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Army of Lovers: A Community History of Will Munro
In the spring of 2010, Toronto lost one of its most important queer civic heroes. Weaving together interviews and stories, "Army of Lovers" is a biography of Will Munro and a document of a galvanizing period when various subcultures the queer community, the art scene, the independent music universe, the grassroots activist enclaves came together."
120 pages, ebook
First published August 16, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 10, 2014
Amazing testimony from the community of artists and personalities that made up my experience of Toronto in the early-mid aughts. I don't know if others who don't know Toronto will be as moved by this account, but they definitely can take away the story of Munro's important influence on his surroundings, friends, and strangers.
This an important account of a part of local Toronto queer history.
This an important account of a part of local Toronto queer history.
July 25, 2013
This book skillfully weaves a bunch of different voices together in a compelling, surprisingly readable narrative. Seriously, I kind of can't believe how well it worked -- usually I have a hard time reading interviews/oral histories. And the content is compelling, as well.
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August 6, 2015http://rabble.ca/books/reviews/2013/1...
Review by Jeff Miller
Will Munro contained multitudes. The Toronto queer icon was a brilliant artist, organizer, nightlife impresario, DJ, go-go dancer, longstanding volunteer at the Toronto LGBT Youthline, lifelong teetotaler and the world’s foremost creator of custom-made men’s underwear. But what Army of Lovers: A Community History of Will Munro by Sarah Liss demonstrates foremost is that Munro, who died of brain cancer in 2010 at the age of 35, was a community-builder; he was "a bringer-together of people, groups, and things."
Liss tells Munro’s life story in the form of a community oral history, consolidating dozens of interviews into a fascinating, multi-perspective narrative. Including the voices of his immediate family, his collaborators in the art scene and several of his close friends, Army of Lovers is as much a portrait of the community that Munro valued and contributed to as it is the biography of a single remarkable individual.
In assembling this chorus of voices, Army of Lovers wonderfully embodies and extends Munro’s own celebrated community spirit.
Army of Lovers follows Munro’s life from the start, beginning with his childhood as a goal-oriented boy scout. As a gay teenager he became alienated by suburban Mississauga and his brother Dave recalls how Munro suddenly picked up a skateboard one day, said "Fuck doing after-school programs," and became deeply involved in the all-ages hardcore punk scene.
Read more here: http://rabble.ca/books/reviews/2013/1...
Review by Jeff Miller
Will Munro contained multitudes. The Toronto queer icon was a brilliant artist, organizer, nightlife impresario, DJ, go-go dancer, longstanding volunteer at the Toronto LGBT Youthline, lifelong teetotaler and the world’s foremost creator of custom-made men’s underwear. But what Army of Lovers: A Community History of Will Munro by Sarah Liss demonstrates foremost is that Munro, who died of brain cancer in 2010 at the age of 35, was a community-builder; he was "a bringer-together of people, groups, and things."
Liss tells Munro’s life story in the form of a community oral history, consolidating dozens of interviews into a fascinating, multi-perspective narrative. Including the voices of his immediate family, his collaborators in the art scene and several of his close friends, Army of Lovers is as much a portrait of the community that Munro valued and contributed to as it is the biography of a single remarkable individual.
In assembling this chorus of voices, Army of Lovers wonderfully embodies and extends Munro’s own celebrated community spirit.
Army of Lovers follows Munro’s life from the start, beginning with his childhood as a goal-oriented boy scout. As a gay teenager he became alienated by suburban Mississauga and his brother Dave recalls how Munro suddenly picked up a skateboard one day, said "Fuck doing after-school programs," and became deeply involved in the all-ages hardcore punk scene.
Read more here: http://rabble.ca/books/reviews/2013/1...
July 17, 2017
In this short tribute to the life of queer artist Will Munro, Liss looks at his life and his work. Based on a collection of interviews with those who knew him, including family, friends and lovers it contextualizes his life.
"...an army of lover will never be defeated," a seventies era slogan derived from a poem by lesbian-feminist writer Rita-Mae Brown, and a motto for the way Will lived his life." 11
"Will was really the spider spinning a web here, creating a community and making a space for that community to exist." 76
"...an army of lover will never be defeated," a seventies era slogan derived from a poem by lesbian-feminist writer Rita-Mae Brown, and a motto for the way Will lived his life." 11
"Will was really the spider spinning a web here, creating a community and making a space for that community to exist." 76
September 20, 2017
I love books that tell the histories of the places that I have lived.
such a great book about a local queer hero.
I loved the way the author complied the interviews into a narrative that flowed so well
such a great book about a local queer hero.
I loved the way the author complied the interviews into a narrative that flowed so well
November 23, 2024
made me miss a community n person i didn’t know
March 29, 2015
Great oral history of Toronto queer/punk/art artist community builder and activist, Will Munro. I missed experiencing his work living in NYC but after coming back to Toronto and meeting (and working with) friends of his who still talk about his art and infamous Vazaleen parties and also seeing a retrospective article in one of the newsweeklies here in Toronto recently that referenced this book, I decided to pick it up and learn more about him. It's a pretty remarkable story which author, Sarah Liss has done a solid job of pulling together in this book. Even having never been to any of his events or art shows, it's still palpable how much of an influence he had on the city's cultural identity. For those interested in queer, art or punk culture, Army of Lovers is a worthwhile social history read. Highly recommended.
February 10, 2014
I can’t imagine how hard it would be writing a biography of someone as iconic as Toronto artist Will Munro. Most of us have a hard enough time explaining ourselves – how could we begin trying to explain someone else? I really liked Liss’s approach to her subject, which was to create a sketch of Munro based on the words of the people closest to him. We are all (for better or worse) partially defined by how others define us. But it’s through this kaleidoscope of voices that the truth of ourselves emerges. Heartbreaking to think how young he was when he left this world.
November 1, 2014
Tears, such inspirational work and drive, then more tears
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews