Friends of Dorothy

In this jubilant outing, film historian Uzarowski (Jessica Lange) spotlights 40 tastemakers beloved by the LGBTQ+ community, from classic celluloid heroines of the 1930s and ’40s and pop divas of the 1960s and ’70s to contemporary celebrities. According to Uzarowski, there’s “no set sexual or gender identity” required to be a queer icon, who are celebrated instead for their “strength and vulnerability,” unabashed love of glamour and camp (Marlene Dietrich), support of the LGBTQ+ community (Cher), and groundbreaking representation of queer identity in their work (James Dean), or personal lives (Elton John). Alongside pop art–style portraits from Diez, the biographical sketches highlight how the subjects’ public personas intertwined with their lives and careers, from Katharine Hepburn’s “ambiguous sexuality and confidence… [that] distinguished her from other female stars of the era” and led to movie projects “that highlighted her tomboyish qualities,” including a role in the “gender-bending” 1935 Sylvia Scarlett, to “probably bisexual” Frida Kahlo’s “unique blend of feminine beauty and masculine elements,” which were evident in both her “androgynous… self-portraits” and personal style. While there could have been more diversity—many subjects are drawn from mainstream white culture, though Uzarowski takes care to include the likes of Josephine Baker and James Baldwin, along with a few other people of color—readers will revel in this tribute to boundary-pushing luminaries. It’s a delight.

—Publishers Weekly