The first national guide and only major reference work on gay, lesbian, queer and transgender writing has a tall order to fill. Thanks to Hurley’s practical and sophisticated direction the guide is geared to perform to a demanding audience of both specialist and general interest.

The dead-end problems of producing such a historically destined resource – to include or not to include – are skilfully manoeuvred. Hurley’s introduction acknowledges the limits of such a publication while ushering us into the creative research possibilities of a guide which balances the importance of its inaugural mission with a healthy open-ended approach to the history it is making.