About Time: Exploring the Gay Past; Revised and Expanded Edition

Martin Duberman's About Time is a fascinating core sample of America's approach to not just homosexuality, but its own ethical codes as well. However, if you are looking for relaxing affirmation of our society's progress, this is not necessarily the right place to find it: Duberman makes it painstakingly clear throughout his notes and essays that even those who proclaim themselves allies of the gay liberation movement can hinder the cause through mainstream pandering and shoddy argumentation. The second half of the book, made up entirely of Duberman's own essays, presents a kind of shocking exposé of the flaws in so-called "academic" approaches to both hard and human sciences. No matter your field, I would highly recommend this book to anyone working in an academic capacity, if only to keep you on your intellectual toes, for nobody escapes Duberman's sharp and mostly warranted criticism.