Scan barcode
ameyawarde's review against another edition
1.0
Though it has quite a bit of interesting trivia in here, I find this book DEEPLY problematic, and thus awful. Extremely triggering for anyone who has sexual-violence related PTSD as well. I'm choosing not to finish it. As the reviewer "Will" wrote in Jan 2018,
"First, he dwells on accounts of sexual assault and violence, as well as pedophilia and pederasty, without making any effort to separate them from consensual sexual encounters."
I truly don't understand how more reviewers haven't been commenting on this. I was surprised to hear the author is gay because such a deep convolution of gayness and pedophilia/pederasty offended _me_, and I am not a gay man. The author's narrative voice is present throughout the book, and yet never makes any sort of commentary suggesting any differences between the unbelievable amount of rape (of adults and children/teens) he covers and gay men/the gay community. I honest to god started to think the book was written by one of those American religious extremists who DO think gay = pedophilic. It did not help at all that the voice of the audiobook narrator did NOT take on any different tone in these parts, to the point where I had to pause it a few times because i was overwhelmed with the lighthearted tone that both the text and voice were taking with too-graphic accounts of rape and molestation.
As far as I got in the book I feel like the women he covered were discussed well enough-- not much on them, but I totally understand that the lack of materials is likely behind it, which is something historical research of even straight, cis women deal with, and yet he managed to find material other than graphic sexual assaults, and I really don't see why the hell he saw no problem including graphic and jaunty accounts of rape and molestation, pedophilia and pederasty in all the sections about gay men.
"First, he dwells on accounts of sexual assault and violence, as well as pedophilia and pederasty, without making any effort to separate them from consensual sexual encounters."
I truly don't understand how more reviewers haven't been commenting on this. I was surprised to hear the author is gay because such a deep convolution of gayness and pedophilia/pederasty offended _me_, and I am not a gay man. The author's narrative voice is present throughout the book, and yet never makes any sort of commentary suggesting any differences between the unbelievable amount of rape (of adults and children/teens) he covers and gay men/the gay community. I honest to god started to think the book was written by one of those American religious extremists who DO think gay = pedophilic. It did not help at all that the voice of the audiobook narrator did NOT take on any different tone in these parts, to the point where I had to pause it a few times because i was overwhelmed with the lighthearted tone that both the text and voice were taking with too-graphic accounts of rape and molestation.
As far as I got in the book I feel like the women he covered were discussed well enough-- not much on them, but I totally understand that the lack of materials is likely behind it, which is something historical research of even straight, cis women deal with, and yet he managed to find material other than graphic sexual assaults, and I really don't see why the hell he saw no problem including graphic and jaunty accounts of rape and molestation, pedophilia and pederasty in all the sections about gay men.
cai_rw's review against another edition
3.0
Despite being full to the brim of interesting facts and stories, Ackroyd's book barely has a structure. While going in chronological order, the connection between queerness and London are strained to nonexistent. I'm glad I read this, and I certainly knew more than I did, but Queer City is a mess.
george_and_books's review against another edition
I found the writing quite dense and difficult to parse. Also the title says queer city yet 99% of the content I got through was about cis gay men, this may have changed later in the book but I lost access on my library app and don't have any huge desire to seek it out and finish it
lattelibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
This was such an interesting look at history--spanning over the course of centuries, Ackroyd analyzes the attitudes of homosexuality from Roman times to present day, analyzing what it meant to be gay, lesbian, transgender/a crossdresser (as trans wasn't a "thing" yet), and queer in the changing times of this land. Besides, what exactly constituted as homosexuality? Was it a trend, a phase, or something long-lasting? And between whom did homosexuality exist?
Breaking the city's history down into readable and accessible chapters, Ackroyd divulges in the lives and lingo of gays, lesbians, and the rest of the "queer" spectrum as it grew. Each chapter is paired with an image relating to that chapter, making it for a sometimes really fun way to figure out how exactly they relate.
I found so much of what Ackroyd divulges to be new and interesting to me, and having visited London while reading this book was loads of fun and made me look at the city in a new light! This is definitely a great read for Pride Month--or for any other month, really!
Review cross-listed here!
Breaking the city's history down into readable and accessible chapters, Ackroyd divulges in the lives and lingo of gays, lesbians, and the rest of the "queer" spectrum as it grew. Each chapter is paired with an image relating to that chapter, making it for a sometimes really fun way to figure out how exactly they relate.
I found so much of what Ackroyd divulges to be new and interesting to me, and having visited London while reading this book was loads of fun and made me look at the city in a new light! This is definitely a great read for Pride Month--or for any other month, really!
Review cross-listed here!
lewistronb's review
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
Easy to follow along with. Interesting read
apalelandscape's review against another edition
1.0
If you read this book, do yourself a favour and stop as soon as either you read something transphobic or just plain wrong like “transgender is a new sexuality” or you get to the bit about Section 28 having minimal effects or you will get very angry. I’m not sure how anyone can say that an entire generation going through school without even knowing that anything other than heterosexuality is a possibility and people not coming out until they leave education is a ‘minimal effect’.
panslibrary's review against another edition
4.0
I picked up this book last Pride when I was visiting the British Museum as they had a Pride trail through the museum. I'd always wanted to read more on Queer history but had never found the right book to introduce me to the academia). The cover and the description drew me in and I took a chance and bought it. And there it sat on my shelf for a whole year, until this June I decided to celebrate Pride by reading my unread Queer-focused books.
I can't believe I left it so long to read, Queer City is a fabulous book and one i'm sure I'll keep going back to and dip in and out of. The book gives a great overview of the history of Queer folk in London, and those chapter titles are the best.
I did however have few 'cons' for this book, and did debate giving it three stars instead of four.
For one, it focuses heavily on cis gay men, and whilst it is explained and acknowledged that women are often ignored from history anyway, I cant help but feel that there should have been a bit more of an inclusion towards other genders.
Secondly, the writing style was much too academic and dry at times. It didn't flow too well together and the stories were very mix-matched and jumpy.
Which brings me to my final 'con' that may not altogether be a bad thing; I left wanting much more. The insights and stories that were told about people and events were ofter over before they began, I'd have loved it if the book was twice as long and was really able to delve into these peoples history. But in all I guess that just means I'll have to go looking for more Queer History books.
If you are looking at a general overview and timeline of Queer history in London then I do definitely recommend this book. A very well-informed book that has drawn me into the genre and a book I will keep by me for a long while.
I can't believe I left it so long to read, Queer City is a fabulous book and one i'm sure I'll keep going back to and dip in and out of. The book gives a great overview of the history of Queer folk in London, and those chapter titles are the best.
I did however have few 'cons' for this book, and did debate giving it three stars instead of four.
For one, it focuses heavily on cis gay men, and whilst it is explained and acknowledged that women are often ignored from history anyway, I cant help but feel that there should have been a bit more of an inclusion towards other genders.
Secondly, the writing style was much too academic and dry at times. It didn't flow too well together and the stories were very mix-matched and jumpy.
Which brings me to my final 'con' that may not altogether be a bad thing; I left wanting much more. The insights and stories that were told about people and events were ofter over before they began, I'd have loved it if the book was twice as long and was really able to delve into these peoples history. But in all I guess that just means I'll have to go looking for more Queer History books.
If you are looking at a general overview and timeline of Queer history in London then I do definitely recommend this book. A very well-informed book that has drawn me into the genre and a book I will keep by me for a long while.
cattylou's review against another edition
3.0
Listened to it on audio; very enlightening but almost too much information packed in there and hard to follow. Might be easier to read the print version. Lots of interesting information about the history of gay culture in London going back to Roman times.