Cultures of Darkness: Night Travels in the Histories of Transgression

[An] enthralling and important trans-historical study… Palmer’s canvas is huge…it ranges from an analysis of early modern witch culture (which he connects to the later development of Puritanism) to the emergence of 19th-century semisecret fraternal orders such as the Oddfellows, the vibrant 20th-century gay male cultures of drag and sadomasochism, and the emergence of a U.S. jazz and blues culture…yet he manages to bring these diverse topics together in a cohesive and astute analysis. Integrating unusual details and artful nuances (from the specifics of 18th-century pirate executions to the links between the Rosenberg trial and the novels of Micky Spillane), Palmer creates a multilayered but seamless portrait of four centuries of Western culture. The underlying theme here is not simply that night offers the occasional transgressive respite from the orderly civilization of day, but that these alternative social, political and artistic spaces are often where the impetus for social change begins. Palmer’s bold theme is sustained by his ability to communicate his in-depth, far-ranging scholarship with a broad political vision… and by his accessible and highly entertaining writing style.

— Publishers Weekly

An unusual work of historical scholarship, a highly readable yet deeply learned history…

— Choice

A truly breathtaking book, whose richness of interpretation as well as documentation is nothing short of remarkable.

— Leo Panitch, Against The Current

A rare achievement, a triumph of engaged left scholarship, truly a book of our times…

— Left History