Reader's guide to lesbian and gay studies /

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Imprint:Chicago ; London : Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, 2000.
Description:xxviii, 720 p. ; 28 cm.
Language:English
Subject:Gay and lesbian studies -- Handbooks, manuals, etc.
Gay and lesbian studies -- Bibliography.
Gay and lesbian studies
Gay and lesbian studies -- Bibliography.
Gay and lesbian studies.
Bibliography.
Handbooks and manuals.
Format: Print Book
URL for this record:http://pi.lib.uchicago.edu/1001/cat/bib/4334772
Hidden Bibliographic Details
Varying Form of Title:Lesbian and gay studies
Other authors / contributors:Murphy, Timothy F., 1955-
ISBN:1579581420
Notes:Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
Review by Choice Review

Murphy, who writes frequently on gay topics, focuses this guide on academic literature important to gay and lesbian studies. Each of approximately 500 alphabetically arranged, signed essays on a broad range of topics (bisexuality and transgenderism are touched briefly) runs one to five pages in length, briefly discussing the topic before providing short critical paragraphs on five to ten significant works (primarily monographs). Since the articles are written by a wide range of scholars, quality varies, but most are surprisingly readable and could be understood by nonacademics. Bibliographies are generally up-to-date and include the most significant works, although knowledgeable readers might discover occasional omissions. The handy "Booklist Index" and general index conclude the volume. More than a few of the reviewers are graduate students, but many have gay/lesbian writing credentials that validate their authority. Murphy's guide updates Wayne R. Dynes's essential Homosexuality: A Research Guide (CH, Jul'87), anthologies like The Lesbian and Gay Studies Reader, ed. by Henry Abelove et al. (1993), and the fine St. James Press Gay & Lesbian Almanac, ed. by Neil Schlager (CH, Mar'99), which features extensive unannotated bibliographies. Highly recommended as a collection aid for all libraries supporting lesbian and gay studies. A. J. Adam; Prairie View Agricultural and Mechanical University

Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review

Kudos to editor Murphy and the diverse and notable roster of advisers and contributors who worked together to create what may well be the first reference guide and index to existing academic literature on topics important in lesbian and gay studies. Fitzroy Dearborn recently published similar guides, including Reader's Guide to American History (1997) and Reader's Guide to Women's Studies (1998), and this volume shares many of the features of its predecessors. Signed bibliographic essays offer a brief introduction to each topic and a more detailed overview of the secondary literature, including the relative merits of each source under consideration. The focus of each essay is on book-length studies in English, although non-English-language materials, articles in professional journals or chapters in anthologies, and occasional media resources are described as well. Readers will find here a balanced and diverse selection of topics. Adoption and foster parenting; Baldwin, James; China; Cruising; Homophobia; Medieval history; National Endowment of the Arts; Queer studies; Stonewall; and Television: representations of lesbians and gay men are just a few examples. Some topics, such as humor, were left out because of "insufficient academic literature." The alphabetically arranged entries are highly readable and informative. Each begins with an alphabetical list of the publications to be discussed by the essayist, complete with brief publication details. Access to the volume's contents includes a thematic list of entries by broad categories, from "African American Culture" to "Workplace Studies"; a "Booklist Index" (all books and articles discussed in the entries); a general index of individuals, topics, and events mentioned in any of the entries; and cross-references. This is an excellent guide for serious researchers at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Teachers will also find it to be a welcome addition to the growing academic literature on the interdisciplinary field of lesbian and gay studies. Because of the scholarly nature of this compendium, it is most appropriate for academic and research libraries. Larger public libraries will also want to consider purchase. The Board looks forward to a second and more expansive edition as the field of lesbian and gay studies continues to mature and evolve.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review

As an academic discipline, lesbian and gay studies is still in its infancy. A distinct body of scholarly literature on lesbian/gay/ queer-related topics has emerged, however, especially in the last 20 years, and it is surprising that a reference of this comprehensiveness has not appeared sooner. Editor Murphy (medical humanities, Univ. of Illinois, Chicago; Gay Science: The Ethics of Sexual Orientation Research) has assembled over 400 entries by 223 contributors. Covering articles and books (mainly in English), they reflect the multidisciplinary nature of the subject, ranging from regional studies to literary criticism to such subcultural phenomena as the bear culture and the Radical Faeries. Each entry includes a list of works, an introduction to the topic, and a brief summary and analysis of the literature. Also included are booklist and general indexes and a thematic list grouping topical entries into broad subject areas. While one might quibble that a single volume can only skim the surface of such a complex, diverse discipline, this is still a remarkable and groundbreaking work. An essential purchase for human sexuality and gay and lesbian study collections, it belongs in most academic and public libraries."Richard J. Violette, Special Libraries Cataloguing, Victoria, BC (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Choice Review


Review by Booklist Review


Review by Library Journal Review