The Hub of the Gay Universe
An LGBTQ History of Boston, Provincetown, and Beyond
by Russ López
A sweeping history of LGBTQ life in Boston and Provincetown across four centuries.
Paperback | 218 pages | 6 × 9 in
Digital | 218 pages
Publication Date: March 11, 2019
Paperback ISBN: 978-0-5784108-6-9
Digital ISBN: 978-0-5784108-8-3
$24.95 (Paperback) | $9.99 (Digital)
About the Book
The Hub of the Gay Universe: An LGBTQ History of Boston, Provincetown, and Beyond begins with the coming of Europeans to Massachusetts in 1620 and ends with the victory over the referendum to overturn transgender rights in 2018. It includes the many high points of these four hundred years: the torrid romances of nineteenth century actress Charlotte Cushman, the glamorous nightlife of 1950s Boston, the wild times of 1970s Provincetown, and the great outpouring of happiness that accompanied the country’s first same-sex marriages. And it describes the tragedies: murders of trans women and gay men, the terrible waves of repression of the 1920s, and the devastation of the AIDS years. It documents how LGBTQ people have been present in the region at least since the coming of Europeans and how LGBTQ people had developed a political consciousness and were advocating for their rights well over a century before Stonewall. This is an important book for anyone who has lived in or visited this historic city and fabulous resort or anyone who cares about the history of LGBTQ people.
Order the Book
Genre
HIS066000 (History / LGBTQ+)
HIS036110 (History / New England)
SOC064000 (Social Science / LGBTQ+ Studies)
ALSO BY RUSS LÓPEZ
Provincetown Stories
A vibrant portrait of Provincetown told through unforgettable lives.
Provincetown Stories captures the humor, longing, and reinvention that define life at land’s end. Set among beaches, clubs, and narrow streets, the collection reveals a town where identity is tested, celebrated, and constantly reshaped.
ALSO BY RUSS LÓPEZ
Boston 1945-2015: The Decline and Rise of a Great World City
The story of how Boston reinvented itself in the second half of the twentieth century.
Boston 1945–2015 traces the city’s dramatic transformation from postwar decline to global resurgence. Through political battles, neighborhood activism, urban renewal, and economic reinvention, the book reveals how competing visions shaped the modern city.
About by Russ López
Russ López is the author of multiple works of fiction and nonfiction exploring Boston, Provincetown, urban history, and LGBTQ life. His books include Provincetown Stories, Boston’s South End, The Hub of the Gay Universe, and Boston 1945–2015. His writing has appeared in literary journals, cultural publications, and academic venues, and he serves as editor of LatineLit, an online magazine publishing fiction by and about Latinx writers. Originally from California, he holds degrees from Stanford, Harvard, and Boston University and splits his time between Boston and Provincetown.
