Historiography with heart
Pioneering author John D’Emilio continues to enlighten us in new book ‘Making Gay History’ “Dear Dr. Kameny,” wrote the earnest graduate history student almost 50 years ago. “As you know, […]
Author Archives: Charles Francis
Mattachine Reads: New book chronicles gay man’s life in hippie commune
Vietnam War-era tale a serious, sexy, joyous memoir by: Charles Francis Duffel packed, the new high school graduate could not fall asleep. “On the night before my departure, I stared […]
Mattachine Reads: Katharine Hepburn long faced rumors she was sexually fluid. A new novel imagines her private life.
“The Original” rescues both our history and the dignity of an immensely popular star who re-engineered herself over decades to survive. by: Charles Francis At last, there is a novel […]
Mattachine Reads: Olivia Wolfgang-Smith’s ‘Mutual Interest’ – History relived in a fascinating novel
By: Charles Francis As if the Ministry of Truth in George Orwell’s “1984” now existed, U.S. District Court Judge Cynthia Rufe ordered the government to restore a historical exhibit in […]
Trump is determined to erase LGBTQ+ history. But the National Archives still tell our stories.
It’s not perfect by any means, but the new Archives museum remains a fabulous advance in archival access for everyone. by: Charles Francis The Archivist was dismissed. It was both […]
Mattachine Reads: ‘The Director’ highlights film director who collaborated with Hitler
by: Charles Francis ‘The Director’By Daniel KehlmannSummit Books, 2025 Garbo to Goebbels, Daniel Kehlmann’s historical novel “The Director” is the story of Austrian film director G.W. Pabst (1885-1967) and his descent down […]
Gay Power
A review of “Insist That They Love You, Craig Rodwell and the Fight for Gay PRIDE” by John Van Hoesen by: Charles Francis All history, the saying goes, is contemporary […]
Mattachine Reads: Florida’s war on Black, queer lives hidden no more
by: Charles Francis ‘American Scare: Florida’s Hidden Cold War on Black and Queer Lives’By Robert W. Fieseler “What’s with Florida?,” Bobby Fieseler, disgusted, asked after completing his initial research into […]
