The Flutter of an Eyelid by Myron Brinig

New York : Farrar & Rinehart, 1933
Linked image: New York Public Library, Collection of Book Jackets

Myron Brinig's The Flutter of an Eyelid is the story of writer, Caslon Roanoke who arrives in Los Angeles to work on his latest novel. His neighbors are an interesting bunch and he constructs his novel around them. Over time, it becomes less and less clear to the reader whether we are reading what is actually happening or if we are reading Roanoke's  novel.

A gay reading of the text centers on Mrs. Forgate, reputed murderer of several husbands, her young boyfriend Antonio and Hubert Daché, a poet from Texas. Antonio and Hubert's budding relationship is problematic for Mrs. Forgate and dangerous for them.

In Earl Ganz' novel, The Taos Truth Game, Myron Brinig appears as the main character and describes the story behind the publication of The Flutter of an Eyelid. The conversation is between Hal (poet, Witter Bynner) and Myron Brinig (p.40-41).

Albuquerque: University of New
Mexico Press, 2006

     "Myron, before I forget, " said the poet, "I want you to sign something for me." And he led Myron to a table on which lay a copy of The Flutter of an Eyelid.
     "Where'd you get this?" asked Myron, picking the book up.
     "I had Villagra save it for me."
     "You read it?" Myron asked in spite of himself. The question always sounded like begging.
     " Yes and I loved it," said Hal. "It's South Wind set in Malibu. And some of it's about people like us."
     "It's all about people like us," said Myron.
     "So what happened?"
     "A woman in LA thought she saw herself in it and brought suit."
     "Farrar & Rinehart wouldn't go to bat for you?"
     "No."
     "Was it her?"
     "The person I took the character from was a man. It was Farrar & Rinehart who asked me to change the gender."
     "So they knew who the character was and still wouldn't defend you?"
     "That's right. They'd rather take the loss than admit they had published a novel about homosexuals.

Bibliographies & Ratings: While Brinig's This Man is My Brother (1932) is listed in all four bibliographies, The Flutter of an Eyelid, also with obvious gay content, is absent. Perhaps the withdrawal of the title by the publisher is to blame for this oversight.