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20 reviews for:
The Einstein of Sex: Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld, the Visionary of Weimar Berlin
Daniel Brook
4.42 AVERAGE
20 reviews for:
The Einstein of Sex: Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld, the Visionary of Weimar Berlin
Daniel Brook
4.42 AVERAGE
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
The reader is SO bad! Avoid in future, but come back to this book in another format.
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
tense
fast-paced
Wow, Wow, Wow. Such a well researched history of a man before and of his time. The destruction of his work on gender, sexuality, and racism by nazis who famously burned his library of sexology, clearly set the world back to a darker place. His understanding of the links between racism and the same facist ideologies that attack Transgender and gay folks is incredible. Tragic he passed before he could publish his greatest work on racism, learned through his travels around the world. Showing the growth of facism, how Hitler used him as a public enemy (gay and Transgender folks) to unite the German people through hate, after the Weimar republic had made such leaps in acceptance of folks is a shadowy warning to the world today.
informative
medium-paced
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Genocide, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, War, Classism, Deportation
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
TL;DR Blurb: The Einstein of Sex is a powerful biography of Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld — a pioneering queer rights advocate whose life intersected with Germany's turbulent political history. Daniel Brook captures Hirschfeld's visionary work, playful spirit, and legacy. Though set in the past, the book's themes echo unsettling parallels to our present. A thoughtful, necessary read that inspires continued resistance against intolerance.
Full Review:
I won an ARC of the book in January, though it took me until April to finish reading. This is in no part because of the book — rather, the incorporated political history reflects the current state of the US regarding LGBTQ+ protections, making reading important yet stressful.
Full Review:
I won an ARC of the book in January, though it took me until April to finish reading. This is in no part because of the book — rather, the incorporated political history reflects the current state of the US regarding LGBTQ+ protections, making reading important yet stressful.
The Einstein of Sex is a biography of Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld (1868–1935), but understanding his life requires a deep look into the political and historical context of Germany, from the German Empire to the rise of Nazism. While the tone remains hopeful, we still read about the persecution, violence, and social injustices that drove Hirschfeld toward equality, regardless of the continuum of sexuality, gender, and race. Hirschfeld's ideologies might have advanced social justice had they not been eclipsed by the ill-timed rise of fascism that destroyed his work and the white Anglo-Saxon Protestant (and often puritanical) sanitization of his remaining work.
Indeed, Hirschfeld was a visionary ahead of his time, but he made time to be playful. He participated in films and collected odd paraphernalia for research. I sincerely wish we had footage of him performing in drag as Auntie Magnesia, a persona that captures his sense of humor among the intolerance.
The biography also includes the stories of his lovers and their lives, which I was glad to see included. To end simply on Hirschfeld would be a disservice to his legacy that was entrusted to his lovers, even if it was a burden due to their race and sexuality. Continuing Hirschfeld's legacy seems to be the heart of this biography.
By learning of his struggles to make sense of a world that pushed back so harshly, readers may find inspiration to keep striving for equality, even in the face of growing fascism. Unsurprisingly, Hirschfeld continued his research and advocacy until the end, despite health complications and forced exile from Germany.
Content Warnings:
While Hirschfeld never participated in transphobia, racism, sexism, or homophobia, the political and historical context includes such ideologies and actions, such as hate crimes, police brutality, & bigotry. Hirschfeld lived through the First World War and the buildup to the Second World War with the associated xenophobia and antisemitism. These forces impacted Hirschfeld's patients, resulting in discussions of suicidality and mental illness. Though the author maintains a tone of political hope, the book doesn't shy away from the dark truths that drove Hirschfeld's advocacy. Read with care, and be kind to yourself as you proceed.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Sexism, Transphobia, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Dysphoria
Minor: Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, War
Features a historical queer figure often left out of mainstream narratives. Focus on intersectionality: sexuality, gender, race, and politics
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Both a biography of Dr. Hirschfeld and a well-argued plea that he was right for the very reason he had a target on his back. Due to his historical significance, the book goes more into political history than your average biography, and it is very well done narratively. The comparisons to Einstein seemed a little cheesy to me, but in a go-off-king kinda way :Þ
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. Look for this when it comes out next month.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. Look for this when it comes out next month.