My Desire for History: Essays in Gay, Community, and Labor History

My Desire for History collects key essays and writings by pioneering gay historian Allan Bérubé (1946-2007). The volume spans his career from the 1970s through the early 2000s, documenting both his research methods and major findings about LGBTQ communities in 20th century America. Bérubé's work focuses on three main areas: gay history, working-class culture, and social movements. His research reconstructs hidden aspects of World War II military life, San Francisco's waterfront communities, and early gay organizing through oral histories and archival materials. The essays trace Bérubé's evolution from community historian to professional scholar, including his experiences as an activist and organizer. His documentation of gay military service during WWII became the foundation for his award-winning book Coming Out Under Fire. The collection demonstrates how sexuality, class, and labor intersect in American social history. Bérubé's writing style combines academic rigor with accessibility, making complex historical narratives relevant to both scholars and general readers.

Readers appreciate Bérubé's accessible writing style and his ability to weave personal experiences with academic historical research. Multiple reviews note his talent for documenting previously overlooked aspects of LGBTQ+ and working-class history. Readers liked: - Clear explanations of complex social movements - Integration of oral histories - Focus on intersections between labor and gay rights - Documentation of San Francisco's queer communities Readers disliked: - Some essays feel incomplete or fragmentary - Limited scope of certain case studies - Academic tone in select chapters Ratings: Goodreads: 4.13/5 (23 ratings) Amazon: 5/5 (2 ratings) One reader on Goodreads wrote: "Bérubé's work shows how class and sexuality intersected in ways many historians missed." Another noted: "The personal essays provide context that makes the historical analysis more meaningful." No major critical reviews found on academic review sites or mainstream book review platforms.

Hidden from History: Reclaiming the Gay and Lesbian Past by Martin Duberman This anthology presents essays on LGBTQ+ history across different time periods and cultures, with emphasis on previously undocumented stories and community resistance.

Coming Out Under Fire: The History of Gay Men and Women in World War II by Allan Bérubé This work documents the experiences of LGBTQ+ service members during World War II and the impact of military policies on their lives and communities.

Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the Making of the Gay Male World by George Chauncey This study examines the formation of gay male communities in New York City between 1890-1940, exploring their relationship with urban spaces and social networks.

Labor of Love: The Invention of Dating by Moira Weigel This book traces the intersection of labor history and intimate relationships in America, examining how economic conditions shaped dating practices and sexual identity.

Making Gay History: The Half Century Fight for Lesbian and Gay Equal Rights by Eric Marcus This compilation presents first-person accounts from LGBTQ+ activists who shaped the movement for equal rights from the 1950s forward.

🌟 Allan Bérubé began his career not as an academic historian but as a community researcher and activist, collecting oral histories and photographs from gay and lesbian elders in San Francisco during the 1970s. 📚 The book includes Bérubé's groundbreaking research on gay military service members during World War II, which later became his acclaimed book "Coming Out Under Fire" (1990). 🎯 Bérubé received a MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship in 1996 for his innovative approach to documenting LGBTQ+ history through personal narratives and previously overlooked sources. 📷 Many of the essays in the book originated from slide show presentations Bérubé created for community groups, combining historical photographs with oral histories to tell forgotten stories of queer life. 🔍 The book reveals how class and labor intersected with LGBTQ+ history, particularly through Bérubé's research on the Marine Cooks and Stewards Union, which was one of the first unions to actively support gay rights in the 1930s and 1940s.