Reviews
Dear ONE: Love & Longing in Mid-Century Queer America
“Josh Irving Gershick is a man of many talents. ... He has used all of his skills to create pieces that illuminate the lives of LGBTQI Americans who've been hidden from history.” -Talk Theatre To Me“ This fascinating play is ... filled with gratitude and joy ... fear, tragedy, self-acceptance, and poignance.” -San Diego Union Tribune
“Timely, topical, and riveting.” -San Diego Story
“ Featuring letters from more than 40 people of various races, orientations, and genders, Gershick deliberately cast the actors against type, subverting audience expectations and perceptions. The most amazing part of the audiocast is how beautifully this talented cast brings the past to life with heart, humor, and heartbreak.” -Broadway World
“ Tori and Mabelle talk with Josh about his development of “Dear ONE: Love & Longing in Mid-Century Queer America.” He shares the sacred duty of oral history storytelling, including transparency and honor, focusing on a theme, and preserving the voice of the subject. ” -"Hey, Playwright" podcast. "The Eternal Vigilance of Josh Irving Gershick"
Door Prize
"A funny, smart, marvelous little film." -Outfest"A witty script and colorful characters enliven this transformational tale." -Pittsburgh Gay & Lesbian Film Festival
"A simple conversation outside the bathroom doors leaves everyone hopeful for the future." -Reel Pride Festival
Bluebonnet Court
“Well written, funny and moving.” -Variety“The play offers real wit and a disarming sensuality.” -LA Times
"Gershick's story of discrimination and forbidden love shows a deft balance of the whimsical and the hard-hitting." -San Diego Union Tribune
“Sassy & Surprising” -The Advocate
“A snappy 1940s comedy!” -Backstage West
Secret Service
"In probing interviews ... Gershick uncovers shocking stories of sexual assault, harassment, and witch hunts – an atmosphere made more toxic, not less, by "don't ask, don't tell." -The Advocate"An indictment of America's pointless and destructive policy barring gays and lesbians from serving in the military." -Publishers Weekly
“A ... sobering and eye-opening book chronicling the difficult life of
lesbians in the military. A must-read for everyone who has ever thought about joining the military. For everyone who has served, and everyone who hasn’t." -GayWired.Com
“Demonstrates why lifting the ban would benefit the U.S. armed forces ... and makes it obvious that ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ far from being a consistent policy, is whimsically and capriciously enforced." -Gay City News (NYC)
Secret Service was a 2005 NPR Summer Reading Pick and was featured on C-SPAN's "Book TV."
Gay Old Girls
"These fascinating life stories read like novellas. The women, who could be our mothers or grandmothers, introduce us to worlds that would soon have been lost to us. Beautifully edited by Gershick, whose eloquent style is equaled by empathy and respect for these women." -Noel Riley Fitch, author, Appetite for Life: The Biography of Julia Child"Like sitting at the foot of some rather cool lesbian grandmothers, listening to them reminisce about 'their day.' " -Girlfriends magazine
"It is particularly important to note that this important and groundbreaking work was chosen for this award by a panel of booksellers and librarians who recognized it not only as an outstanding book, but also as a vital addition to the field of gay and lesbian studies, and a must-have for any gay and lesbian bookselling section." -Victoria Sutherland, publisher of ForeWord
"Brilliantly edited, the result is nine engrossing portraits. In each case, rather than imposing direction, Gershick's questions follow from the interviewees' trains of thought; individual personality and history are exquisitely and gracefully revealed. What is striking is the profound humanity and dignity of these 'Gay Old Girls.' They bear witness to the mind-changing force of sexual love between women." -Lesbian Review of Books
