New York Times: “Thomas doesn’t tap gently on the glass at these spaces; she flings herself in. … Historians will owe Thomas for the sprawling and rich record she’s created. But readers owe her most for grappling with the flaws and glories of protected spaces that feel like home.”
Booklist (starred): “Thomas' readable, interesting, and detailed book will be invaluable to lesbians, queer people, and all readers interested in American culture."
Kirkus: “An engaging and informative study that defies attempts to erase people or their places.”
Audiofile: “Her passion comes through, and her expressive narration highlights the importance of these spaces and their present-day influence.”
New York magazine’s “Approval Matrix”
“For as long as queer women have existed, we’ve created gathering grounds where we can be ourselves. From the intimate darkness of the lesbian bar to the sweaty camaraderie of the softball field, these spaces aren’t a luxury—they’re a necessity for queer women defining their identities. In A Place of Our Own, journalist June Thomas invites readers into six iconic lesbian spaces over the course of the last sixty years, including the rural commune, the sex toy boutique, the vacation spot, and the feminist bookstore.
Thomas blends her own experiences with archival research and rare interviews with pioneering figures to celebrate the lives of the business owners, entrepreneurs, activists, and dreamers who shaped the long struggle for queer liberation. Thomas illuminates what is gained and lost in the shift from the exclusive, tight-knit women’s spaces of the ’70s toward today’s more inclusive yet more diffuse LGBTQ+ communities.
At once a love letter, a time capsule, and a bridge between generations of queer women, A Place of Our Own brings the history—and timeless present—of the lesbian community to vivid life.”
