Random Things Tours: Queer Villains of Myth and Legend by Dan Jones

Queer stories, especially belonging to the nonfiction category, are pretty hard to find those days. Although in the last decade, queer characters are a familiar presence in literature, the nonfiction genre needs to do a lot more in this respect. Hence, the importance of books like Queer Villains of Myth and Legend. A Revelry of Queer Rogues and Outlaws through the Ages by Dan Jones. 

What is really important in this book is the very niche approach of the book. By featuring villains, it already opens up towards an area that until now, to my knowledge, was completely tabu. Think about how many book characters, queer ones, can be inspired by such throughout research? 

For me, as a historian and a lover of biographies, this book was a revelation. I was largely unaware of the stories of most of the people featured but from now on I will be, for sure, very interested in researching more about them. From mythological figures to contemporary names, the author is featuring a big and very colourful cast of 50 characters. 

Jones, a freelance journalist based in Brooklyn, wrote other books on the same topics - but also covered fashion and cocktails, among others - , and hopefully will keep doing it, because there is so much to explore in this area. The style is very approachable, therefore useful for both a specialized audience, or just curious to learn more about such topics. What is very important is the details of each case, their histories and the legends surrounding them. 

Fascinating stories that are writing queer histories in the making.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own