Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers: A History of Lesbian Life in Twentieth-Century America

Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers: A History of Lesbian Life in Twentieth-Century America
Publisher
Genre(s)
Age Range
16+
Release Date
October 15, 1991
ISBN
0140171223
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As Lillian Faderman writes, there are "no constants with regard to lesbianism," except that lesbians prefer women. In this groundbreaking book, she reclaims the history of lesbian life in twentieth-century America, tracing the evolution of lesbian identity and subcultures from early networks to more recent diverse lifestyles. She draws from journals, unpublished manuscripts, songs, media accounts, novels, medical literature, pop culture artifacts, and oral histories by lesbians of all ages and backgrounds, uncovering a narrative of uncommon depth and originality.

As Lillian Faderman writes, there are "no constants with regard to lesbianism," except that lesbians prefer women. In this groundbreaking book, she reclaims the history of lesbian life in twentieth-century America, tracing the evolution of lesbian identity and subcultures from early networks to more recent diverse lifestyles. She draws from journals, unpublished manuscripts, songs, media accounts, novels, medical literature, pop culture artifacts, and oral histories by lesbians of all ages and backgrounds, uncovering a narrative of uncommon depth and originality.

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Reader reviewed by Mairi

This book is, as its subtitle states, a history of lesbian life in twentieth century America, and it's fascinating- it begins with the often contradictory nature of romantic friendships between educated women at the turn of the century and goes up to the Gay Power movement of the 1980s. Along the way, it makes stops for things such as the WASPs of World War II and the cheap paperbacks of the 1950s, from which the book takes its title. That latter bit, incidentally, was easily my favorite part of the book, especially because Faderman included photographs of the covers.

I love history, be it military, social, cultural, or political, and because I also love reading I've read a lot of history books in my life. Lillian Faderman writes them exactly the way I like them- full of humorous anecdotes and sly remarks. I'm not sure whether or not you need to be gay to appreciate this book, but I don't think so.

That is to say, I would highly recommend this book to older teens- younger teens, probably not, as it's rather dense.
G
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