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araknifae's review against another edition
Not a bad book by any means, it was just... difficult to understand why this specific thesis statement was chosen. About half the points it made involved "well this didn't actually happen in Brooklyn but it happened elsewhere in New York so that must mean it happened in Brooklyn too", which was a bit lame when the whole point is queerness in Brooklyn. Eventually it all got too annoying to ignore.
anna_near's review against another edition
4.0
I don't think anything hits as hard as queer literature.
Hugh Ryan, has done a fantastic job of unearthing the stories and experiences of queer individuals who lived, loved, and thrived in Brooklyn. His writing style is engaging, witty, and so relatable. At times, I literally felt like I was sipping cocktails with him.
The book beautifully captures the spirit of Brooklyn and the incredible diversity of its LGBTQ+ community. It's not just about famous figures and landmark events (although they're in there too), but also the ordinary people who shaped the queer landscape. Ryan effortlessly weaves together personal anecdotes, historical research, and juicy gossip, making it a delightful and informative read.
I couldn't put it down- the pages literally turned themselves I swear
It's a reminder of how far we've come and how much further we can go. Whether you're a from New York, a queer individual, or someone who simply loves a good story, you'll fucking love this book.
Hugh Ryan, has done a fantastic job of unearthing the stories and experiences of queer individuals who lived, loved, and thrived in Brooklyn. His writing style is engaging, witty, and so relatable. At times, I literally felt like I was sipping cocktails with him.
The book beautifully captures the spirit of Brooklyn and the incredible diversity of its LGBTQ+ community. It's not just about famous figures and landmark events (although they're in there too), but also the ordinary people who shaped the queer landscape. Ryan effortlessly weaves together personal anecdotes, historical research, and juicy gossip, making it a delightful and informative read.
I couldn't put it down- the pages literally turned themselves I swear
It's a reminder of how far we've come and how much further we can go. Whether you're a from New York, a queer individual, or someone who simply loves a good story, you'll fucking love this book.
bookishbrat's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.25
psalva's review against another edition
5.0
An excellent recapturing of a section of NY queer history that is largely forgotten or glossed over. While some stories, particularly those of white men who were artists or authors, are more known, Ryan does a good job capturing some stories of lesser known figures. I really appreciated learning about the changes in culture as well as perceptions of sexuality/gender throughout the years. Also, the information about the upsetting decline of vibrant Brooklyn queer life after WWII was brilliantly explained and made me so angry. Nonetheless, I’m grateful to leave the book having a long list of people who I want to read more about. I feel like that in itself is a gift.
tordoffgrace's review against another edition
5.0
A wonderful look into the queer history of one of New York’s most famous neighborhoods. Ryan does a great job of painting a broad picture of how larger-scale events (laws, scientific consensus, wars, etc) impacted the queer community, while also highlighting individual queer voices, love stories, and other entanglements that makes it feel so personal. I love media that humanizes smaller voices of the past, as I feel that’s something that is easily lost in the greater picture of history, and what history gets told to us in the first place. It makes me want to read more queer history, especially looking at how the world is today.