Same-Sex Dynamics among Nineteenth-Century Americans: A Mormon Example
Historian Quinn, a former Brigham Young Univ. professor and now an independent scholar, has written a book that is nothing short of astonishing. Who could have possibly imagined the tolerance with which same-sex relationships were accepted by the Mormon Church, as recently as the 1940s? Quinn carefully sets the theoretical parameters of his work in the first chapters and then demonstrates, with thorough documentation, several examples of long-term relationships among Mormon same-sex couples and the environment in which they flourished. His extraordinary accomplishment is especially notable for the subtlety of his claims and the nuanced interpretation he gives them, all supported by exhaustive documentation. Strongly recommended for any collections interested in American history, religion, or queer studies.?David Azzolina, Univ. of Pennsylvania Libs., PhiladelphiaCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.