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ATLANTAboy by Jordan and Matt Burkhalter McAuley

ATLANTAboy

An Insider's Guide to Gay Atlanta

by Jordan and Matt Burkhalter McAuley

Pub Date: June 21st, 2005
ISBN: 0-9707095-6-0

Atlanta residents McAuley and Burkhalter extol the virtues of their city to gay residents and out-of-town visitors.

Freelance writer McAuley and graphic designer Burkhalter were both born and raised in Atlanta, and they obviously love their hometown. They dedicate the guide “to everyone in Atlanta–gay, straight and everything in between–who makes it such a wonderful place to live, work and play!” As the dedication suggests, the guide is inclusive, with practical information not just keyed to sexual orientation. Residents and visitors of all orientations will find plenty of interest in the maps, neighborhood summaries, restaurant listings, shopping guide, arts venues, tourist attractions, health clubs, bars, nightlife locations, lodging listings, church listings, advice on avoiding parking tickets, weather reports and much more. The authors note that Atlanta possesses a rich gay history and sports one of the largest gay scenes in the U.S.; Midtown is the city’s gay epicenter; Charlie Brown’s Cabaret is home to the city’s hottest drag queens; and so on. The majority of the commentary, however, does not explicitly focus on the gay scene–the main goal is to avoid recommending any restaurant or other Atlanta locale provably hostile to gays and lesbians. The entertainment section, titled “Play,” is more openly oriented to gay readers, and the authors emphasize the casual nature of the gay scene: “Most of us here just throw on a fitted graphic t-shirt and some jeans and run out the door, but the more adventurous boys can strap on a harness or some chaps and still find a place to strut their stuff for the evening.”

A wholly successful guidebook that transcends its advertised orientation.