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Robert W. Fieseler

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Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation Hardcover – Illustrated, June 5, 2018

by Robert W. Fieseler (Author)

4.6 182 ratings

Editors' pick Best History

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Edgar AwardWinner, 2019

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Winner • Edgar Award (Best Fact Crime)
Winner • Lambda Literary's Judith A. Markowitz Award for Emerging LGBTQ Writers
Finalist • Housatonic Book Award (Nonfiction)
Finalist • Randy Shilts Award for Gay Nonfiction
A Stonewall Honor Book in Nonfiction (American Library Association)
Best Book of the Year: Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal and Shelf Awareness

An essential work of American civil rights history, Tinderbox mesmerizingly reconstructs the 1973 fire that devastated New Orleans’ subterranean gay community.

Buried for decades, the Up Stairs Lounge tragedy has only recently emerged as a catalyzing event of the gay liberation movement. In revelatory detail, Robert W. Fieseler chronicles the tragic event that claimed the lives of thirty-one men and one woman on June 24, 1973, at a New Orleans bar, the largest mass murder of gays until 2016. Relying on unprecedented access to survivors and archives, Fieseler creates an indelible portrait of a closeted, blue- collar gay world that flourished before an arsonist ignited an inferno that destroyed an entire community. The aftermath was no less traumatic―families ashamed to claim loved ones, the Catholic Church refusing proper burial rights, the city impervious to the survivors’ needs―revealing a world of toxic prejudice that thrived well past Stonewall. Yet the impassioned activism that followed proved essential to the emergence of a fledgling gay movement. Tinderbox restores honor to a forgotten generation of civil-rights martyrs. 16 pages of illustrations; Map

Editorial Reviews

Review

"It's indescribably moving to learn in a final author's note that survivors hesitant to speak on the record for Tinderbox came forward with urgency after the Pulse massacre. Their testimonies, Fieseler's rigorous research and his amiable prose make this a vital, inspiring volume in the annals of gay history."
― Dave Wheeler, Shelf Awareness, "Best Books of the Year"

"In his impressive, meticulously reported debut as a nonfiction author, Robert Fieseler vividly re-creates the world that produced a galvanizing tragedy, a fire at a New Orleans bar in the summer of 1973 that took thirty-two lives. In reminding us of the furtiveness of gay life even in a tolerant city, and of the official culture’s hostility to it, Tinderbox is riveting and unforgettable."
― Nicholas Lemann, author of The Promised Land

"Fieseler handles contradictions with finesse, parsing the closet’s long shadow over gay life in New Orleans, one reason the [Up Stairs Lounge] tragedy did not catalyze the kind of outrage and activism that followed the Stonewall rebellion.... The book is loving, sensitive, and diligent."
― Parul Sehgal, New York Times

"Very moving.... Eloquent... haunting. The structure reminds one of Thornton Wilder’s classic novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey, in which the individual fates of a disparate group of people united by a bridge collapse are described.... The description of the fire, pieced together bit by bit from interviews with survivors and archival research, is so painstakingly done.... The heart of this book concerns the individual stories Fieseler has assembled. These make his book far more than just a history of gay rights; they make it an infinitely sad portrait of what these people went through."
― Andrew Holleran, The Gay & Lesbian Review

"This vital book chronicles one of the worst outrages against gay people in modern America, and it does so with fantastic vividness. It restores a forgotten chapter of horror to our national narrative of rights. Robert W. Fieseler reminds us how deep prejudice was, not only on the part of the man who set the fire at the Up Stairs Lounge, but also in the media that ignored the story and the population that took no interest in it."
― Andrew Solomon, author of The Noonday Demon

"Fieseler unflinchingly recounts the fire and sets it firmly in the context of the times."
― Bill Daley, Chicago Tribune

"Robert W. Fieseler has given us a profoundly moving and deeply researched reminder of the tragic and ghastly costs of bigotry, silence, and the closet. We must never go back. Tinderbox is more than a memorial. It is a call for our ongoing struggle to build movements for love and dignity for everyone everywhere."
― Blanche Wiesen Cook, author of Eleanor Roosevelt, Volumes 1–3

"This book provides a vivid portrait of the hardscrabble lives of the dishwashers, grocery clerks, soldiers, and other working men for whom the Up Stairs Lounge became a sanctuary, and then a heart-wrenching reconstruction of the horrifying hour it turned into a deathtrap. Its account of the aftermath of this tragedy is equally illuminating―and sobering."
― George Chauncey, Columbia University, author of Gay New York

"Tinderbox is a work of enormous significance that announces the arrival of a gifted new author. Robert Fieseler writes with acuity and compassion about mythic themes―love, faith, death, grief. And as he does so, he chronicles an essential event in gay history, the tragic fire that propelled the movement for social and legal equality."
― Samuel Freedman, author of Breaking the Line

"As in a Shakespearean tragedy, the ghosts of the closeted and disrespected dead resurrect to tell their stories in Robert Fieseler’s Tinderbox. Compassionately written and extraordinarily reported, the book demonstrates that memory is a life-affirming force that can triumph over the injustices of death. Tinderbox will likely take its place in the canon of the history of gay rights in America."
― Ronald K. L. Collins, University of Washington Law School, coauthor of Mania: The Story of the Outraged and Outrageous Lives That Launched a Cultural Revolution

"Fieseler's work is an essential piece of historical restitution that takes us from 1973 to 2003, when homosexuality was finally decriminalized in Louisiana. Powerfully written and consistently engaging, the book will hopefully shed more light on the gay community's incredible and tragic journey to equality. A momentous work of sociological and civil rights history."
― Kirkus Reviews, "Best Books of the Year"

"A vivid, fast-paced, and essential LGBTQ and social history."
― Library Journal [Starred Review]

About the Author

Robert W. Fieseler is a recipient of the Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship and the Lynton Fellowship in Book Writing. A writer for Buzzfeed, Narratively, and elsewhere, he currently resides in New Orleans.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Liveright; Illustrated edition (June 5, 2018)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1631491644
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1631491641
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.5 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.3 x 9.6 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #872,840 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,211 in LGBTQ+ Demographic Studies
- #3,120 in Murder & Mayhem True Accounts
- #16,713 in U.S. State & Local History

Customer Reviews:
4.6 182 ratings

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Robert W. Fieseler

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Robert W. Fieseler is a journalist and the author of the acclaimed debut book Tinderbox, winner of the Edgar Award, the Louisiana Literary Award and Lambda Literary's Judith A. Markowitz Award for Emerging Writers. Fieseler graduated co-valedictorian from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and is a recipient of the Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship. He lives with his husband in New Orleans.

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182 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's storytelling engaging and detailed about events that were never reported. They describe it as a great read and thought-provoking. Many consider it an important, well-researched, and necessary book for anyone studying American history, social work, counseling, or LGBTQ history. However, opinions differ on the writing quality - some find it compelling and clear, while others mention errors in syntax.

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Storytelling Readability Reading value Writing quality

20 customers mention "Storytelling"16 positive4 negative

Customers find the book's storytelling engaging. They appreciate the author's detailed account of events that were never reported properly. The book weaves together stories in a compelling manner, providing an interesting and educational read about tragedy in New Orleans.

"...of the biggest strengths of this particular telling is how well it contextuaizes the fire - richly drawing out the the gay community’s experience in..." Read more

"...The author describes various events after the fire, touching on the AIDS epidemic, the Matthew Shepard murder, and the decriminalization of sodomy...." Read more

"The book is a great read and so detailed about the horrific incident. I like the there is so much information surrounding the true story." Read more

"This is a truly fascinating and horrible tale at the same time. It reminds me of where we were when this crime occurred and where we are today...." Read more

11 customers mention "Readability"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book an engaging read about a tragic incident. They appreciate the detailed and thought-provoking content, including the history of gay rights.

"...Overall, Tinderbox is a stunning must-read work both in the field of disaster histories and LGBT history." Read more

"...It was back in '73 but some people still have the same mentality. Good read!" Read more

"A wonderful, detailed, thought provoking book about a tragedy barely covered by the media at the time and all the more important in light of todays..." Read more

"...The writing, however, is excellent throughout, marred only by one typographical error, in which the Pontalba Buildings in the French Quarter become..." Read more

8 customers mention "Reading value"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enlightening and well-researched. They say it's important reading for anyone studying American history, social work, counseling, or LGBTQ. The in-depth analysis of a watershed event in GLBT history is an excellent reminder of how far we've come and how far we have to go.

"A wonderful, detailed, thought provoking book about a tragedy barely covered by the media at the time and all the more important in light of todays..." Read more

"...Thank you sir for telling us. Your book does matter...." Read more

"...I was amazed at the facts he presented and incredibly saddened to the point of tears by the response of the community, let alone the world, to this..." Read more

"An in-depth analysis of a watershed event in GLBT history that was part of my childhood growing up in New Orleans...." Read more

9 customers mention "Writing quality"6 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed reviews about the writing quality. Some find it well-written and compelling, describing it as a must-read for New Orleans and LGBTQ communities. Others mention issues with syntax and typographical errors.

"...tells the story of the tragedy that took 32 lives in clear, compelling prose; weaving together stories, but never straying into sensationalism...." Read more

"...writing, however, is excellent throughout, marred only by one typographical error, in which the Pontalba Buildings in the French Quarter become the "..." Read more

"The author does a great job of both: A. Telling the story of the Upstairs Lounge and B. really communicating what the "culture of the closet" was..." Read more

"...It's beautifully written, constantly interesting, deeply moving and it gives the dead and suffering a voice...." Read more

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Anne
Gripping and horrifying
Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2018
Verified Purchase
Gripping and horrifying. Fieseler tells the story of the tragedy that took 32 lives in clear, compelling prose; weaving together stories, but never straying into sensationalism. By framing the narrative around a core cluster of individuals - some victims, some survivors - Fieseler makes the story feel intimate and high-stakes. Unfortunately, this does leave the bulk of the victims out of the narrative in any real way. If you’re looking for something that surveys each individual victim, Townsend or Delery’s earlier works on the fire would be a better bet.

One of the biggest strengths of this particular telling is how well it contextuaizes the fire - richly drawing out the the gay community’s experience in New Orleans and in the broader country in 1973 and for decades after the fire. The second half of the book focuses on the aftermath of the fire and the attempts at activism in its wake, before surveying the Anita Bryant anti-gay activism and moving forward to the installation of a memorial to the fire victims in 2003 and is an illuminating read about divisions within the community.

The biggest drawback of the work, for me, was in its failure to give closure as to the eventual fates of some of the main survivors featured. In some ways I’m sure this was unavoidable, as many returned to living private lives, closeted or otherwise, but it did leave me frantically googling a few names as soon as I closed the book; trying to find some narrative closure.

Overall, Tinderbox is a stunning must-read work both in the field of disaster histories and LGBT history.

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Babs
Great book about a terrible incident.
Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2024
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This book told it all. It's terrible that someone would be so heartless and dowhat he did to all those people. It was back in '73 but some people still have the same mentality. Good read!

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Bill
Excellent Reminder of how far we've come and how far we have to go
Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2019
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A wonderful, detailed, thought provoking book about a tragedy barely covered by the media at the time and all the more important in light of todays tragedies and gains in the acceptance of our members of the LGBTQ family.

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Stars Fall On My Heart
Vivid storytelling of a real-life nightmare
Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2020
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I was brought here by Mr. Fieseler's essay on HuffPost, and I felt that as a fellow writer and ally, I owed it to him to read the "book that mattered" so much that he suffered personally in the journey to bring it to our attention. Many non-fiction works are stuffy and lack vivid voice. Important as they may be, many of those books fail to keep their audience drawn in enough to finish. Not this one. The passion Mr. Fieseler has for his subject and the dedication to his research have not only brought our attention to a devastating event in LGBT (not-so-distant) history, but, for a few brief hours in reading, brought back life to the ones who lost their lives and livelihoods in the attack. The writing rebuilt New Orleans in 1973 and the Up Stairs Lounge again with words instead of brick and mortar. Mr. Fieseler has an astounding amount of actors in this real-life drama, and he (seemingly) effortlessly gave each one their own unique voice. The description of the attack, the fire itself, the carnage, and its aftermath will haunt me for the rest of my days. I found myself un-surprised yet appalled at the lack of response by the community and the law enforcement. It saddens me because it reminds me that we have so much work left to do, but it also reminds me of the accomplishments that have been made in the decades since.

Thank you sir for telling us. Your book does matter. Hopefully soon, it will be recognized on a much wider scale--and maybe prevent another tragedy like this.

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4 people found this helpful

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Exeter
So Many People to Follow
Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2019
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As a former New Orleanian, I thought this book would be of great interest, especially after having read Andrew Holleran's positive review of it in The Gay & Lesbian Review. I should have realized from the beginning that this account could be hard to follow, given the list of 47 "historical figures" from this time in New Orleans plus 29 victims of the fire (there were 32 total, three never identified). The inferno occurs relatively early on in Fieseler's 353 pp. account (followed by 50 pp. of notes regarding his sources). During the time of the fire, there were as many as eight to ten different names of victims or would-be victims, on each page. This, combined with the 47 "historical figures" made it necessary to flip back to the lists at the book's beginning with excessive frequency. After the fire, the book deals largely with "the rise of gay liberation," part of the subtitle, as well as how little news coverage the event received. Fieseler notes how native New Orleanians tend to avoid the normal words for directions when referring to their city, "lakeside" meaning "north," a reference to Lake Pontchartain, indeed to the north of New Orleans, and "riverside" meaning "south," a reference to the Mississippi River to the south. This makes one think that the author came to know the city quite well. In the aftermath of the fire, the only story easy to follow is a short one of the alleged arsonist (a hustler who had had a dispute with another hustler [in a bar --the Up Stairs Lounge-- not known for such activity]), who took his life the year after the conflagration. As to the rise of gay liberation, Fieseler is correct about New Orleans' gay community being very unorganized politically at the time and for years afterward. The author describes various events after the fire, touching on the AIDS epidemic, the Matthew Shepard murder, and the decriminalization of sodomy. These seem largely unnecessary. The Dade County gay rights protections, Anita Bryant's Save Our Children, and the repeal of the law occupy many pages, only minimally justifiable because Bryant later came to perform in New Orleans and gays mobilized to protest the event, as they never had before. The result is that the book never really gels into a compelling narrative. The writing, however, is excellent throughout, marred only by one typographical error, in which the Pontalba Buildings in the French Quarter become the "Pontabla" ones. I admit to not having read the three previous books written on the topic, but I have read articles that detail the principal people and circumstances of the fire in many fewer pages than this overly long, if heartfelt, account.

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9 people found this helpful

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Jose A Espinoza Jr
Great read!
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2023
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The book is a great read and so detailed about the horrific incident. I like the there is so much information surrounding the true story.

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Nancy Korenz
Heartbreaking and beautiful
Reviewed in India on April 11, 2020
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The book is written, it breaks my heart to know what happened in the bar, this was this most emotional, heart touching and indeed an empowered read. I had no idea about the bad tragedy but after reading it, I got to know the minute details in a complete unbaised way. .

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