Go the Way Your Blood Beats Audiobook By Michael Amherst cover art

Go the Way Your Blood Beats

On Truth, Bisexuality and Desire

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Go the Way Your Blood Beats

By: Michael Amherst
Narrated by: Harrison Knights
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Using bisexuality as a frame, Go the Way Your Blood Beats questions the division of sexuality into straight and gay, in a timely exploration of the complex histories and psychologies of human desire. A challenge to the idea that sexuality can either ever be fully known or neatly categorised, it is a meditation on desire's unknowability.

Interwoven with anonymous addresses to past loves - the sex of whom remain obscure - the book demonstrates the universalism of human desire. Part essay, part memoir, part love letter, Go the Way Your Blood Beats asks us to see desire and sexuality as analogous with art - a mysterious, creative force.

©2018 Michael Amherst (P)2018 Audible, Ltd

Accolades & Awards

Stonewall Book Award
2019
Gender Studies Stonewall Book Award Social Sciences
All stars
Most relevant
I like how topics were handled but they were also all over the place. I stay with some good ideas and mentions.

Interesting yet confusing

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Great topic. I honestly enjoyed the love letter aspect. However many times the story devolved into a preachy rant.

preachy rant

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To me this was one of those instances when you find a book you didn't know you were looking for, but once you find it, you fall in love.

Really interesting discussion about the language and the boundaries of the categories we use to think about ourselves, our sexualities and our experiences. It gave words to many thoughts of mine that I've been mulling over and made me reconsider other things. The narrator worked perfectly, his voice was soft and tempered, very enjoyable to listen to, he worked great for both the essay like parts as well as the short but intimate remembrances of lovers that are scattered all through the book (which are beautifully written in second person and they add a poetic touch to what could have been just an academic essay. Love them).

I just finished it, but I need to listen to it again a couple of times to write down many ideas that I want to keep with me.

This audio needs more attention!

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There’s a lot of grief and despair in here.

I don’t agree with the author’s viewpoints. But I was glad to hear differing viewpoints nonetheless.

The author’s affinity with James Baldwin was probably the best part.

Somber, reflective, and meditative.

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This lays it bare and I am surprised it hasn' t won multiple awards for its message. The style and speed of the narrative takes a little getting used to, but the logic is incisive. You will need to listen more than once to get it all.

Complex and insightful

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