Nancy Boy - As a young boy, still blissfully unaware of my gayness, I was a voracious reader of Nancy Drew mysteries. I even owned the Nancy Drew Cookbook and made the french toast recipe many times. The question remains, how could I have been so clueless? Maybe it was a self-preservation mechanism. (By the way, note the retro-chic Restoration Hardware reference near the end of the Advocate essay.)

In addition to the potentially queer subtext of Nancy Drew, my interest was sustained because I always thought her mysteries were actually mysterious. Her stories were unlike those of the Hardy Boys, who always seemed to be less about detective work and more about adventure. That sense of a true whodunit is probably why I also enjoyed the Encyclopedia Brown series so much and fondly remember The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin as a childhood favorite as well. Nevertheless, it's fun to see that other little gayboys read Nancy Drew too. (And for the record, I do NOT admit to reading any books featuring the Sweet Valley Twins.)