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notlikethebeer's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
Part memoir, part history, part exploration, Gay Bar tries to do a LOT. Not to mention that it aims to do this across three different contexts (London, San Fran, LA). I really appreciate what it tried to do, but I think it became quite sprawling and hard to follow at times: I often didn't know whether we were in a historical contextualization or Atherton Lin's present day. Personally, I found this to be a memoir more than anything else: which is not to say that there wasn't an impressive amount of research and information (there was!!) nor that it failed to provide a history and analysis. It was just more anchored to Atherton Lin's experience more than anything. I went into this hoping to learn more about why WE, as a community, seek refuge in bars and clubs. What I learnt was why Atherton Lin and his compatriots did this. Again, there was a wealth of information in here and I really appreciate just how much I learnt, but there were some clear limitations. Some aspects were touched upon - such as the policing of (non-white) bodies in clubs and the increasing presence of straight women in gay clubs - but not really analyses; other important topics felt glossed over altogether, like much semblance of women's history or a more considered analysis of the role of the gay bar in a community often so strongly affected by addiction. That being said, it sparked some fantastic book club conversation, and has left me with a lot to chew over. I also really appreciated that this focused on an era of gay bars I haven't read much about, in the wake of the HIV/AIDS crisis. Lastly, and perhaps what I will take most from this, is that I was incredibly struck and appreciative by the way that sex and sexuality was presented!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, and Islamophobia
notthatcosta's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
Even though I am what Jeremy Atherton Lin describes as a 'cozy queer', I deeply appreciate his careful and thoughtful archiving of queer history through nightlife, adding to the canon from the likes of Alim Kheraj and Dan Glass.
As someone with a lot of interest in London's history and very little interest in America, I naturally gravitated more towards the chapters that focused on London nightlife.
While some sections felt a bit 'okay boomer but make it queer', I enjoyed the overall POV of the book, especially the elements that pondered the purpose of queer nightlife spaces and the complex relationship between gentrification and queerness both in the UK and the US.
As someone with a lot of interest in London's history and very little interest in America, I naturally gravitated more towards the chapters that focused on London nightlife.
While some sections felt a bit 'okay boomer but make it queer', I enjoyed the overall POV of the book, especially the elements that pondered the purpose of queer nightlife spaces and the complex relationship between gentrification and queerness both in the UK and the US.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Homophobia, and Sexual content
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Alcoholism, Death, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Police brutality, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
sakisreads's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
I wish I had liked this book more, but I felt like I couldn’t take that much away from it 🥲 Although Jeremy Atherton Lin gives us very elegant, three dimensional explanations of the gay bars he frequents, I felt like it wasn’t that accessible. There were so many big words 🫠
However, in saying all that, I appreciated his candour. I enjoyed reading some of the descriptions and how safe queer spaces were being politicised.
This quote stood out to me especially:
‘We hear the word community all the time. Often it sounds like wishful thinking. Queer community is just as vague - just piling a confusing identity onto an elusive concept. Maybe community, as Famous says, excludes inherently. At the word community, both of us are prone to hear clique.’
3.5 stars for me ✨
However, in saying all that, I appreciated his candour. I enjoyed reading some of the descriptions and how safe queer spaces were being politicised.
This quote stood out to me especially:
‘We hear the word community all the time. Often it sounds like wishful thinking. Queer community is just as vague - just piling a confusing identity onto an elusive concept. Maybe community, as Famous says, excludes inherently. At the word community, both of us are prone to hear clique.’
3.5 stars for me ✨
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia
jazhandz's review
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I have an admittedly bad habit of reading reviews before I read a book. As such I was surprised by how many reviews for Gay Bar were unhappy with the mixture of memoir and broader history. I am not a gay man but I identify as queer, and this book captures the essential connectedness of gayness. The bars he describes are snapshots of gay culture, and his experience is at once individual and intensely relatable. You can’t talk about the history of gay bars without talking about the people who go to them. You can’t talk about gay bars without talking about gay history. Sure, I would have preferred a different balance of the three, but you need all three.
As a whole I thought this book was lovely and honest and thoughtful, and full of so much love for the subject. Some parts of it resonates, other parts didn’t, and the author’s penchant for dropping in six-syllable words was a little annoying. But as a whole I hugely enjoyed reading this.
As a whole I thought this book was lovely and honest and thoughtful, and full of so much love for the subject. Some parts of it resonates, other parts didn’t, and the author’s penchant for dropping in six-syllable words was a little annoying. But as a whole I hugely enjoyed reading this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime and Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use, Homophobia, Racism, and Alcohol
Minor: Islamophobia
saloule's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime and Homophobia
Moderate: Transphobia and Murder
aus10england's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
3.75
This is not quite what I thought it would be! Much more of a memoir than a history of queer spaces. I did, however, enjoy the stories told my the author. Raw, gritty, real, and super informative.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Sexual content
Moderate: Hate crime and Racism
lilworm's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Sexual content
librar_bee's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
I approached this book anticipating a history of gay bars across time and cultural spaces; however, this is not the case. Instead, this book is a deeply personal memoir of the author, a gay, Asian-American man's, experiences in gay bars in both San Francisco and London. The reflections are interwoven with historical narratives from the queer scene of the late 1900s, detailing the history of communities through bars as public spaces. Gay Bar: Why We Went Out left an impression on me in many ways, namely through the smooth narratives and explicit detail.
Atherton Lin's writing is natural for storytelling. He does a fantastic job bringing together the vivid scenes of night life with his own personal feelings and experiences, and eventually those of his partner's ('Famous Blue Raincoat') as well. There were parts of the story where I found the transitions between reflection and history unclear, but nonetheless, the balance of the historical narrative and life lessons learned with the explicit sexual descriptions of encounters inside and outside the gay bars kept me engaged. For those uncomfortable with graphic sexual scenes, this may not be the ideal read for you, but I found it powerful that Atherton Lin so directly put into words the experiences of men being with men that have long been censored throughout history.
Other topics touched on are the commodification of queer life and capitalism's role in the eradication of these spaces, increased queer visibility and the changing dynamic of gay bars, consent and inclusivity, and the intersections of white queer life and white supremacy. Atherton Lin's mixed feelings on the progression towards bars as safe spaces for communities to flourish were interesting to read in print. He touches on his own feelings, but ultimately declares that "the kids" have taught him better. While I found the remark a bit patronizing, I found it intriguing that he was able to lay out his thoughts in such a way that allows queer folks to more closely examine our community spaces and what values we promote within. Perhaps a more comprehensive history of gay bars could address this.
Gay Bar: Why We Went Out is challenging, informative, and above all else, a very engaging story. While I did not always agree with Atherton Lin regarding his preferences in bars and night clubs (I also am not a gay man), I found that his feelings and thought processes made me think deeply about issues facing the queer community's past, present, and future, and it is crucial that we make space in our community for challenging discussions as we move forward and create more spaces for ourselves.
Atherton Lin's writing is natural for storytelling. He does a fantastic job bringing together the vivid scenes of night life with his own personal feelings and experiences, and eventually those of his partner's ('Famous Blue Raincoat') as well. There were parts of the story where I found the transitions between reflection and history unclear, but nonetheless, the balance of the historical narrative and life lessons learned with the explicit sexual descriptions of encounters inside and outside the gay bars kept me engaged. For those uncomfortable with graphic sexual scenes, this may not be the ideal read for you, but I found it powerful that Atherton Lin so directly put into words the experiences of men being with men that have long been censored throughout history.
Other topics touched on are the commodification of queer life and capitalism's role in the eradication of these spaces, increased queer visibility and the changing dynamic of gay bars, consent and inclusivity, and the intersections of white queer life and white supremacy. Atherton Lin's mixed feelings on the progression towards bars as safe spaces for communities to flourish were interesting to read in print. He touches on his own feelings, but ultimately declares that "the kids" have taught him better. While I found the remark a bit patronizing, I found it intriguing that he was able to lay out his thoughts in such a way that allows queer folks to more closely examine our community spaces and what values we promote within. Perhaps a more comprehensive history of gay bars could address this.
Gay Bar: Why We Went Out is challenging, informative, and above all else, a very engaging story. While I did not always agree with Atherton Lin regarding his preferences in bars and night clubs (I also am not a gay man), I found that his feelings and thought processes made me think deeply about issues facing the queer community's past, present, and future, and it is crucial that we make space in our community for challenging discussions as we move forward and create more spaces for ourselves.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia
alexg52's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia