A review by da_bos
Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington by James Kirchick

5.0

Hands-down, one of the most insightful, well-written, and moving works of history I've read in a long time. Thoroughly researched and resourced (including a wealth of primary, including archival sources, for fellow academic historians out there), Kirchick's book narrates the story of (mostly male) gays in (primarily political) DC very vividly. And while there is a bit of a gossipy character to some of these tales--which I personally didn't mind at all--this is excellent historical writing and scholarship, both informative and moving. (I'll admit I had tears in my eyes on occasion.)
In short, this book is a great addition to gay U.S. history in the second half of the 20th century, and it ought to be read not only by students of LGBT studies but by all historians of the U.S.