Customer Reviews

Queers in History: The Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Historical Gays, Lesbians and Bisexuals

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Queers in History is best described as the hybrid of an encyclopedia and a gossip column. It's certainly entertaining in places, but I'm not convinced that all of the claims are credible. I wish there were more discussion of the sources that led to the author's conclusions. Also, the book contains many individuals who had just a single homosexual experience; I don't know if that necessarily qualifies them as queer.

I could not put this book down, it's like a bag of potato chips; once you start, you can't stop. The importance of this book is in the title "Queers in History", what made them famous, infamous, was not just their sexuality but their sense of purpose. But did their sexuality play an important part in it? Most likely because what drives gay, straight, bi people are their goals in life, and their decisions in life are made emotionally, what they feel, what they need, what fuels their passions.

Keith Stern's book is not just a historical look at homosexuality but it brings to the forefront what is the common denominator of us all, the search for our own "place in the world". I highly recommend this book as a gift to all your straight, gay, bi, transexual friends and as a book to place on the coffee table to start lively conversations at any social gathering.

This book is fun to read, I also hardly could put it down and it has a reference function as well. The author Keith Stern inserted a quite a number of surprises, but most of all the book is making us all aware how GLBTs enriched our civilization, having contributed substantially to society and the arts. Our world would not have been the same without this input and creativity. Highly recommended!
By the way, don't lend it out to friends, hard to get back. I am now buying this as a gift to them.

For you Kindlers out there have a look here;
Queers in History: The Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Historical Gays, Lesbians and Bisexuals

Rarely do I encounter a book that not only provides a wealth of high quality reference material, but does so in such an entertaining and engaging way. Stern writes with such inviting fluidity that once I picked up this book, I simply had to read it cover to cover. I learned, I laughed, I gasped and I turned each page with eager enthusiasm. For those active or interested in queer issues this is an essential addition to your library. I howled with laughter when I read about Marilyn Monroe's confession to her therapist, felt waves of compassion for those who had and still have to hide their beautiful souls from a hostile world and immense gratitude for those who courageously stood up, stand up and show the way. Queer or not, if you have an interest in understanding your own heart, this is recommended reading.

This book is rather effective in that one can either peruse a few entries during lunch break, or read through the night. At times I couldn't put it down. The format is basically several hundred cases of successful, famous, or notorious gay individuals whereby anywhere from a few paragraphs to a few pages are devoted to summarizing their lives and the evidence that they were in fact gay. It spans from the earliest recorded gay couple in ancient Egypt, up to the present day. You can find any number of variety, from royalty and popes, to scientists, authors, and of course the movie business. There were nonetheless some concerns I had that made me wary of buying.

As with anything on this subject, I was concerned that the evidence towards their sexualities, particularly from medieval times up thru the homo hunting in the 50s, would be flimsy at best. Not only was sexuality a taboo subject and hidden at all costs in many cases, but the passing of time can make it difficult to assess just about anything. Nonetheless, there was a compelling amount of proof most of the time, and the author even conceded in the preface that there were "bound to be some" errors. This is unavoidable, at least absent a diary confession or something. I think the opportunity to become well known was also limited before video and such. Consequently, a sizeable number in this book are still living and hollywood comes across as the gayest place ever. Where i think improvement could have been made was there were times I really wanted to learn more, yet only a couple paragraphs were devoted to some instrumental figure like Alexander. It could have done without some cases altogether; I don't care that someone in a boy band is gay, seeing as their only contribution to society is to make teenage girls scream. I'd rather have read about some everyday foreman or police chief or whatever that had overcome prejudice (not to mention didn't wait until their career was over to come out).

Another difficulty that complicates the matter is the widely different cultures that these people lived in. For example, Lincoln is often assumed to have been gay because he wrote what appears to be passionate love letters to his roommate and lifelong friend. They also shared a bed, but it was quite common to do so in those days, when beds were prohibitively expensive and men who moved out west were separated from their families. So their correspondence reads like they can't stand to be apart, when it may simply be a matter of loneliness. In some parts of the world nowadays it's even common for hetero male friends to hold hands. So was Lincoln gay? He's in this book, but we'll probably never know. What is shocking to me was the number who frankly admitted to their sexuality when it was social suicide, or even death, to do so. In these instances, which is most of the entries, there is no room for doubt.

So in conclusion this collection isn't perfect, but it is a genuine effort and an entertaining reference. It's encouraging to see what an impact gays and lesbians have made across time and place.

Fascinating book. Well written. Stern pulls History out of the closet. This is an interesting and informative read whether you are gay or straight.

There is about ONE transgender person mentioned. How about the fact that the the first successful C-Section where both the birth parent AND baby lived was performed by a trans guy, just like pioneering radiologist Dr. Alan L. Hart who changed the face of tuberculosis treatment? Sylvia RIvera who KICKED OFF the Stonewall riots? It was not cisgender, upper-class, privileged white men who started the LGB"T" movement. Leslie Feinberg? We'wha? John Radclyffe-Hall?
This book seems like a reflection of the current LGB"T" movement, and it *SUCKS*.
Also, "transgenders" is not a word, just like describing someone as "a transgender" is inappropriate. It is "transgender" or "transgender people." Please correct this.
Also, contrary to popular belief, you should NOT refer to a transgender person with pronouns inconsistent with hir preferred pronoun(s). Not even to describe hir when ze was younger. It's rude.