Author: Men in Love, 1850s–1950s: A Visual Conversation

A Litquake Festival 2025 event
Wednesday, 10/15/2025
6:00 - 7:30
Koret Auditorium
Koret Lobby
Main Library

100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
United States

415-557-4400
Loving II Book Cover

A hidden history of queer love comes into focus in  Loving II: More Photographic History of Men in Love, 1850s–1950s, a powerful new collection from authors and collectors Hugh Nini and Neal Treadwell. A follow-up to their acclaimed book Loving, this volume features more than 300 never-before-seen vernacular photographs capturing quiet, romantic moments between men across a century of affection, resilience and connection.

Sourced from flea markets, attics and forgotten albums around the world, the images reveal the enduring power of love and the quiet courage to express it. Together, the two volumes form one of the largest known archives of historic male couple photography.

This in-conversation event includes a visual slideshow, audience Q&A and book signing. Moderated by Marc Stein.

Marc Stein is co-editor of Queer Pasts, director of OutHistory, and president-elect of the Organization of American Historians. He is the author of five books, with a sixth forthcoming, and teaches at San Francisco State University, where he is the Jamie and Phyllis Pasker Professor of Constitutional Law and U.S. History.

Books will be available for purchase courtesy of Fabulosa Books.

This program is presented as part of the Litquake Literary Festival 2025.

Connect:

Loving - Website | Loving - Instagram 

Litquake - Website | Litquake - Instagram | Litqake - Facebook

 

 

Litquake, San Francisco's Literary Festival Events - 84 Upcoming Activities and Tickets | Eventbrite

 

 

Author Readings & Lectures

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LGBTQIA+ Interest

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For more resources, the James C. Hormel LGBTQIA Center is the gateway to the Library’s broader collections documenting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex and asexual history and culture, with a special emphasis on the San Francisco Bay Area.

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This program is sponsored by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library.

Attending Programs

All programs are drop-in (no registration necessary) unless otherwise noted. All SFPL locations are wheelchair accessible. For accommodations (such as ASL), call (415) 557-4557 or contact accessibility@sfpl.org. Requesting at least 3 business days in advance will help ensure availability.

This program will be conducted in English unless otherwise noted.

Notice: This event may be filmed or photographed. By participating in this event, you consent to have your likeness used for the Library’s archival purposes and promotional materials. If you do not want to be photographed, please inform a staff person or the photographer. A sticker will be provided to help identify you so that we can avoid capturing your image.

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