"This lively, engaging memoir by one of the earliest, major historians of US sexuality is a report from the trenches, a history of the struggle to create a history of sexuality, a personal history of political activism, the story of a smart boy from the Bronx who made himself into a pioneering, left, feminist, anti-racist gay, public intellectual."-- Jonathan Ned Katz, author of , The Daring Life and Dangerous Times of Eve Adams "One of John D'Emilio's great gifts is the ability to bring the large-scale transformations that are the heart of history to life. Now he's done it with his own remarkable story. The scholarly, activist, and personal life of one of our greatest queer historians illuminates so much about the rise of queer activism and queer history in the last quarter of the twentieth century."-- Leila J. Rupp, author of , Sapphistries: A Global History of Love Between Women "An essential read for those interested in queer history or in understanding the process of writing history." (Starred Review)-- Sam Scala , Library Journal "What makes the book compelling and particularly relevant to our present moment is D'Emilio's concept of history as a tool for social change. Reading this inspiring memoir it is jarring to consider our present moment.

Making Gay History is an encouraging lesson for our times."-- Daniel A. Burr , Gay and Lesbian Review "How queer history moved from being virtually nonexistent to an exciting study subject with a huge number of books to cover it is the subject of D'Emilio's magnificent book, using himself as evidence of its progress. The book brilliantly balances D'Emilio's private and professional lives. He genuinely loves history, believing it can offer us encouraging lessons in difficult times. One could say that what D'Emilio says about history is also true of this inspiring book as a much-needed encouragement for these trying days." -- Brian Bromberger , Bay Area Reporter "D'Emilio fathered a new history. Historiography is the story of how history gets written, conducting original research, uncovering the data and creating the narrative(s)--often a snoozing read of academic process.

But not this historiography. Making Gay History is a historiography with heart."-- Charles Francis , Washington Blade.