Scan barcode
A review by connorgirvan
The Love That Dares: Letters of LGBTQ+ Love & Friendship Through History by Rachel Smith, Barbara Vesey
4.0
4 / 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book - just a collection of letters and poetry between lovers or intense friendships with a lot of love present. I feel like book doesn't really make an overwhelming point, other than giving the letters a space/platform but nonetheless, I really enjoyed it and it was a welcome read. (note; I don't think the book AIMED to make some huge sweeping point other than to showcase a range of relationships throughout history).
Despite the fact that the book was all about love, I actually liked letters which contained 'mundane' elements like when they were merely updating one another about their lives or seemingly everyday things that happened to them (as opposed to grandiose declarations of their love). It was fun to see what certain individuals deemed worthy of telling their significant other or friend about their life.
Enjoyed brief note about how William Shakespeare published a full collection of his sonnets in 1609 despite writing them roughly 10 years earlier because they would be better received in the 'homosocial' court of King James. Also fun to learn that in Ancient Rome, romantic love between men wasn't deemed a crime unless the elder man seduced a young boy.
Unsure how I felt about Anne Lister's letters being included/preserved considering they wished for the diaries to be burned upon the knowledge of their contents. Been speaking to a few friends about it, but don't know if I agree with them being preserved. The book positions it as a positive thing because now we have access to this queer relationship in this time etc., etc., but I don't know if I feel that it was right given their original wishes. Not entirely sold either way. Big fan of MC Shermans writings at the end of the book though - couldn't really pinpoint why but I feel like their letters just seem more applicable to modern day than some of the others given when they were written.
Fan of the book though, really enjoyed and on brand for the valentines day reads I'm doing.
I really enjoyed this book - just a collection of letters and poetry between lovers or intense friendships with a lot of love present. I feel like book doesn't really make an overwhelming point, other than giving the letters a space/platform but nonetheless, I really enjoyed it and it was a welcome read. (note; I don't think the book AIMED to make some huge sweeping point other than to showcase a range of relationships throughout history).
Despite the fact that the book was all about love, I actually liked letters which contained 'mundane' elements like when they were merely updating one another about their lives or seemingly everyday things that happened to them (as opposed to grandiose declarations of their love). It was fun to see what certain individuals deemed worthy of telling their significant other or friend about their life.
Enjoyed brief note about how William Shakespeare published a full collection of his sonnets in 1609 despite writing them roughly 10 years earlier because they would be better received in the 'homosocial' court of King James. Also fun to learn that in Ancient Rome, romantic love between men wasn't deemed a crime unless the elder man seduced a young boy.
Unsure how I felt about Anne Lister's letters being included/preserved considering they wished for the diaries to be burned upon the knowledge of their contents. Been speaking to a few friends about it, but don't know if I agree with them being preserved. The book positions it as a positive thing because now we have access to this queer relationship in this time etc., etc., but I don't know if I feel that it was right given their original wishes. Not entirely sold either way. Big fan of MC Shermans writings at the end of the book though - couldn't really pinpoint why but I feel like their letters just seem more applicable to modern day than some of the others given when they were written.
Fan of the book though, really enjoyed and on brand for the valentines day reads I'm doing.