Queering
the Color Line : Race and the Invention of Homosexuality in
American Culture (Series
Q) by Siobhan
Somerville
"This
book is a largely successful attempt to blend together two of the
most interesting theoretical innovations--queer theory and
critical race theory. When I first purchased this book, I was
expecting to struggle with a difficult theoretical text but found
the book as a whole to be accessible. The first three chapters in
particularly offer carefully nuanced readings of scientific,
literary and movie texts. As the author states, however, her
readings require that the reader accept different models of
historical proof as a queer reading generally examines the spaces
in between texts. While as a somewhat old fashioned historian, I
would have liked to have seen better connections; i.e. a more
precise cause and effect relationship between the texts she
examines but in fairness it is not her intention to establish such
relationships. I nonetheless found her analysis provocative--I
really mean this word and am not simply using it to dismiss the
work as some academics do--and suitable for the classroom. My hope
is that her work will provoke more study and that the relationship
between queer theory and critical race theory will continue to
produce books like this one." -- Anonymous Review
