Description
Cruising
Book Summary
In 'Cruising: An Intimate History of a Radical Pastime', Alex Espinoza invites the reader on an uncensored journey through the art of cruising, a practice that has challenged social norms since antiquity. Combining rigorous historical research with oral testimonies and his own personal experience, the author unravels the political and cultural forces that have shaped this clandestine pastime. An essay that traverses autobiography, sociology, and history to offer a deep and revealing look at the search for pleasure on the margins.
What is it about?
The book traces a historical and cultural path of cruising, from its origins in ancient Greece to the famous "Molly houses" of 18th-century England and its contemporary manifestations. Espinoza not only documents the physical spaces where this practice has developed, but also analyzes how it has been persecuted, criminalized, and, at the same time, reinvented by queer communities. Through a narrative that intertwines personal memory with social analysis, the work examines cruising as an act of resistance, a way of building community, and a radical expression of sexual freedom in the face of oppression.
Main themes
- History of cruising and its evolution through the centuries.
- Analysis of the political and cultural repression of non-normative sexuality.
- Cruising as a practice of resistance and the construction of queer identity.
- The intersection between sexual desire, public space, and clandestinity.
- Personal memory and oral testimony as tools for historical documentation.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at readers interested in LGBTQ+ history, gender and sexuality studies, and cultural sociology. It will also be of great value to those looking for essays that combine academic research with personal narrative, as well as those who wish to understand the dynamics of desire and the search for pleasure in contexts of marginalization and repression.
What this book contributes
- A rigorous and accessible historical perspective on an often invisibilized sexual practice.
- A lucid analysis of the relationships between power, public space, and sexual freedom.
- Testimonies and voices that enrich the understanding of cruising as a social and cultural phenomenon.
- A personal and authentic reflection that connects individual experience with a broader historical context.
Technical specifications
- Author: Espinoza, Alex
- Publisher: Editorial Dos Bigotes
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: Autobiography: general, Literary essays, History, Sociology
- Collection: DOS BIGOTES
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: January 2020
- Number of pages: 216
- Weight: 400 g
Editorial review
'Cruising' is presented as a necessary work that addresses a topic rarely treated with the depth and rigor it deserves. Alex Espinoza achieves a commendable balance between historical research and personal narrative, offering a read that is both informative and moving. His approach, which combines social chronicle with intimate memory, makes it an original and valuable proposal for those seeking to understand the complexities of desire and cultural resistance from a queer perspective. It is, without a doubt, a reference title for understanding a fundamental aspect of the history of sexuality.