My published books:

Days of Love: Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time

The Best Queer History Books Of All-Time: Days of Love #91: https://www.bookscrolling.com/the-best-queer-history-books-of-all-time/

Awards:

Dear Elisa, It is our great pleasure to inform you that you are a Winner in the LGBT Non-Fiction Category of the 3rd Annual Beverly Hills International Book Awards. Your book, Days of Love: Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time, truly embodies the excellence that this award was created to celebrate, and we salute you and your fine work. The entire team at the Beverly Hills Book Awards sincerely hope your participation in our contest will serve you well in creating the success your book deserves. You have our warmest congratulations. Warmly, ELLEN REID President & CEO Beverly Hills Book Awards http://www.beverlyhillsbookawards.com/2015-BHBA-Winners-and-Finalists.htm#lgbtnf

Hello, I am writing with great news! Your book has been named a Finalist in the GLBT category of the 2015 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Congratulations! Your achievement will be published at http://www.indiebookawards.com/2015_winners_and_finalists.php along with the other Finalists and Winners. Once again congratulations from all of us at Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group and the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Catherine Goulet Awards Chair www.IndieBookAwards.com Shelley Anderson Awards Coordinator

Dear San Francisco Book Festival Entrant, the winners, runner-ups and honorable mentions of the 2015 San Francisco Book Festival have been posted to our web site, www.sanfranciscobookfestival.com. Congratulations to all who placed in the competition! We wish you continued success in your publishing endeavors and look forward to seeing you soon. Sincerely, Bruce Haring and the staff of The San Francisco Book Festival

Congratulations! It is our great pleasure to inform you that you are a Finalist in the 9th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards. Your book truly embodies the excellence that this award was created to celebrate, and we salute you and your fine work. The entire team at the National Indie Excellence Awards sincerely hope your participation in our contest will serve you well in the your ongoing success. You have our deepest congratulations. Warmly, Ellen Reid President & CEO National Indie Excellence Awards http://www.indieexcellence.com/indie-results-2015-finalists.htm

A BIG Congratulations to all of the Winners and Finalists of our 6th Annual International Book Awards. Over 1200 books from 15 countries were entered into this year’s competition. We will continue to celebrate excellence in indie and mainstream publishing now and in the future!” —Jeffrey Keen, President & CEO, i310 Media Group, Los Angeles http://www.internationalbookawards.com/2015awardannouncement.html

Dear New York Book Festival Entrant, the winners, runner-ups and honorable mentions of the 2015 New York Book Festival have been posted to our web site, http://newyorkbookfestival.com/. Congratulations to all who placed in the competition! We wish you continued success in your publishing endeavors and look forward to seeing you soon. Sincerely, Bruce Haring and the staff of The New York Book Festival

Congratulations Silver Medal Winner of the 2015 Global Ebook Awards! Congratulations for winning in the Non-Fiction - Gay/Lesbian/LGBT category for Days of Love. We can’t thank you enough for taking part in the awards this year and for your contribution to promoting the value of ebooks. We enjoyed reading and evaluating your title. For the full list of winners based on category: http://globalebookawards.com/2015-global-ebook-award-winners/

Congratulations Elisa Rolle! "Days of Love" is a 2015 Readers' Favorite Silver Medal Winner in the Non-Fiction - Cultural category! https://readersfavorite.com/2015-award-contest-winners.htm#book43935. Reviewed by Roy T. James for Readers' Favorite: Days of Love by Elisa Rolle begins with the story of Alexander the Great and Hephaestion, a Macedonian nobleman as well as a general in the army of Alexander. It continues with the tales of Mary Vincent Hammon and Sarah White Norman, 17th-century female English colonists in North America who were prosecuted at Plymouth for “lewd behavior each with other upon a bed,” and Sir Isaac Newton and Swiss mathematician Nicolas Fatio de Duillier between whom flourished an intimate friendship. Anne, Queen of Great Britain, and Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, were virtually inseparable; Nathaniel Hawthorne who was rated "more than handsome, so darkly gorgeous” by England writer Herman Melville, and Joshua Fry Speed who said about his friendship with Abraham Lincoln, “No two men were ever more intimate,” are some of the other, more notable instances of unconventional love that has found a place in this unique collection. Days of Love by Elisa Rolle in fact proves from this record of more than 600 couples that unconventional attraction is quite common. This should naturally lead one to the question, “What then is conventional?” Elisa seems to have taken great pains to collect data, more so as data relevant to such figures is generally kept hidden. The book is presented chronologically with appropriate illustrations and an index, and can serve as a book of reference. Well documented with crisp accounts, and pictures to assist easy identification, this book can be of invaluable assistance to those involved in research.

USABookNews.com, the premier online magazine featuring mainstream and independent publishing houses, announced the winners and finalists of THE 2015 USA BEST BOOKS AWARDS on November 16, 2015. Over 400 winners and finalists were announced in over 100 categories. Awards were presented for titles published in 2013-2015. Jeffrey Keen, President and CEO of USA Book News, said this year’s contest yielded over 2,000 entries from mainstream and independent publishers, which were then narrowed down to over 400 winners and finalists. Days of Love is a Finalist in the Gay and Lesbian Non Fiction Category. http://www.usabooknews.com/2015awardannouncement.html

Judge, 23rd Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards: Structure, Organization, and Pacing: 5 Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar: 5 Production Quality and Cover Design: 4 Plot and Story Appeal: 3 Character Appeal and Development: 3 Voice and Writing Style: 5 Judge’s Commentary: This compilation of same-sex couples is quite a tome of love. There are approximately 700 couples pictured here, each with a half-page bio and/or summary of who they were/are and how they met. There is no way not to be very impressed with the amount of work that obviously went into this volume, especially the amount of research to to determine biographical information and obtain some sort of image appropriate to the couple.The survey, if you will, runs from Alexander the Great to contemporary times and couples. Each page has at least one photo of the couple; some have more. The information about the same-sex relationship of each couple is sourced although not all sources are definitive. Naturally, the figures run the gamut of occupations: soldiers, lawyers, politicians, cowboys, teachers and especially members of the show biz and of the literary worlds. The stories of each couple are intriguing. As the volume and eras age, the couples, in some cases, share “how we met” stories and more anecdotal information. Given the era, many couples in pre-20th century are merely solo or sternly side by side while in later years there are embraces and even kisses. For anyone who wants insight into the LGBT community, this volume offers ample evidence of love being universal.

SPECIFIC FEEDBACK from The Wishing Shelf Book Awards Star Rating: 5 Stars Number of Readers: 26 Stats Editing: 10/10 Style: 10/10 Content: 10/10 Cover: 8/10 Of the 26 readers: 26 would read another book by this author. 12 thought the cover was excellent. 10 felt the best part of the book was the ‘important job it was doing to promote understand of LGBT relationships’. 6 thought the best part was the book’s historical nature. Readers’ Comments ‘Very much enjoyed this. It’s different, very well put together and I would think readers in an LGBT would find it fascinating.’ Male reader, aged 28 ‘I enjoyed this book over a number of months picking a story here and there. Books of this nature are so important and helps to promote understanding. I do enjoy a good love story and here there’s 1000s of them!’ Female reader, aged 37 ‘I loved the fact that not all of the book was set today but actually looked at LGBT relationships from the distant past. It must have taken so much work and I heartily congratulate the author.’ Male reader, aged 31 Catchy Quote: ‘Wonderful in every way. A BRONZE MEDAL WINNER and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards

What people are saying about Days of Love

“It looks wonderful.” Dorothy Allison “This book will surely become a valuable resource to all, and a comforting reminder that romance has always existed in many diverse forms.” Jay Bell “It looks like the perfect read” J.P. Bowie “It's wonderful. Laying it out chronologically is inspired, offering a solid GLBT history. I immediately went looking for our entry, but kept stopping along the way to read others. I kept learning things. I didn't know that Bob Giard's photo of the two naked men sharing a newspaper was of Larry Duplechan and his partner. And I love your decision to include couples broken by death. It makes clear how important love is, as well as showing what people have been through. I am delighted to be part of this. (And tickled to be among such folks as Frederich the Great and Astolphe de Custine as well as my friends Victor Bumbalo, Michael Bronski, Mark Merlis and many others. The layout and photos look terrific.” Christopher Bram “Wow, the book looks BEAUTIFUL! A wonderful book!” Barry Brennessel “It looks beautiful. Thanks you so much for doing this book, I think it is very important.” Michael Bronski “CONGRATULATIONS! The book looks monumental.” Victor Bumbalo “Looks great!” Steve Callahan “Had no idea this would be so extensive. Well done.” Alan Chin “This is a special book” Costello Tagliapietra “I couldn’t resist clicking through every page. I never realized the scope of the book would cover centuries! Now that I’ve seen the breadth of this survey, I’m doubly honored that we have been included. I hope that it captures the attention of librarians far and wide. I know that it will be hugely validating to young, newly-emerging LGBT kids who might not be able to afford the cost of purchasing the book but who will surely find it if is available on library shelves and be reassured that they really can have a secure, respected place in the world as their futures unfold.” Howard Cruse “What an amazing book.” Jameson Currier “Wow. I’m not quite sure we deserve to be in this book…but I am touched.” Ulysses G. Dietz “Thank you for this.” Tom Dolby “It looks great. Thank you for doing this for ALL of us.” Paul Alan Fahey “It looks great.” Ryan Field “That is really beautiful! It's a fantastic book.” Harper Fox “This international history-and-photo book, featuring 100s of detailed bios of some of the most forward-moving gay persons in history, is sure to be one of those bestsellers that gay folk will enjoy for years to come as reference and research that is filled with facts and fun. Mark Hemry and I were delighted to be included in Elisa's wonderful book which in the amazing helix of its sheer volume of entries develops the only context this serious, yet entertaining, LGBT history book needs. Elisa Rolle's "Book of Days" is a starting point for those entering gay culture, and will be a valued reference book for historians for the next hundred years.” Jack Fritscher “Amazing work!” Brent Hartinger “It looks fantastic!” Sam Irvin “This is a stunning achievement!!! It's fantastic!!! Congratulations on this spectacular book. It's A WINNER!!!!!” Fay Jacobs “WOW! This is wonderful. Much more than I was expecting this project to be. We are really honored to be among your 6 or 7 hundred some gay couples of history. This is really wonderful! I’ll say it again.” Toby Johnson “What a wonderful labor of love this is.” William J. Mann “Thanks for including us in your wonderful book.” Mark Merlis “I have been reading your book all morning. It is simply wonderful! The research and passion you put into this project is absolutely stunning! And to be included in this is such a terrific honor. I can’ thank you enough.” Nick Nolan “The book looks beautiful. We are honored to be part of such history.” Frank Anthony Polito “It's gorgeous! And an important book, too. Thank you for the labor of, truly, love.” Rick R. Reed "Gary and I were honored to be included in Elisa Rolle's historically significant and beautiful book, Days of Love, which chronicles LGBT couples throughout history. Many of the contemporary couples – like Gary and I – share their stories on how they met and fell in love, as well as photos from when they married. It was a massive undertaking on Elisa's part, and I think it's an important part of our collective history and future." Wade Rouse “Wow! This is wonderful! An impressive undertaking. We are so grateful to be included in this important book. Thank you for all of your efforts and for this wonderful gift to the world.” Salvatore Sapienza “Looks great!” Steven Saylor “We are in some amazing company. I'm chuffed!” Jack Scott "This is one of the most extraordinary books published in the last decade. It should win a Lammy for the year." Charles Silverstein, co-author Joy of Gay Sex “Looks good! What a lineage.” Karl Soehnlein “A fascinating history and we are proud to be part of it.” Ralph Sylvester and Stathis Orphanos

Press Release:

DNA Magazine, November 2014 (Australia)

Connextions Magazine, February 2015 (USA) - Link: https://issuu.com/connextionsmag/docs/issue17/34

Midlands Zone, February 2015 (UK)

South Florida Gay News, March 18, 2015 (USA)

The Book Breeze, April 2015 (USA)

Reviews & Blog:

August 3, 2016, by Hilda Thomessen. Wonderful information for those of us seeking our history I'd love to see it updated to the present and, please, more women couples. Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2OBJD5AMR5O08/ref=cm_cr_getr_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00MZG0VHY

February 26, 2016, by Connextions Magazine. "Black LGBT Pioneers". Black History Month is observed in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom for remembrance of important people and events in the history of the African diaspora, which refers to the communities throughout the world descendants from the people of Africa. In the United States and Canada is celebrated in February, and the United Kingdom observes it in October. As part of our effort to highlight prominent members of the LGBTQ Black community, we take a deeper look at Days of Love: Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time by Author Elisa Rolle, which was reviewed in Connextions Magazine issue #17: Love Around the World. These are just a sample of people who identified as gay and black and dared to show their love during times when there may have been laws against their love and they dared to be different.
Alberta Hunter & Lottie Tyler: Alberta was an American blues singer, songwriter and nurse. Lottie was the niece of 1920’s comedian Bert Williams and they were together for 33 years, until Tyler passed away.
Ethel Waters & Ethel Williams: Waters was an African-American blues jazz and gospel vocalist and actress. Waters was nominated for an academy award and an Emmy award making her the first African American woman to be nominated. Their relationship made them known as the two Ethel’s.
Feral Benga & Geoffrey Gorer: Geoffrey was an anthropologist and author. Feral Benga was a dancer and a model. Geoffrey and Feral were together 22 years.
William Thomas “Billy Strayhorn” & Aaron Bridges: Billy was an American jazz composer and pianist. Billy and his partner, Aaron Bridges, were together 10 years.
Gordon Heath & Lee Payant: African-American actor and musician was together with his partner Lee Payant for 29 years. Gordon and Lee moved to Europe because racial and sexual attitudes were more tolerant at the time.
Barbara Jordan & Nancy Earl: Barbara was an American politician, and leader of the Civil Rights movement. Barbara was the first African American elected to the Texas Senate and the first woman to deliver the keynote address at a Democratic National Convention. Barbara also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She was together with her partner, Nancy Earl, for 29 years.
Elisa Rolle brilliantly and methodically , documents the love among same-sex couples throughout the centuries, as far back as written records were kept. She brings to light couples who lasted more than 50 years, and in some cases it was documented that after one of the partner’s death, the surviving partner would often die shortly after. These men and women, members of our LGBT community, were pioneers and started opening doors for the civil rights movement. - Link: https://www.connextionsmagazine.com/random-thoughts--reviews/black-lgbt-pioneers

July 21, 2015, by C. Kennedy Young or old, read Elisa's Days of Love, Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time. It's beautiful, rich, and entertaining history of LGBT people aroung the world and should be required reading in schools. I can't recommend it highly enough. - Link: https://ckennedyauthor.blogspot.com/

June 2015, by Division for Inclusive Excellence @Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University is a comprehensive, public university whose mission is to provide a fertile, stimulating environment for teaching, learning, research, comprehensive medical care and service; to promote the pursuit of knowledge; and, to disseminate professional skills. Days of Love is included in their Resource Library under the section LGBTQ. - Link: http://www.inclusive.vcu.edu/docs/DIE_Diversity Resource Library_6.17.15.pdf

June 19, 2015, by Roy T. James @Readers' Favorite Days of Love by Elisa Rolle begins with the story of Alexander the Great and Hephaestion, a Macedonian nobleman as well as a general in the army of Alexander. It continues with the tales of Mary Vincent Hammon and Sarah White Norman, 17th-century female English colonists in North America who were prosecuted at Plymouth for “lewd behavior each with other upon a bed,” and Sir Isaac Newton and Swiss mathematician Nicolas Fatio de Duillier between whom flourished an intimate friendship. Anne, Queen of Great Britain, and Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, were virtually inseparable; Nathaniel Hawthorne who was rated "more than handsome, so darkly gorgeous” by England writer Herman Melville, and Joshua Fry Speed who said about his friendship with Abraham Lincoln, “No two men were ever more intimate,” are some of the other, more notable instances of unconventional love that has found a place in this unique collection. Days of Love by Elisa Rolle in fact proves from this record of more than 600 couples that unconventional attraction is quite common. This should naturally lead one to the question, “What then is conventional?” Elisa seems to have taken great pains to collect data, more so as data relevant to such figures is generally kept hidden. The book is presented chronologically with appropriate illustrations and an index, and can serve as a book of reference. Well documented with crisp accounts, and pictures to assist easy identification, this book can be of invaluable assistance to those involved in research. - Link: https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/days-of-love

June 14, 2015, by 'Nathan Burgoine, Sunday Shorts It’s pretty rare I step into the world of nonfiction. When I do, I generally read biographies, and try to read biographies about people whose lives follow lines very different from my own (and I try doubly hard to find biographies about people whose voices aren’t as often heard). It’s not that I don’t find nonfiction enthralling, it’s actually quite the opposite – the reality of nonfiction makes it hit me all the harder. Case in point, I purchased The Up Stairs Lounge Arson by Clayton Delery-Edwards and I am inching my way through it because it disturbs me so. It is important history. It’s brilliantly written. It’s heart-crushing. So, if you wonder why I rarely talk nonfiction, that’s the answer. That said, nonfiction can also bring joys. Days of Love: Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time, by Elisa Rolle is one of those joys. I’m willing to bet that if you’re an LGBT reader and you think you don’t know who Elisa Rolle is, you actually do – chances are someone in the LGBT world has linked to one of her reviews about their work. In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve been on the lucky receiving end of that honour. Rolle’s reviews are complete, honest, and – even when critical – provide a reader with enough information to know whether or not the book is something for them. She’s a force for awareness in the LGBT literary world, and we’re the richer for having her. This book is a collection of true stories about LGBT relationships spanning back from Alexander the Great and the purported love he shared with Hephaestion to relationships that began in 2012. Each page is a couple, telling of their meeting (if known), the progression of their romance (again, what details might be found), and their ultimate ends. Organized as it is in a chronological sense, something happens as you page your way through these stories – you find a continuum. Now, I’ve said this over and over, but one of the things about being a queer is that you don’t inherit a queer cultural lineage from your biological family. Those who have come before are almost surely strangers to you. It is quite likely you know nothing of queer history (because, if we’re honest, it’s just not taught in any mainstream way). The individual stories that make up queer culture are out there – yes – but that’s exactly it: they’re out there. A brand new queer kid has to go looking. Books like this are invaluable. As I read the stories, I found myself moving through eras, seeing – achingly slowly – the progression queer culture has made, the gains and losses and victories and pain. Near the end of the collection, entries are full of queer couples marrying after decades of being together without that right. It is a hopeful collection. We have to share our stories. It’s the only way we’ll continue to have our culture, this strange and wonderful queer culture that is made of individuals that begin in so many different places. Every single love story in this collection, whether joyful, painful, or ongoing, is a story worth knowing, and telling, and celebrating. - Link: https://apostrophen.wordpress.com/2015/06/14/sunday-shorts-days-of-love-by-elisa-rolle/ & http://www.amazon.com/review/RFPNF4RMIVVCR/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm & https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23013197-days-of-love#other_reviews

June 10, 2015, by David J. Biviano. Not the end of days! Having read half a dozen of these stories from December to June , I am sorry to come to the end of Days of Love , the book. Throughout, one discovers that the world of the arts and literature , aristocracy and upper-class, as well as ordinary folks struggling to be writers and actors, are rife with gay and lesbian lovers who have found a way to spend their days in love. While I am sad to come to the end of this daily enjoyment, I am thrilled that soon the Supreme Court will make marriage the law of the land for gay and lesbian couples. So, it is not the end of days of love America! Link: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3HZ7ZWUQRFFLH/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm & https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23013197-days-of-love#other_reviews

May 29, 2015, by Lara Haralds, Lara Haralds al I Meeting italiano del Romance M/M A seguire un altro pezzo forte della giornata: un excursus sulla letteratura “queer”, partendo da Maurice sino a Brokeback Mountain. Non solo storia letteraria, ma aneddoti, digressioni sulle cover, personaggi. Il tutto attraverso le parole di Elisa Rolle, una vera esperta in materia, fondatrice del primo blog dedicato in lingua inglese, autrice del libro-documentario “Days of love” e creatrice del premio letterario Rainbow Awards. Anche qui una vera e propria carrellata di immagini ed emozioni continue. - Link: http://babettebrown.it/lara-haralds-al-i-meeting-italiano-del-romance-mm/

May 15, 2015, by Lisa Worrall, MM Romance Meeting - Italy 2015 Also on the guest list was the lovely Elisa Rolle LGBT couples through the ages and I know it's been a labour of love for her. Her passion and commitment to the genre is amazing. And she is one of the coolest people I know. She is a steadfast supporter of the LGBT community and also runs the annual Rainbow Awards. - Link: http://lworrall.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/mm-romance-meeting-italy-2015.html?zx=9bdfe2c06a88bcdd

May 14, 2015, by Sunshine @Emozioni fra le pagine. MM Romance Meeting: ecco la mia opinione Dopo la pausa pranzo c’è stato il contributo di Elisa Rolle e dire che è stato interessante è dir poco! Elisa, a mio avviso, è la massima esponente tra noi blogger. A lei il merito di aver creato il primo blog di recensioni esclusivamente m/m, anche se non le definisce recensioni ma opinioni sui libri. Che donna fantastica! Ci ha deliziate con la sua storia da lettrice di m/m romance, di come sia stato difficile per lei più di vent’anni fa voler leggere libri male to male e non riuscire a trovarli se non in pochissimi casi. Ci ha portate attraverso tutto il percorso del romance m/m negli ultimi 100 anni, per poi emozionarci con alcune delle storie presenti nel suo libro Days of Love. Un lavoro che ha richiesto tantissima ricerca e tantissime autorizzazioni anche solo per poter inserire le foto che sono presenti nel libro. E qui si vede tutta la passione e l’impegno che ci ha messo. Decisamente una donna da ammirare nell’ambiente romance! - Link: https://emozionifralepagine.wordpress.com/2015/05/14/mm-romance-meeting-ecco-la-mia-opinione/

May 13, 2015, by Selvaggia @Tre Libri Sopra il Cielo. REPORTAGE DI UN EVENTO: ROMANCE MEETING – SABATO 9 MAGGIO 2015 Dopo il pranzo, riprendiamo con un’intervista ad una blogger d’eccezione, Elisa Rolle. Elisa Rolle è il punto di riferimento di ogni blog che tratti questo tipo di letteratura, il nostro fiore all’occhiello e il suo è stato un intervento approfondito e coinvolgente. Fondatrice del primo blog interamente dedicato alla letteratura LGBT, ideatrice del Rainbow Awards, ha parlato della sua esperienza di lettrice, delle difficoltà che ha trovato nel reperire libri e condividere opinioni, in anni in cui il romanzo M/M non era ancora né conosciuto, né capito e alla necessità di andare all’estero per esprimere le proprie opinioni, perché qui in Italia non eravamo ancora pronti. Autrice del libro “Days of love” al momento disponibile solo, e aggiungerei purtroppo, in lingua inglese ce ne ha raccontato alcuni stralci. Questo libro racconta le storie d’amore omosessuali di personaggi famosi, partendo da Alessandro Magno fino ai giorni nostri. Un lavoro affascinante e suggestivo, frutto di ricerca e approfondita documentazione, corredato di bellissime fotografie ed espresso in modo assolutamente coinvolgente. Come dice lei stessa nella prefazione, il libro è stato impostato come un album di famiglia, una famiglia composta di uomini e donne che hanno combattuto per guadagnarsi il loro pezzo di felicità. Fra i tanti che hanno condiviso le loro storie c’è anche il nostro Francesco Mastinu. Sarei rimasta ore ed ore ad ascoltarla. - Link: https://trelibrisoprailcielo.wordpress.com/2015/05/13/reportage-di-un-evento-romance-meeting-sabato-9-maggio-2015/

May 13, 2015, Vecchiastrega @Romanticamente Fantasy. MM Romance Meeting – Noi c’eravamo! by Vecchiastrega, Dopo la pausa pranzo, il secondo atto si apre con la prima delle celebrità presenti in sala! Persona carinissima e donna dalle conoscenze enciclopediche, sale in cattedra Elisa Rolle, italianissima, capostipite di tutti i blogger relativi all’MM! Il suo blog, Elisa – My reviews and Ramblings, scritto interamente in inglese, è stato il primo blog al MONDO a parlare di Romance MM! Inoltre, è stata Elisa stessa a creare i Rainbow Awards, ovvero i primi e più famosi premi letterari relativi a questo genere, a cui partecipano i maggiori autori del settore, che ogni anno sono ospitati dal suo blog. Ma Elisa non è solo una blogger. Riversando in esso parte della sua vastissima esperienza, Elisa ha scritto un libro, Days of Love. Nelle sue pagine, affiancate da splendide fotografie, troviamo storie e interviste di più di settecento coppie LGBT, più o meno famose, più o meno recenti, coprendo un periodo storico di quasi duemila anni. Ed è proprio utilizzando alcune di queste pagine come esempio e la sua personale esperienza di lettrice che Elisa ci parla della nascita del Romance MM che, differentemente da ciò che si può pensare, non è poi tanto recente! by Rubina, Una menzione particolare la devo all’intervento di Elisa Rolle. La storia dell’ mm romance raccontato con passione che mi ha regalato emozioni pure: mai un momento di distrazione, anzi, il rammarico che sia finito troppo presto tante e tali erano le storie e gli aneddoti che Elisa aveva da raccontare. by Cosima, La parte più interessante, a mio parere, è stato l’intervento di Elisa Rolle riguardo alla storia del genere M/M e alla creazione del suo blog e dei Rainbow Awards (non vi dico quanti titoli mi sono tirata giù in base alla lista dei vincitori! Diciamo solo… troppi!) by Soteria, E faccio un dovuto inchino a Elisa Rolle, che mi ha lasciata davvero a bocca aperta con la sua vastissima conoscenza dell’argomento. Link: http://www.romanticamentefantasy.it/m-romance-meeting-noi-ceravamo/

May 11, 2015, Alessandra & Nix @La Mia Biblioteca Romantica. "MM ROMANCE MEETING" : IL PRIMO INCONTRO ITALIANO DEDICATO AL ROMANCE M/M Elisa Rolle, prima fondatrice di un blog MM al mondo, ci parla dell’omosessualità attraverso la letteratura e di come nel tempo si sia evoluta. Elisa ci fa ripercorrere la storia del gay romance dal romanzo precursore di Maurice di E.M Foster, passando per gli esperimenti degli anni ‘70 e ‘80 del Novecento, fino ad arrivare alla vera e propria diffusione del genere, nei primi anni 2000. Elisa racconta la sua esperienza come lettrice, le difficoltà nel reperire romanzi MM, la sua curiosità su come si è sviluppato il genere e il l’impatto con l’ostruzionismo da parte dei lettori di romance nostrani, che l'hanno spinta a fondare un blog in lingua inglese per condividere le sue impressioni sui romanzi MM (non le chiama recensioni), che con gli anni ha acquistato popolarità, fino alla creazione dei Rainbow Awards, premi di categoria dedicati al gay romance nati nel 2009 e in continua crescita. Da ciò che Elisa ci racconta si evince che sia gli scrittori di MM romance, sia i lettori del genere, sentivano la mancanza di “qualcosa”, c’era un “buco” nel panorama delle storie d'amore che oggi, l’MM ha colmato. Molti autori, volendo portare al pubblico storie d'amore gay con un finale positivo, hanno tolto i personaggi gay da quel limbo di comprimari, o personaggi negativi o addirittura soggetti a cui viene negato il lieto fine, mentre lei, come blogger, ha voluto creare un premio articolato in varie categorie per romanzi che fino ad allora erano confinati in un unico calderone, che non permetteva una vera promozione del genere. Risalta comunque anche come, almeno negli Stati Uniti, la comunità degli autori e autrici, ma anche editori, di romance non sia mai stata omofoba, includendo l'MM come naturale branca del filone principale. Il racconto di Elisa sulla storia dell'MM romance segue il filo conduttore del suo libro “Days of Love: Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time”, resoconto della storia di coppie gay dall'antichità fino ad oggi, con interviste alle coppie ancora in vita e contributi fotografici di molti artisti. Un pozzo di conoscenza Elisa Rolle, l'unico intervento in cui non c'è stata grande interazione con pubblico perché eravamo tutti a bocca aperta ad ascoltarla. - Link: http://www.bibliotecaromantica.blogspot.it/2015/05/mm-romance-meeting-il-primo-incontro.html

May 1, 2015, by Ryan Field. Days of Love Library of Congress Event 2014 will go down as an "interesting" year for me for many reasons. After 22 years of being with the same person and living as if we were married, Tony and I were finally allowed to legally wed last January...in Vermont, and by a Vermont Supreme Court Justice, Beth Robinson. To add to the romance of being in Montgomeryville Center, VT, we were also part of a Hollywood documentary, The State of Marriage. I've posted about all that here a few times. Also in 2014, Tony and I had several intense family health related issues we had to deal with. I rarely post things that private in public when they first happen. I usually do eventually, but in the beginning I think it's important to protect certain aspects of our private lives...all of us who are online, not just me. While Tony and I were going through all this Elisa Rolle, whom I've met in person, was e-mailing me about a book titled Days of Love that would focus on gay couples, gay marriage, and long term gay relationships. There was so much going on at the time with family I almost didn't participate. However, something told me this would be a book to remember someday. From a historical POV, this book would be something people could look back and reflect upon during the days when we were still fighting for legalized same sex marriage all over the world. So I put together everything Elisa asked for, I submitted it, and went back to dealing with life. When I saw this in my inbox today I felt a sense of gratification, and it was a surprise I hadn't expected. "Just in case any of you are in Washington on that date! This talk will encompass LOC's acquisitions of Sylvester & Orphanos Publication Archives, of Stathis's Christopher Isherwood Collection and his photographs. And Stathis told me Days of Love, which proudly display some of those photographs, will be featured as well." It's a great book that I believe will be around for a long time. And to be honored this way, in a book, for everyone who participated, as well as Elisa Rolle who put it together, it is a proud humble moment, indeed. - Link: http://ryan-field.blogspot.it/2015/05/days-of-love-library-of-congress-event.html

April 2015. by Ace Katzenbooks' Reviews @The Book Breeze This book, a compilation of Elisa Rolle's blog entries over a period of several years, is a work that belongs in every college and university that has a Gender Studies or Queer Studies program. If I were wealthy, I'd order copies for every public library in America. Elisa is well-known by gay authors and fans of gay romance for her reviews and film listings – I have found things on her blog that I've seen nowhere else – but I think that this book will outlive her and serve as a lasting resource for anyone who wants to get a sense of the scope of gay history. That may make this book sound dry and academic. It is anything but. This is a wonderful collection of love stories, sometimes joyful, sometimes tragic, always real. For those of us who came out after Stonewall, Days gives a glimpse of how tough things were for those who came before. For our elders, who lived through it, I hope it gives the recognition that is their due. If I were doing by-the-number scores, I would give this ten catnip toys out of a possible … 5. It is just that good. - Link: http://issuu.com/thebookbreeze/docs/tbb_web_april_2015/c/su95rvu & https://thebookbreeze.wordpress.com/2015/04/15/review-days-of-love-celebrating-lgbt-history-one-story-at-a-time/

April 1, 2015. @LOTL, Lesbians on the Loose. ‘Days Of Love’ Wins At The 3rd Annual Beverly Hills International Book Awards. Elisa Rolle wins award for her non-fiction book celebrating LGBT history. Elisa Rolle, with her book ‘Days Of Love: Celebrating LGBT History One Story At A Time’, has been named the Winner of the LGBT Non-Fiction category in the 3rd Annual Beverly Hills International Book Awards. Featured on LOTL before, this book chronicles 2000 years of same-sex love stories. Days of Love makes inspiring reading and lays to rest the myth that LGBT couples are not capable of sustaining life-long relationships. Packed full of beautiful photos and illustrations, it lovingly features the personal stories of 700 LGBT couples from the dawn of history to the present day. Many of the contemporary couples share their stories on how they met and fell in love, as well as photos from when they married or of the families they have started together. Days of Love is also a great source of LGBT trivia and stories that have all-too-often been written out of history. For example, did you know that Sir Isaac Newton, who laid the foundation for modern physics, may have had a relationship with a Swiss mathematician, Nicolas Fatio de Duillier? That the British author of 2001: A Space Odyssey Arthur C. Clarke had a 13-year partnership with a male Sri Lankan teenager, and they are buried together? This is only a fraction of the fascinating facts that you can discover. What comes across is an alternative cultural history of LGBT people. As we celebrate growing social acceptability and the increasing introduction same-sex marriage, we are reminded that many people past and present paved the way for our civil rights, not the least of which is the right to love whoever we want. Elisa Rolle explains in the introduction to Days of Love why she decided to compile this book. "I have always liked love stories, and to me, even if you only spent one day in blissful happiness, then it was a love story. I see the following pages like a family photo album, the enlarged LGBT family sharing their memories: you will read about couples who managed to stay together for more than 70 years, but also those who were able to have only some days of happiness." A successful, multi-lingual career woman, Elisa Rolle’s job takes her all around the world, yet she somehow manages to find time to review books, write articles and interview authors for her site. Her website — http://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/ — is one of the most comprehensive online journals dedicated solely to LGBT literature, art, and film. She also founded ‘Rainbow Awards’, an online annual awards event that judges hundreds of LGBT titles in dozens of categories. - Link: http://www.lotl.com/Culture/Days-Of-Love-Wins-At-The-3rd-Annual-Beverly-Hills-International-Book-Awards-407/

March 29, 2015, @PrideBooks. Days of Love - a Worthy Winner Congratulations to Elisa Rolle - 2015 winner in the LGBT Non-Fiction Category of the 3rd Annual Beverly Hills International Book Awards for her book, Days of Love. - Link: http://www.pridebooks.co.uk/news/days-of-love-a-worthy-winner#.VUprOpOOJqg

March 18, 2015. By AIKATERINI FYTOPOULOU. Five Stars Exactly what the product description said; very satisfied - Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R2372KUQJK1G6T/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1500563323

March 18, 2015, by Ryan Field I wanted to give this book a post all its own. I've been remiss about this post because I've been so busy with work and family issues for the past year. But it's been on my mind lately because I think it's one of those books that will start out quietly, but one day in the future be something significant from a cultural and historical POV. Never before in the history of gay culture have there been so many changes than in the past five years. It seems as if it all happened overnight, but of course it didn't happen overnight. Many people worked very hard for years to help bring about these changes. And there's still a long way to go. But this particular time in gay culture is significant because of gay marriage alone. Days of Love is a book that celebrates all this in a quiet way, and I don't even think the author fully realized how important this will be in the future. These are also interesting times in publishing, not just in gay culture. This is one of the few books that someone indie published in a way I've never seen before. It is, indeed, indie publishing at its best. Ten years ago this may or may not have been available because authors were at the mercy of literary agents and their questionable taste. The angle is simply about love. It's not too social or political, and the message is clear. And I think highly reflective of the times in which we are living. And in full disclosure, my husband, Tony, and I are in the book but I'm in no way associated with how it was written or where the money goes. - Link: http://ryan-field.blogspot.it/2015/03/by-elisa-rolle-days-of-love-celebrating.html

March 1, 2015. By persnickety. Inspiring work that belongs in every library This book is simply amazing. Anyone who wants to refute the slanderous accusation that gay and lesbian couples can't achieve lasting relationships has hundreds of pages of proof right here. And the stories are nothing less than inspiring. - Link: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3TANZBHN46AME/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00N4EZNVK

March 12, 2015. By David McFarlane @Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association. A book about equality, Days of Love will be a welcome addition to any bookshelf. There are sweeping changes being made across the world in respect of equality and with the increasing recognition of same sex marriage. Prolific LGBT writer and editor, Elisa Rolle, has brought together the personal stories of over 700 LGBT couples and celebrates these couples’ life-long relationships by telling their stories. Many of the contemporary couples, who share their stories talk about how they met, fell in love and share photographs from their wedding or of the families that they have started together. Spanning 2,000 years of history, the book includes a number of interesting pieces of trivia, such as the fact that Sir Isaac Newton, who laid the foundation for modern physics, may have had a relationship with a Swiss mathematician, Nicolas Fatio de Duillier and that the author of 2001: A Space Odyssey ; Arthur C. Clarke; had a 13-year partnership with a Sri Lankan man, and that they are buried together? The book also reminds us that in these times when equality is moving forward, there were a number of people who came before us, paving the way for LGBT rights to be crystallised, and the book also acts as an alternative cultural history of LGBT people. Elisa Rolle explains in the introduction to Days of Love why she decided to compile this book, “I have always liked love stories, and to me, even if you only spent one day in blissful happiness, then it was a love story. I see the following pages like a family photo album, the enlarged LGBT family sharing their memories: you will read about couples who managed to stay together for more than 70 years, but also those who were able to have only some days of happiness.” Day of Love by Elisa Rolle is available to buy now from bookstores including www.amazon.co.uk - Link: http://nigra.org.uk/book-review-days-of-love/

February 26, 2015. By David-Elijah Nahmod @Echo Magazine. Reading Elisa Rolle’s impressive bio offers a glimpse into how much work she must have done in putting together this exhaustive tome. The multi-lingual career woman, who currently lives in Italy, is a respected book reviewer and archivist: her personal website My Reviews and Ramblings serves as a comprehensive study of the history of LGBT art and literature. http://selzerandweiss.com At more than 750 pages, Rolle's “Days of Love” is a stunningly researched volume of gay, lesbian and bisexual love. For 725 pages, she chronicles the two thousand year history of same-sex love — over 700 couples are included. A thirty-page index follows. She begins at the beginning, in ancient Greece, with Alexander the Great. From throughout the centuries, she chronicles some of history's better known same-sex love stories. Some of these relationships have already been common knowledge, such as the love shared between the great 19th century playwright Oscar Wilde and Lord Alfred Douglas — Wilde famously served time in jail for the crime of homosexuality, which left him a broken man. Rolle, who clearly did her homework, takes her history lessons even further — she informs her readers who Douglas loved in the years following Wilde's death. Douglas, who was bisexual, married poet Olive Custance, also bisexual. They remained together for 27 years. Some of the better known names in “Days of Love” make for a fun read. Looking back, it's hard to believe that 1940s cinema lovers actually believed that movie stars Cary Grant and Randolph Scott were “roommates.” Some entries might surprise readers, such as the inclusion of Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan. The beginnings of the 49 year live-in friendship between Sullivan and Keller was chronicled in William Gibson's play The Miracle Worker — which became an acclaimed, Oscar winning film in 1962. Totally deaf and blind since the age of 18 months, Sullivan became Keller's teacher, and taught the child how to read and write braille, and how to communicate. The two became world famous disability and social justice activists, and were inseparable until Sullivan died in 1936. Though Sullivan had a failed marriage to a man during her lifetime, she and Keller never lived apart and functioned as a single unit. Is it really a stretch to suggest that they may have loved each other? From Alexander in ancient Greece all the way to writers/editors/publishers Lorna Hinson and Shawn Squires, who were married in 2014, Rolle beautifully documents one love story after the other, from many different circles of life. Artists, politicians, celebrities, social justice activists — if Rolle was able to document a same sex relationship they'd had, it was included in the book, with photos where available. Some of these loves may or may not have been sexual — lifelong friends Marlon Brando and Wally Cox being such an example. Brando was one of cinema's most respected actors, Cox a popular TV personality of the 1950s and 60s. When Cox died in 1973 Brando was devastated. Until his own death some thirty years later, he kept Cox's ashes by his side. Both their ashes were eventually scattered together. Was this a platonic love? In his later years Brando admitted to being bisexual. Other loves are more obvious, such as the 28 year relationship between Radclyffe Hall and Lady Troubridge, (Hall penned the classic lesbian novel “The Well of Loneliness” in 1928), or writer Christopher Isherwood, who lived with the much younger artist Don Bachardy as an openly gay couple for 33 years beginning in 1953 — the couple's life together was chronicled in the 2008 documentary “Chris and Don: A Love Story.” Some of the more recent couples featured in the book are quoted. It's heartwarming to see their wedding photos, which serve as a reminder as to how much harder previous generations were forced to live. We've come a long way. “Days of Love: Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time” is a wonderful and lovely addition to the annals of LGBT historical literature. The book is now available at Amazon.com. - Link: http://www.echomag.com/days-love/ & http://southfloridagaynews.com/Books/books-days-of-love-celebrating-lgbt-history-one-story-at-a-time.html

February 25, 2015. By Paul Szabo @The Gay UK Magazine. The book also reminds us that in these times when equality is moving forward, there were a number of people who came before us, paving the way for LGBT rights to be crystallised. There are sweeping changes being made across the world in respect of equality and with the increasing recognition of same sex marriage. Prolific LGBT writer and editor, Elisa Rolle, has brought together the personal stories of over 700 LGBT couples and celebrates these couples’ life-long relationships by telling their stories. Many of the contemporary couples, who share their stories talk about how they met, fell in love and share photographs from their wedding or of the families that they have started together. Spanning 2,000 years of history, the book includes a number of interesting pieces of trivia, such as the fact that Sir Isaac Newton, who laid the foundation for modern physics, may have had a relationship with a Swiss mathematician, Nicolas Fatio de Duillier and that the author of 2001: A Space Odyssey ; Arthur C. Clarke; had a 13-year partnership with a Sri Lankan man, and that they are buried together? The book also reminds us that in these times when equality is moving forward, there were a number of people who came before us, paving the way for LGBT rights to be crystallised, and the book also acts as an alternative cultural history of LGBT people. Elisa Rolle explains in the introduction to Days of Love why she decided to compile this book, "I have always liked love stories, and to me, even if you only spent one day in blissful happiness, then it was a love story. I see the following pages like a family photo album, the enlarged LGBT family sharing their memories: you will read about couples who managed to stay together for more than 70 years, but also those who were able to have only some days of happiness." Day of Love by Elisa Rolle is available to buy now from bookstores including www.amazon.co.uk - Link: http://www.thegayuk.com/magazine/4574334751/BOOK-Days-Of-Love-Celebrating-LGBT-History-One-Love-Story-At-A-Time/9442157

February 25, 2015. By A. Love "slave to the written word". I cherish my copy of this book This is a beautiful book with many short biographies of LGBT couples, each accompanied by a picture. It's filled with people who made a huge impact on society and the world. Some of these people are well known and others less so. Taken from points throughout history it shows in a way that nothing else does the impact that the LGBT community has on our global society. For someone who is having a difficult time with their identity and how it is perceived by those around them, this book is invaluable. Seeing these wonderful and influential couples, and that some of them could live and endure in great adversity, show others in the same situations that they can endure and thrive; they can come out the other side stronger as well. It also shows how things have changed over time, and the current trend toward a society that embraces the LGBT community. It serves as a reminder of the importance of love, how powerful it is and how much it should be cherished. Filled with amazing role models, I found this book to be inspiring and uplifting. I highly recommend this book, for you or for someone who is struggling with their identity. Love is the great equalizer, it crosses all boundaries and I think that is something we all need to remember. - Link: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1RU8ZMQ9QOR1N/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00MZG0VHY

February 2015 @Midlands Zone Magazine ... and something to read: Days of Love by Elisa Rolle. Chronicling 2,000 years of same-sex love stories - from Alexander the Great to the latest Literary Award winner - Days of Love lays to rest the well-established myth that LGBT couples aren't capable of sustaining life-long relationships. Packed full of photos and illustrations, it features the personal stories of 700 LGBT couples from the dawn of history to the present day. Many of the contemporary couples share their stories on how they met and fell in love, as well as photos from when they married or of the families they have started together. - Link: http://issuu.com/midlands-zone/docs/zone_low_res__adrian_/c/sui43wz

February 16, 2015 By Jim Provenzano "Cyclizen". Epic LGBT, day by day Elisa Rolle, the prolific book review and biography blogger, has wisely collected hundreds of her short online essays on the lives and loves of notable LGBT authors, artists, musicians and more, from historical figures back to the 17th century to contemporary authors, a few of whom are my own colleagues and neighbors. I have yet to complete the book, of course. At 750-plus pages, with a full index, it's going to be one of those bedside regulars for at least a year, with a few essays to read each night. What an inspiration to learn a bit about so many couples, whose lives shaped art and culture for centuries. What's also amazing is how thorough Rolle's list is, along with photos on nearly every page. 'Days of Love' thoroughly makes the case for visualizing and remembering the many LGBT artists from many countries, each of whom shaped societies and cultures. - Link: http://www.amazon.com/review/RY5MZH5D9QCUH/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

February 2015, by JJ Vega @Connextions Magazine At first, the book seemed like a daunting, scary task to read because of its size, it has over 500 pages. However, once the reader begins to investigate further, the size of the book becomes a non-issue and becomes a brilliant story book. Elisa Rolle brilliantly and methodically, documents the love among same sex couples throughout the centuries, as far back as written records were kept. Particularly intriguing is the story of a church that recorded the marriage of two men in the year 1019, which could possibly be the earliest recorded in written history. This and all the stories included in this book, can provide a lot of encouragement for the LGBT community, especially for people who may be afraid to come out, or to counterattack opponents of marriage equality, which at times use words like "promiscuity" when referring to LGBT couples. To read the triumphs of these couples, some unknown to us as members of the LGBT community, are of particular interest and of huge pride. If the stories of these couples were discussed in the media, then the arguments against marriage equality would be null. I especially enjoyed reading and learning about those relationships that lasted more than 50 years, and in some cases it was documented that after one of the partner's death, the surviving partner would often die shortly after, as if to say that not even death could separate them. These men and women, members of our LGBT community, were pioneers and started opening doors for civil rights. - Link: http://issuu.com/connextionsmag/docs/issue17/34

January 22, 2015, by Gordon @Bent Magazine. A new book chronicling 2,000 years of same-sex love stories, from Alexander the Great to the latest Literary Award winner, makes the perfect Valentine’s Day gift. Days of Love, created and Edited by Elisa Rolle, makes inspiring reading and lays to rest the myth that LGBT couples are not capable of sustaining life-long relationships. Packed full of beautiful photos and illustrations it lovingly features the personal stories of 700 LGBT couples from the dawn of history to the present day. Many of the contemporary couples share their stories on how they met and fell in love, as well as photos from when they married or of the families they have started together. Days of Love is also a great source of LGBT trivia and stories that have all-too-often been written out of history. For example, did you know that Sir Isaac Newton, who laid the foundation for modern physics, may have had a relationship with a Swiss mathematician, Nicolas Fatio de Duillier? That the British author of 2001: A Space Odyssey Arthur C. Clarke had a 13-year partnership with a male Sri Lankan teenager, and they are buried together? This is only a fraction of the fascinating facts that you can discover. One of the British couples featured in the book are Matthew Bugg and Tobias Oliver. The couple who live in Sheffield and run the theatre company Mr Bugg Presents – producers of hit show Miss Nightingale the musical – will celebrate their 21st anniversary on the 17th February this year. What comes across is an alternative cultural history of LGBT people. As we celebrate growing social acceptability and the increasing introduction same-sex marriage, we are reminded that many people past and present paved the way for our civil rights, not the least of which is the right to love whoever we want. Elisa Rolle explains in the introduction to Days of Love why she decided to compile this book: “I have always liked love stories, and to me, even if you only spent one day in blissful happiness, then it was a love story. I see the following pages like a family photo album, the enlarged LGBT family sharing their memories: you will read about couples who managed to stay together for more than 70 years, but also those who were able to have only some days of happiness.” A successful, multi-lingual career woman, Elisa Rolle’s job takes her all around the world, yet she somehow manages to find time to review books, write articles and interview authors for her site. Her website — http://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/ — is one of the most comprehensive online journals dedicated solely to LGBT literature, art, and film. She also founded ‘Rainbow Awards’, an online annual awards event that judges hundreds of LGBT titles in dozens of categories. - Link: http://mag.bent.com/2015/01/book-days-of-love-celebrates-lgbt-history/ & http://escapesoho.com/8664/book-days-of-love-celebrates-lgbt-history/

January 21, 2015, by Amy McDonnell @Diva Magazine. This is for lovers, Ditch the roses for Valentine's Day and pick up this book of LGBT love stories instead. A new book created and edited by Elisa Rolle celebrates LGBT history one love story at a time. Days of Love shares inspirational tales of same-sex lovers from Alexander the Great to Sir Isaac Newton. Sit down together and read about heart-warming romances that will make you proud to be apart of a strong community that has proved time and time again that love conquers all. Read how modern day couples met and fell in love, as well as seeing their wedding photos and the families they've started. Days Of Love also promises fascinating LGBT trivia and stories that has been long forgotten from our history books. Rolle says: "I have always liked love stories, and to me, even if you only spent one day in blissful happiness, then it was a love story. I see the following pages like a family photo album, the enlarged LGBT family sharing their memories: you will read about couples who managed to stay together for more than 70 years, but also those who were able to have only some days of happiness." Advertisement This is a perfect alternative to the cliche Valentine's gifts, and it will probably last a lot longer than that box of chocolates as well... So for all the lovers out there, order your book here. - Link: http://www.divamag.co.uk/category/lifestyle/this-is-for-lovers.aspx

January 8, 2015 By Amazon Customer. I love this book! Thank you so much, Elisa Rolle. Undoubtedly, "Days Of Love" is one of the greatest gifts to the LGBT community. I believe what Howard Cruse says about this book: "...it will be hugely validating to young, newly-emerging LGBT kids... and be reassured that they really can have a secure, respected place in the world as their futures unfold." - Link: http://www.amazon.com/review/R15EBXLAA6DA6I/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1500563323

December 31, 2014 By Toby Johnson (Central Texas, United States). A beautiful book. A wonderful way of celebrating history. There are so many stories in this book. It's sitting out on our living room coffee table--partly to boast to friends that Kip and I are included in the collection of couples and partly to pick up and read and ponder other gay people's lives and loves down through time. It's a beautiful book. - Link: http://www.amazon.com/review/REVSURWDF1HF1/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1500563323

December 28, 2014 By damonA. Interessante È una serie di coppie storiche che ci vengono raccontate in modo semplice, è in inglese ma leggibile anche a chi non lo parla in modo eccelso... Link: http://www.amazon.it/review/RAFSYB52240TU/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00MZG0VHY

December 24, 2014 By Sylvia Wonderful book and I will often return to it and enjoy all the photo's and stories. Truly a labour of love. Link: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1R2A1GJW2X4O3/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00MZG0VHY

December 11, 2014, by Brian Bromberger @The Bay Area Reporter. New Book Celebrates LGBT Lovers Through the Ages. Did you know that Sir Isaac Newton, who laid the foundation for modern physics, may have had a relationship with a Swiss mathematician, Nicolas Fatio de Duillier? That the famous married theatrical couple Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne were gay and lesbian? That the British author of 2001: A Space Odyssey Arthur C. Clarke had a 13-year partnership with a Sri Lankan teenager, and they are buried together? This is only a fraction of the LGBT trivia one can unearth in Elisa Rolle's new book Days of Love, a collection of same-sex pairings throughout the world and history, covering all artistic and scientific fields, complete with photos, in particular those created by photographer Robert Giard from his book Particular Voices, recording many in the LGBT literary community. Rolle's website reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org is a comprehensive online journal dedicated to LGBT literature, art, and film. She has also launched the Rainbow Awards, online annual awards judging hundreds of LGBT titles in dozens of categories. She explains in the preface why she decided to compile this book. "I have always liked love stories, and to me, even if you only spent one day in blissful happiness, then it was a love story. I see the following pages like a family photo album, the enlarged LGBT family sharing their memories: you will read about couples who managed to stay together for more than 70 years, but also those who were able to have only some days of happiness." What emerges in the book is an alternative cultural history of LGBT people. But I don't want to leave the impression that the book focuses only on famous couples. In fact, 3/4 of Days of Love features couples most of us have never heard of, which makes reading about them and their accomplishments even more fascinating. By concentrating on (though not restricted to) long-term relationships, Rolle lays to rest the myth that LGBT folk are not capable of sustaining life-long partnerships. The book is 760 pages, a virtual encyclopedia, and the research that must have accompanied the writing is staggering. Most entries are only a page long. Some of the recent stories are accompanied by testimonies of the couple, which personalize their listing. Some eye-raising portraits are of Edith Wharton & William Moron Fullerton; Sir Alan Bates & John Curry; Sylvia Townsend Warner & Valentine Ackland; Guthrie McClintic & Katharine Cornell; John Maynard Keyes & Sebastian Sprott; John Henry Newman & Ambrose St. John; and George Sand & Marie Dorval. These examples merely scratch the surface, because the unknown romances are also charming, equally apportioned between men and women. You might look up an individual in the index, read his or her story, but then because each entry is brief, notice another entry that can be quickly digested, and before long an hour has passed. While there is much to praise in this groundbreaking volume, there are many typos and editing faux pas, and it does have a serious flaw. There is no introductory chapter telling us the history of LGBT relationships, how they have been defined, have changed or been viewed through the centuries. In other words, there is no historical or social context for how to interpret them. The book relies heavily on hearsay, such that in some cases we cannot be sure whether or not there was an actual relationship, with the case of Isaac Newton being an example. In previous centuries, friendship was prized and spoken about in affectionate terms that today sound sexual to us, but did not necessarily have a physical component. Rolle clarifies when she can, but at times the evidence is ambiguous. I suspect Rolle's response would be that LGBT couples defy classification. The problem is that she never states what her reasoning is for including certain couples. Fortunately she provides enough information that readers can research and draw their own conclusions. Ultimately one can only applaud Rolle for her diligence. Despite centuries of history silencing LGBT relationships, a brief perusal of Days of Love should convince any skeptic that there have always been LGBT people seeking love. As we bask in these heady days of social acceptability and legality of same-sex marriage, we are reminded that many people past and present paved the way for our civil rights, not the least of which is the right to love whomever we want. - Link: http://ebar.com/arts/art_article.php?sec=books&article=892 & http://www.gaysonoma.com/?p=4545

December 11, 2014, by Ajax Loved this. Like one of those old style Who's Who books, or an excellent encyclopedia of tiny queer love stories. Worth it for reference, worth it for the reminder of how much love and art and blood sweat and tears gay people have put into the world, often unknown until after death. Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23013197-days-of-love#other_reviews

November 30, 2014 By Eden Winters. An Uplifting Collection of Love Stories. Where do I begin? That this collection of mini-biographies was a labor of love for the author is obvious on every page. What an undertaking, gathering all these stories, contacting living subjects for permission and pictures, and putting together a well-organized, uplifting tome of love stories throughout history. I purchased a print edition for my local PFLAG group, because I believed that in a world where there is so much negativity towards the LGBT community, our members needed to hear the positive message of enduring love. Each page is a different story, so don't let the size of the book scare you. Got a few minutes? Peer into the life of another couple, some who were together for as many as sixty years. Lovely, lovely book. Highly recommended. - Link: http://www.amazon.com/review/R39FNM7W9LFC9B/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm/?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1500563323

November 12, 2014, @LOTL, Lesbians on the Loose. Elisa Rolle’s non-fiction book features more than 700 LGBT couples throughout history. Days of Love chronicles more than 700 LGBT couples throughout history, spanning 2000 years from Alexander the Great to the most recent winner of a Lambda Literary Award. Presented in a generally chronological order, couples from history include: Religious figures: Jean, bishop of Orleans and Raoul II, Archbishop of Tours (1086 to 1117) Early American colonists: Mary Vincent Hammon and Sarah White Norman (1633 to 1654) Authors and philosophers: Fanny Blood and Mary Wollstonecraft (1775 to 1785) Politicians and lawyers: Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Fry Speed (1837 to 1865) Arts and the theatre: Louise Abbema and Sarah Bernhardt (1875 to 1923) Each couple is given a postcard style description and picture. The individual stories range from historically interesting to politically important to whimsically charming. Many of the contemporary couples share their stories on how they met and fell in love, as well as photos from when they married or of their families. Included are professional portraits by Robert Giard and Stathis Orphanos, paintings by John Singer Sargent and Giovanni Boldini, and photographs by Frances Benjamin Johnson, Arnold Genthe, and Carl Van Vechten among others. The book is receiving high praise: “I couldn’t resist clicking through every page. I never realized the scope of the book would cover centuries!... I know that it will be hugely validating to young, newly-emerging LGBT kids... who will be reassured that they really can have a secure, respected place in the world as their futures unfold.” – Howard Cruse “While reading, I was amazed by the research that had gone into it… We delve a little bit into each couple Miss Elisa spotlights, giving the reader a small snippet into their life; what they did for a living, how they met each other… The author introduces us to unknown couples alongside those who were famous and made a huge impact on the world, from Hollywood directors and actors to scientists and royalty, writers and poets to those who started up important organizations. In Days of Love we see Oscar Wilde, Emily Dickinson, Sir Isaac Newton, Marlene Dietrich, Marlon Brando, just to name a few… I feel this book would be of interest to anyone who loves history, especially LGBT history. As we see the world views changing in a positive way towards the LGBT community, some of the people in this book were pioneers without even knowing it. They loved who they loved and didn’t apologise for how they felt.” – Paul A. Fahey You can find out more about the author, Elisa Rolle, at http://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/. This website is one of the most comprehensive online journals dedicated solely to LGBT literature, art and film. In the last few years, Elisa also launched the Rainbow Awards, an online annual awards event that judges hundreds of LGBT titles in dozens of categories. - Link: http://www.lotl.com/Culture/Days-Of-Love-Celebrating-LGBT-History-One-Story-At-A-Time-182/

November 2014 @DNA Magazine Chronicling 2,000 years of gay relationships from Alexander the Great to the latest Lambda Literary Award winner, Elisa Rolle's curated collection of love stories is more than inspiration, it's aspiration!

October 28, 2014 By A&M Books (Rehoboth Beach, DE). It's our history and cannot be ignored! An amazing collection of entries of same-sex pairings throughout the world that is nothing less than glbt history itself. Fascinating tales on every one of the 700- plus pages. It's an encyclopedia of gay lives that should be on everyone's bookshelf or one everone's e-reader! - Link: http://www.amazon.com/review/R222NP5MBMVPWL/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00MZG0VHY

October 21, 2014, by Paul Alan Fahey Amazing history of LGBT couples down thru the years. My hubby, Bob, and I are featured as well. The author, Elisa Rolle, has done an incredible job researching and pulling all this information together in one loving gorgeous book. An incredible job. Well done, Elisa. - Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23013197-days-of-love#other_reviews

October 20, 2014, By LeeA P. (Upper Michigan). Beautifully done. A beautiful book of amazing photos and stories. Loved it! - Link: http://www.amazon.com/review/R35DJ0G42HB9A3/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1500563323

October 03, 2014, da www.sognipensieriparole.com, by Amarilli Settantatre Un incredibile documentario storico-fotografico, quasi una sorta di enciclopedia che copre oltre duemila anni di storia, partendo da Alessando Magno ai giorni nostri, attraverso una chiave di lettura particolarissima: l’amore che ha unito coppie più o meno celebri, talvolta pubblicamente o spesso in gran segreto, talvolta osteggiato e terminato in modo doloroso, talvolta celebrato e divenuto esempio di speranza per chi è venuto dopo. Credo che leggere le tantissime storie di uomini e di donne che si susseguono in queste pagine dia la misura di quanto sia in errore chi pensa che le relazioni omosessuali siano una deriva dei nostri tempi moderni e che le stesse possano essere l’indizio di un pericolo e di una degenerazione per il tessuto sociale tradizionale. Al contrario, è proprio ripercorrendo le storie di queste persone (come Florence Nightingale e Mary Clarke, o Eleonora Duse e Isadora Duncan, tanto per citare alcune delle coppie femminili più celebri), che possiamo avere un’ulteriore riprova di quanto la forza dell’amore, in tutte le sue connotazioni e sfumature (quindi anche tra due persone adulte dello stesso sesso), possa essere un motore formidabile per accrescere l’arte, la letteratura e il mondo delle idee in genere, nonché per dare vita a esperienze incredibili e a personaggi in grado di fare la storia passata e futura, finendo per essere un valore aggiunto e non un ostacolo per la civiltà che abbiamo costruito e in cui viviamo. Da tenere in libreria o sull’e-reader e da sfogliare con curiosità e continua sorpresa. - Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23013197-days-of-love#other_reviews & http://www.sognipensieriparole.com/2014/10/oggi-presentiamo-days-of-love-di-elisa.html & http://www.amazon.it/review/R69X2GWPKQSHB/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00MZG0VHY

September 10, 2014, @The Novel Approach Reviews First off, let me say I had a hard time figuring how to review this book. It’s far removed from what I normally review. That being said, I was blown away by the wealth of information between these pages. While reading, I was amazed by the research that had gone into it. Just thinking about the time and energy this author has spent compiling these facts about each couple, past and present, is mind boggling. We delve a little bit into each couple Miss Elisa spotlights, giving the reader a small snippet into their life; what they did for a living, how they met each other. A lot of the information here was new to me and made for some fantastic reading. The author introduces us to unknown couples alongside those who were famous and made a huge impact on the world, from Hollywood directors and actors to scientists and royalty, writers and poets to those who started up important organizations. In Days of Love we see Oscar Wilde, Emily Dickinson, Sir Issac Newton, Marlene Dietrich, Marlon Brando, just to name a few. I was excited to read about some of the authors I personally know and the ones I have read: Jay Bell, Andrew Grey, Scotty Cade, TJ Klune, Eric Arvin and JP Bowie—again this is a small taste of what’s inside. I feel this book would be of interest to anyone who loves history, especially LGBT history. As we see the world views changing in a positive way towards the LGBT community, some of the people in this book were pioneers without even knowing it. They loved who they loved and didn’t apologize for how they felt. I love that this book is out there. I would definitely categorize this as a reference book, but at the same time such a wonderful read. I would highly recommend this book to everyone. - Link: http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/2014/09/07/sunday-spotlight-review-days-of-love-by-elisa-rolle/ & https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23013197-days-of-love#other_reviews

September 1, 2014, By Paul A. Fahey "Mindprinter" (Nipomo, CA). Absolutely Love This Book of LGBT History! Can't say enough about "Days of Love: Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time." I've never seen a book quite like this one. Is there one? I doubt it. Elisa Rolle has given so many of us our place in this historical record, and both my husband, Bob, and I are truly grateful to be included. Days of Love is sitting on our coffee table--right where it will stay. Great for browsing or reading one story at a time. Absolutely love this book. - Link: http://www.amazon.com/review/RHA7GTWNXO6IS/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1500563323

August 30, 2014, By Lee Lynch (U.S.) What a huge undertaking. Ms. Rolle has produced a tour de force, a book for the ages. I am extremely honored that my wife and I are included. Thank you to Ms. Rolle for her exhaustive research, her inclusiveness, and for making such a work available. - Link: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1Q9XHF1NTAYL7/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1500563323

August 28, 2014, by Moogie This is a real dip in and out of Tree Book. A glorious history of LGBTQ etc love stories. Fascinating to see friends as well as remarkable historic figures revealing their love stories. Praise to Elisa Rolle for a very well researched and enjoyable reference book. - Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23013197-days-of-love#other_reviews

August 27, 2014, by Francesco Mastinu Con estremo piacere segnalo il libro di Elisa Rolle, scritto e pubblicato negli Stati Uniti d’America, che racchiude ben 8 anni di attività di ricerca e di blogger raccontando la vita di relazione delle coppie omosessuali statunitensi e non, sia storiche che contemporanee, appartenenti comunque al mondo della notorietà per meriti artistici, politici e sociali. Una bellissima iniziativa che quest’anno diventa un libro di ben 760 pagine (in inglese) che racchiude più di 700 storie partendo da Alessandro Magno sino ai giorni nostri. Dalle parole della stessa Elisa, scopriamo che il suo lavoro ha come mission quella di dimostrare che i matrimoni gay sono sempre esistiti scardinando la concezione di “lotta moderna”, abbracciando invece il concetto che i diritti pertanto non vanno mai negati, proprio perché storicamente le relazioni durature anche tra gli omosessuali sono sempre esistite e hanno anzi contribuito alla storia di tutta l’umanità, dal profilo politico, sociale e artistico. Un esempio? Elisa ci parla di George Merrill e Edward Carpenter, morti negli anni 20, che sono sepolti nella stessa tomba, insieme. Sotto il nome di George, c’è scritto “together with Edward for 40 years” (insieme per 40 anni). Ma questa è solo una storia tra centinaia. Il testo è inglese ma è acquistabile anche in Italia, verrà lanciato con una presentazione ufficiale a ottobre, a New York. Lo segnalo perché è una bella iniziativa, come da noi in Italia non si riesce a realizzare (per quanto magari coppie note di cui parlare ce ne sarebbero a bizzeffe, se solo si fosse disponibili a mettersi in gioco o meglio, se solo le associazioni, le istituzioni e certi editori avessero il coraggio di portare avanti un’iniziativa del genere). A ogni modo, per quanto qua in Italia siamo lontani anni luce dal riconoscimento di diritti basilari come il matrimonio e la lotta alla discriminazione, motivo per cui ritengo che libri di questo genere non siano auspicabili, ma necessari; anche alcune personalità italiane sono state rappresentate all’interno di questa raccolta biografica, tra cui me e il mio compagno Guido per cui credetemi, essere comunque presente e poter fare qualcosa per favorire il processo di riconoscimento dei diritti, è importante e fonte di estremo onore. Con questa motivazione, insieme, abbiamo deciso di mettere a disposizione i nostri 14 anni di vita in comune, per dimostrare che l’amore e le relazioni prescindono dal sesso del partner. Chi fosse interessato ad acquistare il libro o a saperne di più, questi sono i link di Amazon. In ogni caso ringrazio Elisa per aver realizzato quest’opera, e mi auguro che davvero anche qua in Italia si riesca, un giorno, a portare avanti iniziative del genere… magari proprio grazie a Elisa? - Link: http://jfmastinu.wordpress.com/2014/08/27/days-of-love-di-elisa-rollesegnalazione/

August 25, 2014, By Jack Scott (United Kingdom). Epic. A truly epic and comprehensive directory of LGBT love down the ages. A real achievement. - Link: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3SSDCT1DWURFF/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00MZG0VHY or https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23013197-days-of-love#other_reviews

August 25, 2014, by Jeff Adams Will and I have known Elisa Rolle for a couple years now. We met at the 2012 GayRomLit in Albuquerque. We’d known of her for longer than that because of the excellent blog she runs, Elisa’s Reviews & Ramblings, where she features LGBT literature (including the Rainbow Awards) and a huge catalog of LGBT couples throughout history. Will and I were honored when we were written up on her website back in June of 2013 for a post that ran on my birthday (the post was updated and ran again September 7, 2014 to commorate our wedding anniversary). The honor grew November 2013 when she asked us if she could feature us in the book she was working on. The book Days of Love: Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time has just been released in paperback and ebook. It’s truly amazing being included in this books that looks at hundreds of LGBT couples, both historical and present day. Some of the historical couples included are Alexander the Great & Hephaestion, Queen Christina of Sweden & Countess Ebba Sparre, James Buchanan & William R. King, Abraham Lincoln & Joshua Fry Speed, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony to name a few. Among the more contemporary couples are Bill Konigsberg & Chuck Cahoy (Bill is one of my very favorite authors), Matthew White & Thomas Schumacher, Andrew Frist & Tom Dolby, Brent Hartinger & Michael Jensen, Billy Merrell & Nico Medina. It’s astonishing to be a part of such a list of people. Couple’s stories include how they met, what they do and other bits and pieces that make of a part of their history as a couple. I’ve only read a portion of the book so far, but it’s wonderful to read about each of the relationships. For those in New York, Elisa is presenting the book at the LGBT Center on October 14th at 7pm. I’m sad we won’t be able to be there to participate. She’s got a great lineup of panelists to be with her. You can learn more on her website. If you’re in the area, I encourage you to attend for a wonderful evening. Meanwhile, I am excited that less than a week after her presentation, we’ll see her in Chicago for GayRomLit where we will definitely get her to autograph our copy of this amazingly entertaining, and educational, book. Link: http://www.jeffandwill.com/2014/08/24/days-of-love-celebrating-lgbt-history-one-story-at-a-time-by-elisa-rolle/ & https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23013197-days-of-love#other_reviews

August 23, 2014, By J. Lawrence (Orlando, FL United States). Through laughter and tears, love endures. I've been reading Elisa's journal for years and commented frequently about the love stories she has featured on there. I'm thrilled to have it all together in one place to read at any time I please. This is a joy. Thank you Elisa! - Link: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2WFEH20HXJVF7/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00MZG0VHY

Days of Love's travelling the world:

Days of Love's hometown, Padova (Italy)

Poppy Dennison, Knoxville (US)

Nick Nolan, San Fernando, CA (US)

Amy DiMartino, Ormond Beach, FL (US)

Emanuela Piasentini, San Martino di Venezze (Italy)

Deborah Tessari, Altavilla Vicentina (Italy)

Jane Siveyer, Nottingham (UK)

Clare London, London (UK)

Paul Alan Fahey, Nipomo, CA (US)

Francesco Mastinu & Guido Spano Maitrecinq, Cagliari (Italy)

Jeff Adams & Will Knauss, McKinleyville, CA (US)

Tracy Ward, Phoenixville, PA (US)

Blaine D. Arden, Zutphen (Netherlands)

Toby Johnson, Austin, TX (US)

Scotty Cade, Lambert's Cove Inn, West Tisbury, MA (US)

Graeme Aitken, The Bookshop Darlinghurst, Sydney (Australia)

Indie Book Award - Finalist, Lake Oswego, OR (US)