▁author ▁Fel ice ▁P icano . ▁The ▁book ▁is ▁a ▁semi - aut obi ographical ▁account ▁of ▁the ▁author ' s ▁life ▁growing ▁up ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s . ▁Major ▁them es ▁include ▁ad oles cent ▁sexual ity ▁and ▁coming ▁out . ▁ ▁A ▁" bold , ▁fun ny ▁and ▁exc ru ci ating ly ▁honest " ▁bi ographic ▁tale ▁of ▁the ▁author ' s ▁own ▁child hood ▁and ▁coming ▁out ▁experience , ▁that ▁in ev it ably ▁affect s ▁the ▁reader ' s ▁ret ros pective ▁view ▁of ▁his ▁own ▁child hood ▁mem ories . ▁ ▁When ▁it ▁was ▁first ▁published , ▁the ▁novel ▁was ▁perce ived ▁as ▁so ▁sc and alous ▁in ▁Great ▁Britain ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁burn ed ▁on ▁arrival ▁directly ▁at ▁the ▁London ▁do cks . ▁Still , ▁or ▁perhaps ▁because ▁of ▁its ▁reception ▁upon ▁release , ▁the ▁book ▁has ▁received ▁classical ▁status ▁and ▁has ▁been ▁re - re leased ▁on ▁more ▁than ▁one ▁occasion , ▁the ▁latest ▁release ▁being ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁ ▁References ▁▁ ▁Category : 1 9 8 5 ▁American ▁nov els ▁Category : American ▁L GB T ▁nov els ▁Category : F iction ▁set ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁Category : 1 9 8 0 s ▁L GB T ▁nov els <0x0A> </s> ▁Em ile ▁Er as mus ▁( born ▁ 3 ▁April ▁ 1 9 9 2 ) ▁is ▁a ▁South ▁African ▁male ▁track ▁and ▁field ▁spr inter ▁who ▁special ises ▁in ▁the