Who's Who in Gay and Lesbian History Vol.1 : From Antiquity to the Mid-Twentieth Century

Who's Who in Gay and Lesbian History: From Antiquity to the Mid-Twentieth Century is a comprehensive and fascinating survey of the key figures in gay and lesbian history from classical times to the mid-twentieth century. Among those included are: • Classical heroes - Achilles; Aeneas; Ganymede • Literary giants - Sappho; Christopher Marlowe; Arthur Rimbaud; Oscar Wilde • Royalty and politicians - Edward II; King James I; Horace Walpole; Michel de Montaigne. Over the course of some 500 entries, expert contributors provide a complete and vivid picture of gay and lesbian life in the Western world throughout the ages. Library Journal Aldrich and Wotherspoon (history, Univ. of Sydney) are brave editors, as a "who's who" for gay studies might be seen as concretizing in an area in which the constructionist/essentialist debate is still a minefield. Nevertheless, they provide an articulate rationale for this book in their introduction. In addition to justifying the "who's who" approach in general at a time when social history moves the focus to "unknown" people, they seek to include anyone of significance in the history of sexual minorities without any limits based on what the subjects did in bed. Well over 100 contributors have written the 500 entries, which range from Sappho to Andr Gide; most entries are accompanied by a bibliography. This is a scholarly alternative to more celebratory or localized works such as Paul Elliott Russell's The Gay 100 (Citadel, 1996). Along with the companion volume, Who's Who in Contemporary Gay and Lesbian History, also edited by Aldrich and Wotherspoon, it belongs in every library concerned with world history. David Azzolina, Univ. of Pennsylvania Libs., Philadelphia Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information. "Who's Who in Gay and Lesbian History is a reference work on the key men and women in the history of homosexuality from antiquity to the middle of the twentieth century. It includes biographies, with references, on figures - famous, notorious or unknown - in politics, social activism, culture and the arts, medicine, religion, and other fields throughout Europe, North and South America, South Africa and Australasia." "Expert authors from over a dozen countries have written on over 500 figures, from the era of Sappho and Socrates to the age of Radclyffe Hall and Andre Gide. This fascinating volume reveals how important men and women who have had emotional and sexual preferences for those of the same gender have been in the 'canon' of Western art, culture, religion and other areas of public life. It will be of particular interest to historians, political scientists, and specialists in gay lesbian and queer studies or in social, literary and cultural studies."--Jacket Who's Who in Gay and Lesbian History: From Antiquity to the Mid-Twentieth Century is a comprehensive and fascinating survey of the key figures in gay and lesbian history from classical times to the mid-twentieth century. Among those included are:
* Classical heroes - Achilles; Aeneas; Ganymede
* Literary giants - Sappho; Christopher Marlowe; Arthur Rimbaud; Oscar Wilde
* Royalty and politicians - Edward II; King James I; Horace Walpole; Michel de Montaigne.
Over the course of some 500 entries, expert contributors provide a complete and vivid picture of gay and lesbian life in the Western world throughout the ages. Expert authors from over a dozen countries have written on many figures, from the era of Sappho and Socrates to the age of Radclyffe Hall and Andr ̌Gide. This fascinating volume reveals how important men and women who have had emotional or sexual preferences for those of the same gender have been in the 'canon' of Western arts, culture, religion and other areas of public life. It will be of particular interest to historians, political scientists, and specialists in gay, lesbian and queer studies or in social, literary or cultural studies "Who's Who in Gay and Lesbian History" is a uniquely authoritative and comprehensive work on key men and women in the history of homosexuality. It includes biographies with references on figures in politics, social activism, culture and the arts, medicine, religion and other fields covering Europe, North and South America, South Africa and Australia. Expert authors from over a dozen countries have contributed over 500 figures, from the era of Sappho and Socrates to the age of Radclyffe Hall and Andre Gide. Book Cover......Page 1 Half-Title......Page 2 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Contents......Page 7 Introduction......Page 9 Contributors......Page 15 Acknowledgements......Page 18 Who's who in gay and lesbian history......Page 19 500 entries from more than 100 contributors, profiling gay and lesbians throughout history, ranging from Sappho to Andre Gide; most entries are accompanied by a bibliography. Through 500 fascinating entries, a complete and vivid picture of gay and lesbian life in the Western world throughout the ages is painted.