Picture 1 of 2
Gallery
Picture 1 of 2
Have one to sell?
Secret City : The Hidden History of Gay Washington by James Kirchick NEW
US $16.95
ApproximatelyS$ 21.83
Condition:
Brand New
A new, unread, unused book in perfect condition with no missing or damaged pages.
Oops! Looks like we're having trouble connecting to our server.
Refresh your browser window to try again.
Shipping:
US $5.22 (approx S$ 6.72) USPS Media MailTM.
Located in: Tucson, Arizona, United States
Delivery:
Estimated between Thu, 7 Aug and Sat, 9 Aug to 91768
Returns:
No returns accepted.
Coverage:
Read item description or contact seller for details. See all detailsSee all details on coverage
(Not eligible for eBay purchase protection programmes)
Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing.
eBay item number:387834367039
Item specifics
- Condition
- Brand New: A new, unread, unused book in perfect condition with no missing or damaged pages. See all condition definitionsopens in a new window or tab
- Features
- Dust Jacket
- Edition
- First Edition
- ISBN
- 9781627792325
About this product
Product Identifiers
Publisher
Holt & Company, Henry
ISBN-10
1627792325
ISBN-13
9781627792325
eBay Product ID (ePID)
2321453159
Product Key Features
Book Title
Secret City : the Hidden History of Gay Washington
Number of Pages
848 Pages
Language
English
Topic
Lgbt Studies / General, United States / 20th Century, United States / State & Local / Middle Atlantic (DC, De, Md, NJ, NY, Pa), Lgbt Studies / Gay Studies
Publication Year
2022
Illustrator
Yes
Genre
Social Science, History
Format
Hardcover
Dimensions
Item Height
1.7 in
Item Weight
33.2 Oz
Item Length
9.4 in
Item Width
6.4 in
Additional Product Features
Intended Audience
Trade
LCCN
2021-055007
Reviews
" Scrupulously researched and novelistic in style, Secret City is an extraordinary achievement . In this spellbinding journey from the New Deal to the end of the Cold War, James Kirchick draws us into the demimonde of Gay Washington: a dangerous world swirling with informers, scandal sheets, blacklists, clandestine networks, and brave fighters for equality. Shedding new light on figures we thought we knew, he introduces us to compelling individuals we will never forget. Not since Robert Caro's Years of Lyndon Johnson have I been so riveted by a work of history. Secret City is not gay history. It is American history." -- George Stephanopoulos " Secret City is a sweeping, grand look at what once was forced to be hidden. In his deeply researched narrative, Kirchick has restored men and women lost to history due to their sexuality, and in doing so he shines a new light on our understanding of politics and government. Evoking memories of And the Band Played On , this look at the 'secret city' makes our history clear." -- John A. Farrell, author of Richard Nixon: The Life "Now and then a new book about American politics comes along for which 'revelation' seems too tame a word, so profoundly does it alter our understanding of almost everything we thought we knew. James Kirchick's remarkable history of the 'secret' life of Washington is just such a book--a triumph of investigation and story-telling." --Sam Tanenhaus "Henry James called Washington DC the city of conversation, but it's also the city of hypocrisy and witch hunts, and, in Secret City , a brutal homophobia that can still make the blood boil years after the events. Kirchick takes us from the FDR administration to Bill Clinton with a thoroughness and eye for detail that astonish. Lovers of Washington lore will enjoy the depiction of gay life in the nation's capital when it was entirely underground, and lovers of justice will take pleasure in the fact that some of the most repulsive characters in modern political history who ruined the lives and careers of men as disparate as Assistant Secretary of State Sumner Welles, and Lady Bird Johnson's interior decorator are brought to justice in the only way they can be now: the historical record." -- Andrew Holleran, author of Dancer from the Dance, " Scrupulously researched and novelistic in style, Secret City is an extraordinary achievement . In this spellbinding journey from the New Deal to the end of the Cold War, James Kirchick draws us into the demimonde of Gay Washington: a dangerous world swirling with informers, scandal sheets, blacklists, clandestine networks, and brave fighters for equality. Shedding new light on figures we thought we knew, he introduces us to compelling individuals we will never forget. Not since Robert Caro's Years of Lyndon Johnson have I been so riveted by a work of history. Secret City is not gay history. It is American history." -- George Stephanopoulos "A remarkable, hugely impressive accomplishment -- exhaustively researched, skillfully told, erudite, heartfelt -- that speaks not only to the impact of double lives on our nation's life but also to the individual toll of veiling your soul. It makes me sad. But more than that, it makes me grateful, for all that has changed since those days of lies and whispers." -- Frank Bruni, Contributing Opinion Writer, The New York Times " Secret City is a must-read for any serious student of the Cold War. Weaving political, social, and cultural history together, James Kirchick illuminates how an obsession with secrecy distorted perceptions not only of gay people but of reality itself. Secret City is a long overdue addition to the historical record." --Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Gulag and Iron Curtain " Secret City is a sweeping, grand look at what once was forced to be hidden. In his deeply researched narrative, Kirchick has restored men and women lost to history due to their sexuality, and in doing so he shines a new light on our understanding of politics and government. Evoking memories of And the Band Played On , this look at the 'secret city' makes our history clear." -- John A. Farrell, author of Richard Nixon: The Life "Now and then a new book about American politics comes along for which 'revelation' seems too tame a word, so profoundly does it alter our understanding of almost everything we thought we knew. James Kirchick's remarkable history of the 'secret' life of Washington is just such a book--a triumph of investigation and story-telling." --Sam Tanenhaus, author of Whittaker Chambers: A Biography and former editor of the New York Times Book Review " Kirchick takes us from the FDR administration to Bill Clinton with a thoroughness and eye for detail that astonish. Lovers of Washington lore will enjoy the depiction of gay life in the nation's capital when it was entirely underground, and lovers of justice will take pleasure in the fact that some of the most repulsive characters in modern political history who ruined so many lives and careers are brought to justice in the only way they can be now: the historical record." -- Andrew Holleran, author of Dancer from the Dance "Kirchick has written a mesmerizing and moving account of gay proximity to power, and the shocking resistance to it, in America's capital city long before the modern gay-rights movement began. Thanks to Kirchick, this important history will be overlooked no more." --Dale Carpenter, author of Flagrant Conduct: The Story of Lawrence v. Texas, " Scrupulously researched and novelistic in style, Secret City is an extraordinary achievement . In this spellbinding journey from the New Deal to the end of the Cold War, James Kirchick draws us into the demimonde of Gay Washington: a dangerous world swirling with informers, scandal sheets, blacklists, clandestine networks, and brave fighters for equality. Shedding new light on figures we thought we knew, he introduces us to compelling individuals we will never forget. Not since Robert Caro's Years of Lyndon Johnson have I been so riveted by a work of history. Secret City is not gay history. It is American history." -- George Stephanopoulos " Secret City is a sweeping, grand look at what once was forced to be hidden. In his deeply researched narrative, Kirchick has restored men and women lost to history due to their sexuality, and in doing so he shines a new light on our understanding of politics and government. Evoking memories of And the Band Played On , this look at the 'secret city' makes our history clear." -- John A. Farrell, author of Richard Nixon: The Life "Henry James called Washington DC the city of conversation, but it's also the city of hypocrisy and witch hunts, and, in Secret City , a brutal homophobia that can still make the blood boil years after the events. Kirchick takes us from the FDR administration to Bill Clinton with a thoroughness and eye for detail that astonish. Lovers of Washington lore will enjoy the depiction of gay life in the nation's capital when it was entirely underground, and lovers of justice will take pleasure in the fact that some of the most repulsive characters in modern political history who ruined the lives and careers of men as disparate as Assistant Secretary of State Sumner Welles, and Lady Bird Johnson's interior decorator are brought to justice in the only way they can be now: the historical record." -- Andrew Holleran, author of Dancer from the Dance, " Scrupulously researched and novelistic in style, Secret City is an extraordinary achievement . In this spellbinding journey from the New Deal to the end of the Cold War, James Kirchick draws us into the demimonde of Gay Washington: a dangerous world swirling with informers, scandal sheets, blacklists, clandestine networks, and brave fighters for equality. Shedding new light on figures we thought we knew, he introduces us to compelling individuals we will never forget. Not since Robert Caro's Years of Lyndon Johnson have I been so riveted by a work of history. Secret City is not gay history. It is American history." -- George Stephanopoulos "In Secret City, James Kirchick tells a Washington D.C. Cold War story that few have heard: how the political obsession with secrecy, together with the fear of communist influence, distorted perceptions not only of gay people, but of reality itself. Weaving together political, social, and cultural history, Secret City offers an unexpected corrective to the historical record." --Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize winning author of Gulag and Iron Curtain " Secret City is a sweeping, grand look at what once was forced to be hidden. In his deeply researched narrative, Kirchick has restored men and women lost to history due to their sexuality, and in doing so he shines a new light on our understanding of politics and government. Evoking memories of And the Band Played On , this look at the 'secret city' makes our history clear." -- John A. Farrell, author of Richard Nixon: The Life "Now and then a new book about American politics comes along for which 'revelation' seems too tame a word, so profoundly does it alter our understanding of almost everything we thought we knew. James Kirchick's remarkable history of the 'secret' life of Washington is just such a book--a triumph of investigation and story-telling." --Sam Tanenhaus, author of Whittaker Chambers: A Biography and former editor of The New York Times Book Review " Kirchick takes us from the FDR administration to Bill Clinton with a thoroughness and eye for detail that astonish. Lovers of Washington lore will enjoy the depiction of gay life in the nation's capital when it was entirely underground, and lovers of justice will take pleasure in the fact that some of the most repulsive characters in modern political history who ruined so many lives and careers are brought to justice in the only way they can be now: the historical record." -- Andrew Holleran, author of Dancer from the Dance, " Secret City is a sweeping, grand look at what once was forced to be hidden. In his deeply researched narrative, Kirchick has restored men and women lost to history due to their sexuality, and in doing so he shines a new light on our understanding of politics and government. Evoking memories of And the Band Played On , this look at the 'secret city' makes our history clear." -- John A. Farrell, author of Richard Nixon: The Life "Henry James called Washington DC the city of conversation, but it's also the city of hypocrisy and witch hunts, and, in Secret City , a brutal homophobia that can still make the blood boil years after the events. Kirchick takes us from the FDR administration to Bill Clinton with a thoroughness and eye for detail that astonish. Lovers of Washington lore will enjoy the depiction of gay life in the nation's capital when it was entirely underground, and lovers of justice will take pleasure in the fact that some of the most repulsive characters in modern political history who ruined the lives of careers of men as disparate as Assistant Secretary of State Sumner Welles, and Lady Bird Johnson's interior decorator are brought to justice in the only way they can be now: the historical record." -- Andrew Holleran, author of Dancer from the Dance, " Scrupulously researched and novelistic in style, Secret City is an extraordinary achievement . In this spellbinding journey from the New Deal to the end of the Cold War, James Kirchick draws us into the demimonde of Gay Washington: a dangerous world swirling with informers, scandal sheets, blacklists, clandestine networks, and brave fighters for equality. Shedding new light on figures we thought we knew, he introduces us to compelling individuals we will never forget. Not since Robert Caro's Years of Lyndon Johnson have I been so riveted by a work of history. Secret City is not gay history. It is American history." -- George Stephanopoulos " Secret City is a sweeping, grand look at what once was forced to be hidden. In his deeply researched narrative, Kirchick has restored men and women lost to history due to their sexuality, and in doing so he shines a new light on our understanding of politics and government. Evoking memories of And the Band Played On , this look at the 'secret city' makes our history clear." -- John A. Farrell, author of Richard Nixon: The Life "Henry James called Washington DC the city of conversation, but it's also the city of hypocrisy and witch hunts, and, in Secret City , a brutal homophobia that can still make the blood boil years after the events. Kirchick takes us from the FDR administration to Bill Clinton with a thoroughness and eye for detail that astonish. Lovers of Washington lore will enjoy the depiction of gay life in the nation's capital when it was entirely underground, and lovers of justice will take pleasure in the fact that some of the most repulsive characters in modern political history who ruined the lives of careers of men as disparate as Assistant Secretary of State Sumner Welles, and Lady Bird Johnson's interior decorator are brought to justice in the only way they can be now: the historical record." -- Andrew Holleran, author of Dancer from the Dance, "Ambitious....a valuable and often fascinating revision of U.S. political history." -- Publishers Weekly " Scrupulously researched and novelistic in style, Secret City is an extraordinary achievement . In this spellbinding journey from the New Deal to the end of the Cold War, James Kirchick draws us into the demimonde of Gay Washington: a dangerous world swirling with informers, scandal sheets, blacklists, clandestine networks, and brave fighters for equality. Shedding new light on figures we thought we knew, he introduces us to compelling individuals we will never forget. Not since Robert Caro's Years of Lyndon Johnson have I been so riveted by a work of history. Secret City is not gay history. It is American history." --George Stephanopoulos "In Secret City, James Kirchik tell a Washington DC Cold War story that few have heard: How the political obsession with secrecy together with the fear of communist influence distorted perceptions not only of gay people, but of reality itself. Weaving together political, social and cultural history, Secret City offers an unexpected corrective to the historical record. --Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Gulag and Iron Curtain "A remarkable, hugely impressive accomplishment -- exhaustively researched, skillfully told, erudite, heartfelt -- that speaks not only to the impact of double lives on our nation's life but also to the individual toll of veiling your soul. It makes me sad. But more than that, it makes me grateful, for all that has changed since those days of lies and whispers." -- Frank Bruni, contributing opinion writer, The New York Times " Kirchick takes us from the FDR administration to Bill Clinton with a thoroughness and eye for detail that astonish. Lovers of Washington lore will enjoy the depiction of gay life in the nation's capital when it was entirely underground, and lovers of justice will take pleasure in the fact that some of the most repulsive characters in modern political history who ruined so many lives and careers are brought to justice in the only way they can be now: the historical record." -- Andrew Holleran, author of Dancer from the Dance "Now and then a new book about American politics comes along for which 'revelation' seems too tame a word, so profoundly does it alter our understanding of almost everything we thought we knew. James Kirchick's remarkable history of the 'secret' life of Washington is just such a book--a triumph of investigation and story-telling." --Sam Tanenhaus, author of Whittaker Chambers: A Biography and former editor of the New York Times Book Review " Secret City is a sweeping, grand look at what once was forced to be hidden. In his deeply researched narrative, Kirchick has restored men and women lost to history due to their sexuality, and in doing so he shines a new light on our understanding of politics and government. Evoking memories of And the Band Played On , this look at the 'secret city' makes our history clear." -- John A. Farrell, author of Richard Nixon: The Life "Kirchick has written a mesmerizing and moving account of gay proximity to power, and the shocking resistance to it, in America's capital city long before the modern gay-rights movement began. Thanks to Kirchick, this important history will be overlooked no more." --Dale Carpenter, author of Flagrant Conduct: The Story of Lawrence v. Texas, " Secret City is a sweeping, grand look at what once was forced to be hidden. In his deeply researched narrative, Kirchick has restored men and women lost to history due to their sexuality, and in doing so he shines a new light on our understanding of politics and government. Evoking memories of And the Band Played On , this look at the 'secret city' makes our history clear." -- John A. Farrell, author of Richard Nixon: The Life, " Scrupulously researched and novelistic in style, Secret City is an extraordinary achievement . In this spellbinding journey from the New Deal to the end of the Cold War, James Kirchick draws us into the demimonde of Gay Washington: a dangerous world swirling with informers, scandal sheets, blacklists, clandestine networks, and brave fighters for equality. Shedding new light on figures we thought we knew, he introduces us to compelling individuals we will never forget. Not since Robert Caro's Years of Lyndon Johnson have I been so riveted by a work of history. Secret City is not gay history. It is American history." -- George Stephanopoulos "A remarkable, hugely impressive accomplishment -- exhaustively researched, skillfully told, erudite, heartfelt -- that speaks not only to the impact of double lives on our nation's life but also to the individual toll of veiling your soul. It makes me sad. But more than that, it makes me grateful, for all that has changed since those days of lies and whispers." -- Frank Bruni, Contributing Opinion Writer, The New York Times "In Secret City, James Kirchick tells a Washington D.C. Cold War story that few have heard: how the political obsession with secrecy, together with the fear of communist influence, distorted perceptions not only of gay people, but of reality itself. Weaving together political, social, and cultural history, Secret City offers an unexpected corrective to the historical record." --Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize winning author of Gulag and Iron Curtain " Secret City is a sweeping, grand look at what once was forced to be hidden. In his deeply researched narrative, Kirchick has restored men and women lost to history due to their sexuality, and in doing so he shines a new light on our understanding of politics and government. Evoking memories of And the Band Played On , this look at the 'secret city' makes our history clear." -- John A. Farrell, author of Richard Nixon: The Life "Now and then a new book about American politics comes along for which 'revelation' seems too tame a word, so profoundly does it alter our understanding of almost everything we thought we knew. James Kirchick's remarkable history of the 'secret' life of Washington is just such a book--a triumph of investigation and story-telling." --Sam Tanenhaus, author of Whittaker Chambers: A Biography and former editor of The New York Times Book Review " Kirchick takes us from the FDR administration to Bill Clinton with a thoroughness and eye for detail that astonish. Lovers of Washington lore will enjoy the depiction of gay life in the nation's capital when it was entirely underground, and lovers of justice will take pleasure in the fact that some of the most repulsive characters in modern political history who ruined so many lives and careers are brought to justice in the only way they can be now: the historical record." -- Andrew Holleran, author of Dancer from the Dance "Kirchik has written a mesmerizing and moving account of gay proximity to power, and the shocking resistance to it, in America's capital city long before the modern gay-rights movement began. Thanks to Kirchik, this important history will be overlooked no more." --Dale Carpenter, author of Flagrant Conduct: The Story of Lawrence v. Texas, " Scrupulously researched and novelistic in style, Secret City is an extraordinary achievement . In this spellbinding journey from the New Deal to the end of the Cold War, James Kirchick draws us into the demimonde of Gay Washington: a dangerous world swirling with informers, scandal sheets, blacklists, clandestine networks, and brave fighters for equality. Shedding new light on figures we thought we knew, he introduces us to compelling individuals we will never forget. Not since Robert Caro's Years of Lyndon Johnson have I been so riveted by a work of history. Secret City is not gay history. It is American history." -- George Stephanopoulos "In Secret City, James Kirchick tells a Washington D.C. Cold War story that few have heard: how the political obsession with secrecy, together with the fear of communist influence, distorted perceptions not only of gay people, but of reality itself. Weaving together together political, social, and cultural history, Secret City offers an unexpected corrective to the historical record." --Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize winning author of Gulag and Iron Curtain " Secret City is a sweeping, grand look at what once was forced to be hidden. In his deeply researched narrative, Kirchick has restored men and women lost to history due to their sexuality, and in doing so he shines a new light on our understanding of politics and government. Evoking memories of And the Band Played On , this look at the 'secret city' makes our history clear." -- John A. Farrell, author of Richard Nixon: The Life "Now and then a new book about American politics comes along for which 'revelation' seems too tame a word, so profoundly does it alter our understanding of almost everything we thought we knew. James Kirchick's remarkable history of the 'secret' life of Washington is just such a book--a triumph of investigation and story-telling." --Sam Tanenhaus, author of Whittaker Chambers: A Biography and former editor of The New York Times Book Review " Kirchick takes us from the FDR administration to Bill Clinton with a thoroughness and eye for detail that astonish. Lovers of Washington lore will enjoy the depiction of gay life in the nation's capital when it was entirely underground, and lovers of justice will take pleasure in the fact that some of the most repulsive characters in modern political history who ruined so many lives and careers are brought to justice in the only way they can be now: the historical record." -- Andrew Holleran, author of Dancer from the Dance, "Ambitious....a valuable and often fascinating revision of U.S. political history." -- Publishers Weekly " Scrupulously researched and novelistic in style, Secret City is an extraordinary achievement . In this spellbinding journey from the New Deal to the end of the Cold War, James Kirchick draws us into the demimonde of Gay Washington: a dangerous world swirling with informers, scandal sheets, blacklists, clandestine networks, and brave fighters for equality. Shedding new light on figures we thought we knew, he introduces us to compelling individuals we will never forget. Not since Robert Caro's Years of Lyndon Johnson have I been so riveted by a work of history. Secret City is not gay history. It is American history." --George Stephanopoulos "In Secret City, James Kirchick tell a Washington DC Cold War story that few have heard: How the political obsession with secrecy together with the fear of communist influence distorted perceptions not only of gay people, but of reality itself. Weaving together political, social and cultural history, Secret City offers an unexpected corrective to the historical record. --Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Gulag and Iron Curtain "A remarkable, hugely impressive accomplishment -- exhaustively researched, skillfully told, erudite, heartfelt -- that speaks not only to the impact of double lives on our nation's life but also to the individual toll of veiling your soul. It makes me sad. But more than that, it makes me grateful, for all that has changed since those days of lies and whispers." -- Frank Bruni, contributing opinion writer, The New York Times " Kirchick takes us from the FDR administration to Bill Clinton with a thoroughness and eye for detail that astonish. Lovers of Washington lore will enjoy the depiction of gay life in the nation's capital when it was entirely underground, and lovers of justice will take pleasure in the fact that some of the most repulsive characters in modern political history who ruined so many lives and careers are brought to justice in the only way they can be now: the historical record." -- Andrew Holleran, author of Dancer from the Dance "Now and then a new book about American politics comes along for which 'revelation' seems too tame a word, so profoundly does it alter our understanding of almost everything we thought we knew. James Kirchick's remarkable history of the 'secret' life of Washington is just such a book--a triumph of investigation and story-telling." --Sam Tanenhaus, author of Whittaker Chambers: A Biography and former editor of the New York Times Book Review " Secret City is a sweeping, grand look at what once was forced to be hidden. In his deeply researched narrative, Kirchick has restored men and women lost to history due to their sexuality, and in doing so he shines a new light on our understanding of politics and government. Evoking memories of And the Band Played On , this look at the 'secret city' makes our history clear." -- John A. Farrell, author of Richard Nixon: The Life "Kirchick has written a mesmerizing and moving account of gay proximity to power, and the shocking resistance to it, in America's capital city long before the modern gay-rights movement began. Thanks to Kirchick, this important history will be overlooked no more." --Dale Carpenter, author of Flagrant Conduct: The Story of Lawrence v. Texas, " Scrupulously researched and novelistic in style, Secret City is an extraordinary achievement . In this spellbinding journey from the New Deal to the end of the Cold War, James Kirchick draws us into the demimonde of Gay Washington: a dangerous world swirling with informers, scandal sheets, blacklists, clandestine networks, and brave fighters for equality. Shedding new light on figures we thought we knew, he introduces us to compelling individuals we will never forget. Not since Robert Caro's Years of Lyndon Johnson have I been so riveted by a work of history. Secret City is not gay history. It is American history." -- George Stephanopoulos "A remarkable, hugely impressive accomplishment -- exhaustively researched, skillfully told, erudite, heartfelt -- that speaks not only to the impact of double lives on our nation's life but also to the individual toll of veiling your soul. It makes me sad. But more than that, it makes me grateful, for all that has changed since those days of lies and whispers." -- Frank Bruni, Contributing Opinion Writer, The New York Times "In Secret City, James Kirchick tells a Washington D.C. Cold War story that few have heard: how the political obsession with secrecy, together with the fear of communist influence, distorted perceptions not only of gay people, but of reality itself. Weaving together political, social, and cultural history, Secret City offers an unexpected corrective to the historical record." --Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize winning author of Gulag and Iron Curtain " Secret City is a sweeping, grand look at what once was forced to be hidden. In his deeply researched narrative, Kirchick has restored men and women lost to history due to their sexuality, and in doing so he shines a new light on our understanding of politics and government. Evoking memories of And the Band Played On , this look at the 'secret city' makes our history clear." -- John A. Farrell, author of Richard Nixon: The Life "Now and then a new book about American politics comes along for which 'revelation' seems too tame a word, so profoundly does it alter our understanding of almost everything we thought we knew. James Kirchick's remarkable history of the 'secret' life of Washington is just such a book--a triumph of investigation and story-telling." --Sam Tanenhaus, author of Whittaker Chambers: A Biography and former editor of The New York Times Book Review " Kirchick takes us from the FDR administration to Bill Clinton with a thoroughness and eye for detail that astonish. Lovers of Washington lore will enjoy the depiction of gay life in the nation's capital when it was entirely underground, and lovers of justice will take pleasure in the fact that some of the most repulsive characters in modern political history who ruined so many lives and careers are brought to justice in the only way they can be now: the historical record." -- Andrew Holleran, author of Dancer from the Dance, "Kirchick's history is an inspiring and overdue tribute to the brave individuals who fought for acceptance in a city and government long pitted against them. " -- Booklist (starred review) "Ambitious....a valuable and often fascinating revision of U.S. political history." -- Publishers Weekly " Scrupulously researched and novelistic in style, Secret City is an extraordinary achievement . In this spellbinding journey from the New Deal to the end of the Cold War, James Kirchick draws us into the demimonde of Gay Washington: a dangerous world swirling with informers, scandal sheets, blacklists, clandestine networks, and brave fighters for equality. Shedding new light on figures we thought we knew, he introduces us to compelling individuals we will never forget. Not since Robert Caro's Years of Lyndon Johnson have I been so riveted by a work of history. Secret City is not gay history. It is American history." --George Stephanopoulos "In Secret City, James Kirchick tells a Washington DC Cold War story that few have heard: How the political obsession with secrecy together with the fear of communist influence distorted perceptions not only of gay people, but of reality itself. Weaving together political, social and cultural history, Secret City offers an unexpected corrective to the historical record. --Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Gulag and Iron Curtain "A remarkable, hugely impressive accomplishment -- exhaustively researched, skillfully told, erudite, heartfelt -- that speaks not only to the impact of double lives on our nation's life but also to the individual toll of veiling your soul. It makes me sad. But more than that, it makes me grateful, for all that has changed since those days of lies and whispers." -- Frank Bruni, contributing opinion writer, The New York Times " Kirchick takes us from the FDR administration to Bill Clinton with a thoroughness and eye for detail that astonish. Lovers of Washington lore will enjoy the depiction of gay life in the nation's capital when it was entirely underground, and lovers of justice will take pleasure in the fact that some of the most repulsive characters in modern political history who ruined so many lives and careers are brought to justice in the only way they can be now: the historical record." -- Andrew Holleran, author of Dancer from the Dance "Now and then a new book about American politics comes along for which 'revelation' seems too tame a word, so profoundly does it alter our understanding of almost everything we thought we knew. James Kirchick's remarkable history of the 'secret' life of Washington is just such a book--a triumph of investigation and story-telling." --Sam Tanenhaus, author of Whittaker Chambers: A Biography and former editor of the New York Times Book Review " Secret City is a sweeping, grand look at what once was forced to be hidden. In his deeply researched narrative, Kirchick has restored men and women lost to history due to their sexuality, and in doing so he shines a new light on our understanding of politics and government. Evoking memories of And the Band Played On , this look at the 'secret city' makes our history clear." -- John A. Farrell, author of Richard Nixon: The Life "Kirchick has written a mesmerizing and moving account of gay proximity to power, and the shocking resistance to it, in America's capital city long before the modern gay-rights movement began. Thanks to Kirchick, this important history will be overlooked no more." --Dale Carpenter, author of Flagrant Conduct: The Story of Lawrence v. Texas, "Ambitious....a valuable and often fascinating revision of U.S. political history." -- Publishers Weekly " Scrupulously researched and novelistic in style, Secret City is an extraordinary achievement . In this spellbinding journey from the New Deal to the end of the Cold War, James Kirchick draws us into the demimonde of Gay Washington: a dangerous world swirling with informers, scandal sheets, blacklists, clandestine networks, and brave fighters for equality. Shedding new light on figures we thought we knew, he introduces us to compelling individuals we will never forget. Not since Robert Caro's Years of Lyndon Johnson have I been so riveted by a work of history. Secret City is not gay history. It is American history." --George Stephanopoulos "In Secret City, James Kirchick tells a Washington DC Cold War story that few have heard: How the political obsession with secrecy together with the fear of communist influence distorted perceptions not only of gay people, but of reality itself. Weaving together political, social and cultural history, Secret City offers an unexpected corrective to the historical record. --Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Gulag and Iron Curtain "A remarkable, hugely impressive accomplishment -- exhaustively researched, skillfully told, erudite, heartfelt -- that speaks not only to the impact of double lives on our nation's life but also to the individual toll of veiling your soul. It makes me sad. But more than that, it makes me grateful, for all that has changed since those days of lies and whispers." -- Frank Bruni, contributing opinion writer, The New York Times " Kirchick takes us from the FDR administration to Bill Clinton with a thoroughness and eye for detail that astonish. Lovers of Washington lore will enjoy the depiction of gay life in the nation's capital when it was entirely underground, and lovers of justice will take pleasure in the fact that some of the most repulsive characters in modern political history who ruined so many lives and careers are brought to justice in the only way they can be now: the historical record." -- Andrew Holleran, author of Dancer from the Dance "Now and then a new book about American politics comes along for which 'revelation' seems too tame a word, so profoundly does it alter our understanding of almost everything we thought we knew. James Kirchick's remarkable history of the 'secret' life of Washington is just such a book--a triumph of investigation and story-telling." --Sam Tanenhaus, author of Whittaker Chambers: A Biography and former editor of the New York Times Book Review " Secret City is a sweeping, grand look at what once was forced to be hidden. In his deeply researched narrative, Kirchick has restored men and women lost to history due to their sexuality, and in doing so he shines a new light on our understanding of politics and government. Evoking memories of And the Band Played On , this look at the 'secret city' makes our history clear." -- John A. Farrell, author of Richard Nixon: The Life "Kirchick has written a mesmerizing and moving account of gay proximity to power, and the shocking resistance to it, in America's capital city long before the modern gay-rights movement began. Thanks to Kirchick, this important history will be overlooked no more." --Dale Carpenter, author of Flagrant Conduct: The Story of Lawrence v. Texas, " Scrupulously researched and novelistic in style, Secret City is an extraordinary achievement . In this spellbinding journey from the New Deal to the end of the Cold War, James Kirchick draws us into the demimonde of Gay Washington: a dangerous world swirling with informers, scandal sheets, blacklists, clandestine networks, and brave fighters for equality. Shedding new light on figures we thought we knew, he introduces us to compelling individuals we will never forget. Not since Robert Caro's Years of Lyndon Johnson have I been so riveted by a work of history. Secret City is not gay history. It is American history." -- George Stephanopoulos " Secret City is a sweeping, grand look at what once was forced to be hidden. In his deeply researched narrative, Kirchick has restored men and women lost to history due to their sexuality, and in doing so he shines a new light on our understanding of politics and government. Evoking memories of And the Band Played On , this look at the 'secret city' makes our history clear." -- John A. Farrell, author of Richard Nixon: The Life "Now and then a new book about American politics comes along for which 'revelation' seems too tame a word, so profoundly does it alter our understanding of almost everything we thought we knew. James Kirchick's remarkable history of the 'secret' life of Washington is just such a book--a triumph of investigation and story-telling." --Sam Tanenhaus, author of Whittaker Chambers: A Biography and former editor of The New York Times Book Review " Kirchick takes us from the FDR administration to Bill Clinton with a thoroughness and eye for detail that astonish. Lovers of Washington lore will enjoy the depiction of gay life in the nation's capital when it was entirely underground, and lovers of justice will take pleasure in the fact that some of the most repulsive characters in modern political history who ruined so many lives and careers are brought to justice in the only way they can be now: the historical record." -- Andrew Holleran, author of Dancer from the Dance, "Kirchick''s history is an inspiring and overdue tribute to the brave individuals who fought for acceptance in a city and government long pitted against them. " -- Booklist (starred review) "In this absorbing and well-documented book, Kirchick engagingly draws attention to a variety of gay histories that have been largely lost to mainstream history. Ambitious and convincing...the book offers countless illuminating stories that have been grossly underserved in past political histories. An important addition to American history." -- Kirkus "Ambitious....a valuable and often fascinating revision of U.S. political history." -- Publishers Weekly " Scrupulously researched and novelistic in style, Secret City is an extraordinary achievement . In this spellbinding journey from the New Deal to the end of the Cold War, James Kirchick draws us into the demimonde of Gay Washington: a dangerous world swirling with informers, scandal sheets, blacklists, clandestine networks, and brave fighters for equality. Shedding new light on figures we thought we knew, he introduces us to compelling individuals we will never forget. Not since Robert Caro''s Years of Lyndon Johnson have I been so riveted by a work of history. Secret City is not gay history. It is American history." --George Stephanopoulos "In Secret City, James Kirchick tells a Washington DC Cold War story that few have heard: How the political obsession with secrecy together with the fear of communist influence distorted perceptions not only of gay people, but of reality itself. Weaving together political, social and cultural history, Secret City offers an unexpected corrective to the historical record. --Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Gulag and Iron Curtain "A remarkable, hugely impressive accomplishment -- exhaustively researched, skillfully told, erudite, heartfelt -- that speaks not only to the impact of double lives on our nation''s life but also to the individual toll of veiling your soul. It makes me sad. But more than that, it makes me grateful, for all that has changed since those days of lies and whispers." -- Frank Bruni, contributing opinion writer, The New York Times " Kirchick takes us from the FDR administration to Bill Clinton with a thoroughness and eye for detail that astonish. Lovers of Washington lore will enjoy the depiction of gay life in the nation''s capital when it was entirely underground, and lovers of justice will take pleasure in the fact that some of the most repulsive characters in modern political history who ruined so many lives and careers are brought to justice in the only way they can be now: the historical record." -- Andrew Holleran, author of Dancer from the Dance "Now and then a new book about American politics comes along for which ''revelation'' seems too tame a word, so profoundly does it alter our understanding of almost everything we thought we knew. James Kirchick''s remarkable history of the ''secret'' life of Washington is just such a book--a triumph of investigation and story-telling." --Sam Tanenhaus, author of Whittaker Chambers: A Biography and former editor of the New York Times Book Review " Secret City is a sweeping, grand look at what once was forced to be hidden. In his deeply researched narrative, Kirchick has restored men and women lost to history due to their sexuality, and in doing so he shines a new light on our understanding of politics and government. Evoking memories of And the Band Played On , this look at the ''secret city'' makes our history clear." -- John A. Farrell, author of Richard Nixon: The Life "Kirchick has written a mesmerizing and moving account of gay proximity to power, and the shocking resistance to it, in America''s capital city long before the modern gay-rights movement began. Thanks to Kirchick, this important history will be overlooked no more." --Dale Carpenter, author of Flagrant Conduct: The Story of Lawrence v. Texas, " Scrupulously researched and novelistic in style, Secret City is an extraordinary achievement . In this spellbinding journey from the New Deal to the end of the Cold War, James Kirchick draws us into the demimonde of Gay Washington: a dangerous world swirling with informers, scandal sheets, blacklists, clandestine networks, and brave fighters for equality. Shedding new light on figures we thought we knew, he introduces us to compelling individuals we will never forget. Not since Robert Caro's Years of Lyndon Johnson have I been so riveted by a work of history. Secret City is not gay history. It is American history." -- George Stephanopoulos "A remarkable, hugely impressive accomplishment -- exhaustively researched, skillfully told, erudite, heartfelt -- that speaks not only to the impact of double lives on our nation's life but also to the individual toll of veiling your soul. It makes me sad. But more than that, it makes me grateful, for all that has changed since those days of lies and whispers." -- Frank Bruni for The New York Times "In Secret City, James Kirchick tells a Washington D.C. Cold War story that few have heard: how the political obsession with secrecy, together with the fear of communist influence, distorted perceptions not only of gay people, but of reality itself. Weaving together political, social, and cultural history, Secret City offers an unexpected corrective to the historical record." --Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize winning author of Gulag and Iron Curtain " Secret City is a sweeping, grand look at what once was forced to be hidden. In his deeply researched narrative, Kirchick has restored men and women lost to history due to their sexuality, and in doing so he shines a new light on our understanding of politics and government. Evoking memories of And the Band Played On , this look at the 'secret city' makes our history clear." -- John A. Farrell, author of Richard Nixon: The Life "Now and then a new book about American politics comes along for which 'revelation' seems too tame a word, so profoundly does it alter our understanding of almost everything we thought we knew. James Kirchick's remarkable history of the 'secret' life of Washington is just such a book--a triumph of investigation and story-telling." --Sam Tanenhaus, author of Whittaker Chambers: A Biography and former editor of The New York Times Book Review " Kirchick takes us from the FDR administration to Bill Clinton with a thoroughness and eye for detail that astonish. Lovers of Washington lore will enjoy the depiction of gay life in the nation's capital when it was entirely underground, and lovers of justice will take pleasure in the fact that some of the most repulsive characters in modern political history who ruined so many lives and careers are brought to justice in the only way they can be now: the historical record." -- Andrew Holleran, author of Dancer from the Dance, " Scrupulously researched and novelistic in style, Secret City is an extraordinary achievement . In this spellbinding journey from the New Deal to the end of the Cold War, James Kirchick draws us into the demimonde of Gay Washington: a dangerous world swirling with informers, scandal sheets, blacklists, clandestine networks, and brave fighters for equality. Shedding new light on figures we thought we knew, he introduces us to compelling individuals we will never forget. Not since Robert Caro's Years of Lyndon Johnson have I been so riveted by a work of history. Secret City is not gay history. It is American history." -- George Stephanopoulos " Secret City is a sweeping, grand look at what once was forced to be hidden. In his deeply researched narrative, Kirchick has restored men and women lost to history due to their sexuality, and in doing so he shines a new light on our understanding of politics and government. Evoking memories of And the Band Played On , this look at the 'secret city' makes our history clear." -- John A. Farrell, author of Richard Nixon: The Life "Now and then a new book about American politics comes along for which 'revelation' seems too tame a word, so profoundly does it alter our understanding of almost everything we thought we knew. James Kirchick's remarkable history of the 'secret' life of Washington is just such a book--a triumph of investigation and story-telling." --Sam Tanenhaus, author of Whittaker Chambers: A Biography and former editor of The New York Times Book Review "Henry James called Washington DC the city of conversation, but it's also the city of hypocrisy and witch hunts, and, in Secret City , a brutal homophobia that can still make the blood boil years after the events. Kirchick takes us from the FDR administration to Bill Clinton with a thoroughness and eye for detail that astonish. Lovers of Washington lore will enjoy the depiction of gay life in the nation's capital when it was entirely underground, and lovers of justice will take pleasure in the fact that some of the most repulsive characters in modern political history who ruined the lives and careers of men as disparate as Assistant Secretary of State Sumner Welles, and Lady Bird Johnson's interior decorator are brought to justice in the only way they can be now: the historical record." -- Andrew Holleran, author of Dancer from the Dance, " Secret City is a sweeping, grand look at what once was forced to be hidden. In his deeply researched narrative, Kirchick has restored men and women lost to history due to their sexuality, and in doing so he shines a new light on our understanding of politics and government. Evoking memories of And the Band Played On , this look at the 'secret city' makes our history clear." -- John A. Farrell, author of Richard Nixon: The Life "Henry James called Washington DC the city of conversation, but it's also the city of hypocrisy and witch hunts, and, in The Secret City, a brutal homophobia that can still make the blood boil years after the events. Kirchick takes us from the FDR administration to Bill Clinton with a thoroughness and eye for detail that astonish. Lovers of Washington lore will enjoy the depiction of gay life in the nation's capital when it was entirely underground, and lovers of justice will take pleasure in the fact that some of the most repulsive characters in modern political history who ruined the lives of careers of men as disparate as Assistant Secretary of State Sumner Welles, and Lady Bird Johnson's interior decorator are brought to justice in the only way they can be now: the historical record." --Andrew Holleran, author of Dancer from the Dance
Dewey Edition
23
Dewey Decimal
306.766097530904
Table Of Content
Dramatis Personae Introduction: Comrades Franklin Delano Roosevelt 1: "No Comment" 2: "Worse Than a Murderer" 3: Senator X 4: Patriotic Homosexuals 5: "The Greatest National Scandal Since the Existence of the United States" Harry Truman 6: The Concealed Enemy 7: "This Moral Leper" 8: Lavender Lists 9: "A Government Within a Government" 10: The Homintern Dwight Eisenhower 11: "No More Bohlens!" 12: The Heterosexual Dictatorship 13: Pixies on the Potomac 14: "We Accuse . . ." 15: The Hunted John F. Kennedy 16: First Friends 17: The Group of the Intrepid 18: "That Old Black Fairy" Lyndon B. Johnson 19: A Long Way from Arp 20: "A Quite Serious Situation" 21: "Gone and Forgotten" 22: The Fruit Loop 23: Scandal in Sacramento 24: The Thrill of Treason Richard Nixon 25: "Destroy Your Opponent" 26: Fags 27: "We Are Impatient" 28: The City of Conversation Gerald Ford 29: The Ultimate Democracy 30: "Too Good an Opportunity" Jimmy Carter 31: Out of the Closets, into the White House 32: Code Breakers Ronald Reagan 33: "The Homosexual Thing" 34: The Manchurian Candidate 35: An Enclosed and Enchanted Garden 36: Sodom-on-the-Potomac 37: "I Don't Have It. Do You?" 38: "Them" Is "Us" 39: "Our Sebastian" 40: Mr. Green 41: The Wonderful, the Creative, and the Brave George H. W. Bush 42: Naming Names Bill Clinton 43: A Profoundly Important Strength Conclusion: The Gay Century Acknowledgments Photography Credits Sources Notes Index About the Author
Synopsis
The New York Times Bestseller A New York Times Notable Book of 2022 Named one of Vanity Fair 's "Best Books of 2022 " "Not since Robert Caro's Years of Lyndon Johnson have I been so riveted by a work of history. Secret City is not gay history. It is American history." -- George Stephanopoulos Washington, D.C., has always been a city of secrets. Few have been more dramatic than the ones revealed in James Kirchick's Secret City . For decades, the specter of homosexuality haunted Washington. The mere suggestion that a person might be gay destroyed reputations, ended careers, and ruined lives. At the height of the Cold War, fear of homosexuality became intertwined with the growing threat of international communism, leading to a purge of gay men and lesbians from the federal government. In the fevered atmosphere of political Washington, the secret "too loathsome to mention" held enormous, terrifying power. Utilizing thousands of pages of declassified documents, interviews with over one hundred people, and material unearthed from presidential libraries and archives around the country, Secret City is a chronicle of American politics like no other. Beginning with the tragic story of Sumner Welles, Franklin Delano Roosevelt's brilliant diplomatic advisor and the man at the center of "the greatest national scandal since the existence of the United States," James Kirchick illuminates how homosexuality shaped each successive presidential administration through the end of the twentieth century. Cultural and political anxiety over gay people sparked a decades-long witch hunt, impacting everything from the rivalry between the CIA and the FBI to the ascent of Joseph McCarthy, the struggle for Black civil rights, and the rise of the conservative movement. Among other revelations, Kirchick tells of the World War II-era gay spymaster who pioneered seduction as a tool of American espionage, the devoted aide whom Lyndon Johnson treated as a son yet abandoned once his homosexuality was discovered, and how allegations of a "homosexual ring" controlling Ronald Reagan nearly derailed his 1980 election victory. Magisterial in scope and intimate in detail, Secret City will forever transform our understanding of American history.
LC Classification Number
HQ76.45.U52.W375
Item description from the seller
Seller feedback (202)
- e***n (3425)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseFast and friendly!
- 9***3 (314)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseA++++++ SELLER...Super fast shipping, very well packaged
- t***s (1775)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseThank you for the book, packed well, good price, well described and received on time. Not exactly what I was looking for but, the bess item I found. Thanks again, will buy again.
Seller feedback (202)
- e***n (3425)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseFast and friendly!
- 9***3 (314)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseA++++++ SELLER...Super fast shipping, very well packaged
- t***s (1775)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseThank you for the book, packed well, good price, well described and received on time. Not exactly what I was looking for but, the bess item I found. Thanks again, will buy again.