Paul Landry Monette (October 16, 1945 – February 10, 1995) was an American author, poet, and activist best known for his books about

gay relationship A same-sex relationship is a romantic or sexual relationship between people of the same sex. ''Same-sex marriage'' refers to the institutionalized recognition of such relationships in the form of a marriage; civil unions may exist in countries ...

s. In 1992, he won the

National Book Award for Nonfiction The National Book Award for Nonfiction is one of five US annual National Book Awards, which are given by the National Book Foundation to recognize outstanding literary work by US citizens. They are awards "by writers to writers". The panelists a ...

Early life and career

Monette was born in

Lawrence, Massachusetts Lawrence is a city located in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, on the Merrimack River. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 89,143. Surrounding communities include Methuen, Massachusetts, Methuen ...

, and graduated from

Phillips Academy Phillips Academy (also known as PA, Phillips Academy Andover, or simply Andover) is a Private school, private, Mixed-sex education, co-educational college-preparatory school for Boarding school, boarding and Day school, day students located in ...

in 1963 and

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

in 1967. The rigid social confines of his suburban, middle-class upbringing placed Monette in a position where life in

the closet ''Closeted'' and ''in the closet'' are metaphors for LGBTQ people who have not disclosed their sexual orientation or gender identity and aspects thereof, including sexual identity and sexual behavior. This metaphor is associated and sometimes ...

seemed to be the only option. For the majority of Monette's childhood, he felt suffocated and alienated by the strict, religious atmosphere in which he was raised. Monette would later describe this life in the closet as hindering his personal development as a child, as he was forced to deny a part of his identity that was seen as sinful by everyone around him. He described his youth in the closet as an ‘internal exile', an ‘imprisonment', and claimed that closeted life equates to ‘the gutting of all our passions till we are a bunch of eunuchs.' Conflicted about his

sexual orientation Sexual orientation is an enduring personal pattern of romantic attraction or sexual attraction (or a combination of these) to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender. Patterns ar ...

, he moved to

Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, where he taught writing and literature at

Milton Academy Milton Academy (informally referred to as Milton) is a coeducational, co-educational, Independent school, independent, and College-preparatory school, college-preparatory boarding and day school in Milton, Massachusetts, educating students in g ...

. In 1978, he moved to

West Hollywood West Hollywood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Incorporated in 1984, it is home to the Sunset Strip. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, its population was 35,757. History Most historical writings about West Hollywood be ...

with his romantic partner, lawyer Roger Horwitz (November 22, 1941 – October 22, 1986). He wrote and published several novels during this time period, starting with ''Taking Care of Mrs. Carroll'' in 1978, which featured a gay protagonist. Monette himself later described the books he produced in this time period "glib and silly little novels." His more serious work came later in his life and was largely driven by his experiences with AIDS.

Notable works

''Borrowed Time: An AIDS Memoir''

Monette's most acclaimed book, ''Borrowed Time: An AIDS Memoir'', chronicles Horwitz's fight against, and eventual death from, AIDS. The memoir details the final nineteen months of Horwitz's life, beginning with the day that he was first diagnosed with AIDS. Monette describes the day as "the day we began to live on the moon," isolating himself from the reader in order to demonstrate the devastating loneliness that is felt among AIDS patients and their loved ones. It was a miserable existence for Monette, he writes: "within three months this sense of separateness would grow so acute that I really didn't want to talk to anyone anymore who wasn't touched by AIDS, body or soul."

''Becoming a Man: Half a Life Story''

His 1992 memoir, ''Becoming a Man: Half a Life Story'', tells of his life in the closet before coming out, culminating with his meeting Horwitz in 1974. ''Becoming a Man'' won the 1992

."National Book Awards – 1992"

National Book Foundation The National Book Foundation (NBF) is an American nonprofit organization established with the goal "to raise the cultural appreciation of great writing in America." Established in 1989 by National Book Awards, Inc.,Edwin McDowell. "Book Notes: ...

. Retrieved March 24, 2012. (With acceptance speech by Monette.)

Other works

Monette also wrote the novelizations of the films ''

Nosferatu the Vampyre ''Nosferatu the Vampyre'' () is a 1979 gothic horror film directed and written by Werner Herzog. The film serves as both a remake of the 1922 film ''Nosferatu'' and an adaptation of Bram Stoker's 1897 novel ''Dracula''. Herzog’s film is set i ...

'' (1979), ''

Scarface Scarface may refer to: Gangster-related * Scarface, nickname for Al Capone (1899–1947), an American gangster and a businessman. * ''Scarface'' (novel), a novel by Armitage Trail, loosely based on Capone's rise to power ** ''Scarface'' (1932 ...

'' (1983), ''

Predator Predation is a biological interaction in which one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common List of feeding behaviours, feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation ...

'' (1987), ''

Midnight Run ''Midnight Run'' is a 1988 American action comedy film directed by Martin Brest from a screenplay by George Gallo. It stars Robert De Niro, Charles Grodin, Yaphet Kotto, John Ashton (actor), John Ashton, Dennis Farina and Joe Pantoliano. In the ...

'' (1988) and ''

Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

and their families' experiences. He once said in an interview that "One person's truth, if told well, does not leave anyone out." Because of this belief, he tried to tell the truth in a way that gave a voice to a community that was usually left out.

Later life and death

While writing his novel, ''Afterlife'', Monette met television producer Stephen Kolzak, best known as the casting director for the TV show ''

Cheers ''Cheers'' is an American television sitcom, created by Glen and Les Charles, Glen Charles & Les Charles and James Burrows, that aired on NBC for eleven seasons from September 30, 1982, to May 20, 1993. The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/C ...

''. Monette and Kolzak were partners for two years, until Kolzak's death from AIDS in September 1990, resulting in what Monette called his “second widowhood.” Monette's final years, before his own AIDS-related death, are chronicled in the film '' Paul Monette: The Brink of Summer's End'' by Monte Bramer and Lesli Klainberg. "By the end of his life, Monette had healed most of his psychic wounds, but his rage persisted." He said, "go without hate, but not without rage; heal the world." He had tried to use his rage to heal the world through his writing and activism. Monette died in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

, where he lived with his partner of five years, Winston Wilde. Monette was survived by Wilde; his father, Paul Monette Sr.; and his brother, Robert L. Monette. Horwitz and Monette are buried alongside each other at Forest Lawn in Los Angeles,

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

The Monette–Horwitz Trust

Shortly before his death in 1995, Monette established the Monette-Horwitz Trust to commemorate his relationship with Roger Horwitz and to support future

LGBT LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The gro ...

activism and scholarship. Monette's brother, Robert Monette, served as the appointed

Trustee Trustee (or the holding of a trusteeship) is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, refers to anyone in a position of trust and so can refer to any individual who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the ...

until his death in 2015, and his sister-in-law, Brenda Monette, serves as the current trustee. Monette–Horwitz Trust Awards are given annually to individuals and organizations for their contribution to eradicating

homophobia Homophobia encompasses a range of negative attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who identify or are perceived as being lesbian, Gay men, gay or bisexual. It has been defined as contempt, prejudice, aversion, hatred, or ant ...

through their literary, scholarly, archival, or activist work. The award's eight-member advisory committee includes Monette's surviving partner, Winston Wilde and the writer Terry Wolverton. The

Lesbian Herstory Archives The Lesbian Herstory Archives (LHA) is a New York City-based archive, community center, and museum dedicated to preserving history of lesbianism, lesbian history, located in Park Slope, Brooklyn. The Archives contain the world's largest collection ...

and the June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives received the inaugural Monette-Horwitz Trust Awards in 1998. Other organizations which have since been recipients include

Athlete Ally Athlete Ally is a nonprofit LGBTQ athletic advocacy group based in the United States. The group aims to make athletic communities more inclusive and less discriminatory and help athletes to advocate for LGBT movements, LGBTQ equality. History ...

, Naz Foundation India and the

Addison Gallery of American Art Addison may refer to: Places Canada * Addison, Ontario, a community United States * Addison, Alabama, a town * Addison, Illinois, a village * Addison, Kentucky, an unincorporated community * Addison, Maine, a town * Addison, Michigan, a vil ...

. Among the individuals who have received the award are Sunil Pant,

Lillian Faderman Lillian Faderman (born July 18, 1940) is an American historian whose books on lesbian history and LGBT history have earned critical praise and awards. ''The New York Times'' named three of her books on its "Notable Books of the Year" list. In addi ...

Allan Bérubé Allan Bérubé (pronounced BEH-ruh-bay; December 3, 1946 – December 11, 2007) was a gay American historian, activist, independent scholar, self-described "community-based" researcher and college drop-out, and award-winning author, best know ...

and

Leslie Feinberg Leslie Feinberg (September 1, 1949 – November 15, 2014) was an American butch lesbian, transgender activist, communist, and author. Feinberg authored '' Stone Butch Blues'' in 1993.

. Each year, the Paul Monette-Roger Horwitz Dissertation Prize is awarded to a

City University of New York The City University of New York (CUNY, pronounced , ) is the Public university, public university system of Education in New York City, New York City. It is the largest urban university system in the United States, comprising 25 campuses: eleven ...

PhD candidate for the best dissertation in LGTBQ studies.

Legacy

In 1993, Monette was the first openly gay person to give his papers to the UCLA Library. In October 2005, the UCLA Charles E. Young Research Library Department of Special Collections, in conjunction with the Monette-Horwitz Trust, celebrated Monette’s life and work with a conference, dinner, and an exhibit "One Person's Truth: The life and work of Paul Monette (1945-1995)," which was also available online. In July 2025, the City of West Hollywood will host "Art in Odd Places (AiOP) 2025: VOICE", a citywide public art festival that will feature pieces of Monette's poetry on banners designed by artist Terry S. Hardy and installed in Plummer Park, West Hollywood Park, and along

Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard is a boulevard in the central and western part of Los Angeles, California, United States, that stretches from the Pacific Coast Highway (California), Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, Pacific Palisad ...

Awards and honors

* Lambda Literary Award (Nominee), 1988. Borrowed Time: An Aids Memoir by Paul Monette. Paperback, 1990. Awards.
/ref> * National Book Critics Circle Award (Finalist — Best Biography), 1988. * PEN West USA Literary Award for Best Nonfiction, 1989. * GLAAD Media Visibility Award, 1992. * Lambda Literary Award For Gay Non-Fiction, 1992. *

, 1992. * Stonewall Book Award, Barbara Gittings Literature Award, 1992. * Legacy Project Chicago (Nominee), 1999. Paul Monette - Nominee
Legacy Project Chicago. * 501 Must-Read Books, Emma Beare, 2006. 501 Must-Read Books (Emma Beare, 2006)
Library Thing.

Bibliography

* (poetry) * (novel) *Monette, Paul (1979). ''Nosferatu the Vampyre.'' New York: Avon Books. . (novelization of 1979 film) *Monette, Paul (1979). ''The Gold Diggers''. Los Angeles, New York: Alyson Classics Library. (novel) * (novel) *Monette, Paul (1982). ''Lightfall''. New York:

Avon Books Avon Publications is a leading publisher of romance fiction. At Avon's initial stages, it was an American paperback book and comic book publisher. The shift in content occurred in the early 1970s with multiple Avon romance titles reaching and ma ...

(novel, cover by

Wayne Barlowe Wayne Douglas Barlowe is an American science fiction and fantasy writer, painter, and concept artist. Barlowe's work focuses on esoteric landscapes and creatures such as citizens of hell and alien worlds. He has painted over 300 books, magazi ...

) *Monette, Paul (1983).

. Berkley. . *Monette, Paul (1987).

. ASIN: B019NDSX44. * (memoirs) * (poetry) *Monette, Paul (1989).

. . * (novel) *Monette, Paul (1990).

Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Paul Monette papers, 1945–1995
(26 linear feet) are housed at the

Charles E. Young Research Library The Charles E. Young Research Library is one of the largest libraries on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles in Westwood, Los Angeles, California. It initially opened in 1964, and a second phase of construction was completed ...

at the

University of California at Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the Ca ...

.
Kathleen Hendrix Collection on Paul Monette 1985 to 1995
housed at the

at the

External links

Monette Horwitz Trust
* with Don Swaim
Visions of L.A. in the Age of AIDS: Paul Monette (kcet.org)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Monette, Paul 1945 births 1995 deaths Writers from Lawrence, Massachusetts Writers from Los Angeles Phillips Academy alumni American male essayists American male poets American gay writers American LGBTQ poets National Book Award winners GLAAD Media Awards winners Lambda Literary Award winners Stonewall Book Award winners Gay memoirists Gay poets LGBTQ people from Massachusetts AIDS-related deaths in California Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American essayists 20th-century American memoirists 20th-century American poets 20th-century American LGBTQ people