Customer Reviews

Queer London: Perils and Pleasures in the Sexual Metropolis, 1918-1957 (The Chicago Series on Sexuality, History, and Society)

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A dry, technical, and academic look at queer subculture in London between 1918 and 1957. Interesting in that it reduces to a science the rather inexpressible notions and progressions of gay life. There is certainly a parallel to be found between the passive->excluded->marginalized->subculture->pride progression of gays and other social movements. Houlbrook tries to weave in personal stories that humanize the concepts presented, and while he does a good job in those parts, the people reading such a book are in no need of convincing; the parts serve only to make the technical bits endurable. A great book, I'm sure, for academics, but not for pleasure reading.

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Perhaps it isn't for non-academics. But this book is an invaluable examination of the tension between public v. private and the ways in which queer subculture played out in the metropole of London. With a vast array of sources, Houlbrook challenges the traditional Whiggish history that suggests there was a "coming out" moment for gay men in London. He skillfully recreates the "underground" society of queer culture that emerged in response to police scrutiny and the increasingly private culture of homosexuality in the 20th century. His four main sections on Police, Places, People, and Politics create an easy to follow structure, and his thread of the public and private practices of queer culture are thoroughly refreshing. This is a must read, perhaps not for the public at large, but for grad students, professors, and those interested in a new interpretation of the progression of gay rights and culture in Europe.