Holding the Man cover art

Holding the Man

 Preview
Get this deal Try Premium Plus free
Offer ends 29 January 2026 at 11:59PM GMT.
Prime members: New to Audible? Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Just £0.99/mo for your first 3 months of Audible.
1 bestseller or new release per month—yours to keep.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, podcasts, and Originals.
Auto-renews at £8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically.

Holding the Man

By: Timothy Conigrave
Narrated by: Stephen Phillips
Get this deal Try Premium Plus free

£8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly. Offer ends 29 January 2026 at 11:59PM GMT.

£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £15.99

Buy Now for £15.99

LIMITED TIME OFFER | £0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Premium Plus auto-renews at £8.99/mo after 3 months. Terms apply.

About this listen

The mid-'70s: at an all-boys Catholic school in Melbourne, Timothy Conigrave falls wildly and sweetly in love with the captain of the football team. So begins a relationship that weathers disapproval, separation and ultimately death.

With honesty and insight, Holding the Man explores the highs and lows of any partnership and the strength of heart both men have to find when they test positive for HIV. This is a book as refreshing and uplifting as it is moving - a funny and sad and celebratory account of growing up gay.

©2009 Timothy Conigrave (P)2016 Audible, Ltd Contemporary Fiction Genre Fiction Fiction Heartfelt Emotionally Gripping Inspiring Tear-jerking Thought-Provoking Feel-Good

Listeners also enjoyed...

 The Swimming Pool Library cover art
Wicked Lies Boys Tell cover art
Maurice cover art
To Be Someone cover art
Call Me by Your Name cover art
The Charioteer cover art
Off Base cover art
A Fashionable Indulgence cover art
The Lost Language of Cranes cover art
The Devil's Staircase cover art
Wife on the Run cover art
An Unexpected Kind of Love cover art
The Seven Steps to Closure cover art
Boy Underground cover art
The Color Purple cover art
Unstoppable cover art
All stars
Most relevant
First I watched the film, I cried so much. Then I just had to read the book, there was so much detail so many aspects that were missing from the film, I cried even more. I’m completely in love with this story. If you’re an open minded person, then this book is for you.

John

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Compelling story beautifully read with an important message and memories of a devastating episode in human history that never should have happened and should have been more thoroughly and compassionately reported.

Heartbreaking

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A very powerful and beautifully written and performed account of profound love of two men at a very difficult time. I found it very moving and an inspiration. Thank you.

Beautiful Account of a life together.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I was born over a decade after the main characters. The difference in being 15-25 in the 80s versus the 90s is massive. The loss across the gay community was huge and so unrecognised. This story brings that to life, from the earliest experiences of figuring yourself out to the sad and brutal reality that HIV had on so many young people. This is a great story. It made me love the characters, hate some of their actions, and cry at the terrible loss so many experienced in the 80s and 90s. A great book.

A moving story that was both uplifting and sad

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is one of the most gorgeous books. I love it. Such a true telling of gay life and love.

Simply Beautiful

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews