 His biography of Katharine Hepburn, titled Kate: The Woman Who Was Hepburn, received extraordinary acclaim when it was published in 2006. The Sunday Times (London) called it “definitive.” Historian David Thomson, writing for the New York Observer, said the book “set new standards in movie biography.” Gore Vidal considered it “not only an intriguing portrait of Katharine Hepburn, but also an accurate picture of her Hollywood and the difficult business of stardom.” The New York Times named Kate one of the 100 Notable Books of 2006 | Kate: The Woman Who Was Hepburn was named one of the 100 Notable Books of the Year by The New York Times |
| Mann's novels set in Provincetown enjoy a devoted following | Just as his nonfiction brings the past vividly to life, Mann’s novels have been praised for their keen insight on the present, especially the lives of gay American men. His first novel, The Men From the Boys, was the best-selling gay novel of 1997, and its long-awaited sequel, Where the Boys Are, published in 2003, continues to enjoy a devoted following from readers. Other novels have received considerable acclaim as well, particularly the offbeat All American Boy. |
Mann won the Lambda Literary Award in 1999 for Wisecracker: The Life and Times of William Haines, which tells the story of the early Hollywood icon and interior decorator to the stars. The book continues to be popular, and has been optioned as a feature film. As of early 2008, he is finishing another novel as well as working on “the quintessential story of fame,” he says—a book called How to Be a Movie Star: Elizabeth Taylor in Hollywood |