Latest news with #queerliterature
Irish Times
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Queer romance at the end of the world: the best new young-adult fiction
The title gives it away, to a certain extent. Vesuvius (Atom, £9.99), the debut from Cass Biehn, is set in Pompeii just before that fateful eruption. For modern readers who may feel as if our own world constantly teeters on the brink of disaster (or has perhaps toppled over), there's an immediate appeal here in this tale of two star-crossed boys – one thief, one temple attendant – whose paths cross when the former steals a sacred relic. Mercury's helmet is said to contain tremendous power, but when Felix steals it, he's mainly concerned with its monetary value. In a reverse Pascal's wager, he holds fast to one rule: 'magic isn't worth the cost of belief'. Loren, on the other hand, is all too aware the supernatural exists – all his life he has seen flashes of the future, though he's been cautioned not to share them publicly. When he encounters Felix, he instantly recognises the boy from his apocalyptic visions – 'the living counterpart of the nightmarish ghost who caused the destruction' of the city. There's adventure, political intrigue, and reflections on what it means to be a hero – all wrapped up in a love story that reminds us, as Biehn notes in their preface, 'queer people existed in ancient times as they exist today'. The umbrella term is useful here, acknowledging the historically and culturally specific ways in which sexuality is conceived of and spoken about, and Biehn pleasingly resists the urge to impose modern labels. Loren confesses he is 'not… for women', a certainty that comes 'as a bright shock' to Felix, who understands the fluidity when one wants a 'dalliance' but is all too aware that settling down involves a woman. A wealthy man may have 'a boy on the side', but never an equal; to want a 'companion' is impossible. Other concepts are slightly shakier for the period; there are conversations about virginity, historically policed for women but not men, that don't quite ring true, and there's a fuzziness over what 'childhood' might mean. These are nitpicks, of course, and more forgivable is the dialogue that moves between faux-archaic and contemporary idiom – if we are to be relentlessly purist, we would not be reading this text in modern English, after all. READ MORE This gripping adventure is part of a wave of classical-myth-inspired YA fiction and pop culture more generally, and one suspects the generation of kids who grew up on the Percy Jackson books and are now writing their own novels have more than a little to do with this. There are tropes and indeed some phrases that will be too familiar to readers – within two lines we have 'Loren's thudding heart skipped' and 'Felix's copper curls tangled like a storm-tossed ocean' – but if you are inclined to swoon over a queer romance at the end of the world (raises hand) you'll let it slide. That sense of queer history, and a historical Italian setting, is also at play in Brian Selznick's Run Away With Me (Scholastic, £19.99), albeit a tad more recent. Rome, the summer of 1986. Danny wanders the streets while his mother works on old books, and meets a strange, beautiful boy. 'Angelo and I expanded and contracted across the city, a murmuration of two that shifted and changed shape but always felt complete and alive, no matter how big or small the space between us.' It is like being in a myth, though he is aware how unhappily most end – 'People were usually transformed against their will into trees or constellations or deer killed by their own hounds'. Angelo is 'all sweat and cherries and rain', and together they will uncover the secret of the Monda Museum and its founders. Selznick, best known for his illustrated children's novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret , bookends the lyrical text with charcoal drawings, lending to the dreamy, delirious first-love feeling of it all. Gorgeous. Abdi Nazemian Slightly later in the 1980s we might move to New York and find ourselves in the world of novelist and screenwriter Abdi Nazemian's Like A Love Story (Little Tiger, £8.99), featuring three teenagers in a quasi-love triangle against the backdrop of the Aids crisis. Reza has just moved to the city, and is sure of two things – he is gay and it will kill him. He will not let his mother bandage a minor wound: 'Just in case my blood is toxic. Just in case you can get it from having too many thoughts of boys in locker rooms.' Meeting Art, out and proud at school, is a jolt, but even Art sometimes wonders: 'I don't know how I'll ever begin to live while this disease is raging. Who will love me when all they'll see when they look at me is the possibility that I may kill them?' The terror, which may feel melodramatic for contemporary readers – as I write this there is news of yet another medical breakthrough in the prevention of HIV transmission – is legitimate, as we learn when we meet Judy (Art's best friend, who falls hopelessly for Reza) and her dying, fiercely activist uncle Stephen. It's hard not to veer toward cliche when writing about truly awful historical moments, but Nazemian earns every single activist slogan, every entreaty to both fight and celebrate. There is nuance and care here, as various issues are explored; novels offer space beyond the simple binary of with us/against us that is so prevalent in our polarised society. Stephen noting, 'there's a difference between denying sick people access to life-saving drugs and expressing an opinion about how to define queer film' is a particularly welcome line. Thoughtful, emotional, haunting – I loved it. Josh Silver British author Josh Silver is always good on sideways glances at contemporary treatments for mental health, approaching the topic with tremendous empathy and knowledge but unafraid to squint a little at panaceas. In his latest, Traumaland (Rock The Boat, £8.99), the new silver bullet is 'optogenetics', a 'cutting-edge neuro modulation' that is 'a quick, effective and innovatory new therapy, set to revolutionise mental healthcare'. Eli is unaware of all this at first – but he does know he has been through something traumatic, and it's left him unable to feel anything. Seeking out dark thrills at an underground club leads him into a tangled web of conspiracies (don't go clubbing, kids), and makes him determined to uncover the truth of his alleged accident. Silver's pacy writing and twisty plot makes this a delicious read as well as providing much food for thought. Finally, sometimes one just needs a sapphic rom-com involving a princess and a scholarship student at a boarding school in a tiny fictional European country. This premise, too, is part of a broader trend in YA and romance – glamorous escapism, but make it gay. It's a little bit progressive and a little bit conservative, a repackaging of old ideas with a rainbow ribbon, often with little reflection, but in the best hands, it's tremendously pleasing. And we are in good hands with the always-reliable Sophie Gonzales, whose Nobody in Particular (Hodder, £9.99) offers a sharp eye on public scrutiny – 'The media has been writing incessantly about me since six months before my birth,' Princess Rose recalls – while also providing a sweet, hopeful love story.
Forbes
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Aesop Queer Library Returns To New York City For Pride
Aesop Queer Library will return to New York City, Los Angeles, and Toronto this June Aesop A beloved way to acquire LGBTQ+ books, for free, is returning for its fifth year. Aesop Queer Library will return this Pride season with pop-ups in New York City, Los Angeles, and Toronto from Thursday, June 26 through Sunday, June 29. And in a year when corporate pride initiatives are notably stifled, this Australia-based fragrance brand is continuing it's June traditions. Each year at selected boutiques, Aesop removes their products from the stores and uses the shelving space to offer books by and about queer people, all on the house. Select stores will also offer reading nooks, and guests can each leave with a free title. In 2025, the Aesop Queer Library theme will be 'In Other Words -language as liberation', with titles including bestsellers curated in partnership with Penguin Random House and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), an organization instrumental in defending freedom of speech and expression. Featured authors at the library include Ocean Vuong, Tourmaline, and Miranda July. For those who can't make it to the pop-up, a full reading list from a diverse range of queer authors can be found on Aesop's website. 'In a moment when many queer voices face silencing, the act of sharing LGBTQIA2S+ literature becomes all the more essential,' shared a spokesperson for Aesop. 'These stories transcend reductive narratives, illuminating the richness, resilience, and nuance of queer experience… Our 2025 theme, In Other Words—Language as Liberation, underscores the role of words as both refuge and resistance—revealing how language not only describes the world but dares to remake it. These books are bridges: between generations, identities, and imaginations." Inside an Aesop Queer Library Aesop Aesop's connection to literature connects back to the brand's name, inspired by the legendary teller of fables, Aesop. With each year of the pop-up library, attendance has grown. 'The Aesop Queer Library continues to evolve as a sincere and intentional celebration of queer storytelling—rooted in generosity, cultural contribution, and care,' shared the Aesop spokesperson. 'Each year, we expand its reach to bring the library to more communities, reaffirming our belief in the power of literature to foster connection, understanding, and self-expression.' In 2025, Aesop's queer libraries can be found at three stores in three cities: New York City: Aesop Rockefeller Center at 610Fifth Avenue, Suite 7 Los Angeles: Aesop Larchmont at 128 N Larchmont Blvd Toronto: Aesop Yorkville at 94 Cumberland Street, Unit 3 More LGBTQ+ Books in New York City Beyond the four-day pop-up, there are plenty more spaces to find curated selections of LGBTQ+ books in New York City. The Bureau of Queer Services, General Division, located inside the LGBT Center in Greenwich Village, offers a wide selection of LGBTQ+ literature, art books, indie zines and more. In Brooklyn, Hive Mind offers new and used LGBTQ+ titles in Bushwick (plus a cafe offering seasonal coffee and tea drinks), and the Nonbinarian Bookstore in Crown Heights offers a wide variety of LGBTQ+ books and gifts.
Japan Times
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
Pride and prose: Novels that illuminate queer lives in Japan
Japan has a long and colorful lineage of same-sex love and non-normative sexualities. As queer communities in Japan continue to fight for social acceptance, equal rights and legal protections, Pride Month is an opportune moment to look at how sexual minorities have been represented in the country's literary domain. Nowadays, Japanese fiction is more accessible than ever before, thanks to a burgeoning field of literary translators as well as the voracious appetites of readers around the world. While not all of the authors in the list below are queer themselves, their depictions of LGBTQ+ characters and themes illustrate, in some measure, the plight of marginalized communities in modern society. Storytelling is a bridge to empathy, offering insights into the lives and worldviews of people we might never be able to meet otherwise. If you're not yet familiar with queer narratives and characters from Japan, think of this list as a jumping-off point — and perhaps the beginning of your reading journey. 'Confessions of a Mask' by Yukio Mishima (translated by Meredith Weatherby) A classic of the modern queer canon, as it were, the significance of 'Confessions of a Mask' is perhaps overshadowed by the controversial legacy of its writer: Yukio Mishima, the ultra-right-wing nationalist, bodybuilder and literary titan who committed seppuku (ritual disembowelment) in 1970 after a failed attempt to overthrow the government. 'Confessions' was published in 1949 and is widely regarded as a semi-autobiographical account of Mishima's childhood and upbringing, relating the experience of a young man who struggles to reconcile with his same-sex attraction in a society of strict mores. 'Kitchen' by Banana Yoshimoto (translated by Megan Backus) Yoshimoto's 1988 book marked her debut on the literary scene and was the recipient of multiple prizes in Japan. The titular novella follows a young woman named Mikage, who takes up residence with Yuichi, a friend of her late grandmother's. Mikage grows fond of Yuichi as well as Eriko, his transgender mother who owns a nightclub. A meditation on family, food and grief, 'Kitchen' creates a space of solace in spite of the tragedy that shadows Mikage's world. 'Twinkle Twinkle' by Kaori Ekuni (translated by Emi Shimokawa) Ekuni's novel centers on a marriage of convenience between Shoko, an alcoholic translator, and Mutsuki, a gay physician who remains very much devoted to his partner Kon. Misfits in a society that prizes conformity, Shoko and Mutsuki decide to tie the knot to alleviate the pressures they face individually. When the topic of procreation comes up, the couple delineate the boundaries of their unconventional relationship and, alongside Kon, create a modern family in their own image. Originally published in 1991, Ekuni's debut novel earned her the Murasaki Shikibu Prize for Literature. 'Real World' by Natsuo Kirino (translated by Philip Gabriel) 'Real World' (published in 2003) follows a quartet of teenage girlfriends — Toshi, Yuzan, Terauchi and Kirarin — and their encounter with a boy nicknamed 'Worm,' who is accused of murdering his mother. Shifting between the perspectives of all five characters, Kirino's mosaic novel offers an intimate glimpse of Japanese youth at the turn of the century, including the interior life of a young woman who attempts to hide her sexuality amid the dynamics of her friend group. 'Sputnik Sweetheart' by Haruki Murakami (translated by Philip Gabriel) One of Murakami's more compact novels, 'Sputnik Sweetheart' is ostensibly a love story between Sumire, an aspiring writer, and the enigmatic Miu, an older Zainichi Korean woman whom she meets at a wedding. Originally published in 2000, the story is narrated by a male protagonist known simply as 'K,' who watches helplessly from the sidelines as Sumire absconds to Europe with Miu. Sumire disappears in Greece and K is compelled to travel afar to aid in her search — his journey revealing more questions than answers, in true Murakami fashion. 'Solo Dance' by Li Kotomi (translated by Arthur Reiji Morris) Li won the Gunzo Prize in 2017 for her novel about the coming of age of Cho Norie, a Taiwanese lesbian navigating a new life in Japan while haunted by the violence and trauma of her past. Alternating between the present day and Norie's younger years, the narrative presents a psychological portrait of a protagonist on the margins, grappling with a deep-rooted loneliness while holding onto hope for a kinder, softer future. 'The Night of Baba Yaga' by Akira Otani (translated by Sam Bett) Yoriko Shindo, a young woman with a checkered past, is the reader's avatar in this slim volume from 2020 that explores the bloody underworld of the 1970s. When Yoriko is forced into servitude in a yakuza compound, she becomes the driver and bodyguard for Shoko Naiki, the 18-year-old daughter of the mob boss. Yoriko and Shoko forge an unlikely bond that forms the core of the novel, which ricochets between two storylines as the violence escalates into a subversive and titillating climax. Untranslated gems in queer literature Despite the Japanese literature publishing boom of recent years, many more works of queer fiction still don't have English translations (for now). Japanese literacy can unlock a whole world of writers and stories from the LGBTQ+ literary canon. 'Two Virgins in the Attic' by Nobuko Yoshiya Originally published in 1919, Yoshiya's story about two young women who become roommates at a boarding school is widely considered to be a narrative prototype of and forerunner to yuri manga depicting same-sex romance and attraction between girls. 'A Lovers' Forest' by Mari Mori Mori, daughter of esteemed novelist Ogai Mori, published this collection of four short stories in 1961, which many credit for inspiring the Boys' Love genre of manga that began to flourish in the following decade. 'Yes, Yes, Yes' by Hisao Hiruma Hiruma's groundbreaking novel won the Bungei Prize in 1989 and delves into the lives of young men who work as hustlers in Shinjuku Ni-chome, Tokyo's LGBTQ+ neighborhood. 'Egoist' by Makoto Takayama The basis of the award-winning film of the same name from director Daishi Matsunaga, Takayama's novel centers on the ill-fated love affair between a magazine editor and his personal trainer. 'The Real Life of Julian Butler' by Nao Kawamoto Kawamoto's novel, published in 2021, is a 'translation' of the biography of Julian Butler — a fictional American writer — and an appraisal of his scandalous public life. 'Dtopia' by Jose Ando Mixed-race author Ando won the Akugatawa Prize this year for his third novel, which centers on contestants on a reality TV dating show set in Bora Bora. A translation of his debut novel 'Jackson Alone' by Kalau Almony is forthcoming in 2026.
The Guardian
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Where to start with: Edmund White
Edmund White, who has died aged 85, was born in Cincinatti, to conservative, homophobic parents. Although he soon rejected almost all his family's cultural values, he retained their work ethic: White published 36 books in his lifetime, and was working on a tale of queer life in Versailles when he died. Starting out his career in New York, during the magical and radical years that fell between gay liberation and Aids, he then worked hard and long enough to be eventually acclaimed as the 'elder stateman' of American queer literary fiction. White's most characteristic trick as a writer was to pair his impeccably 'high' style with the raunchiest possible subject-matter. When talking about gay men's sex-lives, the goods have rarely been delivered so elegantly. Author and director Neil Bartlett suggests some good places to start. A Boy's Own Story (1982) was White's breakthrough in the UK. A wonderfully well-told and clear-eyed chronicle of one young man's progress though the 1950s, it was streets ahead of any other queer 'coming of age' novel that had appeared up to that point – and changed British publishing. This was the novel that finally proved to the industry that if your sentences are beautiful and true enough, then book-buyers of all stripes will love you. And not despite the fact that you're gay, but because of it. White wrote six volumes of autobiography; in addition, almost all of his fiction has clear autobiographical roots. For its lavishly deadpan evocation of a truly appalling childhood – and especially for its brutal takedown of White's own trainwreck of a father – try starting your relationship with the man behind the fabulous sentences by sampling My Lives. And to get his view on Aids and its aftershocks – the context of almost everything he wrote – read The Married Man, his autobiographical novel, which ends with an only very lightly fictionalised account of the death of White's lover Hubert Sorin from Aids in 1994. The heartbreak that lies at the heart of the last 45 years of gay life has often been written about, but rarely so dispassionately or powerfully as in those pages. White's book that almost no one now talks about is one of his most important – and enjoyable. The Joy of Gay Sex is a gloriously sex-positive, wise and witty compendium of advice about how to get the best out of your body – and your heart. The term gets used too often, but this is a groundbreaking volume. Sign up to Bookmarks Discover new books and learn more about your favourite authors with our expert reviews, interviews and news stories. Literary delights delivered direct to you after newsletter promotion White wrote as he talked: unstoppably, generously and at speed. The exception to this rule was his magisterial 1993 biography of Jean Genet, which took him seven years to research and finish. The result is a heartfelt tribute to Genet's own art and a scrupulously well-organised account of how a gutter-born queer outsider became one of his country's greatest literary stylists – and one of the most risk-taking political provocateurs of his century. Genet was about as unlike White in his background and life choices as a fellow gay author could have been; nonetheless, the fact that this book was a labour of love shows on its every page. Forgetting Elena (1973) was White's first published book. A scrupulously enigmatic account of life on Fire Island, off Long Island, it somehow manages to transmute its bewildered young protagonist's doubts and fantasies into something as elegant, beautiful and mysteriously meaningful as a Japanese folding screen. Its opening also features my favourite sentence of White's: 'I am the first person in the house to awaken, but I am unsure of the implications.' Any claim that White was a 'great' writer as opposed to a merely brilliant, sexually explicit or culturally pioneering one – all of which he undoubtedly was – has to rest on his two 'big' novels: The Farewell Symphony and The Married Man. The Farewell Symphony, which came out in 1997, is an account of one man's experience during the almost unbelievable transformation of gay male life that happened between the 70s and 90s. Rooted as it is in very specific times and places, this book couldn't be more deeply felt, more ambitious in its sense of contested cultural history – or simply better written. The Farewell Symphony and The Married Man, published in 2000, are a definitive refutation of the canard that 'gay' writing can only ever really be of interest to a 'gay' audience – and a significant part of the reason why that tired old argument is now so rarely heard.
Forbes
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
25 LGBTQ+ Books That Deliver Bold Plots And Strong Voices
LGBTQ books are displayed at the annual Pride Town Hall at Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda, ... More MD, May 21, 2022 From romance to fantasy and even YA and books for teens, there have always been LGBTQ+ writers and queer books. Even when authors had to hide their narratives between poetry and pseudonyms, there has never been a world without queer literature; no matter how many bans or burns arise, there never will be. It is hard to rank the best gay books, partially because, especially in recent years, the genre has exploded. There are so many excellent queer books out there. While this list only scratches the surface, it is the perfect place to start for those looking to wade into the world of LGBTQ books. For the purposes of this list, queer literature is defined by the inclusion of queer characters or queer stories in the work. While it isn't specifically about the writer, it also seeks to showcase LGBTQ+ authors. This list contains both fiction and non-fiction works and even poetry. Ranking on a list like this isn't an easy task. Some of these books won't be for every reader, and multiple genres complicate the process. However, this list looks not only at quality but also history and, on some level, unfortunately, the tastes of the author. Not all queer books can be doom and gloom. Some have to be pulpy, humorous serials. The first book in a ten-novel series, Tales of the City, was originally published as a serial in the Pacific Sun and San Francisco Chronicle. The 1978 novel follows a woman who moves from Ohio into a funky apartment building and the overlapping lives of its many zany tenants. Armistead Maupin had the initial idea for Tales of the City while staying at Rock Hudson's house in Southern California. While the series became extremely popular, it was hard for him to get it published originally. However, he assured the Chronicle that he wouldn't let 'the homo characters didn't suddenly outnumber the hetero ones and thereby undermine the natural order of civilization." Here's where you can purchase Tales of the City. This book's inclusion on this list is a bit of a catch-all. There are so many excellent queer poets and this anthology captures many of them in the same book. Hand in Hand with Love: An anthology of queer classic poetry was edited by Dr. Simon Avery, a specialist in queer history and culture at the University of Westminster. The anthology features works from Sappho, Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Oscar Wilde, Christina Rossetti, Wilfred Owen, Edna St. Vincent Millay and more. It's a great primer for anyone interested in queer poetry. Here's where you can purchase Hand in Hand with Love: An anthology of queer classic poetry. Can a vampire novel that predates Bram Stoker's Dracula also be a lesbian classic? Well, yes, if it is Carmilla. The 1872 gothic novel follows a teenage girl who begins a relationship with a mysterious, seemingly teenage girl named Carmilla. The novel plays with attraction and repulsion, establishing many of the genre's tropes for years to come. While it also established the somewhat harmful trope of the 'Lesbian Vampire,' it is a much more nuanced and interesting portrayal than what the trope would later become. Here's where you can purchase Carmilla. Many great YA books for LGBTQ+ youth have come out in recent years, like I Can't Even Think Straight by Dean Atta, Into the Light by Mark Oshiro, and They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera. However, among the best (and a slightly earlier entry into the genre) is 2012's Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. Set in late 1980s Texas, the book follows two Mexican-American teenagers as they navigate friendship, sexuality and familial relationships. It is an extremely well-paced and tender book about living without shame (a great message for young readers). Here's where you can purchase Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. Zaina Arafat's debut novel, You Exist Too Much, follows a young queer Palestinian woman through vignettes from New York to Lebanon as she searches for love and home. The novel is at times uneven, but it captures a beautiful story about self-love. Published in 2020, it is one of a couple of recent books about queer Palestinians, along with 2023's The Skin and Its Girl by Sarah Cypher and Blood Orange by Yaffa As. Here's where you can purchase You Exist Too Much. A Single Man follows a LA-based British professor on a day after the death of his partner. Originally published in 1964, the book was shocking for its sensitive portrayal of a middle-aged gay man. Christopher Isherwood may be best known for his 1939 novel Goodbye to Berlin, which was adapted into the musical Cabaret. However, A Single Man is a beautiful and affecting work, by an important LGBT author. Here's where you can purchase A Single Man. The debut novel by Torrey Peters, Detransition, Baby, took the queer community by storm in 2021. The book follows a recently detransitioned trans woman named Ames, Ames' pregnant cis-lover and Ames' trans ex girlfriend as they navigate pregnancy, queer identity and their 30s living in Brooklyn. It is a messy story about parenthood, ex-girlfriends, love and detransitioning in an almost soapy and digestible way. It was nominated for the 2021 Women's Prize for Fiction, making Peters the first openly trans woman nominated for the award. Here's where you can purchase Detransition, Baby. There have been many great recent queer novels, but one of the best is easily Ocean Vuong's On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous. The 2019 epistolary novel takes the form of a letter from a son to his illiterate Vietnamese mother. It is a deeply heartbreaking book that chronicles trauma and tragedy. The book almost reads like a poem, and, fittingly, Vuong is probably best known for his poetry. If On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous is a little too triggering, his poetry analogy Time Is a Mother may be a slightly safer choice. Here's where you can purchase On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous. The true crime genre can be controversial; however, Elon Green's Last Call does it right. It is a deep dive into a series of killings of gay men in the 1990s in New York. However, it is about more than that. It looks at the gay scene of the 1990s and its relation to the closet and policing. The strength of the work lies in its sensitive portrayal of those who were murdered as well as the documentation of a bygone community. True crime won't be for everyone, but for fans, Last Call is an impressive piece. Here's where you can purchase Last Call. An Unkindness of Ghosts is a fabulous Sci-Fi book about a racially segregated mothership and a passenger who must solve a mystery connected to her mother's suicide. The 2017 novel takes a fairly unique approach to Sci-Fi, prominently using poetry and metaphor. An Unkindness of Ghosts explores afro-futurism, structural racism and neurodivergence in a unique way. It is intense, but it stays with the reader. Here's where you can purchase An Unkindness of Ghosts. Maurice is about a same sex relationship in 1900s England. The novel was initially written in 1913-1914 and rewritten several times; however, it wasn't published until 1971 after the death of its author, E.M. Forster. Forster worried that the happy ending would open him up to prosecution since homosexuality was still Illegal in the UK. He even left a note on his manuscript, 'Publishable, but worth it?' When the novel was published in 1971, it wasn't critically praised. However, it became a classic for many gay readers. When it comes to the history of queer publishing Maurice is important, but it's more than just that. It is a sweet story about self-actualization. Here's where you can purchase Maurice. Professor Susan Stryker has written extensively about the transgender community in the U.S., and her 2008 book Transgender History is among her best works. It is a concise history of the trans community in America. This book is a quick read but packed with context. It is a perfect first step for those looking to learn more about the transgender community and its history. Here's where you can purchase Transgender History. The Song of Achilles is a retelling of the Trojan War from the perspective of Patroclus and his romantic relationship with Achilles. While not a part of Homer's account of the same events in the Iliad, as far back as Aeschylus, there have been stories about a relationship between the two. The Song of Achilles uses this historical context to create a page turning romance. The book blends history, mythology and storytelling in a beautifully dynamic way. Author Madeline Miller clearly loves classics and ancient history. The book was published in 2011 and was well received by critics, winning the Orange Prize for Fiction. However, it surprisingly re-emerged as a 'booktok'—a book on TikTok—in 2021, leading to further popularization. Here's where you can purchase The Song of Achilles. Joshua Whitehead has written some fantastic books from the two-spirit perspective, including Johnny Appleseed and Making Love with the Land: Essays. However, Love After the End is a little different. It is an anthology of works from emerging 2SQ (Two-Spirit and queer Indigenous) writers. From writers like Darcie Little Badger, Mari Kurisato, Kai Minosh Pyle, David Alexander Robertson and jaye simpson, the collection looks at resistance, survival and the future in ingenious ways. Here's where you can purchase Love After the End. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit is a coming-of-age story about a lesbian who grows up in an evangelical community. Originally published in 1985, the novel examines family, faith and same-sex relationships. The book is semi-autobiographical and connects to author Jeanette Winterson's experiences growing up in the Elim Pentecostal Church. It is a classic British novel full of allusions and literary references. It has also long been on the GCSE and A-Level reading lists for education in England and Wales, making it a favorite of advanced UK high school curricula. Here's where you can purchase Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit. 1987's And the Band Played On is an amazing work that chronicles the discovery of HIV and the politics that surrounded the early days of the AIDS epidemic. The book looks at the gay community, the medical community, the media and the government and their actions or lack thereof during the 1980s. Author Randy Shilts was a journalist at the San Francisco Chronicle who wrote extensively about HIV and was disturbed by how unseriously many members of the media took the epidemic. Shilts tested positive for HIV while writing And the Band Played On and passed away from AIDS related complications in 1994. Here's where you can purchase And the Band Played On. The Color Purple is a 1982 epistolary novel by Alice Walker. The book follows a poor African American girl in 1900s Georgia who falls for a jook joint performer. While the book is a high school reading list classic, it is a brutal story that includes abuse and violence. It has faced censorship for years and has appeared on banned book lists. However, it also won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1983 and received near universal acclaim. It has been made into two movies and a Broadway musical. Here's where you can purchase The Color Purple. The Stonewall Reader is a collection of diary entries, firsthand accounts, queer newspaper articles and other materials that capture the stories of those involved in the gay rights movement in New York between 1964 and 1974. The years surrounding the Stonewall Uprising in 1969 are often seen as the catalyst for queer activism in the U.S. Much of the reader comes from materials collected by the New York Public Library, and it is edited by the NYPL coordinator of humanities and LGBTQ collections, Jason Baumann. It is a fascinating and moving historical text which is a must read for anyone interested in Queer history and activism. Here's where you can purchase The Stonewall Reader. This 1952 lesbian classic is a must read for those interested in queer literature. Originally published under the pseudonym Claire Morgan, The Price of Salt follows a young woman who falls for a housewife/mother, leading to a jealous husband and a custody case. The book was made into the movie Carol in 2015, and the book was also re-released under the name Carol in 1990. Its relatively happy ending and early publish date make it fairly unique (especially for its time). It is still a beautiful novel over seventy years later. Here's where you can purchase The Price of Salt. Stone Butch Blues is a 1993 classic about a butch lesbian's life in New York City. The novel draws heavily from author Leslie Fienberg's life. It is a hard but essential read that examines the prejudice levied against those who push the bounds of traditional gender roles and the power of activism. It is considered a bit of a cult classic in the LGBTQ community. The book won the Stonewall Book Award (at the time called the American Library Association Gay & Lesbian Book Award). Its title is referenced in another wonderful queer book, Lamya H's 2023 memoir, Hijab Butch Blues. Here is where to downlaod a PDF of Stone Butch Blues. Audre Lorde's 1984 collection of essays, Sister Outsider, is essential for understanding intersectionality in the queer community. As a Black, lesbian writer and mother, Lorde draws on past experiences to explore Black feminism and oppression. The book adds to critical social theory by looking at the overlapping and interlocking nature of oppression for intersectional identities. The collection includes essays from the late 1970s through the mid-1980s. It is an impactful work that still feels incredibly timely. If you're looking for more intersectional essay collections, 1981's This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color, edited by Cherríe L. Moraga and Ana Castillo, and Ain't I a Woman? by bell hooks are also great choices. Here's where you can purchase Sister Outsider. Originally published in 1928, Virginia Woolf's Orlando follows a poet who lives for centuries, changing from a man to a woman and meeting the great minds of literature throughout the decades. The book takes inspiration from the family history of Woolf's lover, Vita Sackville-West. While it has some dated elements, it is a classic of feminist literature that has been studied by LGBTQ and especially trans scholars for its themes. It isn't the only LGBTQ classic by Woolf; Mrs. Dalloway is less noted than Orlando, but it is a must-read for those interested in 1920s lesbian literature. Here's where you can purchase Orlando. When Kate Bornstein's Gender Outlaw was first published in 1994, it made waves. The book examines society's relationship to gender and the origins of gender. It is still revolutionary today, over thirty years later. Borstein's own journey from a heterosexual male IBM salesperson to a nonbinary lesbian playwright colors the book as it examines what gender means in society. The book looks at the spectrum of gender in a beautiful and introspective way. In many ways, it highlights the power of questioning not only ourselves but also culture and the world. Here's where you can purchase Gender Outlaw. There are a couple of wonderful graphic autobiographies from queer cartoonists, including Maia Kobabe's Gender Queer: A Memoir and Spinning by Tillie Walden. However, arguably the best is Alison Bechdel's Fun Home. The 2006 graphic novel chronicles Bechdel's childhood living in a funeral home, the death of her closeted father and her own journey as a lesbian. While it is a graphic novel, it is not for children. This is not only because of its ruminations on suicide and brief sex scenes but also because it's pretty dense with many references to literature and queer art. However, it is a gorgeous piece about family and sexuality. Bechdel followed up the memoir with another, 2012's Are You My Mother? Fun Home was also adapted into a Broadway musical in 2013. Here's where you can purchase Fun Home. Giovanni's Room is a 1958 novel about an American living in Europe and his frustrating relationship with Giovanni, an Italian bartender working at a Parisian Gay bar. The book isn't only an essential work in the history of queer literature but also a beautiful exploration of bisexuality, internalized homophobia and societal isolation. The book was highly controversial, and Baldwin's publisher even said, "This new book will ruin your career,' and suggested that he burn it. However, it has become a beloved classic. It is even the namesake of America's longest-running queer bookstore, Philly AIDS Thrift at Giovanni's Room in Philadelphia, which has been called the 'center of gay Philly.' Here's where you can purchase Giovanni's Room. Bottom Line There are a lot of queer books, especially in recent years. This list just scratches the surface; so comment your LGBTQ+ favorites and happy reading! Who Are Popular LGBTQ+ Authors? In some ways, there is a difference between authors who are LGBTQ+ and authors who write queer stories. However, this mainly applies to early queer authors who weren't always able to be explicit in their narratives. At the same time, even under repressive systems, authors like Oscar Wilde and Walt Witman explored queer themes in their works. Writers like James Baldwin, Virginia Woolf, Audre Lorde and Rita Mae Brown helped shape what LGBTQ+ writing would look like for a new generation. Currently, authors like Ocean Vuong, Torrey Peters and Carmen Maria Machado have become icons of new queer books. What Are Great LGBTQ+ Romance Novels? LGBTQ+ romance novels are having a moment. While some more classic romance works made this list, if you are looking for more typical modern romance books, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a great choice. The 2017 novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid follows a writer as she works on the biography of one of Hollywood's biggest stars, who is ready to come out of the closet. Also published in 2017, Mackenzi Lee's The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue is great for the Bridgerton crowd. Set in the 1700s, the book follows a reckless queer aristocrat, his sister and the love of his life on a Grand Tour of Europe. What Are Great LGBTQ+ Graphic Novels? One of the best LGBTQ+ graphic novels is easily Alison Bechdel's Fun Home, but if you are looking for more books, Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe is great. The memoir follows eir journey towards gender acceptance (Kobabe uses e/em/eir pronouns). It is a cathartic and powerful work about the true nature of gender. If you are looking for a truly easy read, Alice Oseman's Heartstopper series is a good choice. The first book was published in 2018, but there are now five books in the series. It is a sweet story about two high schoolers who fall in love. The series was also turned into a live-action Netflix series. What Are Great LGBTQ+ Books For Teens? There are many great LGBTQ+ books for teens, especially recently. While a couple made this list, Ann Zhao's Dear Wendy (2024) should be included as further reading. Dear Wendy follows two aromantic and asexual students who run competing advice columns but become friends in real life. Brent Hartinger's 2003 novel Geography Club is a slightly older but still delightful choice. The book follows a gay teen and his two friends who start a secret Gay-Straight Alliance under the pretense of being a geography club.
