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readingissosexy's review against another edition
3.0
Books like this are important & so is reading them on the family Libby account for every conservative aunt to see!!
thesarahkay's review against another edition
5.0
An inspiring history, so much so that I based a homebrew D&D campaign on it.
Reading about generations of queen folk who lived in their own ways all over Brooklyn made this borough all the more special. A well researched and well told history. I enjoyed reading about queer life in BK through the decades, and in particular found the overall narrative of how our understanding and categorization of “queer” people has evolved over time. It’s surprising to learn about periods and neighborhoods and people who were accepting or indifferent to non-normative people and relationships. More than anything this book dispelled the narrative that our society has gradually become more accepting of LQBTQ+ identities, and instead highlighted the ebb and flow: periods of greater acceptance followed by increased close-mindedness. The world is wide, and reading about pockets of
Reading about generations of queen folk who lived in their own ways all over Brooklyn made this borough all the more special. A well researched and well told history. I enjoyed reading about queer life in BK through the decades, and in particular found the overall narrative of how our understanding and categorization of “queer” people has evolved over time. It’s surprising to learn about periods and neighborhoods and people who were accepting or indifferent to non-normative people and relationships. More than anything this book dispelled the narrative that our society has gradually become more accepting of LQBTQ+ identities, and instead highlighted the ebb and flow: periods of greater acceptance followed by increased close-mindedness. The world is wide, and reading about pockets of
benjitimpf's review against another edition
4.0
Reading "House of Detention" first, I can see how Ryan grew from his first to second book. Highly appreciate the stories and cultural keystones - in some ways, the book is a giant TBR author list! Hugh Ryan gave a beautifully painted history of not only Brooklyn, but queer NYC & America as a whole.
laura_sackton's review against another edition
What a brilliant way to tell a history.
With specificity and care.
Digging into the flawed archive, giving up the burden of proof.
With specificity and care.
Digging into the flawed archive, giving up the burden of proof.
idesofjaim's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
4.0
“I look forward to having a future where we also have a past, and I look forward to creating it with you.”
Hugh Ryan, curator and LGBTQIA+ historian, has put together a really great history of queer Brooklyn. Looking at how it stretches back further than even the use word “homosexual,” it’s a good reminder of the legacy of queer culture and queer existence. It was fascinating to learn about how industrialization, building of the Brooklyn Bridge, etc., shaped the life of queer people and the city/borough itself.
This is definitely one of those books that I appreciated listening to on audiobook (especially as it was read by the author) but will need to revisit in written format due to the depth of information. There were also some parts where I admittedly zoned out because of how extensive the history was.
Hugh Ryan, curator and LGBTQIA+ historian, has put together a really great history of queer Brooklyn. Looking at how it stretches back further than even the use word “homosexual,” it’s a good reminder of the legacy of queer culture and queer existence. It was fascinating to learn about how industrialization, building of the Brooklyn Bridge, etc., shaped the life of queer people and the city/borough itself.
This is definitely one of those books that I appreciated listening to on audiobook (especially as it was read by the author) but will need to revisit in written format due to the depth of information. There were also some parts where I admittedly zoned out because of how extensive the history was.
mwgore's review against another edition
5.0
An excellent history of Brooklyn, the Navy Yard, Coney Island, and the queer community - how it flourished, struggled, and was persecuted.