Manuel Betancourt Books In Order

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of 33⅓ Books

Manuel Betancourt

Manuel Betancourt is a Colombian writer and film critic who lives in Los Angeles. His work as a critic means he spends a lot of time thinking about movies, but he also writes about culture more broadly and his own experiences as a queer man. This mix of interests gives his writing a specific point of view that feels distinct without trying too hard to stand out.

When Betancourt writes about people, whether real figures or characters in films, he has a way of presenting them as full, complicated individuals. Readers can see the small details and contradictions that make someone feel like a person rather than just an idea. His stories and essays move along at a good clip because he understands how to structure a narrative without getting bogged down. The writing stays focused on what matters most in any given scene or moment.

A lot of his work circles back to questions about identity, particularly what it means to be Colombian and queer in the world today. But he approaches these topics through specific people and their particular situations rather than making broad statements about everything. The result is writing that feels honest and grounded, never flowery or overly dramatic. It is simply the work of someone who pays close attention to how people live and then writes about it clearly.

There is a quality to his writing that lets readers step away from their own concerns for a while. Following another person’s story, even one that is completely different from your own life, can feel like a small break from the everyday. Betancourt builds this by focusing on specific moments and details that feel true to how people actually behave. A character might be sitting in a room thinking about a choice they made, and the writing makes that moment feel worth paying attention to.

Looking ahead, Betancourt shows no signs of slowing down. He continues to write regularly and take on new projects that keep him busy. Readers who enjoy his work have more to look forward to in the coming years. It seems clear he will keep producing stories and criticism for a long time.

Early and Personal Life

Manuel Betancourt grew up in Colombia during a time when he was first discovering the world of books and stories. Like many young readers, he found himself drawn to the pages of novels and the narratives they contained, spending hours lost in worlds created by other people. This early interest in reading naturally led to a curiosity about how those stories were built and what made them work so well.

As he got older, that curiosity grew into a desire to write himself and to share his own perspective with others. He started putting words on paper, learning how to shape sentences and structure ideas in ways that felt true to his own voice. The process of becoming a writer took time, but he kept at it, gradually finding his footing and developing the skills he would need.

Today Betancourt works as a writer, film critic, and cultural reporter based in Los Angeles. His path from a young reader in Colombia to a professional writer involved a lot of practice and a steady commitment to the craft. He continues to find inspiration in the movies he watches and the culture around him, always looking for new stories to tell and new ways to tell them.

Writing Career

Manuel Betancourt has built a writing career that spans multiple publications and formats over the years. His work has appeared in places like The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Atlantic, and Film Quarterly, along with many other outlets. He has also written for BuzzFeed Reader, Electric Literature, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and The AV Club, showing a range that moves between film criticism and cultural reporting.

Betancourt has also published several books during his career so far. His first book, Judy at Carnegie Hall, came out from Bloomsbury Press in 2020. He followed that with The Male Gazed in 2023, a book from Catapult that was named one of the best books of that year by Time magazine, NPR, and them. He has also contributed writing to The Cardboard Kingdom, a graphic novel series for young readers that was nominated for an Eisner Award. His following book, Hello Stranger, was published by Catapult in 2025. He continues to write and has more work ahead of him.

The Male Gazed

Manuel Betancourt is the author of The Male Gazed. The book was published on May 30, 2023, by Catapult. It is a work of nonfiction.

Here Betancourt explores his lifelong relationship with images of men in his book The Male Gazed. The essays mix personal memories with close looks at pop culture moments, from telenovelas and Disney princes to figures like Antonio Banderas and Ricky Martin. He considers the question of whether admiration for these figures is about wanting them or wanting to be like them. The book examines masculinity and what it means to look at men with desire.

This book offers a fresh way of thinking about pop culture and the images of men it puts forward. The essays move smoothly between personal stories and larger observations about movies and television. Readers come away with a new appreciation for how they look at the men on their screens. It is an engaging read from start to finish.

Judy at Carnegie Hall

As the author of Judy at Carnegie Hall, this was Betancourt’s debut title. The book was published on May 14, 2020, by Bloomsbury Academic. It was the 145th title in the 33⅓ Main series.

On the night of April 23, 1961, Judy Garland delivered a concert at Carnegie Hall that became a landmark moment in live music. The recording of that performance, which captured all 25 songs from the evening, spent over 70 weeks on the Billboard charts and won four Grammy Awards. It was the first live album and the first album by a female performer to win Album of the Year. Manuel Betancourt’s book examines what made that recording so special, looking at Garland’s song choices, her connection with the audience, and the album’s lasting cultural impact.

The story of Judy Garland’s 1961 Carnegie Hall concert is told here with care and attention. Readers learn about the recording that broke records and won multiple Grammy Awards. The book explores what happened that night and why the album continues to resonate with listeners. It is an engaging read for anyone interested in music history.