The Deviant's War
The Homosexual vs. the United States of America
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4.5 • 68 Ratings
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
The secret history of the gay rights movement, a generation before Stonewall.
In The Deviant's War, young historian Eric Cervini uncovers the forgotten story of Frank Kameny, an astronomer-turned-activist who fought against the systematic persecution of gay federal employees in the 1960s. Based on firsthand accounts, declassified FBI records, and thousands of personal documents, Cervini traces the ties that bound the gay rights movement to Black freedom, the New Left, lesbian activism, and trans resistance.
Set against the backdrop of a cultural and sexual crossroads in America and Washington, D.C., The Deviant's War chronicles the shocking public battles with Congress, FBI informants, betrayal, and murder that ultimately led to a triumphant victory. This instant New York Times bestseller was a finalist for the 2021 Pulitzer Prize in History and won the 2021 Randy Shilts Award for Gay Nonfiction.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
In the 1950s, hundreds of gay men and women were dismissed from jobs in the U.S. government—and this fascinating book tells the story of one man who fought back. Frank Kameny was a young, Harvard-educated astronomer working for the Army Map Service when a college arrest for public indecency came to light. In response to his firing, Kameny formed the Mattachine Society, one of the country’s first prominent gay rights organizations. Historian Eric Cervini not only tells Kameny’s story but weaves him and his self-described “homophile” group into the bigger picture of the civil rights era. Although it’s exhaustively researched, with an academic’s attention to citation, The Deviant’s War feels more like an immersive and gripping pop history lesson. The book’s detailed portrait of urban gay life in the conservative ’50s and ’60s is absolutely fascinating. The Deviant’s War is a remarkable story of LGBTQ+ activism in the pre-Stonewall era.
Customer Reviews
Couldn’t put it down
I loved this book. I enjoy history and in learning the almost lost history of the LGBTQ was fascinating, heartbreaking, and inspirational to anyone who reads this book. I recommend this to any ally to the LGBTQ community to help understand what was happening before the stonewall riots and what continued in its aftermath. This book was well written and just captivated me from beginning to end.
Pre-Stonewall LGBT history.
Very well documented account of the those who ACTUALLY began the civil rights movement for this community. Have long known about the discrimination & purges, but for the first time I learned the names of the people who fought it. You can tell, though, that this was originally a dissertation/thesis/academic writing. The focus is on providing as many names, cases, events as possible. Wished there had been more depth to it though. Never felt like I ended up knowing the focus of the text, Frank Kameny, as a person, much less any of the other secondarily significant activists.
Powerful & Important
Well researched and important historical book. Addicting to read and inspiring to call for social activism.