AustLit

'The late twentieth century witnessed significant transformations in the social lives and political statuses of gay men and lesbians. From the late 1960s, the international gay and lesbian liberation movements propelled discussions about sex and sexuality into the public arena as individuals demonstrated against discriminatory legislation and police harassment, and declared pride in their sexualities. It was during this period that 21-year-old Dennis Altman—who had recently left Hobart for New York as a ‘shy and naïve graduate student’ (p. 3)—became an ‘accidental activist’ by writing about the burgeoning gay liberation movement.' (Introduction)

'Marilyn Lake — Tasmanian high achiever, academic, inspired and inspiring historian, thinker, collaborator, mentor, teacher, activist, role‐model, provocateur, friend, ally and shape shifter — is at the centre of this wonderfully rich and appropriately thoughtful collection of essays in her honour. From beginning to end one is left with the sense of a leading Australian historian whose contributions to Australian life and thought, and to Australian history, have been profound, an “astonishing record of achievement” in the words of Ann McGrath.' (Introduction)

'In 1997 Dennis Altman published an autobiography, Defying Gravity: A Political Life, and many of his books, such as The End of the Homosexual? in 2013, are part memoir. This is his second attempt at dedicated autobiographical writing, based on diary entries written between 2016 and 2019. The book revolves around contemporary events but skips back and forth over Altman's long involvement and unrequited love affair with the US, and since the 1970s his presence within gay and LGBTI liberation and then HIV‐AIDS activism. Rather improbably, it works and tells us about his political philosophy, his life and loves, his activism, and the people he has met during a busy life. One of Australia's leading intellectuals, he has trod the world stage for close to half a century. Altman is good at assessing individuals, hilariously funny on occasions, and has had more meals with famous people, attended more conferences and given more interviews than most individuals could ever dream about.' (Introduction)

'The fortieth anniversary of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras might have been an occasion for unbridled elation. Held in March of 2018, the celebration came soon after the bitterly fought battle to legalise same-sex marriage in Australia. Dennis Altman, a pre-eminent figure in Gay Liberation, paints a different picture of the Mardi Gras. His new book, Unrequited Love: Diary of an accidental activist, conveys a sense of unease despite the frolicsome charms of such festivities.' (Introduction)