The Rise and Fall of Gay Culture

Rather than "rise and fall," I would describe the contents of this book as aspects of gay culture in the twentieth century. The author succeeds in providing a brief but interesting overview of cultural topics including "camp," pornography, clothes, kink, drag, and the AIDS epidemic. I found the narrative engaging even when, and perhaps because, much of it differed from my personal experience. The breadth of gay culture among different individuals' experiences weakens some of the assumptions underlying the analysis presented in this book., a fascinating introduction for gay and non-gay readers.