Synopses & Reviews
A Supreme Court lawyer and political pundit details the enthralling and groundbreaking story of the gay rights movement, revealing how a dedicated and resourceful minority changed America forever.
When the modern struggle for gay rights erupted—most notably at a bar called Stonewall in Greenwich Village—in the summer of 1969, most religious traditions condemned homosexuality; psychiatric experts labeled people who were attracted to others of the same sex "crazy"; and forty-nine states outlawed sex between people of the same gender. Four decades later, in June 2011, New York legalized gay marriage—the most populous state in the country to do so thus far. The armed services stopped enforcing Don't Ask, Don't Tell, ending a law that had long discriminated against gay and lesbian members of the military. Successful social movements are always extraordinary, but these advances were something of a miracle.
Political columnist Linda Hirshman recountsthe long roads that led to these victories, viewing the gay rights movement within the tradition of American freedom as the third great modern social-justice movement, alongside the civil rights movement and the women's rights movement. Drawing on an abundance of published and archival material, and hundreds of in-depth interviews, Hirshman shows, in this astute political analysis, how the fight for gay rights has changed the American landscape for all citizens—blurring rigid gender lines, altering the shared culture, and broadening our definitions of family.
From the Communist cross-dresser Harry Hay in 1948 to New York's visionary senator Kirsten Gillibrand in 2010, the story includes dozens of brilliant, idiosyncratic characters. Written in vivid prose, at once emotional and erudite, Victory is an utterly vibrant work of reportage and eyewitness accounts, revealing how, in a matter of decades, while facing every social adversary—church, state, and medical establishment—a focused group of activists forged a classic campaign for cultural change that will serve as a model for all future political movements.
Review
“Before he died, gay rights hero Arthur Evans told Linda Hirshman to tell our story. And she does so brilliantly--with insight, passion and the keen eye of a fierce social scientist. And what a story it is! Arthur Evans would be proud.” Eric Marcus, author of < i=""> Making Gay History <> and < i=""> What If Someone I Know Is Gay? <>
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“I picked this book up one night and never got to sleep. Victory is an epic account of our movements progress; a beautifully written and fast moving narrative that is poignant, humorous, and inspiring.” Cleve Jones, Founder of The NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt
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“Linda Hirshmans Victory is the chronicle that the brilliant, unremitting gay movement deserves. Deeply informed with human detail, political theory, and legal analysis alike, it moves fluidly out of the closet to the precincts . . . A genuine, sparkling tour de force.” Todd Gitlin, author of < i=""> Occupy Nation <>
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“Linda Hirshman has written an important and necessary book that should be read in every school and every home in the country.” Amanda Foreman, author of < i=""> A World on Fire <>
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“Victory tells the fascinating inside story of how gay activists changed America for the better, not just for themselves but for everyone. Theres inspiration here for everyone who wants a fairer, more equal society-- and plenty of hope as well.” Katha Pollitt, < i=""> Nation <> columnist
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“A compulsively readable mix of philosophy, social history and journalism, Hirshmans [book] provides an invaluable understanding of the people across the years who have worked so passionately to increase liberty and justice in our union.” Rebecca Traister, author of < i=""> Big Girls Don't Cry <>
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“Hirshman . . . offers perceptive comparisons between the gay-rights movement and other, concurrent movements for equality.” < i=""> Kirkus Reviews <>
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“An astonishing work that seamlessly weaves together multiple stories into one authoritative volume. Highly recommended for political scientists, civil rights activists, and students of LGBT history.” < i=""> Library Journal <> (starred review)
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“Sharp and cogent throughout. . . . Victory is ultimately a deeply moving narrative of a not-quite-finished freedom struggle.” < i=""> Boston Globe <>
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“Exhilarating. . . . As an overview of recent American LGBT history, Victory has plenty to recommend it. . . . A good starting point for learning about recent gay history.” < i=""> San Francisco Chronicle <>
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“Victory is one of the most important (and readable) gay-history texts around.” < i=""> Philadelphia City Paper <>
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“An inclusive, fascinating history of the gay rights movement that provides fertile grounds for passionate debate.” < i=""> Shelf Awareness <>
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“As popular history, Victory excels. Hirshman is a nimble storyteller with an agile curatorial eye for what matters. . . . Exemplary. . . . I find Victory to be an astute jolt, as remarkable for its emotional punch as for its historical insight.” Rich Benjamin, < i=""> New York Times Book Review <>
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“Hirshman has produced a remarkable history of the gay-rights movement in America by chronicling many of the people and events that shaped it. She has a smart and engaging style, which is serious but not ponderous. . . . with new clarity and simple, fresh insight.” NewYorker.com
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“Given that the gay rights saga is very much in process, the ending of Hirshmans book is a cliffhanger, but she does a masterful job of making her readers, whether theyre familiar with the material or not, want to know what happens next.” < i=""> Los Angeles Times <>
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“This exuberant history of arguably the final and most difficult civil rights struggle relates, in surprisingly upbeat fashion, the fight ‘to slowly bend the arc of history toward justice for gay men and women. . . . Undeniably inspiring.” < i=""> Publishers Weekly <>
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“Hirshman has done a great service in putting the question of morality in this movement on the table. Though important chapters are yet to be written, this book will help the world to see that gay is good-and getting better.” < i=""> Slate <>
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“Victorys tone is thoughtful and modest, exploring large themes through individuals stories. . . . The book gives a moving picture of a history many wont know.” < i=""> American Prospect <>
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“Her analysis of what makes social movements succeed is always thoughtful and sometimes profound. . . . The result is always entertaining and frequently exhilarating.” < i=""> BusinessWeek <>
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“Hirshman provides an excellent and very readable history that is buttressed by an impressive amount of research and personal interviews. < i=""> Edge <>
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“Linda Hirshman delivers a vivid history of a movement that was invented, out of nothing, circa 1950. . . . One advantage of Hirshmans book-breezily written, but kinetic in its storytelling-is that it honors the activism of the pre-Stonewall era.” < i=""> The New Yorker <>
Synopsis
Supreme Court lawyer and political pundit Linda Hirshman details the stunning story of how a resourceful and dedicated minority transformed the notion of American marriage equality and forged a campaign for cultural change that will serve as a model for all future political movements. In the vein of Taylor Branchs classic Parting of the Waters, Hirshmans groundbreaking Victory: The Triumphant Gay Revolution is the powerful story of a massive shift in American culture. Hirshman offers an insiders view of the crucial struggle that is leading to change, incorporating her unique experiences and insights and drawing upon new interviews—with movement titans such as Frank Kameny and Phyllis Lyon, with next-generation activists such as Evan Wolfson of Freedom to Marry, and with allies including the likes of New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand—to create a comprehensive, inspiring history of change in our time.
About the Author
Linda Hirshman, a lawyer and a pundit, is the author of Get to Work: A Manifesto for Women of the World and many other books. In recent years, she has appeared on network and cable television shows, including 60 Minutes and The Colbert Report. She has also written for the New York Times, Washington Post, Slate, Newsweek, Daily Beast, and Salon.