What the Night Numbered

Winner of the 2014 Trio Award: What the Night Numbered by Bradford Tice unfolds the experience of queer individuals in search of liberation. Cloaked in Greek mythology, the tale of Cupid and Psyche is transformed into a distinct focus on the queer experience. Tice's language dares the reader to dive into the reality of queer lives, "we have bitten our tongues like raw mothers, we have birthed ourselves, hemmed by everything we have borne." He captures the complexity of the gay and lesbian civil rights movement, with a coming-of-age sequence that focuses on individuals merging into their true selves. Channeling a multitude of voices, What the Night Numbered provokes the reader's empathy, as the speakers vividly and openly express the innerworkings of their personal worlds.