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julianananana's review
5.0
THIS IS SUCH A LOVELY BOOK!! I adore this book!!
It was my first queer book ever. This was incredible for me to read to understand better how queerness has existed since the beginning, how people centuries and decades ago lived as queer people, how even the most unexpected people we all learn about were likely queer. It was moving, heartbreaking at times, heartwarming at others, enlightening and enriching. Something for everyone to read and learn from.
It was my first queer book ever. This was incredible for me to read to understand better how queerness has existed since the beginning, how people centuries and decades ago lived as queer people, how even the most unexpected people we all learn about were likely queer. It was moving, heartbreaking at times, heartwarming at others, enlightening and enriching. Something for everyone to read and learn from.
erickabdz's review
4.0
[...]as we see in all these transformative lives, and from the effect reading about them has on us today, however, you want to live is valid and important—because the mere fact of you, living, makes the world more radiant.
Live bravely.
This is such a wonderful, important book and I could never be more grateful for it. Its only premise made it worth reading: learning about queer history was long due for me, and it's a very important lesson and reminder for all queer people: you are not alone. It helps us to appreciate what people have done for us and to motivate us to keep fighting.
I was honestly surprised by many of the people that appeared here. Some I knew were queer because so much of their story revolves around this part of their lives, but others I had no idea. For example, Sor Juana! I can't believe I didn't know. I was both surprised and very happy to find about it.
The book is not only insightful: it is lovely written, and it is continuously trying to do the right, respectful thing when talking about these incredible people, a thing I both admire and want to learn from. The only thing keeping me from giving all the stars is that I didn't enjoy the drawings much (sorry!) and that it didn't brought much new information. Overall, this is a very good book to start learning about queer history, I think, and I hope I can find more like it in the future.
[aty #10: A book featuring an historical figure]
kathydubs10's review
4.0
This was a wonderful anthology! I loved the structure Prager provided, starting with a history of the word "queer" and how it's changed across time, then moving into 23 brief summaries of these great people's lives, and ending with a glossary, resources, and references. Although it's marketed as a teen/YA book, I honestly think this is a wonderful book for anyone of any age to read. Prager does a great job of respectfully highlighting the histories of these 23 individuals and highlighting the changes their work did for the LGBTQ community across time. At the end of the book she notes how we are living in a time of change and how none of the progress made so far could have occurred without these individuals, which is true! I think no matter how you identify, reading this book will encourage you to consider any biases or assumptions you made about the individuals highlighted in the book. I've heard of most of these individuals before, so leaning about another pivotal aspect of their lives was encouraging and interesting at the same time. I thought this book was done so, so well and I look forward to see if Prager creates any more anthologies in the future.
emleemay's review
4.0
“I understand you. I know how much you have suffered.” More beautiful words were never spoken.
Try and read this without becoming an emotional wreck. Just try.
[b:Queer, There, and Everywhere|31706527|Queer, There, and Everywhere 23 People Who Changed the World|Sarah Prager|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1476240256s/31706527.jpg|50463455] is an interesting, accessible, wonderful history book. It offers short biographies on twenty-three queer people throughout history, and serves as a reminder that gay, bi, trans, genderqueer, nonconforming, intersex, asexual and others all have long, beautiful, difficult histories. From Ancient Rome to modern day San Francisco, a single resounding cry echoes through the millennia: You are not alone.
I love that the author has remembered all these people so beautifully. She offers many of them in death what they were often denied in life - the correct gender pronouns - and, where possible, Prager has included direct quotes from them, capturing their humanity so that they become more than long-gone figures of history. They become painfully real.
Some of these chapters are heartwarming true romances, others about a lifelong fight for identity and rights, and a few are educational tales about the darkest times of history. I now really want to read Josef Kohout's (Heinz Heger) account of his time as a gay prisoner during the Second World War: [b:The Men with the Pink Triangle|391661|The Men with the Pink Triangle The True Life-and-Death Story of Homosexuals in the Nazi Death Camps|Heinz Heger|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328758764s/391661.jpg|381267]. I have read many memoirs from Jewish holocaust survivors, but none from gay survivors, and I plan to remedy that.
Though I did know this, it was great to get a reminder that the history of LGBTQIA+ people is not all about hatred and intolerance. I'm sure many teens will be interested in learning about how early societies often accepted non-het and trans people, and it was common for rulers to take both husbands and wives. Contrary to popular belief, the persecution of queer people rose with Christianity, particularly in the fifteenth to twentieth centuries.
If anything, I just wish that the book had contained people from outside Europe and North America as well. The intro talked about queerness all across the globe, and yet none of the twenty-three people were from Asia, Africa or South America. Though many were POC. I would love to see more books on queer history from the author, and to see them expand to include other people around the world.
That being said, it was still wonderful. The relationship between Abraham Lincoln and Joshua had me in tears, as did the love between Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon. I cannot explain the happiness I felt upon learning that Albert Cashier (transgender Civil War soldier) was not misgendered in death, and was allowed to have his true name on his headstone. And, oh shit, this from Glenn Burke (gay baseball player):
“As I reach my final days, I’d like to be remembered as just a down-to-earth good person. A man that tried to never have a bad thought in his mind. A man who really tried to get along with everybody at all times, no matter what the situation. A man who will always love his friends and family. Despite what people are going to say or write about me after I die, I want it to be known that I have no regrets about how I lived my life. I did the best I could.”
I'm not crying, I swear. *sobs*
Just... a beautiful book. The author's engaging, conversational tone made it so easy to read too. How I wish I had [b:Queer, There, and Everywhere|31706527|Queer, There, and Everywhere 23 People Who Changed the World|Sarah Prager|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1476240256s/31706527.jpg|50463455] when I was a teen.
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justinereads's review against another edition
4.0
A cute introduction into queer history. In some ways quite eye-opening, but this is only the tip of the iceberg.
whineosaur's review against another edition
3.0
Super fun, fast read. I think some assumptions were made & I have feelings about applying today’s norms to the distant past but still really neat and informative!
fireweed15's review
5.0
The LGBT+ community says we're your friends and neighbors, and this is the book to reinforce that. The anthology tells the story of famous figures in history who identified (or might have identified, according to modern labels) as LGBT+ with an off-beat, informal style that makes even the ancient past engaging. Overall, a fun, speedy read to kick off Pride month!
maink's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Transphobia