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scarlettf333's review
3.5
This was soooooo dense wow.
I’m super proud of myself for voluntarily reading nonfiction! I actually enjoyed it a lot and I do feel like I learned a lot by reading it. I had no idea about the queer history of my own neighborhood! My own building! It’s just really incredible to find out how much of a community there has always been, and to learn about the ways that it persevered through the city limiting it in countless ways. I do think some parts were really slow and boring and that they dragged down the truly amazing writing and research that made up the rest of the book.
I’m super proud of myself for voluntarily reading nonfiction! I actually enjoyed it a lot and I do feel like I learned a lot by reading it. I had no idea about the queer history of my own neighborhood! My own building! It’s just really incredible to find out how much of a community there has always been, and to learn about the ways that it persevered through the city limiting it in countless ways. I do think some parts were really slow and boring and that they dragged down the truly amazing writing and research that made up the rest of the book.
livruther's review against another edition
informative
5.0
adding this review a few months after reading this and i remember absolutely loving it and thinking it was 5 stars but i dont remember any information i may have learned
umm_igor's review
informative
medium-paced
3.0
When Brooklyn Was Queer ambitiously recounts queer histories of Brooklyn from 1855 to 1969 in chronologically organized chapters. The book is at its strongest when the author, Hugh Ryan, analyzes the impacts of Brooklyn's demographic changes (due to, for example, economic shifts, wars, criminal laws, and gentrification) on the development of queer identities, communities, and attitudes toward queer people. I also liked when Ryan was candid about archival silences and struggles with the interpretation of sources, noting in the epilogue the "rumors and avuncular older queers and disconnected bits of ephemera" that pervade the pre-1970s queer history of Brooklyn.
Ryan writes that "queer history has always been piecemeal," and this characterization unfortunately bleeds into the organization of the work. While many of the stories were interesting (and sometimes quite salacious!), the lack of synthesis or logical transitions between anecdotes and biographical sketches made many of the chapters cumbersome to read. Rarely do I conclude my reading of a history book wishing there had been more theory, but in this case, it might have helped. Perhaps it is due to my recent enjoyment of Delany's Times Square Red, Times Square Blue, but I often found myself wishing that the chapters were organized around different locations in Brooklyn (such as the Navy Yard, Sands Street, and Coney Island) and/or types of institutions and networks (bars, theaters, prisons, brothels/sex work, etc), rather than bouncing around within somewhat arbitrarily defined ranges of time (anywhere from 5 to 28 years in scope).
Additionally, I noticed occasional typos and small factual errors, which undermined my trust in the work. Hopefully there is (or will be) an updated edition to correct these mistakes.
Overall, When Brooklyn Was Queer uncovers a lot of fascinating and entertaining stories for a reader seeking an introduction to the topic, but I was disappointed by its unevenness.
Ryan writes that "queer history has always been piecemeal," and this characterization unfortunately bleeds into the organization of the work. While many of the stories were interesting (and sometimes quite salacious!), the lack of synthesis or logical transitions between anecdotes and biographical sketches made many of the chapters cumbersome to read. Rarely do I conclude my reading of a history book wishing there had been more theory, but in this case, it might have helped. Perhaps it is due to my recent enjoyment of Delany's Times Square Red, Times Square Blue, but I often found myself wishing that the chapters were organized around different locations in Brooklyn (such as the Navy Yard, Sands Street, and Coney Island) and/or types of institutions and networks (bars, theaters, prisons, brothels/sex work, etc), rather than bouncing around within somewhat arbitrarily defined ranges of time (anywhere from 5 to 28 years in scope).
Additionally, I noticed occasional typos and small factual errors, which undermined my trust in the work. Hopefully there is (or will be) an updated edition to correct these mistakes.
Overall, When Brooklyn Was Queer uncovers a lot of fascinating and entertaining stories for a reader seeking an introduction to the topic, but I was disappointed by its unevenness.
averyjl's review
4.0
not what i usually read but so interesting! it was really moving being able to peek into the lives of past queer communities and see how they live. for kelsey !
cor_luz's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
4.0
There's so much history about queer people I didn't realize existed. And this only encompasses 300 years in one location. I think it shows so much strength in our community because history has tried to erase us or pretend we haven't existed yet we find a way and will persist.
If you're looking to learn more about queer history, I recommend this. Unfortunately this is published under St. Martin's Press, just as a note and yes the boycott is still happening.
If you're looking to learn more about queer history, I recommend this. Unfortunately this is published under St. Martin's Press, just as a note and yes the boycott is still happening.