“This well-written book blends a straightforward history of the criminal cases involved with analytical considerations tied to the general history of homosexuality...a region rich in queer stories.”
"The product of rigorous research and thinking, Same-Sex Affairs assesses the shifting meanings of homosexuality for different classes of gay men, and for "mainstream" society, between 1890 and 1930. While establishing that the Northwest provided a distinctive context for constructions of male, same-sex sex, Boag also uses evidence from the region to refine understandings of the practice and significance of homosexuality at the national level. Same-Sex Affairs makes important contributions to the history of both the western United States and modern American sexuality."—John Findlay, author of Magic Lands
"This is an important work, taking Western history in entirely new directions. Peter Boag demonstrates his judiciousness, his care, with an impressive set of largely overlooked and underutilized sources. And those sources reveal remarkable tales. There is verve, an excitement, in both the ordinariness of everyday life and the extraordinary circumstances of scandal. Historians of sexuality in particular will ponder this book's insights for some time to come. It is a provocative study, rich in documentation, and extremely significant in terms of analytic impact."—John Howard, author of Men Like That: A Southern Queer History
