing an audience beyond the LGBTQ community. The plots dealt almost exclusively with coming-out stories. In the years to come the genre’s focus would shift sharply, to stories about the plague years of AIDS. Leavitt’s novel is set near the beginning of that period, 1980’s New York.

My first read of the book was for all practical purposes in “real time” -- I lived in New York from 1982 through 1984. The plot lines were familiar, and the locations recognizable. Re-reading the book now, at the end of 2019, is like opening a time capsule. This wasn’t so much a case of “I’ve read this book before” as it was I have seen it with my own eyes.

  

The central characters are Philip, a 20-something native New Yorker, and his parents Owen and Rose Benjamin. The book details his coming out to them and the chain of events that kicks off. It includes the subplot of Philip’s first boyfriend, essays the co-dependency of some relationships, and the fear of commitment in others. It also brings in the issue of relationships serving as safe havens, too often merely providing emotional security, and addressing the fear of living one’s life alone – both relevant topics at the advent of an epidemic. Importantly, each of these relationship issues are mirrored in Philip’s parents. Leavitt’s character development of Rose is particularly of note, it is a compelling depiction that seldom gets its due in books written by men.

Beware, a movie was made based on this title. It took multiple liberties with the story, not the least of which was moving it from New York to London.

 

Recommendation:  Yes, a great book.  Skip the movie.