Despite its title, this book is less a history of Fire Island, although it is that to a degree, and more a series of mini-biographies of the love lives of both well- and lesser-known literary and artistic figures as they happened wholly or partially on Fire Island. There is interesting material about the development of Cherry Grove and the Pines as separate and distinct from other Fire Island communities, and how they fit into the larger development of the modern queer community, but those parts seem minimal in comparison to the many paragraphs of who was living with whom, and who came to visit, etc.

Unfortunately, the author although chooses to intersperse his material on Fire Island with his own musings on this troubled relationships with his own sexuality, body image, and alcohol, sometimes managing to link his own life back to the history of Fire Island or someone who was there, but often not, making these parts an uncomfortable break in the narrative.

If you think of this book as telling a part of LGBTQ+ history, then it's a treasure trove. If you're looking for a full history of Fire Island, you'll find much less to appreciate, as there is more to Fire Island than Cherry Grove and the Pines. A more specific title would go a long way to manage expectations.

I was extremely interested in reading a cultural history of fire Island. This book was so much more than that though. It was a collection of personal narratives from a group of people who enjoyed the summer spot.

Delighted to include this title in ‘The Rainbow Connection,’ my latest round-up for Zoomer magazine’s Books section highlighting new and notable books for Pride (see mini-review at link)

I found this to be a really approachable and interesting read! It gives a great overview and celebrates Fire Island as a unique queer space without dismissing its' flaws and problems. I really learned a lot. I would recommend this to readers who like specific, community-focused nonfiction with elements of memoir and self-reflection, or those who would like to learn about queer literary history--I didn't know going into this book I would find that here, but I did and was delighted!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

A thoroughly researched and endlessly fascinating history of the iconic NY queer vacation spot told though the work of artists who visited, Parlett's book is essential summer 2022 reading and a perfect companion piece to the upcoming Searchlight/Hulu movie of the same name (caught an early screening - it's cute). Parlett's writing style is academic but fun and accessible for those who aren't used to that sort of thing, and passages about his own queer experience are thoughtful and engaging. The usual suspects are present (WH Auden, Paul Cadmus), and Parlett also takes time to address the island's long history of racist and exclusionary attitudes while exploring artists/scholars of color (James Baldwin, Azzotto Saint, Melvin Dixon) and their interactions with the space...

I like to think of myself as reasonably well-informed re: queer history, but this book made me pull out a notepad to keep track of all the poems and books and films and photographs I still need to check out. Great book - will recommend.