[2][3][4] Burton's interest in the industry's decline began in 2010 when she and her girlfriend sought out a Chicago lesbian bar shortly after moving to the city.

[5][6] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Burton was asked what she missed the most – dyke bars – and found an agent but then learned the depth of the industry's decline.

[8] Kirkus Reviews commented on Burton's writing style, which they called "bloglike" due to its inclusion of stream of consciousness prose, as well as the fact it's written more as a travel diary instead of an academic study.

They concluded the review by calling Moby Dyke "a lighthearted, honest narrative about [the author's] messy adventure.

"[9] This article about a non-fiction book on lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender topics is a stub.