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Seen this brief memoir, "A Boy, Returned", by Nicholas Holland? It’s a beautifully written piece and an absorbing tale. Despite plenty of challenges, both modern and age-old, the man-boy relationship is a triumph of Greek love, bringing benefits to boy, man, family, and wider society. Holland observes: “One thing we all agreed on was that Peter [loved boy] was far happier one-on-one – with anyone, not just me – than with a group. When the two of us escaped the crowd, he was instantly relaxed and cooperative, almost no matter what his mood...” I don’t think this is a rare phenomenon. Particularly for an adolescent boy, any social situation involving multiple people puts him on competitive edge. It’s probably an important factor in why boys, given a choice, often respond positively to a good man’s advances. The Cretans formalised this useful private dyad with its abduction ritual, man and boy spending two months alone together, feasting and hunting. Holland’s memoir shows the lingering long-term benefits a boy can get from this early, eroticised one-on-one bonding -- in terms of both continuing practical support and, more importantly and much more subtly, down in the foundations of character. Reading it, I kept thinking, I want the full-length novel version! The author sure has the chops for it. But then, boylove, like wit, has a soul that rather thrives on brevity. A real gem, this one. [@nonymouse] [Guardster] [Proxify] [Anonymisierungsdienst] |