Queer City
Gay London from the Romans to the Present Day
(Author) Peter Ackroyd*** A Sunday Times Bestseller *** In Queer City Peter Ackroyd looks at London in a whole new way – through the history and experiences of its gay population. In Roman Londinium the city was dotted with lupanaria (‘wolf dens’ or public pleasure houses), fornices (brothels) and thermiae (hot baths). Then came the Emperor Constantine, with his bishops, monks and missionaries. And so began an endless loop of alternating permissiveness and censure. Ackroyd takes us right into the hidden history of the city; from the notorious Normans to the frenzy of executions for sodomy in the early nineteenth century. He journeys through the coffee bars of sixties Soho to Gay Liberation, disco music and the horror of AIDS. Today, we live in an era of openness and tolerance and Queer London has become part of the new norm. Ackroyd tells us the hidden story of how it got there, celebrating its diversity, thrills and energy on the one hand; but reminding us of its very real terrors, dangers and risks on the other. 'Peter Ackroyd is the greatest living chronicler of London' Independent
Peter Ackroyd
Peter Ackroyd is a prolific British author known for his biographies and historical fiction. His most famous work is "London: The Biography," an expansive exploration of the city's history and culture. Ackroyd's distinctive literary style combines rigorous research with vivid storytelling, making him a key figure in contemporary English literature.
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