Scandal On Plum Island

Overview

The carefree parties on Plum Island drew the ire of Maj. Benjamin Koehler, yet he would be the man later arrested and accused of "immoral conduct" at the end of 1913. Deeply researched, involving historical figures as contrasting as Theodore Roosevelt and Susan B. Anthony, Scandal on Plum Island traces Koehler's career from respected officer to vilified outcast and turns up provocative information about his defense. Moving from America's heartland to New York City, the Philippines, San Francisco, the east end of Long Island, and government offices in Washington, D.C., his story is a warning about the high cost to individuals and society when people and governments police the sexual orientation of others who seem different. Involving a toxic mixture of egos, malice, and changing standards of masculinity (over a century ago), Koehler's experience speaks directly to modern discussions of gender norms, damaging stereotypes, and the fundamental misunderstandings that divide our country.

Reviews

"Scandal on Plum Island is an intriguing and deeply-felt story, well told and well researched with a timely and timeless theme. The insular setting of Plum Island and the insular world of the U.S. Army combine to make this a fascinating and unique tale that reads like a legal thriller. Social justice meets true-life suspense. You can't put this one down."  —Nelson DeMille, best-selling author of Plum Island

"An amazing and important story which will surprise many people (as it did me) . . . A meaningful story with relevance today" —Ann Northrop, host of cable TV show "Gay USA"

"What an interesting tale, revealing how fragile and precarious is our sense of masculinity, and how the gender police can test even the most decent of men."  —Michael Kimmel, SUNY Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Gender Studies Executive Director, Center for the Study of Men and Masculinities

Author Biography

Marian E. Lindberg is a lawyer whose varied legal practice spans more than 35 years and has included a death penalty case, a challenge of anti-evolution textbook warnings and First Amendment cases. She is the author of The End of the Rainy Season: Discovering My Family's Hidden Past in Brazil. She lives in Wainscott, New York.