
When Brooklyn Was Queer
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Narrated by:
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Hugh Ryan
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By:
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Hugh Ryan
About this listen
The never-before-told story of Brooklyn's vibrant and forgotten queer history, from the mid-1850s up to the present day
Hugh Ryan's When Brooklyn Was Queer is a groundbreaking exploration of the LGBT history of Brooklyn, from the early days of Walt Whitman in the 1850s up through the queer women who worked at the Brooklyn Navy Yard during World War II, and beyond. No other book, movie, or exhibition has ever told this sweeping story. Not only has Brooklyn always lived in the shadow of queer Manhattan neighborhoods like Greenwich Village and Harlem, but there has also been a systematic erasure of its queer history - a great forgetting.
Ryan is here to unearth that history for the first time. In intimate, evocative, moving prose, he discusses in new light the fundamental questions of what history is, who tells it, and how we can only make sense of ourselves through its retelling; and reveals how the formation of the Brooklyn we know today is inextricably linked to the stories of the incredible people who created its diverse neighborhoods and cultures. Through them, When Brooklyn Was Queer brings Brooklyn's queer past to life, and claims its place as a modern classic.
©2019 Hugh Ryan (P)2019 Blackstone Audio, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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Story
Spanning more than 200 years, An African American and Latinx History of the United States is a revolutionary, politically charged narrative history arguing that the "Global South" was crucial to the development of America as we know it. Ortiz challenges the notion of westward progress, and shows how placing African American, Latinx, and Indigenous voices unapologetically front and center transforms American history into the story of the working class organizing against imperialism.
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I had to return
- By Andrew Alvarez on 05-19-20
By: Paul Ortiz
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Secret City
- The Hidden History of Gay Washington
- By: James Kirchick
- Narrated by: Ron Butler
- Length: 26 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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For decades, the specter of homosexuality haunted Washington. The mere suggestion that a person might be gay destroyed reputations, ended careers, and ruined lives. At the height of the Cold War, fear of homosexuality became intertwined with the growing threat of international communism, leading to a purge of gay men and lesbians from the federal government. In the fevered atmosphere of political Washington, the secret “too loathsome to mention” held enormous, terrifying power.
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Exhausting snd enraging and disappointing
- By Frequent shopper! on 07-16-22
By: James Kirchick
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Before We Were Trans
- A New History of Gender
- By: Dr. Kit Heyam Ph.D
- Narrated by: Dr. Kit Heyam Ph.D
- Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Before We Were Trans illuminates the stories of people across the globe, from antiquity to the present, whose experiences of gender have defied binary categories. Blending historical analysis with sharp cultural criticism, trans historian and activist Kit Heyam offers a new, radically inclusive trans history, chronicling expressions of trans experience that are often overlooked, like gender-nonconforming fashion and wartime stage performance. Heyam looks to the past to uncover new horizons for possible trans futures.
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The history we need right now
- By Daniel Hebert on 04-11-23
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The Colossus of New York
- A City in Thirteen Parts
- By: Colson Whitehead
- Narrated by: Colson Whitehead
- Length: 3 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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New York Times best-selling author and New York native Colson Whitehead composes a breathtaking tribute to his hometown. Whitehead captures the very essence of New York, infusing his reflections with the energy that permeates the city.
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Just not entertaining
- By Rebecca on 09-07-09
By: Colson Whitehead
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Riding the Lightning
- A Year in the Life of a New York City Paramedic
- By: Anthony Almojera
- Narrated by: Anthony Almojera
- Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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As a seasoned paramedic and union leader, Anthony Almojera thought he could handle anything his job threw at him. Like many medical first responders, he came from a troubled background and carried the traumas of the city as well as its triumphs. He had grown up in the rough-and-tumble Park Slope of the 1980s, been homeless for a time, and had watched murder, addiction, and hopelessness consume those closest to him. But he had dedicated his life to helping people in need, and while every day was filled with tragedy—stabbings, shootings, accidents, suicides—it also brought moments of uplift.
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Concerning
- By Owen monk on 01-30-23
By: Anthony Almojera
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The New Life
- A Novel
- By: Tom Crewe
- Narrated by: Freddie Fox
- Length: 13 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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In the summer of 1894, John Addington and Henry Ellis begin writing a book arguing that homosexuality, which is a crime at the time, is a natural, harmless variation of human sexuality. Though they have never met, John and Henry both live in London with their wives, Catherine and Edith, and in each marriage, there is a third party: John has a lover, a working-class man named Frank, and Edith spends almost as much time with her friend Angelica as she does with Henry.
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Brilliant historical fiction
- By Shrewsie Shrew on 01-15-23
By: Tom Crewe
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Gay Like Me
- A Father Writes to His Son
- By: Richie Jackson
- Narrated by: Richie Jackson
- Length: 4 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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When Jackson's son born through surrogacy came out to him at age 15, the successful producer, now in his 50s, was compelled to reflect on his experiences and share his wisdom on life for LGBTQ Americans over the past half-century. Gay Like Me is a celebration of gay identity and parenting, and a powerful warning for his son, other gay men, and the world. Jackson looks back at his own journey as a gay man coming of age through decades of political and cultural turmoil.
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The guidance I didn’t realize I so desperately needed from a parent
- By Kati Hetrick on 01-03-21
By: Richie Jackson
What listeners say about When Brooklyn Was Queer
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- Calluna Vulgaris
- 08-15-20
ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC
Ryan does a brilliant job reading his own well-researched (and entertaining) work. This may sound silly, but I really enjoyed his subtle sighs, which give the text an emotional depth I would have otherwise lost had I read this on my own. 13/10 would recommend.
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6 people found this helpful
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- AnnieBGood
- 08-19-22
A Mind-blowing Account of Brooklyn's Pride
Hugh Ryan is the perfect narrator of his own book. Serious with an occasionally campy inflection, scholarly when not hilariously funny, and entertainingly educational. He brings to life the multifaceted characters of Brooklyn's queer history, from Crane Hart to Truman Capote. Guaranteed to make your drive worth every minute.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Richard Setnan
- 03-14-24
The depth of earnest truth hits hard.
My only regret is the truth that is reality. Historical discrimination and suppression of race of culture of birth variant is a worldly disgrace.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Johnny
- 03-25-19
Incredible history
Fantastically researched and presented. So much historical and economic history I had no idea about. Not only gives perspective into historical queer lives, but gives economic and political perspective on how all of society changed and how New York as a whole changed through the decades. A good effort to touch on queer PoC history as well despite all of society's efforts to erase the evidence. I just finished this book and am eager to listen again right away. Please give this a listen. It has enriched my historical understanding so so much!
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20 people found this helpful
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- Stefan Koob
- 10-03-22
Fantastic read, full of information
I love queer history and have, like most not heard of Brooklyn's. Fantastic read, and full of things I'd never heard of and connections to larger things and people that had come through the Brooklyn scene.
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- E. Lewy
- 10-08-22
Exactly what I was looking for
This really was exactly what I was looking for. He's also a compelling narrator of his material.
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- B. Cosko
- 09-10-19
Loved it!
An excellent and thoughtful overview of queer Brooklyn. The author does the reading and lends a life to the book that is enriching.
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5 people found this helpful
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- Charles Bonker
- 06-05-21
Phenomenal and fascinating! 🖤🤎🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
This intersectional masterpiece is a captivating queer and trans history of Brooklyn that I never would have come across otherwise. I especially appreciate its focus on queer and trans people of color. As a queer living in NYC, I can relate to a significant amount of this book’s content. Definitely would recommend!
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4 people found this helpful
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- NYCChelseaBoy
- 08-17-23
Priceless LGBT history
It is clear that Ryan invested formidable work to write this historical book. Without history, all is forgotten. I always assume Manhattan was the epicenter of gay life in NYC. not so. it is heartbreaking to read how LGBT people were treated throughout the years and how we ended up where we are today. A must read!
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- David
- 06-10-19
Fascinating book
If you are looking for a really good read for Pride Month may I suggest “When Brooklyn Was Queer” by Hugh Ryan. It is not JUST a queer history of Brooklyn but a comprehensive exploration of Queerness in America between the publication of “Leaves of Grass” in 1855 and Stonewall in 1969. It explores the changes in queer self understanding as well as the changes in societal understanding of Queerness over time. Also the intersectionality and NON intersectionality between race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and class, and ALSO the roll that wartime disruption played in the emergence and repression of queer culture and identity. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a history book as enlightening and intriguing as this!
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13 people found this helpful