Reviews (7)

Gut-wrenching
Further down, someone - presumably dissatisfied by the fact that John Pilger doesn't try to explain away the crimes of Western politicians as acts of historical necessity - referred to the author's "monumental left-wing bias". Indeed. Pilger is heavily biased, there is no doubt about that. Pilger is biased in favour of the innocent, the harmless, the poor, and the victims of atrocity. This unfortunate bias certainly distorts everything he writes, making it impossible for him to sneak in the self-serving excuses of the Western pigs who have benefitted from decades of brutality and oppression which they have either directly perpetrated or had perpetrated on their behalf by their paid minions and stooges.
Oh for goodness' sake!
Left-wing bias from beginning to end.If you're serious about getting an even perspective on things,find some other source.I can handle a certain amount of distortion,but really,there are limits.Waste of time and money.

Stimulate your Conscience
You can't deny that John Pilger has witnessed more than his fair share of social injustice, abuse of power and bloodshed on a variety of continents and he covers many in this excellent collection of essays. Unlike so many of today's journalists, he's actually put in the leg-work and been to these events and seen first hand what's going on (rather than re-hash second-hand reports), so he knows what he's talking about. His reporting is accurate and well researched and he regularly challenges the accepted norm: in this fine book, he really does make you stop and think about the folly of current World leaders who time and again fail to learn from past mistakes. Read more

Subjects:  1. Australia    2. Biography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Gay Studies    5. General    6. History - Military / War    7. Journalists    8. Military - General    9. Multicultural Education    10. Pilger, John    11. Social Science    12. Sociology    13. Social Science / Gay Studies   

Subjects:  1. Art & Art Instruction    2. Essays    3. History - Contemporary (1945- )    4. Art / Individual Artist    5. Gay & Lesbian studies    6. Individual artists    7. Individual Artist    8. Art   

Reviews (4)

Lots of Fun in a Small New Jersey Town
"Watering Hole" is the well-written and painstakingly researched story of the Mine Hill Tavern, a small bar in a small town with a big and colorful history.It is a story of murder, sex, lots and lots of drinking, and more than a few ghost stories.Mr. Connors does an excellent job of bringing the reader into this crazy world, where you can almost hear the thump of the owner's long-time love hitting the ground after falling out of her second story window.
The story of people.And the story of a place.Fine book!
Some books tell the story of people.Other books tell the story of a place.But this book tells the story of both.Subtitled "The colorful history of booze, sex and death at a New Jersey tavern","Watering Hole"is a mere 227 pages long, including about 50 photographs, but it tells a fascinating tale. It's scrupulously researched too, with newspaper accounts of murders, mayhem and mine accidents going all the way back to the 1860s, when the Mine Hill Tavern was a stagecoach stop for weary travelers.The iron mines that were there then have long since closed, but there were many a pint poured down the parched throats of the men who labored so hard in those mines.Most were Irish immigrants, struggling to make ends meet, many of them drinking too much and too hard and beating their wives too much.And there's a famous murder case from those days about one of those beatings that went too far. Watering Hole: The Colorful History of Booze, Sex & Death...
I could not put this book down and wanted to read it again the next day. A terrifically entertaining history of a little tavern of obvious great importance, from its beginning as a stage coach stop and center of a mining community to it's transformation and acceptance as a gay bar. The walls didn't have to talk because the author told the stories of the people and murder and sex and ghosts in a way that keeps you wanting more even after its history is finished! Wonderfully written. Can't wait for the author's next book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. History - U.S.    3. United States - State & Local - Middle Atlantic    4. Gay studies (Gay men)   

Editorial Review

Alice Carter's Read more

Reviews (14)

Great book about artists and friendship...
Some great reproductions here too, of some Pre-Raphaelite-style art from the Philadelphia area about 100 years ago. Violet spent over 25 years painting huge celebrations of the founding of Pennsylvania in the Harrirburg State Capitol. She may not ne Michaelangelo, but is not far behind his Sistine Chapel! This small coffee table book will never go out of style, and does a great job bringing back 3 great lady artists!

Informative and Entertaining
I bought this book with the idea of finding out more of the types of relationships women shared at the beginning of the twentieth century.I was astonished to find more than I bargained for.The Red Rose Girls provided more than insight into these relationships, it also provided a look inside the rise and fall of the progressive and arts and crafts movements.Pre Freud, the relationship of these woman was accepted and cherished as they lived together, and created their art.Post Freud, their relationships deteriorated as did their careers.All in all I found this book extremely entertaining, as well as heartening (a forty year relationship between two of the women) and the pictures are absolutely beautiful.If nothing else, as an art book it is extraordinary.

An Amazing Achievement
It was some months ago when I discovered and read Ms. Carter's lush tale of four intertwined lives. I still remember the regret and exhiliaration I felt on turning the final page. Read more

Subjects:  1. Artists, Architects, Photographers    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Lesbian Studies    6. Specific Groups - Lesbians    7. 20th century    8. Art / General    9. History of art & design styles: from c 1900 -    10. Human figures depicted in art    11. Illustration    12. Individual artists    13. Painting & paintings    14. USA   

Reviews (2)

Widening the lens of art history
Ann Eden Gibson's revelatory book takes a second look at American art history of the mid-to-late 20th century and makes a strong case for a reexamination of artists whose work has been excluded.The importance ofartists such as Norman Lewis, Beauford Delany, Hale Woodruff, CharlesAlston, Alice Trumbull Mason, Michael West and many others has beenmarginalized because they were African-American or women or gay orAsian-American.How and why this happened is the subject of Ms. Gibson'sclear-eyed and well-reasoned analysis.She writes of social,philosophical, psychological and historical matters which combined tocreate this widespread rejection in the mainstream art world. A must read; Dr. Gibson opens our eyes to so many overlooked
In Other Politics, Ann Gibson has made me rethink all of what I thought I knew about abstract expressionism.From the ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. General    4. History - Expressionism    5. 20th century    6. Abstract Expressionism    7. Abstractionism    8. Art / General    9. Ethnic studies    10. Gay & Lesbian studies    11. USA    12. Women's studies   

Reviews (6)

first serious attempt to document tattoo culture 1950-1965
Academics get tired too but most don't do a 180 turn and join subcultures that seem completely opposed to their previous community.Samuel Steward became a tattoo artist but kept his scholarly mind working as he did so upon the urging of Kinsey, yes, that Alfred Kinsey.The result many years later is this book.Part history, part personal recollection, and part social sciences, this is an interesting and easy to read book.If you don't except detailed interviews with people or rigorous research protocols you won't be disappointed.I think the first half of the book which focuses on what he observed is much better than the second more "historical" half.It could use photos and a better spine to hold the book together.

Steer clear: an amateur work
As a scholar of what might be called outsiders, I was eager to read this work on tatooing.But the scholarship here is hackneyed and unprofessional.His sources are scattered and incomplete and his discussion is of similar quality.Given the excellent quality of research being done on this topic, this book falls into a dont-bother-with category.

What a Read
Having 4 tattoo's applied last year at the ripe young age of 50, I was fascinated by this book.Tattoo's in the 50's & 60's apparently were taboo except for the underbelly of life.Looking at how they are accepted today as opposed to then is astounding.The syndicate was even involved in the 50's.The book actually had me laughing out loud at some of the situations this highly educated man faced when he gave up teaching English at a major university and took up tattooing.If you have any interest in tattoo's be sure to purchas this one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Beauty & Grooming - General    2. Biography    3. Fashion & Grooming    4. Psychological aspects    5. Social Science    6. Social Work    7. Social aspects    8. Sociology    9. Steward, Samuel M    10. Subculture    11. Tattoo artists    12. Tattooing    13. United States    14. Social Sciences    15. c 1945 to c 1960    16. c 1960 to c 1970   

Reviews (6)

Fascinating and easily accessible
In 1990 some friends and I formed a book group to read books by and or about gay people.The guys often kid me about being the facilitator, steering committee and publicity chairman (I piece together a monthly newsletter).Our goal has been to discover our gay roots - our hidden history.Throughout the past four years primarily (though obviously I've been reading all along), I have read a great deal of fiction, poetry, biography and history written by and/or about gay people.Perhaps because of my own trek through gay literature, I found Rick Whitaker's book enthralling.His observations are keen.His choice of writers and individual works are fresh and his writing is accessible.You don't have to be familiar with each of the writers discussed to appreciate Whitaker's take on their work.The fact that I have read, or at least heard of most of, the material discussed here only increased my appreciation for this truly remarkable little book.God bless you Rick for drawing our attention to James Purdy and Jane Bowles and Frank O'Hara and Glenway Wescott.Perhaps your book will inspire your readers to seek out books by these authors.Well done.

Small Book With Large Sensibility
Well, not just an interesting glimpse at over a dozen gay American writers by a young writer himself. (Thoreau, Melville, Whitman, Wilde, Firbank, Baldwin, and minors such as Halleck, Fuller, Van Vechten, Ford, Purdy...) But also a valuable concept of "gay sensibility" in writing. Whitaker describes this as "original and fresh," but also "clever, scornful of laws, introspective, energetic, and sexy." Often it imports irony and wit. Usually also some melancholy. This concept usefully expands the concept of "camp," and it refreshes the shopworn query, "But is there such a thing as gay literature," etc. An interesting survey to some queer and near-queer writers
Early on in this collection of enjoyable and highly engaging essays, Whitaker admits that he is laying before us the gay and lesbian authors he has been drawn to. This is a personal essay, not a Gay Lit 101 textbook. Consequently, some major gay American writers are not included: David Leavitt, Christopher Bram, Edmund White, Christopher Isherwood, Tennessee Williams, Carson McCullers, Truman Capote. Lesbian representation is slight--just Emily Dickinson (near queer, at that), Jane Bowles, and Gertrude Stein. And one slot was taken up by a writer who isn't even American (Oscar Wilde).Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th Century American Literature    2. American literature    3. Books & Reading    4. Gay & Lesbian    5. Gay Studies    6. Gays' writings, American    7. Gender Studies    8. History and criticism    9. Homosexuality    10. Homosexuality and literature    11. Literary Criticism    12. Theory, etc   

Reviews (2)

excellent for academics and non academics
I picked up this book because I met Professor Doyle socially and I am into art. I particularly enjoyed her chapter on Tracey Emin and her introduction, wherein she discusses Moby Dick in decidedly non-academic terms. Most academic prose is like soap without water, but Doyle manages to get a good lather going. Her work is deep but accessible in the best way, not because it's easy, but because it actually makes you think about thinks that matter, and mean something.

the many ways sexual desire has been portrayed in art in the past 100 years
You know that any book of criticism with Thomas Eakins, the notorious pornographic film "Moby Dick," Andy Warhol, Vanessa Beecroft, and Tracey Emin in it is going to be quirky. What links all of these quirky artists in this work by an associate professor of English at the U. of California-Riverside and co-author of "Pop Out: Queer Warhol" is their approaches to handling sexuality. With Eakins, the approach in his time and place of Victorian era America was subtle and ambivalent. With Warhol, the approach was ironic and often detached. With Beecroft, forward and multiplicitous. These and the other unconventional treatments of sexuality are critiqued with reference to "the queer theory that addresses the limitations of dominant (largely binary) models for sexual identity for describing our sexual lives and for understanding representations of sexual difference and sexual desire." Doyle demonstrates a sure understanding of the latest methodology and critical possibilities of queer theory. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art & Art Instruction    2. Criticism    3. Feminism and the arts    4. Film & Video - History & Criticism    5. Gay Studies    6. Gay erotic art    7. Sex in art    8. Social Science    9. Sociology    10. Erotic art    11. Sex & sexuality    12. Social Science / Gay Studies   

Editorial Review

William Haines was one of MGM's biggest stars in the late 1920s, playing cocky but sympathetic wise guys in movies such as Read more

Reviews (24)

A sloppy job
This book was a major disappointment. It could have been good. Unfortunately, once you throw out all the regurgitated gossip, conjecture, and seemingly endless repetition, there's not much real information on William Haines. It doesn't help that Mann doesn't seem to know (or care) that he frequently contradicts himself. Potentially interesting topics - that Haines may have been a manic depressive, to name just one - are touched on, but Mann prefers rehashing old publicity to attempting any real insight. Things you can tell just by skimming through it
This book is very informative and full of eye-opening photographs.It reflects an issue that needs to be addressed much, much more.I already knew much about this silent star, and have learned more just by simply skimming through Mr. Mann's excellent survey.I definitely recommend it as I also recommend another of the author's books, which I am currently reading as well, "Behind the Screen: How Gays and Lesbians Shaped Hollywood 1910-1969."

AN ALMOST TRUE BOOK
For those looking for an introduction to the career of William Haines and for some insights into gay life in the 1920s and 1930s, this book will suffice.But it has as its grounding assumptions several false facts.Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Entertainment & Performing Arts - Actors & Actresses    5. Entertainment & Performing Arts - General    6. Gay Studies    7. Historical - U.S.    8. Specific Groups - Male Gay Studies    9. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Reviews (3)

A seminal work
The title Fear of a Queer Planet is a play on the famous essay on race, Fear of a Black Planet;only readers deaf to history would fail to make the connection. This is a pioneering book, with essays by Eve Sedgewick, HenryL. Gates, and Michael Warner, among others, the first to push gay identitypolitics beyond its limitations within "gay and lesbian studies"and into social, economic, and transcultural theory. It is indeed"planetary" in its attempt to take gay and lesbian theory pastthe blindness of American identity niche-marketing and and fashion magazine triumphalism.

A seminal work
The title Fear of a Queer Planet is a play on the famous essay on race, Fear of a Black Planet; only readers deaf to history would fail to make the connection. This is a pioneering book, with essays by Eve Sedgewick, HenryL. Gates, and Michael Warner, among others, the first to push gay identitypolitics beyond its limitations within "gay and lesbian studies"and into social, economic, and transcultural theory. It is indeed"planetary" in its attempt to take gay and lesbian theory pastthe blindness of American identity niche-marketing and and fashion magazinetriumphalism.

Does the book tell us why and how the fear is planatary?
Queer as used in this title means sexual conduct that deviates from established norms.It is not gender limited.The question then is who is afraid and how does that fear involve the planet?Those who fear, evidently, are those burdened with imposing the norms.The first essay in this anthology tells the story of Balboa's encounter with Panamanian "sodomy."The burden in that case fell upon political and religious figures.The next-to-last essay tells how the defeat of Quebec's bid for sovereignity was blamed on its tolerance of homosexuality, thus situating the burden in the domain of the general culture.The last essay recounts the "outing" in the US pop media of a female entertainer with attendant public anxieties, thus situating the locus in the general culture.But how does that make the fear planetary?The introduction, best read as a postscript,attempts to connect the theme with the planetthrough the device of Pioneer 10's spacecr! aft design.But the connection is superficia,l and the reader is left to find it in the issues raised by postmodernism, which heavily undergirds much of the volume's ponderosity.Eleven of its 15 contributors are teachers of English, with a lit-crit approach heavily freighted with fashionable structuralism-desctructuralism jargon; but the diligent reader can find a rich cornocupia for reflection here and food for thought;but he/she must look for the planatary connection (and it does exist, we have no doubt) in the areas of ontology and epistomology that postmodernism leaves us floundering in. Howard of Athens ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gays    3. Gender Studies    4. History & Theory - General    5. Homosexuality    6. Lesbian Studies    7. Philosophy    8. Political activity    9. Political aspects    10. Sociology    11. United States    12. Gay & Lesbian studies    13. Political science & theory   

Reviews (14)

amazing
This is truly an amazing book. And Mel Cheren has lived an amazing life, from being a record promoter in the 60s who was living a closeted life, to being at the epicenter of gay life in the 70s, to fighting the AIDS crisis in the 80s. I bought this book just hoping to get more info on the Garage but I got so much more. I got a history lesson in gay life over the past 30 years. Truly educational and fascinating. But yes I must agree with the past poster--a little too much backpatting and a little too much taking credit for other people's successes. Other than that, a fine book and one definitely worth owning if you have any interest in disco, gay life or the Paradise Garage.

I really liked this book ...
I thought this book was great.I live in Boston and have spent a considerable time going back and forth to New York over the years.I think I spent most weekends there in the mid-80's.Anyway, I moved in a different crowd form Mel's Boston crew, but I knew some of them casually.His appendix held a few surprises for me as to what happened to some of them. Mixed feelings. (Please read the *whole* review!)
I must admit that I have very mixed feelings about this book. Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Business Aspects    6. Cheren, Mel    7. Discotheques    8. Entertainment & Performing Arts - General    9. Gay men    10. New York    11. New York (State)    12. Regional Subjects - MidAtlantic    13. Sound recording executives and    14. Sound recording executives and producers    15. United States    16. Memoir    17. Music History   

Reviews (2)

An all too brief glimpse of Genius
There was a greatness there in these women, in that time. They loved Paris and France and the freedom and the people they met there. They came alive living and loving in a city that seemed to inspire them to certain greatness. Poets, writers, artists their talents ran the gamut of art.
Paris through female eyes
Profusely illustrated and painstakingfully researched, this book is an enlightening account of women who between wars found their self and their own voice in Paris. Though mostly concerned with the stories of lesbian or bisexual women such as Colette, Gertrude Stein, Alice Toklas, Sylvia Beach, Djuna Barnes and Natalie Barney who came to the City of Light attracted by an aura of unbridled freedom missing in their places of origin, this book will appeal to all those who are interested in this fascinating early period of the twentieth century as well. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th Century Literature - History And Criticism    2. Biography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. France    5. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    6. General    7. Lesbian Studies    8. Paris    9. Paris (France)    10. Social Science    11. Women    12. Women In Literature    13. Women authors    14. Women intellectuals   

Reviews (2)

lots of good stuff, a few problems
First the problems.When a scholar uses such a wide range of sources, it is inevidentual that some will be used better than others.I think Cantarella has a good grasp of the legal and epigraphical evidence but heruse of literature and plays is more tenuous.Likewise she crosses overfrom time periods at times, combining Greek sources from a Roman contextinto her discussion about Greece when they might best be a reflection of anew multiculture world.Finally, I can tell this was done on a computer. Several pages are word for word from her previous book "Pandora'sDaughters".Computers are wonderful things but I don't think theyshould take the place of writing something new. There are several goodpoints about this book.She uses a wide range of sources and attempts toplace "reality" apart from "philosophy" a differenceoften overlooked in scholarship it seems.Her attempt to look at women'sbisexuality is good though limited by the sources available.Finally thebook is written clearly so that both scholar and non-scholar can appreciateand learn from it.

Not as recent as some might have us believe...
This is a delightful book that makes a delicious change from the normal books on bisexuality. Full of great stories and a wonderous insight from start to finish, it kept me enthralled until the last page and then made me wish for more. It's rather refreshing to see something that deals with ahistory of bisexuality, rather than a personal insight. This made it evenmore of a gem, but in itself it is a must for every bi bookcase. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Sexual Behavior    2. Ancient - General    3. Bisexuality    4. Gay Studies    5. Gender Studies    6. Greece    7. History    8. Homosexuality, Male    9. Human Sexuality    10. Rome    11. Social Science    12. Sociology    13. Ancient Greece    14. Ancient Rome    15. BCE to c 500 CE    16. Bisexuals    17. European history: BCE to c 500 CE    18. Social Science / Gender Studies    19. Social history   

Reviews (1)

impressive marxist stance
i am very impressed with the author's marxist stance.she is very critical of the currently trendy scholars.it is time to reclaim the marxist materialism.especially for lesbian and gay people. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Feminism & Feminist Theory    2. Gay Studies    3. Gay liberation movement    4. Gender Studies    5. Gender identity    6. History    7. Social Science    8. Sociology    9. Cultural studies    10. Social Science / Popular Culture   

Reviews (3)

Stories Recognizable as Our Own
What's striking about the hundreds of stories documented here is how much we're like these people of centuries ago, and how much they're like us today. Often they faced oppression too horrible for us to imagine (imprisoned, put to death, kidnapped, hospitalized, drugged, lobotomized, castrated, and those were just for starters), but they responded much as we might have in their shoes: usually with courage, but sometimes with cowardice; usually with great faithfulness to their loved ones, but sometimes willing to betray them; often defiantly, but sometimes meekly; they generally lived with a great deal of personal integrity, though some turned to crime and others went crazy. These are people we recognize! And in them we see ourselves. The father of gay history
I read "Gay American History" when I was coming out and it was a revelation.Though some of the concepts are outdated, and the facts have been superseded by later research, it remains the basic text book for gay (and lesbian) American history.Katz paved the way for John Boswell, John D'Emilio, Allan Berube, George Chauncey and many, many other historians.Katz has his biases, and he does go overboard to provide "gender balance", but all in all his book is very educational and extremely entertaining.You can't go wrong with this one.

The Finest Documentary History -On Any Subject
Jonathan Katz would be sainted if he never wrote another word or produced another bit of research. This fine documentary history traces the tragedy and triumph, joy and pain of the lives of gay people in these United States from native people and pilgrims to the mental hospitals of the 20th century. We meet workers and vagabonds, gentlemen and gentleladies, ruffians and scoundrels, all presented in their own words through the impeccable research, editing and writing of Jonathan Katz. I bought the first edition of this book, and it sits dogged earred and loved on my bookshelf. You will weep with humor, anger and shame at these pentrating pictures of lives that were hidden away by prejudice and too often still are. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    3. History    4. Homosexuality    5. Lesbianism    6. Social Science    7. United States    8. History / General   

Reviews (4)

If you can't go to Paris (or even if you can), read this book!
A delightful book about White and Sorin's life in Paris, with an inevitable undercurrent of sadness, because Sorin is dying. Yet his inability to practice his work as an architect led him to develop the "unique, exuberant drawing style" that illustrates this book.
Parisian anecdotes told with American-style intimacy
I picked up this little book for a return flight from Paris to LA.It looked like perfect plane reading -- short, gossipy, topical.And although it lived up to each of those expectations, the devastation implicit in the book (and explicit at the end) hit hard.The book is not easily forgettable -- and probably no less memorable for the passengers and crew of American Airlines flight 45 who watched me become a sniffling, tear-stained disaster. Grand Deception
I love deceptive books.Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. 4e Arrondissement (Paris, Fran    3. AIDS (Disease)    4. Americans    5. Biography    6. Europe - France    7. France    8. Gay men    9. History    10. Paris    11. Paris (France)    12. Pictorial works    13. Social life and customs    14. Travel    15. Travel - Foreign    16. Homes and haunts    17. Sorin, Hubert    18. Travel / Europe / France    19. White, Edmund   

Subjects:  1. Film & Video - General    2. Film & Video - History & Criticism    3. Gay Studies    4. Gays in motion pictures    5. Homosexuality and motion pictures    6. Homosexuality in motion pictures    7. Lesbian Studies    8. Pop Arts / Pop Culture    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. Films, cinema    12. Performing Arts / Film / General   

Reviews (11)

Worth Reading
This is a very well-written book, but admittedly from a Christian point of view. So if you're not a Christian, you may not be able to relate to some of what the author is saying. Nevertheless, I felt it was worth reading, particularly for two chapters: "The Price of Love" and "The Great Nature-Nurture Debate." "The Price of Love" marshals a tremendous amount of statistics that present a striking contrast to our popular culture's generally affirming view of homosexuality. Specifically, it indicates that many homosexual men have many, many more partners than anybody else (including gay women). It also indicates that, at least as of the 1970's, most gay relationships did not last longer than a few years. In other words, there really is a different set of behavior patterns in the homosexual community. Also, the author highlights the health risks inherent in this lifestyle, particularly for men. In "The Great Nature-Nuture Debate," the author shows how homosexuals are probably not just "born that way," but there are a whole variety of factors that contribute to homosexuality -- biology, family situation, culture, experience, etc. -- and that these factors vary from person to person. His theory of social constructionism is particularly interesting and should be paid heed to -- that the way people understand themselves (in this case sexually) often comes from the culture that they're living in. These two chapters should be read by everybody.

Very fair-minded and clearly reasoned.
Schmidt's great strength is a very simple one: he treats homosexuals as human beings. Not as enemies, monsters, aliens, or vermin, but as human beings - and that, given the fraught atmosphere in which these issues are so often discussed, is sheer gain. Far too often, Christians wave verses at gays as if they thought that they could make "those people" vanish. It is not going to happen. Schmidt does not forget that he is talking about real people, even while he disagrees with what Boswell and others have written. Those who wish to track his arguments to their sources, have plenty of references to wade through. All too often, straight Christians are the very last people on this planet to have any understanding of what it is like to realise one is gay - I hope this book will help to dispel that sort of attitude. Schmidt dismisses the attitude which is summed up so often in the much-abused and threadbare words, "Hate the sin, love the sinner" - it really amounts to loving people not at all, because it does not treat them as persons loved unconditionally by God. It is one of Schmidt's virtues that he sees this. Accepting Homosexuals in the Church
Professor Schmidt clearly lays out the debate between revisionists and traditionalists on the Biblical issues surrounding homosexuality.He explains what the various arguments are in terms lay Christians can understand.While doing this he remains true to his focus of remembering that the issue is really about an individual, not about lifestyle, orientation or ideology.If you are looking for a book that "justifies" homosexuality through misinterpretation of Scripture this is not the book for you.If you are looking for a book that "justifies" your anger or resentment of homosexuals this is not the book for you.If you are a person who wants to better understand the issues surronding the Christian faith and homosexuality this is an excellent book for you.Unfortunately, the critics of Schmidt's conclusion don't tackle his agruments, they merely resort to lumping him into a category (homophobe)they immediately dismiss.Those critics should read his book again because they missed his love and compassion for them as individuals regardless of whether they are homosexual or hetrosexual. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christianity    2. Christianity - History - General    3. Christianity - Theology - Ethics    4. Ethics    5. Evangelicalism    6. Homosexuality    7. Moral and ethical aspects    8. Religion    9. Religion - Socialissues    10. Religious aspects    11. Sociology    12. Sociology of Religion    13. Sociology, Social Studies   

Reviews (1)

Represent, Feminist Lesbian Academics!
Professor Duggan taught a gay studies course that I took at Brown University and she was so awesome.I read this book about two years after taking that class.I think the times that cultural studies scholars and legal scholars get together are pretty rare, so this is an excellent example of collaborative potential.This book asks and answers many questions.For example, why did most feminist historians not join anti-porn movements?The discussion on the Supreme Court's "Bowers" decision may seem dated in light of "Romer" and "Lawrence,"but at the time it was pretty eye-opening.I think I may have cited it for a sociology paper.Duggan takes a swipe at Joan Scott that makes me wonder how progressive academics gossiped about it.This is a wonderful collection by two tremendous scholars and I highly recommend that many critically-conscious people peep it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gender Studies    3. History    4. History: American    5. Human Sexuality    6. Lesbian Studies    7. Political aspects    8. Popular Culture - General    9. Pornography    10. Psychology    11. Sex    12. Sexual orientation    13. Sociology    14. United States    15. United States - 20th Century    16. Family & relationships    17. History / United States / 20th Century    18. Social history    19. USA   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Gay Studies    4. History - General    5. Nudes & Erotic    6. Subjects & Themes - Human Figure    7. Erotic art