The Gay Liberation Youth Movement in New York: An Army of Lovers Cannot Fail (Studies in American Popular History and Culture)

This is a sensitive and very important book about a topic that has been barely scratched by the media: the radical genesis of the gay liberation movement. There are numerous books that whitewash this, that try to make the beginnings of the movement squeaky clean, but this is one of the few that covers it as it was. It also deals with what is now a very difficult subject to handle: queer youth and sex. It is incredibly well researched, has a huge bank of footnotes and bibliography, and profiles too many people who are prenaturely dead, so they will not get to speak for themselves as much as they can. They’ve been silenced, but they speak beautifully here. The real great beauty of this book though is that the writing is clear, lively, and intriguing. You want to read it. For a book with an academic premise from an academic press that is a reason to rejoice and experience this account of lgbt youth in the late 60s and into our time. – Perry Brass