Lillian Faderman tells the compelling story of lesbian life in the 20th century, from the early 1900s to today's diverse lifestyles. Using journals, unpublished manuscripts, songs, news accounts, novels, medical literature, and numerous interviews, she relates an often surprising narrative of lesbian life.

"A key work...the point of reference from which all subsequent studies of 20th-century lesbian life in the United States will begin."—San Francisco Examiner.

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The woman who has spoken in interviews about her working-class Jewish roots and the fact that as a stripper she worked her way through college to a PhD from Berkeley at the age of 26 (not too shabby a feat in itself) and has three anthologies, four other books on lesbian history *and* a new book on the Hmong immigrant population in America notched into her no doubt still-lissome belt, now takes a keen look at the history of butch/femme emergence, struggle, culture and identity, and the actual *value* of butch/femme to lesbianism.

Faderman -- as would be expected of one with her background, her intellect, and her ongoing literary accomplishments -- is never afraid to tackle any subject, and do it not only with honesty but with a deft, sure touch, a style that has an unusual and very refreshing ability to make the academic not only accessible but enjoyable reading, and an even more unusual ability to empathize and yet remain objective. Never artificial and never superficial, neither apologetic nor smug, Faderman proves that butch/femme was and is just as difficult, wildly funny, complicated, fulfilling, ugly, beautiful, heart-breaking, and filled with both fear and its own gritty courage as is any other lifestyle -- lesbian or not.

I finished `Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers' with a real sense of loss. With this book, I've caught up on my reading of Lillian Faderman's works. (I'd recently read her astonishing new book on the Hmong experience in America: `I Begin My Life All Over', Beacon Press, another not-to-be-missed book!) Am I gushing over Faderman's books? You bet! Though she's a writer whose works you want to read and re-read I'm just sorry I can't connect with amazon.com and order something new by her tomorrow...

I only hope she continues to write and write and write. Her work is of tremendous literary and historical value to lesbians...and to everyone else as well.

14 of 15 found the following review helpful:

Empowering and EngagingApr 24, 2002
By Lee Ann Roripaugh
Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers is a fascinating work that traces the cultural history of lesbianism in the United States -- providing a broad and thorough overview of lesbianism's diversity, its relationship to feminism, and its evolving forms of resistance in relationship to the oppressions of the dominant culture. Perhaps what is most impressive about this book is that while it is an impressively researched and intellectually stimulating piece of scholarship, it is also an extremely engaging read. Faderman draws the reader into lesbian cultural history in a way that is never clinical, but compellingly human--under her treatment, the lesbian subculture emerges in all of its varied complexity, its celebratory subversiveness, as a fascinatingly rich and vibrant culture of historical, political, and sexual significance. This book is a marvelous introduction to lesbian culture and history . . . it is entertaining, empowering, and utterly engaging.

10 of 11 found the following review helpful:

An important workApr 08, 2001
By Julie Horowitz
Lillian Faderman has written some of the best works on the lesbian experience throughout the ages, and "Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers" is no exception. She covers every facet of the subculture from the turn of the 20th century to the present day with impeccable scholarship, and her writing is engaging and highly readable. She examines everything from 1950's butch/femme, 70's lesbian feminism, and the resurgence of trendy "lipstick lesbians" with equal attention. This book is a must-have for every queer library, and is an important contribution to the cause of lesbian visiblity.

6 of 7 found the following review helpful:

Read it! You KNOW you want to!Aug 30, 1999

Ever have those nights when you feel like a freak? This is a fabulous book that will not only keep you company, but it'll remind you that we charming and lovely freaks have been around a LONG time, and we're not going anywhere. Well written, very interesting, and fun. Do it. Then do it again.

6 of 8 found the following review helpful:

Interesting bookMar 17, 2000

I'm taking a class in sexual communities history and this is one of the books I have to read. I've found it to be an excellent supliment for the class. The only thing lacking is that it sometimes will make a really great point, then a few sentences later make a completely off the wall one. Overall a great book, and if you're looking to learn a lot about lesbianism in the US...this is a wonderful book to do so.

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