Great Events from History: LGBTQ Events Review
“This handsome, oversized, two-volume set, part of the publishers extensive series Great Events from History, is an updated revision of the title Great Events from History: Gay Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Events (Salem, 2006) which began coverage with the year 1848 (roughly when the term homosexual came into being) with a report on the Seneca Falls Convention on Women's Rights of that year and continued in 280 chronologically arranged entries that end in March, 2006, with coverage on the release of the film Brokeback Mountain. All of this material is included (with only slight revisions) in this second edition that includes 13 new entries ending with three covering events that occurred in 2015 (Caitlyn Jenner's transgender, the legalization of gay marriages by the Supreme Court, and China's crackdown on depiction of gays on television). Many of the topics covered involve legal or governmental actions but, as the examples show, others deal with social or cultural events. Each entry is signed and is two or three double-columned pages in length. Most of the more than 100 contributors have academic affiliations. Some entries have accompanying blackand-white photographs and over half also have sidebars that usually contain valuable excerpts from background primary sources. Articles are divided into three parts. The first gives a brief summary of the event (three or four lines), its date, locale, categories covered (e.g., civil rights, economics), and key figures. Part two, the longest, gives a factual summary of the event, while part three describes its significance. The choice of subjects covered is, in general, judicious and well rounded. Although the coverage is international in scope, the emphasis is on American-related topics. Each article concludes with an extensive bibliography (average about a dozen items) called "For Further Reading" that includes books, articles, and a few websites. Next comes a lengthy list of see also related articles, titles, and dates. Volume two ends with valuable additional material. First, an extensive 10-page annotated general bibliography arranged under such subjects as sports and religion that is reprinted from the first edition, with an additional, listing of books (not annotated) published from 2006 to 2017. This is followed by a chronological listing of events covered in the set, and a "Category Index" that lists the entries under 23 main subjects such as "civil rights," "crime," and ''television." The set ends with a thorough 25-page general index. This is a user friendly, highly readable reference work that is recommended for public and academic libraries and, where needed, some high school libraries…”
-ARBA, 2018
“The dozen years since the first edition was published (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Events, 1848-2006, 2007) have seen a watershed in the history of these people, with their unions now receiving legal blessing in many countries and even religious blessings by increasingly mainstream denominations. The articles in this excellent work are well written, and the inclusion of “Key Figures” at the beginning of each is very helpful. The book has several indexes and tables of content. It is amply illustrated with photographs, posters, and other art work. The references for further reading are extensive without being overwhelming. The boxes with quotations from landmark publications are worth exploring. The list of contributors is impressive, although most seem to be affiliated with North American institutions. That being said, events on the international scene do seem to get their share of coverage. There is also good coverage of racial and ethnic diversity within the LGBTQ community. There is an electronic edition, which hopefully is being updated routinely. The day that encyclopedias, like this one, should appear only in electronic format is fast approaching. Summing Up: Essential. All public and undergraduate libraries.”
-Choice, 2018