A Queer History of Newfoundland, by Rhea Rollman

Rhea Rollman’s 500+ page survey of the histories of LGBTQ+ people and movements on the island of Newfoundland can’t be described as anything less than epic. This is a popular, not a scholarly history — intended for the general reader, but with enough references and footnotes to demonstrate the staggering amount of research involved.

Much of this research is in the form of interviews, meaning that this is not entirely, but largely, an oral history — perhaps necessary for this type of work, which is dedicated to uncovering a history that was often downplayed or fully omitted from “official” written histories. The personal insights of LGBTQ+ people talking about their experience decades after the fact are insightful and often heart-rending.

Perhaps surprisingly to people who know the local literary scene, this important piece of non-fiction was published not by one of the established local publishers but by Engen Books, a small press which until now has been best known for genre fiction. I applaud Engen’s move into non-fiction, as more publishers publishing more books is good for all of us. I did feel, however, that there were places where a book as important and impactful as this one could have been better served by the more thorough editing and fact-checking provided by a press more experienced in publishing this type of nonfiction. I’m sure Engen’s capacity for handling this type of work will grow if they continue to expand in this area.

Regardless of that small nit-pick, I learned a great deal from reading this book and will keep it on my shelves as a reference. It’s an important piece of local history that helps fill in many significant gaps in our knowledge.