The Gay Metropolis

Gay history is largely an invisible history. Unlike other minorities, gay people do not grow up in a culture and community that celebrates, respects and honors their struggles and triumphs. The Gay Metropolis was in many ways that celebration - unveiling the history, tragedies and victories that help give context to our identity. This book was a joy to read:illuminating, irreverent and yet authoritative about the subject, and written with a grace and skill that truly reflects Kaiser's passion and knowledge. A great read and highly recommended.

What a wonderful, wonderful read! Go and get this book for yourselves to read. Find out who you are, and where you came from, and where you have the power to go.Obtain strength from others you read in this book. Charles Kaiser has concentrated on New York, but it does not detract from an overall understanding of the 20th Century gay tapestry. The use of New York could probably be seen as symbolic for the broader gay commonwealth.Probably a wise move. The decision to make this mainly an oral history was most likely a wise one as well.It brought this book, and our community's history to life in a way that traditional academic writing cannot possibly achieve. Kaiser has very pertinently compared our situation with all other minorities, and it's what we have in common that counts, not the differences.The treatment of our history in different decades was the most interesting feature - the 2nd World War, and the 1990's being the most interesting and illuminating episodes, in an episode-filled book. The history of the '80s was the hardest to read, but to appreciate what Kaiser writes of the 1990s, it's necessary to read the book from beginning to end.As a group, we still need positive reinforcement, and this book does it beautifully. You won't regret reading it, and I am indebted to a wonderful straight friend for bringing this back from New York as a present for me.

This book provides the reader with a clear, basic understandingof the grounding of popular opinion regarding gay life during the last50 years. While the history is too rich and detailed to be dealt within a book with this scope, this is a remarkably readable and valuable thumbnail of the currents of the public discourse on gay life, and should provide any reader with an understanding of how crucial and new gay civil rights really are. I only hope that it will inspire others whose experience of being gay is a relatively new one to realize how important political activism and community still is. Not only that, a very engaging read!

I understand people critism's about this book, but I still found it fascinating. It was clear and precise. As a queer youth, much of this book took place before my birth, but it brought to light many things and stories that I never knew about. It can be a total eye opener for both gay and straight people alike.

I was one of the several fortunate students to be present at your lecture and discussion this year at Nova Center. I found the topic most interesting, and your approach to this very controversial subject made me want to read and learn more about the "Gay Metropolis." Much of my family is from New York, but the prevalence of such a large homosexual community went relatively unnoticed during my visits there. Perhaps my family attempted to shield me from the realities of the world, but your discussion certainly opened my eyes. I personally enjoy historical accounts more than fictional novels, and your book was certainly filled with personal statements and interviews with people. From what I have read thus far, I have learned that the gay community has remained relatively stable from 1940 to 1996, but its level of exposure has altered dramatically with the times. The lifestyle was basically unacceptable by many social standards during the 1950s, and most writers considered the subject taboo, with the exception of Alan Ginsberg of course. The 1960s seemed to present new opportunities for expression and a general liberal sentiment pervaded society though the counter-cultures of this decade. I personally enjoy the matter-of-fact and humorous manner in which you present the book. You did not intend of gathering sympathy for an oppressed group but rather managed to portray the ridiculous tendencies of society for their views on a significant portion of Americans. As you can tell by the length of this note, your book has had a tremendous impact on my view of this whole issue. I always knew that our society suppressed the gay communities, but the extent of this was always a mystery to me. The history books do not begin to explain the wide-spread nature of the problem, and the laws passed did not take immediate effect to relieve these people. It has taken decades and decades to transform the views of many people, and there is still much to be done. I believe your book was courageous step in the right direction.