Indecent Advances Audiobook By James Polchin cover art

Indecent Advances

A Hidden History of True Crime and Prejudice Before Stonewall

Preview

Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Indecent Advances

By: James Polchin
Narrated by: Michael Crouch
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $20.00

Buy for $20.00

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

A skillful hybrid of true crime and social history that examines the relationship between the media and popular culture in the portrayal of crimes against gay men in the decades before Stonewall.

Stories of murder have never been just about killers and victims. Instead, crime stories take the shape of their times and reflect cultural notions and prejudices. In Indecent Advances, James Polchin recovers and recounts queer stories from the crime pages - often lurid and euphemistic - that reveal the hidden history of violence against gay men.

What was left unsaid in the crime pages provides insight into the figure of the queer man as both criminal and victim, offering readers tales of vice and violence that aligned gender and sexual deviance with tragic, gruesome endings. Victims were often reported as having made "indecent advances," forcing the accused's hands in self-defense and reducing murder charges to manslaughter.

Published in time for the fiftieth anniversary of the Stonewall uprising on June 28, 1969, Indecent Advances investigates how queer men navigated a society that criminalized them and displayed little compassion for the violence they endured. Polchin shows, with masterful insight, how this discrimination was ultimately transformed by activists to help shape the burgeoning gay rights movement in the years leading up to Stonewall.

©2019 James Polchin (P)2019 2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.
LGBTQ+ Studies Media Studies Murder United States Words, Language & Grammar Writing & Publishing
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about Indecent Advances

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    28
  • 4 Stars
    9
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    26
  • 4 Stars
    5
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    24
  • 4 Stars
    6
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Incisive

Polchin manages to simultaneously create a thoughtful history, an edge-of-your seat series of events, and a well prosecuted thesis. The crisp writing is matched by skillful narration -- so good that each disappears, leaving the audience immersed in the content. Not once did I find myself distracted by lazy tropes, hyperbole, or cliche; and every phrase was narrated by Crouch with emotional precision. Truly a 5-star book with timeless lessons that extend beyond any one group.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding

The audible performance is very good—at times I found myself distracted by the narrator’s dramatic breathing in prior to starting, or in the middle of, a sentence. Polchin’s narrative is captivating, haunting, and troubling. It is clear that he conducted meticulous research, piecing together disparate newspaper articles and accounts of these tragedies.

I wholeheartedly recommend ‘Indecent Advances’ as a title that speaks truth to power.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Heartbreaking

It is absolutely heartbreaking that this incredibly well-written and painstakingly-researched book even has to exist. But it does.

Despite the gruesome subject matter of the book, it was rendered with obvious care and attention. I highly recommend to anyone searching to better understand human history and violence.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I Had No Idea

This book documents the horrific assaults and murders of gay and bisexual men from the 1920's to present day. I knew that gay men were targeted for assault, theft and murder, but I had no idea to the extent that this happened. The victims were often seen as the guilty party, not the murderers. I was shocked but not surprised by the lack of empathy and common decency among the politicians, the police and the media of the time. I think this book illustrates that society hasn't progressed all that much. There are still people in this country that have no qualms about killing gay men or lesbians just because of who they are. Even worse is the treatment of Trans people and the violence they endure on a daily basis, even now.
The book is well researched and documented. The narration is top notch. I don't wish to sound alarmist, because progress has been made. However, this book should be a wake up call to Gay People everywhere. Don't take the gains of the last 40 years for granted.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Disturbing and sad

This is not an easy one to get through. I had to do it broken up. Some are horrific and violent. It's sad to think these weren't that far back. I'll say this, at least he didn't go through the details of the murder of the 12 shoe shine kid. That would have way too much.

That said it's still worth a go. A reminder of how far we've come and still have to go.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful