best books on gay biographies

The 10 Best Gay Memoirs You Should Have Read Already By Now!

Posted on Last updated: December 3, 2023

Categories Queer Literature

Diving into the kaleidoscope of queer stories, amplifying LGBTQ+ authors one narrative at a time.

Most people think of memoirs as platforms for the dramatic day-to-day of celebrities, but to assume that that impression is true for all works in the genre would be a great shame.

After all, some of the most influential and powerful items in our literary history have been autobiographies or memoirs, and it is only recently, in the age of sensational news, that memoirs have unfortunately become notorious for triviality. This is certainly true of many of the best gay memoirs.

They say that you cannot truly understand someone or some way of life until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes, and that is exactly why reading memoirs is just as important as indulging in other kinds of written material.

There’s something special about reading and diving into a different perspective on the world that we call our own, and there’s a way how it opens our eyes that is truly unique when it comes to writing as a whole. With memoirs, one can experience things that one has never dreamed of and gain great insight into the minds of our fellow human beings.

This means that while normal books are about imagining a new reality, memoirs are about reimagining the one we have – seeing it through the eyes of some of our best and brightest. They give legends and pioneers a chance to divulge their discoveries and feelings and for their successors to learn from their experiences.

While we as a people sometimes have a less than successful time learning from our past, that isn’t to say that there’s nothing to benefit from studying that of those who serve to inspire and raise us. This can include personal hardship, unique experiences, or the legacies of the frontier fighters in queer rights, both present and past.

Not only that, but the historical value presented by memoirs is also incredibly surmountable. For the large part, human culture is a written one. All of the things that we know about the past come from either art or writing and it is certain that the words we put on our screens and paper now – especially on the internet – will be studied and deliberated over for a long time to come.

With that said, and with good respect for the past, it’s time to dive into ten of the best queer memoirs ever written. Enjoy, learn, and read on through history!

She is just this side of wonderful, and suddenly the glamorous world fills itself with shining and we laugh at highway monuments that explain how hard the trek had been for Franciscans in the Indian wilderness, poor fellows— conversion is the devil’s own work! Then the stones of her dream turn up under her feet, the back of a huge land turtle. I know we must be circling Paradise because the ants enter the fleshy petals of the roadside flowers with evident joy and purpose (oh, my dark, pretty one). From Six Sonnets: Crossing the West by Janice Gould

Don't have time to read them all? Why not try listening to them? Audible is a great platform for listening to audiobooks because it offers a wide selection of books, including bestsellers and exclusive content. With Audible, you can listen to your favorite books on-the-go, whether you're commuting, working out, or doing household chores.

The Audible app also has features like adjustable narration speed, a sleep timer, and the ability to create bookmarks, making it easy to customize your listening experience. Additionally, Audible offers a membership program that gives members access to a certain number of audiobooks per month, making it a cost-effective option for avid listeners. 

A great resource for people who want to maximize their time and make the most out of their daily activities. Try a free 30-day trial from Audible today , and you'll get access to a selection of Audible Originals and audiobooks, along with a credit to purchase any title in their premium selection, regardless of price (including many of the books on this list!) 

For ebook lovers, we also recommend Scribd , basically the Netflix for Books and the best and most convenient subscription for online reading. While they have a catalog comprising over half a million books including from many bestselling authors, for some of the books on this list, you'll still have to purchase individually - either as a paperback or eBook to load on your Kindle - due to publishing house restrictions. 

In this article we will cover...

I’m in Seattle, Where Are You? by Mortada Gzar

Swish: my quest to become the gayest person ever by joel derfner, running with scissors by augusten burroughs, naturally tan by tan france, bad kid by david crabb, the prince of los cocuyos by richard blanco, sex talks to girls: a memoir by maureen seaton, out of sync by lance bass, redefining realness by janet mock, how we fight for our lives by saeed jones.

A story of impossible romance under the most likely conditions, I’m in Seattle, Where Are You embodies the indomitable spirit of the repressed and the drive to strive upwards from the darkest places in life. 

Trying to make a life for himself in Iraq as a queer man before, while, and after the US bombardment and occupation of the country was taking place, Mortada Gzar was on a thin line between many daunting fates.

The consequences of being outed as gay in his home city would have been equitable with a death sentence, and the shadow of war meant that normal measures of escape and safety were far out of the picture.

In a series of events that goes against all probability and tells of a heart bigger than any of its peers, Gzar’s world flips upside down when he meets Morise – an African-American solider with the US forces – and starts upon a series of events that lead him to the US and into an impossible romance. 

But nothing is quite as he expected it to be in the new Western world all around him. The cloud of racism and discrimination he grew up through follows him and attacks from new angles, and it seems like his challenges in life have just changed rather than truly solved themselves.

Persecution lies around every corner, and the balancing act continues. Can Gzar ever find peace, or is it his destiny to feel in danger for his entire life?

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Taking a step down from I’m in Seattle, Where Are You’s serious, brutally honest tone to a place of more light, encouraging exposition, Swish: My Quest to Become the Gayest Person Ever is Derfner’s no holds barred take on queer life and the most developmental moments in his own, embodying the very boldness and energy in his writing that he used to power through his earlier years.

Swish: My Quest to Become the Gayest Person Ever’s sharp humor and glass-half-full attitude is sure to hook even the straightest of readers, providing a hilarious, addictive reading experience that makes even the most unique, odd circumstances into relatable, chuckle-inducing joys.

Not necessarily ‘playing off’ or ‘making fun of’ as much as using humor as a vessel to explore even the darkest of subjects, Derfner’s take on exposition is truly talented and makes a lot of difficult conversations in his work enjoyable experiences despite all odds.

Each of Derfner’s enthusiastically embraced phases, and the hats and shoes he has taken up throughout his life are equally colorful and extreme, but his progression between each one seems just as natural as living and breathing.

He’s been there, he’s lived the culture, he’s made up a good part of it himself, and that’s where Derfner writers from and how he analyses queer culture as a whole. The serious, the silly, the crucial, and the unnecessary are all equal in his eyes, as is human’s inane need to ‘be’.

We’ve all read and enjoyed our fair share of ‘change of scenery, change of life’ novels in the various niches of literary fiction, but when it comes to real life, not every transition comes at the behest of magical forces and to an end of wonder and adventure. A perfect example of this is Burroughs’ own life. 

His mother was an aspiring career poet with a head in her work and not much stock in her son, but even his rough early childhood did little to prepare him for what was to come not long after his twelfth birthday.

His mother’s carelessness fluctuated to even higher levels of insane neglect, and Burroughs was sent to live with a strange psychiatrist whose life, home, and lifestyle were more terrifying and deadly than just odd.

While the tale of Burroughs’ life is certainly an extreme one, and not for every reader, his ability to convey the strength of his emotions and experiences onto paper is second to none, and this makes for a gripping and deeply reflective read that is more in-depth and thoughtful than some of the best philosophical books known to the literary world as a whole.

Both the more or less ‘ordinary’ moments of Burroughs’ life and the extraordinary ones are made tangible by his writing, as is his overwhelming sense of relief when, in adulthood, he finally overcomes some of the tithes and milestones that had been holding him back for as long as he could remember.

Don’t let the name pun lead you astray – France’s memoir is no joke. Although he is now known as the star of Netflix’s Queer Eye and a sharp-witted, light-hearted paragon of queer representation before he was those things, Tan was a fashion designer, and even earlier than that, he was a young child growing up in a conservative Muslim family. 

Even back then, he always knew that he was different. Things didn’t line up; he was constantly falling in and out of trouble with both his surroundings and his family thanks to his over-the-top personality, and – even all of these years later – he still finds himself feeling strange about embracing the person that he truly is from time to time.

That boy who had to hide his feelings and live a lie still exists somewhere, as it does in the heart of countless people just like Tan, but not as lucky as he was.

Despite all of this, however, none of the obstacles that have put themselves before Tan has stopped him from stepping up to prominence, embracing being honest with the world around him, and finding love in the form of his husband, Rob. 

Perhaps the best way to describe Naturally Tan is by using Tan’s own words. “The book is meant to spread joy, personal acceptance, and, most of all, understanding. Each of us is living our private journey, and the more we know about each other, the healthier and happier the world will be.”

Bad Kid is a journey of self-discovery framed through the lens of a deep connection to immersion in the culture of the eighties and nineties, using trends, entertainment milestones, and the hubris of the times to deliver the recipe in that the man that Crabb is today was formed.

Pop culture and what we see on television are a large part of our connection to the world around us – as is the influence of others and their styles. In the pages of Bad Kid, Crabb describes his crushing drive to form a part of that culture – to absorb it and to simultaneously output his unique blend to it – and how he learned his most important lessons.

Friends, enemies, stars, and deep lows are all high points in the flow of his fascinating tale, embraced equally and held as the important, fundamental building blocks they are. Crabb feels no shame about his life and shows none, either.

Bad Kid is a coming-of-age story – and an influential one, too – but it is also a sign of the ages to come.

The way that Crabb sees the world in this book and the ways that he explores his progression through culture, drugs, music, and communities are all traces of how both he and the world that we live in progressed to the place that they are today, where new culture shapes and molds, and new outcomes are being determined every day.

Written by Richard Blanco – Barrack Obama’s inaugural poet and an incredibly talented writer overall – The Prince of Los Cocuyos is the tale of Blanco’s life growing up amongst a Cuban immigrant family in the streets of Miami, and what was behind the great leaps that came next. 

In a charged, emotional work filled with the classic conflict between traditional culture and expressionism, Blanco carefully combs through his life with reflective fingers to tell the story of who he turned out as.

Where his family’s eyes were set back on the not-so-distant place that had once been their home – which Blanco had never seen himself – Richard’s thoughts were on something much different. 

He didn’t feel like he belonged. In America, back in Cuba for as much as he knew, or anywhere in this world. And that is not to mention the immense clash between his thoughts and his realization of identity, leaving his time as a teenager as barely the first stepping stone towards later being able to finally come to terms with his identity as a gay man.

It isn’t until Blanco meets Victor – a fellow artist from Cuba who Blanco believes may have had a male partner in the past – that he has his first intimate experience, but even then, he remains cripplingly uncertain. He fears that in embracing himself as he dreads to do, he will betray his culture and become an alien to the person his parents had raised him to be. 

Sex Talks to Girls is just as filled with awkward moments of change and necessary steps as an actual sex talk – following Seaton from her youth as a daughter of the Catholic church to her current, more harmonic state as an open lesbian and a proud person overall.

Her story is a testament to the fact that peace is never unattainable, that it’s never too late, and that feeling down on your luck is not a reason to give up.

Things certainly weren’t straightforward for Seaton, and they probably won’t be in the future. Her coming of age and rising to the level of satisfaction with herself that she feels now didn’t come without a price attached, and certainly not without other sacrifices being made.

Friendships were lost forever, both due to her fault and that of others; her connection to religion was tossed about and fried to a fever pitch, and alcoholism and depression plagued her every step along the way to a better, fuller life.

Seaton’s description of her life is varied and detailed – from her early childhood with the alcohol in her parents’ cellar to the mistakes she made as a teen that led her down an even darker road.

After breaking out of an unsuccessful marriage and a grave problem with alcohol and into a new realm of quality, Seaton’s realization that she was queer was a fundamental puzzle piece in rebuilding her life and understanding what had been going wrong all this time.

James Bass is a singer, dancer, actor, and producer, but his life story is much more than one that can be boiled down into the names of occupations and claims to notoriety. After all, the world that has come to embrace him now would never have known his name had it not been for a phone call from Justin Timberlake and the rapid ascent into the spotlight that came afterward.

Bass grew up in a small town in Mississippi , and although his transformation into a musical idol changed many things about him, one of the most prominent things it did not alter was the childhood that came before that great moment of change.

This memoir is the first and broadest exposition on Bass’s childhood and growth as a teenager and contains one of the frankest, down-to-earth accounts of queer life to ever come out of the show industry.

Lance tells his younger self and readers to get out in the world and start living – quashing the onslaught of fears from all directions when growing up, feeling different from those around you, and persevering against all possible opposition.

Out of Sync is positively inspirational and goes beyond just telling the story of one man. It attempts to branch out and capture the story of an age and a moment – of sharp changes that affect one’s life forever. The right life can be just around the corner – one must look.

Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More is a tale of achieving goals, seizing the truth, and pushing forwards no matter who or what tries to stand in your way.

Rocketed to notoriety thanks to a profile about her and her journey as a trans woman written for the magazine Marie Clarie, Mock has since inspired hundreds of thousands of queer and trans people worldwide and intends to continue doing so for as long as she lives.

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii , Mock’s family was an African-American, Portuguese, and Asian mix that deeply loved her but was unable to properly be there for their daughter. That didn’t stop Mock from stepping up to the challenge alone, however.

Even though she had very few educational opportunities and very few resources to work with, by the time she was fifteen, she was self-medicating with hormone treatment, and by the time she was eighteen, she flew halfway across the world to have the gender-affirming surgery that she couldn’t have received in any way back home in the States. 

A definite must-read for just about anyone needing a fiery source of inspiration to add rocket fuel to their perseverance, the multi-award-winning Redefining Realness is a tale of passion for the ages. The power of Mock’s memoir and her story is tangible, and through it, readers can experience the toughness, strength, and power that Mock harnessed throughout her transition. 

Jones is a poet foremost amongst trades, but that fact does little to lessen the monumental effect that How We Fight for Our Lives has upon readers, the skill with which it is written, and the strength of its energy.

Ever since his origins as a young man of color in the south of the States, Jones has been fighting to make things right for himself and striving to find a place where he can be happy and truly live life as the person he feels like deep inside.

But there were many obstacles between Jones and a place of perspective peace. His life was and continues to be a work in progress, sketched over the wreckage of the times that he has struggled through in the past and built up using the wreckage of failed starts.

The artistic eye that Jones takes to his writing in this memoir makes it a read unique amongst all others in the genre – gentle, expressive, and possessing a quality that exudes the deepest sense of vulnerability. The spirit endures, and the determination flares higher.

If you’re looking for an expertly blended mix of poetry and gentle self-reflection, How We Fight for Our Lives is the perfect choice. Readers will be sucked into a world of swirling emotion centered on the deceptively simple-sounding but almost impossible task of finding your ‘true self’ in a world that constantly tries to convince you that you are an entirely different person altogether.

11 Must-Read LGBTQ+ Memoirs

Powerful narratives of love, life, and community to read during Pride Month and beyond.

Once upon a time, you would have been hard-pressed to find any memoir that openly explored sexual identity or the lived experiences of sexual and gender minorities. Today we’re grateful to see bookshelves lined with autobiographical gems by LGBTQ+ authors. Indeed, there are so many stirring accounts out there, we found it almost impossible to choose just a few! But these 11 LGBTQ+ memoirs are a good place to start.

By Jennifer Finney Boylan

Famed writer and transgender activist Jennifer Finney Boylan is the author of multiple memoirs, including the bestselling She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders . Her latest, Good Boy: My Life in Seven Dogs, is a moving account focused on “the transformative power of loving dogs.” Many will relate to Boylan’s passion for animals, yet it’s how she measures her relationship with each pet that’s truly remarkable. Good Boy chronicles seven dogs she’s had over the course of her life, beginning with when she was a young assigned-male child and ending with her current existence as a married, middle-aged woman. Part love letter to her pets, part memoir, Good Boy illustrates the power of canine companionships and the invaluable role our animal friends play in love, identity, and growth.

Redefining Realness

By janet mock.

Before her outstanding work on Pose and groundbreaking deal with Netflix, Janet Mock was well-known for her activism and writing. We’ve included her first memoir, Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love, and so Much More, on our list. (Mock’s second memoir, Surpassing Certainty , is great too.) In her debut, Mock traces a difficult upbringing and young adult life, which includes abuse, poverty, and bouncing between homes. She also discusses the importance of role models during her formative years as a young multiracial transgender girl living in Hawaii, the sex work she engaged in to fund her transition, and her path to graduate school and a glamorous position at People magazine. Mock doesn’t sugarcoat anything in this New York Times bestseller, and her raw vulnerability will hit you at the most basic human level.

By Edmund White

Edmund White’s City Boy: My Life in New York During the 1960s and ’70s, focuses on a specific time and place, yet the themes explored within are universal: hedonism, self-doubt, reinvention, and liberation. White bounces between discussions of his highbrow pursuits and his exploration of the seedier side of New York City, detailing erotic encounters with truckers on the side of the road and while cruising warehouses. Throughout, White offers an unflinching look at what it was like to live as a gay man in New York City in the 1960s and ’70s — pre–equality laws, pre–gay marriage, and pre-AIDS. Iconic locales and famous faces make this memoir doubly exciting from a cultural standpoint. White’s preceding work of nonfiction, My Lives: An Autobiography , is also worth checking out.

By Elton John

Fortunately Elton John’s autobiography falls into the former camp. John’s life has been astonishing, and he hides nothing in this No. 1 New York Times bestseller. Naturally he offers readers a backstage pass to his music career, but he also discusses his struggles with family, his quest to fit in, and his partnership with lyricist Bernie Taupin. With raw honesty, John tackles his drug abuse, his sexuality, and his romantic affairs, including his relationship with first lover (and manager) John Reid, his marriage to Renate Blauel, and the courtship of his current husband, David Furnish. There’s plenty of sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll in this memoir. There’s also a tremendous amount of heart.

Punch Me Up to the Gods

By brian broome.

In this captivating debut, author Brian Broome discusses being Black, poor, and gay with a zest and frankness that has garnered universal praise. Beginning with his upbringing in rural Ohio in the late 1970s and early ’80s, Broome’s life story is rife with racism, homophobia, and classism. His memoir also dives into issues such as toxic masculinity, addiction, and poverty. While there are devastating moments in this memoir, there are also flashes of joy and triumph that will have you raising your fist in unity. Broome’s book is heartbreaking, angering, uproarious, and graceful, with a deep focus on finding your true personhood in life. As he told Amazon, this is a story “for anyone who’s ever carried the burden of shame just from living and feeling like they were born wrong.”

Unbearable Lightness

By portia de rossi.

Portia de Rossi is much more than simply Ellen DeGeneres’s other half, and Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain will show you the now former actress in a new light. In this New York Times bestseller, de Rossi candidly discusses her sexuality, including what it was like to go from being a closeted lesbian in Hollywood (beard and all) to being half of one of the world’s most well-known lesbian couples. She also delves into her eating disorder, the early experiences that set her on the road to illness, and her obsessive relationship with food and working out. As de Rossi discusses sex scenes from Ally McBeal or the loneliness of living in the closet while in the public eye, it’s easy to see how her profession impacted her body image and identity, revealed with a level of honesty and openness that we rarely see in celebrity memoirs.

The Other Side of Paradise

By staceyann chin.

In The Other Side of Paradise, Staceyann Chin — an actor, performance artist, poet, and activist — harnesses her voice to present a story of survival and resilience. Chin was born on the floor of her grandmother’s house in Lottery, Jamaica, to a mother who did not know she was pregnant and who did not want her. She was raised by her grandmother for much of her childhood, until they were eventually separated. Her memoir examines what life was like for her growing up in Jamaica, moving from home to home and searching for acceptance, stability, and love. It also delves into her experience coming out as a lesbian in a less-than-tolerant culture, her search for her biological father, and her path to finding her own voice. If you enjoy this memoir, check out Crossfire , Chin’s book of social justice-focused poetry, published in 2019.

Becoming Eve

By abby chava stein.

Written by Abby Chava Stein, Becoming Eve: My Journey from Ultra-Orthodox Rabbi to Transgender Woman is not your typical coming-out story. And yet, Stein’s memoir draws on themes to which all of us can relate: It’s largely about breaking free from the expectations that are set for us by our families, communities, and religions. For Stein — who grew up in Brooklyn’s Hasidic Jewish community, alienated from secular culture and speaking only Yiddish and Hebrew — this meant leaving her Orthodox community behind to live the life she truly wanted, one where she could present as the woman she always knew herself to be.

A Dutiful Boy

By mohsin zaidi.

Another gorgeous memoir that explores the intersection of religion and LGBTQ+ identity, Mohsin Zaidi’s A Dutiful Boy is a must-read coming-of-age story. Zaidi’s upbringing in a strict Muslim household in a religious Islamic community near London was marked by hardship and heartbreak. Zaidi’s father even tried to have a witch doctor “cure” him of his homosexuality. But the book is not all about adversity; it’s also about hope and the fight for a better life. Despite the struggles of growing up as a closeted gay Muslim, without social support and in a school marred by gang violence, Zaidi became the first person from his school to attend Oxford University. He’s now a noted lawyer, LGBTQ+ activist, and governor of his former high school. (For another fantastic book about growing up as a queer Muslim, check out Samra Habib’s We Have Always Been Here: A Queer Muslim Memoir . )

By Alison Bechdel

Alison Bechdel is well-known for the Bechdel Test, a three-step assessment used to measure the representation of women in film and other media. The test first appeared in Bechdel’s 1985 comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For. Equally impactful is Bechdel’s 2006 graphic novel memoir Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic, a national bestseller that topped Time ’s best book list and scooped up multiple awards and nominations. In Fun Home, Bechdel explores her tense relationship with her late father, a director of the town’s funeral parlor. She pours raw honesty and hilarity into each page, detailing how after coming out as a lesbian in college, she discovered her father’s own homosexuality. Fans of poignant, witty memoirs who have an affinity for graphic novels will be smitten with this literary delight.

When We Rise

By cleve jones.

If you’ve seen the film Milk or the miniseries When We Rise (which is partially based upon this book), or simply know anything about queer history, then you know Cleve Jones. Jones is a social justice pioneer who championed the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and visibility alongside Harvey Milk and other revolutionaries in the early days of the movement. In When We Rise, Jones vividly captures 1970s and ’80s San Francisco, offering a journey back in time that queer folks and allies alike should take. And while Jones’s memoir delivers a powerful lesson in LGBTQ+ history, it also serves as a love letter to San Francisco, a tragic chronicle of the ways AIDS devastated queer life, and a valuable guide to finding family, support, and community.

There are so many more outstanding LGBTQ+ memoirs that may not have made our list but still deserve your attention. These include Chasten Buttigieg’s I Have Something to Tell You , Precious Brady-Davis’s I Have Always Been Me , Edie Windsor’s A Wild and Precious Life , Augusten Burroughs’s Lust and Wonder , and Rainbow Warrior , a memoir by Gilbert Baker, who created the Pride flag . Dive into one today!

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40 Best LGBTQ+ Books to Read for Pride Month (and Beyond)

These inspiring picks are from a variety of genres, including romance, YA and non-fiction.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

These books by gay, lesbian, trans and LGBTQ+ authors, as well as fantastic reads with characters who are part of the rainbow of identities the acronym encompasses, show us that our literary worlds can (and should!) be as beautifully diverse as the one we live in .

Everyone deserves to see their lived experiences reflected and validated, and that's especially essential for young people or those who can't safely express their identity in their everyday lives. And just like the rest of the literary canon, these best LGBTQ+ books come in all genres. We've got something for fans of thrillers and crime, romance novels , humor, classics, brand-new releases and of course, literary fiction. Add them all to your own TBR list, or pick up a handful as the perfect gift for the book-lover in your life.

And once you're done here, head on over to the GH Book Club to check out even more feel-good reads.

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

In this fantastical twist on dark academia, six magicians compete for membership in the powerful and prestigious Alexandrian Society. And if they have to make enemies out of their allies to get in, then so be it. For fantasy lovers looking for an LGBTQ+ alternative to Hogwarts, start with this one before diving into the sequel .

RELATED: 15 Best Book-Tok Recommended Books

The Mercies by Kirin Millwood Hargrave

In this delightfully queer historical fiction set in 1617 Norway, all 40 of an island's men have drowned in a brutal storm at sea. Left behind, Maren Magnusdatter, 20, and the other women must defy the norms of the day to survive. But then a Scottish tyrant named Absalom arrives to root out suspected witchcraft, along with his pretty young wife Ursa. As Maren and Ursa grow closer, dangers new and old threaten to destroy them all.

Sounds Fake but Okay by Sarah Costello and Kayla Kaszyca

The hosts of the popular podcast of the same name invite readers to question everything they thought they knew about dating, love, sex and everything in between. As they put it, "Somehow, over time, we forgot that the rituals behind dating and sex were constructs made up by human beings and eventually, they became hard and fast rules that society imposed on us all."

Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart

Growing up in a housing estate in Glasgow, the Protest Mungo and Catholic James should be sworn enemies. But they fall in love against the odds, and dream of escape to a better (more accepting) world. But when Mungo gets shipped off on a remote fishing trip, he'll have to struggle to find his way back to James, and a more honest version of himself.

Tor Books She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

It's 1345 in China's Central Plains and Zhu Chongba's village is suffering a devastating famine. Upon his birth, he's fated for greatness and his sister is fated to nothingness. But when a bandit attack orphans the two children, Zhu Chongba succumbs to despair and dies. Desperate to escape her own fate, the girl assumes her brother's identity to enter a monastery. There, she does all she can to survive until her sanctuary is destroyed for supporting the rebellion against Mongol rule. That's when Zhu really comes into her own, in this heart-pounding fantasy.

Orlando - A Biography by Virginia Woolf

Even if you don't think you're a Virginia Woolf fan, give this hugely influential masterpiece a try. It follows the 300-year life of a man born during the time of Elizabeth I who's on a quest to write a great poem. Of course, he has lots of life to live along the way, including love affairs as both a man and a woman with some of the most important moments in European history as window dressing.

Your Driver Is Waiting by Priya Guns

A queer feminist retelling of the 1970's film Taxi Driver , this is a red-hot social commentary on the social justice movement, the gig economy, performative wokeness and who gets to speak on behalf of the disadvantaged. It's smart, occasionally slapstick and a rollicking good time.

Loveless by Alice Oseman

The fan-fic obsessed romantic Georgia has never been in love, never kissed anyone, never even had a crush. As she starts university with her best friends, Pip and Jason, in a new town far from home, she's determined to find romance. But when her romance plan wreaks havoc amongst her friends in the Shakespeare Society, Georgia ends up in the middle of her own comedy of errors. This is a wise, warm and witty story of identity and self-acceptance, especially perfect for those who are exploring their own attractions.

Confidence by Rafael Frumkin

From the dead-eyed stare of Elizabeth Holmes to the snake oil shysters of old, we all love a scam. At least, bffs and sometimes-lovers Ezra and Orson are counting on it. The two meet at a summer camp for troubled teens and before long, they're using Orson's stunning looks as the frontman for Nulife, a company that promises bliss. This is a great LGBTQ+ read that proves queer people can be anything — even criminals.

RELATED: Best Books of 2023 (So Far)

The Late Americans: A Novel by Brandon Taylor

Anyone who's ever struggled to find themselves while pretty much everyone around them is in the same boat (hello, everyone's early 20s) will see themselves in this novel about a group of grad students, artists, food service workers and other Iowa City residents all trying to figure it out.

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

In a novel that has resonated with the queer community since it was first published decades ago, a young man finds himself caught between desire and morality in 1950s expat Paris. While much has changed since Baldwin wrote it, many aspects of life, love and heartbreak remain the same.

Rubyfruit Jungle: A Novel by Rita Mae Brown

Molly Bolt is the adoptive daughter of a poor Southern couple who makes her own way across America, finding love of all stripes in between. It's a true, slightly steamy celebration of being true to yourself, whoever that may be.

Maurice: A Novel by E. M. Forster

This sexy novel was written in 1913, but not published until after Forster's death in 1971. The title character meets and falls for Clive while at school — though Clive eventually leaves his lover and gets married to a woman. But then, Maurice falls in love with another man. You'll have to read it to find out if everyone lives happily ever after.

Detransition, Baby: A Novel by Torrey Peters

Reese wants to be a mom so badly, she'll do almost anything. So when her former partner Ames has an affair with his coworker Katrina that results in her pregnancy, they see an opportunity to create a new kind of family. It's a story of queer community, complicated relationships and creating the kind of world we want to live in.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Walker's masterpiece about the love between women isn't just an LGBT classic, it's a must-read book in just about every way. Made into a major motion picture, this National Book and Pulitzer Prize-winner follows the story of two sisters living very different lives and the unbreakable bond between them, even through impossible circumstances.

City of Night by John Rechy

Take a trip into the underground world of gay hustlers, drag queens, and sex workers in this book that scandalized the literary world when it first came out but went on to become a must-read. It's inspired musicians like the Doors and earned the author comparisons to authors like Kerouac, so if you like either of those, pick this one up.

In the Dream House: A Memoir by Carmen Maria Machado

This stunning memoir plays with structure and form as it takes us through an abusive relationship and what that does to a person. In a world where many people still believe abuse only occurs when a man is involved, Machado's work is essential.

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

The introduction to this amazing novel reads, "I was born twice: first, as a baby girl, on a remarkably smogless Detroit day of January 1960; and then again, as a teenage boy, in an emergency room near Petoskey, Michigan, in August of 1974." This coming-of-age story has received some criticism as society has evolved, but it's undoubtedly one of the landmarks of queer literature.

Dead Collections by Isaac Fellman

When Sol falls for a widow when she brings her late wife's notes to the archive where he works, it kicks off a whirlwind romance. One that's complicated by Sol's vampirism, which means he can't go outside during the day. Oh, and he's been illegally living in his office, where some strange stuff has started happening. This darkly funny novel tackles grief, transphobia and love with a fiercely original touch.

The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith

A chance meeting, an illicit romance, and the freedom of the open road — this classic has it all. That is, until one of the women is forced to choose between her lover and her child. Grab the tissues before picking up this suspenseful LGBTQ+ book. If you didn't think a thrilling story could also make your heart sing, let this one change your mind.

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22 LGBTQ+ Books You Absolutely Need to Read This Year

Melissa febos, brontez purnell, and alison bechdel all have new books coming out this year..

These are the most anticipated LGBTQ + books coming out between now and June.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

Casey McQuiston owes me a lot of money.

After I read her smash hit, Red, White & Royal Blue , in which the son (a bisexual!) of America's first female president falls in love with the prince of England, I forced every single person I knew to buy a copy. I tweeted about it insistently. I was in two separate book clubs at the time and lead the discussion on it for each. Red, White & Royal Blue was all I could talk about for three blissful months and now I'm downright giddy to start the process all over again with One Last Stop , McQuiston's second novel.

It's just as queer, just as romantic, and just as thrilling of a read. I mean, lesbians and time travel. What's not to love?

One of the most anticipated books of the summer, One Last Stop comes out June 1.

Kink edited by R.O. Kwon and Garth Greenwell

When I think about the greatest queer writers of our time, names like Alexander Chee, Melissa Febos, Roxane Gay , Carmen Maria Machado, and Brandon Taylor immediately come to mind -- all of which are featured in this new anthology by R.O. Kwon ( The Incendiaries ) and Garth Greenwell ( What Belongs to You, Cleanness ).

For anyone who remembers the second chapter of Cleanness where Greenwell goes to a stranger's apartment in Bulgaria for a night of kinky fun (fun?, I'm blushing right now just thinking about it), you know these stories are in the hands of a master. Covering the wide spectrum of kink, they are filthy and lovely. They will kiss you on the forehead; they will leave you tied to a chair and covered in urine.

Kink comes out on February 9.

Girlhood by Melissa Febos

What a delight it is to read the new book of a writer you adore and be knocked out all over again. With Girlhood , one of the queer community's favorite writers, Melissa Febos has written her career-best.

It's the grey areas of life and sex that Febos' writing exposes. She details her girlhood, "a darker time for many that we are often willing to acknowledge," and the lessons she's had to spend her entire life trying to unlearn.

In an upcoming episode of the LGBTQ&A podcast, Febos explains, "I wanted to excavate that word [girlhood] and scoop out all of the untrue meanings and associations that it has -- to really put on that shelf some very real, very ordinary experiences that are not what people think about when they think about the word girlhood."

Girlhood comes out on March 20.

Let The Record Show by Sarah Schulman

Sarah Schulman, novelist, playwright, and author of the absolutely crucial, Conflict Is Not Abuse: Overstating Harm, Community Responsibility, and the Duty of Repair, is set to release her magnum opus this May. Let the Record Show:A Political History of ACT UP New York, 1987-1993 is the most comprehensive political history ever assembled of ACT UP and AIDS activism in the U.S.

Twenty years in the making, Schulman, who along with Jim Hubbard created the ACT Up Oral History Project and produced the documentary, United in Anger: A History of ACT UP , explores how ACT UP came together and forced the world to change.

Let The Record Show comes out on May 18.

The Recent East by Thomas Grattan

Thomas Grattan's written one of my favorite debuts of the year. It's a queer coming-of-age (and beyond) story that manages to avoid all of the usual cliches typically associated with the genre. The family at the heart of the book are remarkably ordinary people with ordinary desires, existing in an extraordinary place: Eastern Germany soon after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

The Recent East is one of those books that I couldn't put down. It comes out on March 9.

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

Last night, under the flashing neon lights of the Telegraph Club, Lily Hu met Kathleen Miller and sparks immediately flew. Their romance is the heart of this new coming-of-age story from Malinda Lo ( A Line in the Dark, Ash, Adaptation ).

Set in 1954, seventeen-year-old Lily must navigate her budding queerness and the Red Scare paranoia that threatens to tear apart her Chinese-American family. Last Night at the Telegraph Club doesn't fit into any neat categories, which is part of what makes it such a joy to read. It deals with teenager discovering her queerness through her first romance, while living in a family of immigrants during a very specific time and place in U.S. history.

Last Night at the Telegraph Club comes out on January 19.

100 Boyfriends by Brontez Purnell

No one can write and tell a story like Brontez Purnell. This is a fact. I laughed, I cried, I winced, I gagged. I texted my friends whole pictures of pages while reading 100 Boyfriends, beginning with Purnell's description of his friend, a sex worker, who "dressed like a hooker from outerspace."

His doggy-style game was so on point; his dick and technique were also of note, like, you could tell he fucked for a living. I bottomed like a porno bottom to impress him; I tried to impress him to the point where I was like, "Wait--I'm paying him , shouldn't he be impressing me ?" I came three times.

Every sentence in 100 Boyfriends made me giddy; Brontez Purnell writes about everything that goes on in your head before, during, and after sex with a wit and clarity that has become the hallmark of his work.

100 Boyfriends comes out on February 2.

Filthy Animals by Brandon Taylor

In between publishing one of The Advocate's favorite novels of 2020 and the upcoming short story collection, Filthy Animals , Brandon Taylor also wrote "All the Time I Wasted Trying to Please Indifferent Men," an essay that I'm still unpacking with my therapist. In it, he writes:

"It made me think about the years I went around pretending to be less than I was so a man would tell me I was worthy. And I worry I've traded the best possible version of myself, all that glittering possibility, for vague shadows of affection."

It is this type of quiet, private humiliation, which Taylor is able to reveal better than anyone.

Click here to listen to Brandon Taylor speak about Real Life the LGBTQ&A podcast. Filthy Animals is out June 22.

Sarahland by Sam Cohen

In no particular order, my favorite characters in this debut collection by Sam Cohen are Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, and also Sarah. There's Sarah who loves Buffy and writes fan fiction and Sarah who is polyamorous, trans, and lives in biblical times. Sarahland is weird, wonderful, and unforgettable.

Sarahland comes out on March 9.

The Prophets by Robert Jones, Jr.

A love story about two young enslaved Black men in the antebellum South is a hard premise to pull off, and yet with The Prophets , Robert Jones Jr. wildly succeeds. Told in alternating viewpoints, readers get to know Samuel, Isaiah, and the other members of their community.

The Prophets contains some of the most gorgeous writing I've read. It also serves to correct history, to remind us that queer people have always existed.

The Prophets comes out on January 12.

Pedro's Theory by Marcos Gonsalez

I've been a fan of Marcos Gonsalez's essays for a while and his debut doesn't disappoint. Pedro's Theory: Reimagining the Promised Land explores the lives of many Pedros, real and imagined. Many are Gonsalez himself, many aren't. They are strangers, lovers, and archetypes that help tell the story of Pedro on Main Street, Pedro in the Promised Land, and Pedro of the Americas. All are on a journey to discover where they fit in the world.

Pedro's Theory , out January 12, is a quietly thrilling read, insightful, and constantly surprising.

Somebody's Daughter by Ashley C. Ford

Ashley C. Ford, the writer and prolific podcast host (Lovecraft Country Radio, The Chronicles of Now, MasterCard's Fortune Favors The Bold ) is set to release her long-awaited meoir, Somebody's Daughter. It's the story of her childhood, which was defined, in part, by the looming absence of her incarcerated father, and learning how to love those you have yet to forgive.

Somebody's Daughter , one of the most-anticipated books of the year, comes out June 1. (You can listen to Ford discuss it on a recent episode of the Longform podcast, here .)

Dear Senthuran: A Black Spirit Memoir by Akwaeke Emezi

With the publication of their first work of nonfiction this summer, followed by a book of poetry next year, Akwaeke Emezi ( Pet, Freshwater, The Death of Vivek Oji ) will have released five books in five years. It's impressive, but as Emezi writes in a recent piece in The Paris Review , the rate of output has a cost. "My spirit bends worlds and does things that shouldn't be possible, not with the way my flesh or this world is set up, but I'm learning that my body is something to be reckoned with as well."

Dear Senthuran : A Black Spirit Memoir (out June 8) will explore this ongoing struggle, while also diving into their experience of gender, family, love, and the meaning of home.

Click here to listen to Akwaeke Emezi speak about their recent novel, The Death of Vivek Oji , on the LGBTQ&A podcast.

The Renunciations by Donika Kelly

Donika Kelly follows up her celebrated full-length poetry collection, The Bestiary (longlisted for the National Book Award for poetry in 2016) with The Renunciations , featuring poems about resilience, transformation, love, and survival.

Here's an excerpt from one of my favorite of Donika Kelly's poems, " A Dead Thing That , In Dying, Feeds The Living."

What I wanted: a practice that reassured that what was cracked could be mended or, at least, suspended so that it could not spread. But now I wonder: better to be the egg or scaled mandible? The small hand or the flies, bottle black and green, spilling their bile onto whatever's left, sweeping the interior, drinking it clean? I think, something might have grown there , though I know it was always meant to be eaten, it was always meant to spoil.

The Renunciations is on May 4.

Hola Papi by John Paul Brammer

John Paul Brammer brings his trademark heart and wit to essays that reveal how he grew up queer and mixed-race in the American heartland, came out in a Walmart parking lot (he does not recommend it), and became the LGBTQ+ community's favorite advice columnist -- the "Picante Carrie Bradshaw" of his generation.

Hola Papi is out on June 8.

The Secret to Superhuman Strength by Alison Bechdel

From the author of the culture-shifting Fun Home comes a new graphic novel dedicated to Alison Bechdel's lifelong love affair with exercise and ever-changing fitness fads. The secret to superhuman strength, she learns, lies not in a six-pack, but in something much less clearly defined: facing her interdependence with others.

The Secret to Superhuman Strength is out May 4.

Detransition, Baby By Torrey Peters

Come for the taboo topic of detransitioning, and stay for the most original and engrossing debut of the year. Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters is the story of modern queer family trying to figure out who they as their world falls a part around them.

Detransition, Baby is out January 12.

Let's Get Back to The Party by Zak Salih

One of the first things you learn about Sebastian, the main character in Let's Get Back to the Party , is that he's gay, single, and extremely lonely. There's a lot I'm able to relate to. Sebastian is a high school art teacher who envies his queer students, the freedom they have to be out and proud, something that wasn't an option when Sebastian was their age. It's a novel about these generational differences, the "death" of gay culture, and how gay men date and have sex.

Let's Get Back to the Party by Zak Salih is out February 16.

With Teeth by Kristen Arnett

The author of Mostly Dead Thing s, my favorite book about a lesbian taxidermist, returns with another darkly funny, deeply touching story about a queer family.

With Teeth by Kristen Arnett introduced Sammie, Monika, and their extremely difficult, potentially terrifying son. As he grows up, their lives begin to fall apart and Sammie has to come to terms with her role in it all.

With Teeth comes out on June 1.

Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing By Lauren Hough

While famous for her viral essay about the decade she spent as a cable "guy" in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., Lauren Hough has lived many lives, now detailed in the unforgettable essay collection, Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing . Hough grew up in an abusive cult, was an airman in the Air Force, and has worked as a green-aproned barista, bartender, and bouncer.

Now, Hough has created a work of essays that cements her place in the queer canon.

Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing is out April 13.

Simply Julia: 110 Easy Recipes for Healthy Comfort Food by Julia Turshen

Best-selling cookbook author Julia Turshen's new book puts a healthy twist on your favorite comfort foods. Now that we're entering year two of qurantine, comfort foods are the only type of food I'm interested in eating, so I found Simply Julia to be particularly exciting.

I've been a fan of Turshen's since I discovered her recipe for Everything Biscuits and appreciate these nutritious takes, broken up into practical chapters like weeknight go-tos, make-ahead mains, and vegan one-pot meals. There are plenty of recipes to choose from for vegans, vegetarians, and meat-eaters alike.

Simply Julia is out March 2.

I Know You Know Who I Am by Peter Kispert

I used to think a tourniquet was a kind of flower. I was sure I heard my mother say she planted rows of them when I was younger: bulbous yellow things, unburdened by petals, slick with dew, shining like sugar in the frost of a March fog. It wasn't until I'd gone to nursing school in my mid-twenties, one of those fresh starts, that I learned a tourniquet is a compression tool, a vise for flesh, a thing that says, I am holding you together.

Wow, right?

That's an excerpt from Peter Kispert's short story collection, I Know You Know Who I Am , one of The Advocate's favorite short story collections of the past year. Each of the stories center around the lies we tell ourselves and others, and how these lies can grow and form their own realities.

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25 best LGBTQ books of 2020, according to Lambda Literary

Though the Lambda Literary Foundation had to cancel its annual and in-person Lambda Literary Awards ceremony given the coronavirus , the organization announced winners Monday. Twenty-five LGBTQ books earned awards across categories like fiction and nonfiction, comics, romance and anthology.

In this article

2020 lammy awards winners.

• Best LGBTQ books: Lammy Awards finalists and winners

“Because of the pandemic, the list is even more vital because we’re feeling even more separated and isolated,” William Johnson, the deputy director of Lambda Literary, said. “I think the need to have some sort of communal celebration around queer art is only heightened as we’re operating under these extraordinary circumstances.”

Lambda Literary is the premier organization promoting emerging queer writers. As in previous years, the 2020 “Lammy Awards” recipients celebrate the “dynamic diversity” of the LGBTQ community, with categories ranging from transgender poetry to LGBTQ drama. More than 60 literary pros perused more than 1,000 submissions to determine the year’s best books — which came from more than 300 publishers. The list of finalists clocks in at 164, out of which Lambda selected the best 25.

Our list constantly evolves as the community becomes more expansive in terms of what queerness can contain and what queerness can hold

William Johnson, Deputy Director, Lambda Literary

“Our list constantly evolves as the community becomes more expansive in terms of what queerness can contain and what queerness can hold,” Johnson said. “We are brilliant, we are wonderful, we are talented. I want everyone to understand that that’s the actual power of queer creativity.

While in-person meetings, like the Lammy Award ceremony, have been curtailed, Johnson believes there is still ample opportunity for readers to find connection through rallying around books. If you’re looking for your next LGBTQ read, why not start with those that Lambda Literary has rated among this year’s best?

Below are the Lammy Awards category winners. Click the category to see the rest of its finalists.

• Lesbian fiction : " Patsy " by Nicole Dennis-Benn
• Gay fiction : " Lot " by Bryan Washington
• Bisexual fiction : “ Exquisite Mariposa ” by Fiona Alison Duncan
• Transgender fiction : “ Little Blue Encyclopedia (for Vivian) ” by Hazel Jane Plante
• Bisexual Nonfiction : “ Socialist Realism ” by Trisha Low
• Transgender Nonfiction : “ We Both Laughed in Pleasure: The Selected Diaries of Lou Sullivan ” by Ellis Martin and Zach Ozma
• LGBTQ Nonfiction : “ In the Dream House ” by Carmen Maria Machado
• Lesbian Poetry : “ & more black ” by t’ai freedom ford
• Gay Poetry : “ SLINGSHOT ” by Cyrée Jarelle Johnson
• Bisexual Poetry : “ Pet Sounds ” by Stephanie Young
• Transgender Poetry : “ HULL ” by Xandria Phillips
• Lesbian Mystery : “ Galileo ” by Ann McMan
• Gay Mystery : “ Carved in Bone: A Henry Rios Novel ” by Michael Nava
• Lesbian Memoir/Biography : “ We Have Always Been Here: A Queer Muslim Memoir ” by Samra Habib
• Gay Memoir/Biography : “ How We Fight for Our Lives ” by Saeed Jones
• Lesbian Romance : “ Aurora’s Angel: A Dark Fantasy Romance ” by Emily Noon
• Gay Romance : “ Joseph Chapman: My Molly Life ” by James Lovejoy
• LGBTQ Anthology (tie): “ Love WITH Accountability: Digging up the Roots of Child Sexual Abuse ” by Aishah Shahidah Simmons and “ A Rainbow Thread: An Anthology of Queer Jewish Texts from the First Century to 1969 ” by Noam Sienna
• LGBTQ Children’s/Middle Grade : “ Hazel’s Theory of Evolution ” by Lisa Jenn Bigelow
• LGBTQ Young Adults : “ The Grief Keeper ” by Alexandra Villasante
• LGBTQ Comics : “ Cannonball ” by Kelsey Wroten
• LGBTQ Drama : “ A Strange Loop ” by Michael R. Jackson
• LGBTQ Erotica : “ Whore Foods ” by LA Warman
• LGBTQ Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror : “ The Deep ” by Rivers Solomon, Daveed Diggs, William Hutson, and Jonathan Snipes
• LGBTQ Studies : “ All Our Trials: Prisons, Policing, and the Feminist Fight to End Violence ” by Emily L. Thuma

Best LGBTQ books in 2020

Below are the finalists and winners of the 2020 Lambda Literary Awards, totaling more than 160 books across 25 categories. Some categories comprise as few as three finalists while the majority of categories include eight finalists.

Lesbian Fiction

1. " cantoras " by carolina de robertis (pre-order, ships june 2).

2. " A Generous Spirit: Selected Work " by Beth Brant

A Generous Spirit

3. " mostly dead things " by kristen arnett.

Mostly Dead Things

4. " on swift horses " by shannon pufahl.

On Swift Horses

5. " patsy " by nicole dennis-benn (winner).

6. " A People’s History of Heaven " by Mathangi Subramanian

A People's History of Heaven

7. " red at the bone " by jacqueline woodson.

Red at the Bone

8. " stay and fight " by madeline ffitch (pre-order, ships august 18).

Stay and Fight

Gay fiction, 1. " animalia " by jean-baptiste del amo, translated by frank wynne (pre-order, ships august 18).

2. " The Archive of Alternate Endings " by Lindsey Drager

The Archive of Alternate Endings

3. " in west mills " by de’shawn charles winslow (pre-order, june 16).

In West Mills

4. " like this afternoon forever " by jaime manrique.

Like This Afternoon Forever

5. " lord " by joão gilberto noll, translated by edgar garbelotto.

6. " Lot " by Bryan Washington (winner)

7. " Murmur " by Will Eaves

8. " On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous " by Ocean Vuong

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous

Bisexual fiction, 1. “ big familia ” by tomas moniz.

Big Familia

2. “ deposing nathan ” by zack smedley.

Deposing Nathan

3. “ exquisite mariposa ” by fiona alison duncan (winner).

Exquisite Mariposa

4. “ jude ” by garrett leigh.

5. “ Just Pervs ” by Jess Taylor

6. “ The Man Who Saw Everything ” by Deborah Levy

The Man Who Saw Everything

7. “ the not wives ” by carley moore.

The Not Wives

8. “ the remainder ” by alia trabucco zerán, translated by sophie hughes.

The Remainder

Transgender fiction, 1. “ the beatrix gates ” by rachel pollack.

The Beatrix Gates

2. “ honey walls ” by bones mckay.

Honey Walls

3. “ little blue encyclopedia (for vivian) ” by hazel jane plante (winner).

Little Blue Encyclopedia (for Vivian)

4. “ poet, prophet, fox: the tale of sinnach the seer ” by m.z. mcdonnell.

Poet, Prophet, Fox

5. “ the trans space octopus congregation ” by bogi takács.

The Trans Space Octopus Congregation

Bisexual nonfiction, 1. “ impervious: confessions of a semi-retired deviant ” by janet w. hardy.

2. “ Socialist Realism ” by Trisha Low (winner)

Socialist Realism

3. “ a world without martha: a memoir of sisters, disability, and difference ” by victoria freeman.

A World Without Martha

Transgender nonfiction, 1.“ females ” by andrea long chu.

2.“ Real Queer America: LGBT Stories from Red States ” by Samantha Allen

Real Queer America

3. “ theorizing transgender identity for clinical practice: a new model for understanding gender ” by s.j. langer.

Theorizing Transgender Identity for Clinical Practice

4. “ time is the thing a body moves through ” by t fleischmann.

Time Is the Thing a Body Moves Through

5. “ we both laughed in pleasure: the selected diaries of lou sullivan ” by ellis martin and zach ozma (winner).

We Both Laughed in Pleasure

Lgbtq nonfiction, 1. “ bloodflowers: rotimi fani-kayode, photography, and the 1980s ” by w. ian bourland.

Bloodflowers

2. “ the bodies of others: drag dances and their afterlives ” by selby wynn schwartz.

The Bodies of Others

3. “ dying to be normal: gay martyrs and the transformation of american sexual politics ” by brett krutzsch.

Dying to Be Normal

4. “ honeypot: black southern women who love women ” by e. patrick.

5. “ In the Dream House ” by Carmen Maria Machado (winner)

In the Dream House

6. “ when brooklyn was queer: a history ” by hugh ryan, when brooklyn was queer, 7. “ why karen carpenter matters ” by karen tongson.

Why Karen Carpenter Matters

8. “ a year without a name ” by cyrus grace dunham.

A Year Without a Name

Lesbian poetry, 1. “ & more black ” by t’ai freedom ford (winner).

& more black

2. “ odes to lithium ” by shira erlichman.

Odes to Lithium

3. “ (the other house) ” by rocío carlos.

(the Other House)

4. “ pressure cooker love bomb ” by sharanpal ruprai.

Pressure Cooker Love Bomb

5. “ soft science ” by franny choi.

Soft Science

6. “ time ” by etel adnan, translated by sarah riggs.

7. “ tsunami vs. the fukushima 50 ” by Lee Ann Roripaugh

Tsunami vs. the Fukushima 50

8. “ without protection ” by gala mukomolova.

Without Protection

1. “ doomstead days ” by brian teare.

Doomstead Days

2. “ the experiment of the tropics ” by lawrence lacambra ypil.

The Experiment of the Tropics

3. “ eyes bottle dark with a mouthful of flowers ” by jake skeets.

Eyes Bottle Dark with a Mouthful of Flowers

4. “ losing miami ” by gabriel ojeda-sagué.

Losing Miami

5. “ ndn coping mechanisms: notes from the field ” by billy-ray belcourt.

NDN Coping Mechanisms

6. “ the revisionist & the astropastorals ” by douglas crase.

More About The Revisionist & the Astropastorals by Douglas Crase; Mark Ford

7. “ slingshot ” by cyrée jarelle johnson (winner).

8. “ The Tradition ” by Jericho Brown

The Tradition

Bisexual poetry, 1. “ build yourself a boat ” by camonghne felix.

Build Yourself a Boat

2. “ hoodwitch ” by faylita hicks.

3. “ Moira of Edges, Moira the Tart ” by Moina Pam Dick

Moira of Edges, Moira the Tart

4. “ pet sounds ” by stephanie young (winner).

5. “ Revenge of the Asian Woman ” by Dorothy Chan

Revenge of the Asian Woman

6. “ romans/snowmare ” by cam scott.

ROMANS/SNOWMARE

7. “ a sand book ” by ariana reines.

A Sand Book

8. “ water/tongue ” by mai c. doan.

Water/Tongue

Transgender poetry, 1. “ dispatch ” by cameron awkward-rich.

2. “ EXTRATRANSMISSION ” Andrea Abi-Karam

EXTRATRANSMISSION

3. “ hull ” by xandria phillips (winner).

4. " Our Weather Our Sea " by Samuel Ace

Our Weather Our Sea

5. " the year of blue water " by yanyi.

The Year of Blue Water

Lesbian mystery, 1. “ the blood runs cold ” by catherine maiorisi.

The Blood Runs Cold

2. “ galileo ” by ann mcman (winner).

3. “ The Hound of Justice ” by Claire O’Dell

Janet Watson Chronicles

4. “ the mirror of muraro ” by amelia ellis.

The Mirror of Muraro

5. “ twisted at the root: a jane lawless mystery ” by ellen hart.

Twisted at the Root

Gay mystery, 1. “ carved in bone: a henry rios novel ” by michael nava (winner).

Carved in Bone

2. “ choirmaster: a mister puss mystery ” by michael craft.

ChoirMaster

3. “ death takes a bow ” by david s. pederson.

Death Takes a Bow

4. “ the fourth courier ” by timothy jay smith.

The Fourth Courier

5. “ the nowhere ” by chris gill.

The Nowhere

6. “ the quaker ” by liam mcilvanney.

7. “ Rewind ” by Marshall Thornton

8. “ Royal Street Reveillon ” by Greg Herren

Royal Street Reveillon

Lesbian memoir/biography, 1. “ long live the tribe of fatherless girls ” by t kira madden.

Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls

2. “ motherland: a memoir of love, loathing, and longing ” by elissa altman.

3. “ Ordinary Girls ” by Jaquira Díaz

Ordinary Girls

4. “ the rib joint: a memoir in essays ” by julia koets.

The Rib Joint: A Memoir In Essays

5. “ sontag: her life and wor k” by benjamin moser.

6. “ Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments: Intimate Histories of Social Upheaval ” by Saidiya Hartman

Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments

7. “ we have always been here: a queer muslim memoir ” by samra habib (winner).

We Have Always Been Here

8. “ a wild and precious life ” by edie windsor with joshua lyon.

A Wild and Precious Life

Gay memoir/biography, 1. “ the amphitheater of the dead ” by guy hocquenghem, translated by max fox.

The Amphitheater of the Dead

2. “ disasterama adventures in the queer underground 1977-1997 ” by alvin orloff.

Disasterama!

3. “ how we fight for our lives ” by saeed jones (winner).

How We Fight for Our Lives

4. “ i.m. ” by isaac mizrahi.

5. “ In the Shadow of the Bridge ” by Joseph Caldwell

In the Shadow of the Bridge

6.“ an indefinite sentence: a personal history of outlawed love and sex ” by siddharth dube.

An Indefinite Sentence

7. “ jimmy neurosis ” by james oseland.

Jimmy Neurosis

8. “ the light years ” by chris rush.

The Light Years

Lesbian romance, 1. “ aurora’s angel: a dark fantasy romance ” by emily noon (winner).

Aurora's Angel

2. “ create a life to love ” by erin zak.

Create a Life to Love

3. “ once ghosted, twice shy ” by alyssa cole.

Once Ghosted, Twice Shy

4. “ pretending in paradise ” by m. ullrich.

Pretending in Paradise

5. “ the roommate arrangement ” by jae.

The Roommate Arrangement

6. “ the secret chord ” by virginia hale.

The Secret Chord

7. “ tennessee whiskey ” by donna k. ford.

Tennessee Whiskey

8. “ top of her game ” by m. ullrich.

Top of Her Game

Gay romance, 1. “ best man ” by chris delyani.

2.“ Blue Umbrella Sky ” by Rick R. Reed

Blue Umbrella Sky

3. “ code name: liberty ” by marshall thornton.

Code Name: Liberty

4. “ digging deep ” by jay hogan.

Digging Deep

5.“ escaping camp roosevelt ” by bryan t. clark.

Escaping Camp Roosevelt

6. “ joseph chapman: my molly life ” by james lovejoy (winner).

Joseph Chapman: My Molly Life

7. “ kiss me again ” by garrett leigh.

Kiss Me Again

8. “ my baby chased away the blues ” by r.a. thorn.

My Baby Chased Away the Blues

Lgbtq anthology, 1. “ the breakbeat poets volume 3: halal if you hear me ” by fatimah asghar and safia elhillo.

The BreakBeat Poets Volume 3

2. “ foglifter volume 4 issue 2 ” by luiza flynn-goodlett (sold out).

Foglifter Volume 4 Issue 2

3. “ the heart of the matter: the gerald kraak anthology volume iii ” by the other foundation.

Gerald Kraak Anthology Vol III

4. “ hustling verse: an anthology of sex workers’ poetry ” by amber dawn and justin ducharme.

Hustling Verse

5. “ lgbtq fiction and poetry from appalachia ” by jeff mann and julia watts.

LGBTQ Fiction and Poetry from Appalachia

6. “ love with accountability: digging up the roots of child sexual abuse ” by aishah shahidah simmons (winner, tie).

Love with Accountability

7. “ nonbinary: memoirs of gender and identity ” by micah rajunov and scott duane.

8. “ A Rainbow Thread: An Anthology of Queer Jewish Texts from the First Century to 1969 ” by Noam Sienna (winner, tie)

A Rainbow Thread

Lgbtq children’s/young adult, 1. “ all the things we do in the dark ” by saundra mitchell.

All the Things We Do in the Dark

2. “ the grief keeper ” by alexandra villasante (winner, young adults).

The Grief Keeper

3. “ hazel’s theory of evolution ” by lisa jenn bigelow (winner, children's/middle grade).

Hazel's Theory of Evolution

4. “ hurricane season ” by nicole melleby.

Hurricane Season

5. “ the meaning of birds ” by jaye robin brown.

The Meaning of Birds

6. “ pet ” by akwaeke emezi.

7. “ Pride Colors ” by Robin Stevenson

Pride Colors

8. “ wilder girls ” by rory power.

Wilder Girls

Lgbtq comics, 1. “ are you listening ” by tillie walden.

More About Are You Listening?

2.“ cannonball ” by kelsey wroten (winner).

3. “ Death Threat ” by Vivek Shraya, illustrated by Ness Lee

Death Threat

4. “ is this how you see me ” by jaime hernandez.

Is This How You See Me?

5. “ laura dean keeps breaking up with me ” by mariko tamaki, illustrated by rosemary valero o’connell.

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me

Lgbtq drama, 1. “ the amateurs ” by jordan harrison.

The Amateurs

2. “ dr. ride’s american beach house ” by liza birkenmeier, 3. “ a strange loop ” by michael r. jackson (winner), lgbtq erotica, 1. “ lord of the senses ” by vikram kolmannskog.

Lord of the Senses

2. “ lot’s wife: an erotic novella ” by rosalind chase.

Lot's Wife

3. “ the shape of the earth ” by gary garth mccann.

The Shape of the Earth

4. “ texas crude ” by thomas kearnes.

Texas Crude

5. “ whore foods ” by la warman (winner).

Whore Foods

Lgbtq science fiction/fantasy/horror, 1. “ black leopard, red wolf ” by marlon james.

Black Leopard, Red Wolf

2. “ the deep ” by rivers solomon, daveed diggs, william hutson, and, jonathan snipes (winner).

3. “ False Bingo ” by Jac Jemc

False Bingo

4. “ the priory of the orange tree ” by samantha shannon.

The Priory of the Orange Tree

5. “ the rampant ” by julie c. day.

The Rampant

6. “ a spectral hue ” by craig laurance gidney.

A Spectral Hue

7. “ stories to sing in the dark ” by matthew bright.

Stories to Sing in the Dark

8. “ wake, siren ” by nina maclaughlin.

Wake, Siren

Lgbtq studies, 1. “ all our trials: prisons, policing, and the feminist fight to end violence ” by emily l. thuma (winner).

All Our Trials

2. “ archiving an epidemic: art, aids, and the queer chicanx avant-garde ”, by robb hernández.

Archiving an Epidemic

3. “ beside you in time: sense methods and queer sociabilities in the american nineteenth century ” by elizabeth freeman.

Beside You in Time

4. “ queer times, black futures ” by kara keeling.

Queer Times, Black Futures

5. “ queering black atlantic religions: transcorporeality in candomblé, santería and vodou ” by roberto strongman.

Queering Black Atlantic Religions

6. “ reading sideways: the queer politics of art in modern american fiction ” by dana seitler.

Reading Sideways

7. “ scorpio rising: a queer film classic ” by r.l. cagle.

Scorpio Rising

8. “ trans exploits: trans of color cultures and technologies in movement ” by jian neo chen.

Trans Exploits

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Blog – Posted on Wednesday, Aug 05

The 40 best lgbt books of the century.

If you’re looking for the best LGBT books, you’ve come to the right place. Now that the literary industry is more diverse and representative than ever, the world is teeming with wonderful books featuring queer characters, so you’ll be spoiled for choice!

Our selection of the 40 best LGBT books is defined quite broadly: some are classics that explicitly thematize the LBGT experience, whereas others simply feature queer characters. We’ve got a whole category for nonfiction books, where you’ll find fascinating memoirs and tales of personal journeys, as well as a category for middle-grade readers — we know it’s important for adults and young kids alike to see themselves in what they read. We hope you’ll enjoy these remarkable books as much as we did!

1. Fairest: A Memoir by Meredith Talusan

Meredith Talusan’s memoir traces her journey, as she puts it herself, from albino boy in the Philippines to immigrant, award-winning woman journalist in the United States. Eloquent and moving, this incisive memoir explores a space at the intersection of race, gender identity, immigrant status, and disability, thematizing as it does the author’s experience of reading ‘white’ as an Asian albino. An issue that orbits all of these themes is the persistent question of desirability, which Talusan increasingly holds up to the light as an entirely arbitrary label that holds different meanings in different parts of the world. Fairest is a brave look in the mirror and an honest tale of selfhood.

2. Untamed by Glennon Doyle

In this powerful memoir and self-help book, Glennon Doyle talks about letting go of your inhibitions, years of ingrained social conditioning, and the need to please others, in order to really come into your own. Doyle doesn’t flinch away from vulnerability, and shares her own story of questioning where she found herself in life, and realizing she needed to realign herself to her true queer identity. Untamed talks about falling in love, being a good partner, but also learning to fall in love with yourself by rediscovering the self you knew in childhood and truly living your life. It’s a celebration, and certainly worth your time.

3. The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson

This is Maggie Nelson’s unapologetically theoretical analysis of her own life and marriage to fluidly-gendered Harry Dodge. Nelson’s sharp eyes illuminate the making of queer relationships and queer families, always challenging, always questioning. Bodies and their tenderly chronicled changes are central in this narrative: Nelson’s body is changed by pregnancy while Dodge’s body is changed by surgery and testosterone. “On the surface it may have seemed as though your body was becoming more and more ‘male,’ mine more and more ‘female,’” writes Nelson in The Argonauts . But to confine bodies to these labels is reductive, she goes on to explain in this powerful book.

4. How to Write an Autobiographical Novel: Essays by Alexander Chee

Alexander Chee’s collection of essays How to Write an Autobiographical Novel is a quiet and introspective book that will be of special interest to writers, but is equally enjoyable to anyone who has relished Chee’s many published (and celebrated) essays to date. These essays focus on Chee’s personal experiences as a gay Korean-American writer, and range in topic from the writing life to a eulogy of a friend lost to AIDS. Chee’s sensitive and subtle voice is able to sustain a reader’s interest throughout this impressive collection, and we recommend that you sink yourself into his prose without hesitating.

5. Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers: A History of Lesbian Life in Twentieth-Century America by Lillian Faderman

First published in 1991, this historical account of lesbianism throughout the twentieth century is, admittedly, a little dated. Still, for anyone interested in the shifting cultural attitudes surrounding female-centric romance across several tumultuous, wildly differing decades, the book is well worth your time. Faderman tracks America’s attitude toward women loving women from the time when “romantic friendship” was a normal, even admirable trait, through the experimental roaring twenties, to the terror-driven McCarthy years, and beyond. Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers is a fascinating look at not only the history of gay rights, but the intersection of how being a woman played into that journey — and a sobering reminder that the work still isn’t done.

6. A Two-Spirit Journey: The Autobiography of a Lesbian Ojibwa-Cree Elder by Ma-Nee Chacaby

Ma-Nee Chacaby’s life has never been easy: from abuse in both childhood and adulthood to alcoholism to racism, she’s faced plenty of challenges throughout her life. Still, while the unflinching subject matter can be difficult to read, the book as a whole is one of endurance, self-discovery, and eventual peace. Readers of all backgrounds will find something to learn from and relate to in this deeply personal account of what it means when multiple marginalized identities intersect. A Two-Spirit Journey is a memoir that will stick with you for many years to come.

7. Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story by Jacob Tobia

In this wildly hilarious memoir, Jacob Tobia tells us their story: from their childhood desires for both sparkly dresses and playing in the mud, to childhood bullying, to the halls of the United Nations and the White House. Sissy explores what it means when a person feels drawn to both the feminine and masculine identities, the shifting ways your relationship to gender can influence your life, and ultimately landing squarely in a place of pride. Who cares if you’re not playing by other people’s rules? It’s a delightful, empowering read that encourages all of us to stand up and claim our identities.

8. Real Queer America: LGBT Stories from Red States by Samantha Allen

It’s easy to look at cultural stereotypes and think that every American on the LGBT+ spectrum must either be living on the liberal coasts, or hiding deep in the closets of the heartland “flyover” states. But what Samantha Allen shows in Real Queer America is that no matter where you go, queer people find ways of forming thriving, vibrant communities with each other. From drag shows to gay bars to political rallies, Allen takes readers on a journey to all corners of the United States, finding LGBT+ people everywhere and revealing the pride that manages to flourish in even the most conservative places.

9. Queer, There, and Everywhere: 23 People Who Changed the World by Sarah Prager

Did you know that Abraham Lincoln was almost certainly gay? Or that Sweden was once ruled by a gender nonconforming monarch who, in the modern era, may well have identified as nonbinary? What about Eleanor Roosevelt’s love letters to another woman?

Throughout history, people across all ranges of the LGBT+ spectrum have been making a difference and shaping the world we live in, whether history chooses to remember that part of their identity or not. In Queer, There, and Everywhere , Sarah Prager sets out to highlight the lives and accomplishments of 23 extraordinary individuals, reminding us that queers have always been here — making the world a better place, one life at a time.

10. Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel

Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home is a graphic memoir, in other words a memoir in comics format, about the author’s upbringing and her relationship with her father. One line from the Tony-Award-winning musical adaptation of this book stands out: “I know you…” whispers the young protagonist, as she sees herself in the butch presentation of a delivery woman. Concerned with gender norms, gender roles, and sexual orientation, this portrait of a closeted father and an increasinly independent lesbian daughter will not fail to move you, while the blue-tinged comic strips are sure to tug at your heartstrings.

Middle Grade

11. star-crossed by barbara dee.

Children’s lit has become more inclusive in recent years, but one identity that still struggles for shelf space is bisexuality. Star-Crossed helps make up that deficit. Set against the dramatic backdrop of a middle school production of Romeo and Juliet , the story follows Mattie as she starts falling for her brilliant, pretty, and British co-star. Her feelings are complicated by a long-standing crush she’s had on a boy, though, as Mattie works to figure out what it means to like both boys and girls. It’s an affirming exploration of young romance, Shakespeare, and friendship that will stay with readers long after the curtain drops.

12. Drum Roll, Please by Lisa Jenn Bigelow

In this nostalgic, big-hearted middle grade novel, Lisa Jenn Bigelow introduces us to Melly: a girl who’s newly into drumming, and attending two weeks at Camp Rockaway. What she doesn’t know at the start of summer is just how much is about to change: her parents are getting a divorce, her best friend is ignoring her, and there’s a new girl at camp who’s giving Melly feelings she’s never experienced before. Drum Roll, Please will give you all the “feels,” as Melly swings between heartbreak and hope, ultimately learning the importance of expressing her true self — to a rocking beat, of course.

13. Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake

Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World follows a young girl whose entire life is upended — literally. Her family home is destroyed by a tornado, and in the aftermath, her sketchbook goes missing. This might seem like a small loss by comparison, except that the pages are full of pictures of girls holding hands. Now, pages from her notebook keep turning up in Ivy’s locker along with encouraging notes, and Ivy can’t help but hope that it’s from the new girl in her class. But between living in borrowed clothes, a confusing rift between her older sister, and the loss of her parents’ attention, Ivy will have to learn how to piece together the mystery, and her new life, on her own.

14. George by Alex Gino

In George , our titular heroine has been told her whole life that she’s a boy, but she knows the truth. Still, she’s not sure if it’s the sort of thing she should tell people.

But when her class puts on a performance of Charlotte’s Web , George desperately wants to try out for the role of Charlotte — a role her teacher insists can only go to a girl. Now it’s up to George, with the help of her best friend, to come up with a plan that not only secures her the role, but allows her classmates to finally see her for who she truly is.

15. The Pants Project by Cat Clarke

The dress code at Liv’s school might not seem like a big deal — pants for boys, and skirts for girls — but for Liv, being forced into a skirt every day is just one more reminder that the world doesn’t see him for the boy he is. Thus, a plan is born, and Liv and his friend set out to change the rules for everyone who doesn’t fit in. The Pants Project is a classic in the making, a middle grade novel that touches on bullying, acceptance, and diversity with the trademark grace and humor of the best in the genre.

16. The Other Boy by M. G. Hennessey

This heartfelt novel is about a normal boy, the kind of boy you’ve met a hundred times over: Shane loves basketball, graphic novels, and spending time with his best friend, Josh. But Shane has a secret, one he hasn’t even told his best friend: he’s transgender, and people used to perceive him as a girl before his family moved to San Francisco three years ago. When a classmate threatens to reveal the truth, Shane is suddenly faced with the possibility that his friends and teammates may not see him the same way again. The Other Boy is a beautiful story about staying true to yourself, and about the value of those in your life who will stand with you — no matter what.

17. Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender

Set on the lush shores of St Thomas of the Virgin Islands, Hurricane Child follows Caroline, a girl with the misfortune of having been born during a hurricane. It’s said to bring bad luck, and Caroline has certainly faced more than her share of that. This powerful book is a little heavier than some of the other titles on our list, but young readers will still get a lot out of their time spent with Caroline as she deals with evil spirits, first crushes, and parental abandonment. It’s a rich story that will weave its way into your heart as you bask in the warmth rays of its prose.

18. Zenobia July by Lisa Bunker

Zenobia July touches on all the hallmarks of middle grade: moving to a new place, making new friends, trying new things — all while wrapped in a delightful, cyber-sleuth mystery. After moving from Arizona to Maine to live with her aunts, Zenobia is settling in to her new school and new life. But when a troll starts posting hateful memes on the school’s website, Zenobia must use her old hacking skills to get to the bottom of it and make her new town a better, more inclusive place for all. Full of warm, supportive characters, this book makes for a delightful story about the true meaning of family and what it means to really belong.

19. The Whispers by Greg Howard

The perfect blend of magical and spooky, The Whispers is a book you won’t forget! It’s centered around eleven-year-old Riley, a boy full of wishes. He wishes he could stop wetting the bed, he wishes the bullies would stop picking on him, he wishes that his crush would like him back… and he wishes that his mom would come home.

There’s not much a boy his age can do about these things, at least under normal circumstances. But Riley believes in the whispers, fairy creatures in the woods who can grant wishes for the right price. So begins a magical journey that will shake the foundation of everything Riley believes.

20. The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag

This charming graphic novel follows Aster, a young boy raised in a family of witches and shapeshifters. The only problem is, all boys end up shapeshifters, and all girls end up witches: but Aster wants to be a witch.

What follows is a story by turns thrilling, heartbreaking, and endearing, as Aster learns his craft first in secret, and then thrown into the spotlight when a mysterious beast starts stealing members of his family. The Witch Boy is an important story about being true to yourself, no matter how different that may make you — and how maybe you’re not as different as you think.

Young Adult

21. heartstopper by alice oseman.

This comic book series by Alice Oseman started out as a webcomic, but it quickly gained a following passionate enough that HarperCollins decided to publish it. And thank goodness for that! Heartstopper follows two British schoolboys, Charlie and Nick, who become friends and then fall in love. Wholesome and unbelievably heartwarming, this beautiful, precious series will have you giddy with happiness, hugging these volumes tight to your chest. Pure and tender, Charlie and Nick’s relationship will definitely stay with you!

22. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

It’s a long 1980s summer for teenagers Aristotle and Dante in El Paso, Texas. The two boys couldn’t be more different: Ari is reserved, guarded, and struggling to feel like he belongs; Dante is an emotional, warm, and open-hearted boy who meets Ari’s darkness with his bright light. Together, they spend the summer learning about each other and themselves, their friendship and love growing stronger every day. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a lyrical and touching book, and exactly what you need if you’re looking for something to restore your hope — a friend in book form.

23. Orpheus Girl by Brynne Rebele-Henry

Another novel set in Texas, Orpheus Girl tells the story of Raya and Sarah, two lesbian teenagers who are sent to conversion camp to have their homosexuality “cured”. Raya’s obsession with Greek mythology is weaved into this narrative as she begins to view herself as Orpheus, and Sarah as Eurydice. This raw and lyrical book doesn’t flinch away from the devastating brutality of conversion therapy, bravely bearing witness to the mental and physical pain the girls experience as a direct result of homophobia. Despite the heavy subject matter, it’s able to maintain a degree of lightness and hope.

24. Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden

This classic piece of lesbian fiction has been both banned and burned, yet still it stands. With good reason: the book is still, disturbingly, as relevant today as it was when it was published in 1982. Annie on My Mind tells the story of two teenage girls who meet in a New York museum and quickly become friends. But as their feelings slowly turn to something more tender, each of them is aware of the risk that moving forward would bring. Heartfelt, touching, and painfully true, this book will resonate with readers for a long time to come.

25. Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann

In Let’s Talk About Love , Alice’s summer plans are simple: TV and food marathons, with shifts at the local library to cover her rent. Nothing complicated, and absolutely no romance — Alice is done with dating, after her girlfriend broke up with her because Alice admitted she was asexual. But then she meets Takumi, and now her chill summer plans are thrown into chaos. This thoroughly charming novel about the power of love demonstrates that even the best-laid plans need room for the unexpected.

26. All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens throughout the Ages by Saundra Mitchell

In this short story anthology, 17 of today’s best young adult writers come together to deliver the stories that haven’t been told. Each of these historical fiction stories centers on a protagonist somewhere in the LGBT+ spectrum in a time when their identities were often unknown, ignored, or erased. Yet as  All Out demonstrates, queer teens have always been contributing to the world — living, loving, and making a difference. From 1870s Mexico to the grunge scene of the early ’90s, this diverse collection will entertain and inspire you from the first page to the last.

27. Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour

This dreamy Hollywood romcom is as warm and satisfying as a California sunset. When budding set designer Emi stumbles across an old letter from a deceased Western film star, she knows what she has to do: track down his long-lost secret granddaughter, and reunite her with the missive. What she doesn’t anticipate is how amazing, beautiful, and talented said granddaughter will be. Soon Emi is on a mission to not just help Ava secure a stable future, but land the perfect lead for Emi’s new movie. And maybe, if she’s lucky, get the girl in the process. Everything Leads to You is a pitch-perfect summer romance and a love letter to creativity, all wrapped in the magic of movie making.

28. Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian

Set in New York City in 1989, Like a Love Story follows three teenagers as they navigate life, love, and the sober world of the AIDS crisis. Reza, a closeted boy, only understands homosexuality through the lens of so many gay men dying. Judy, an aspiring fashion designer, worships her gay uncle as he fights for justice. And Art, the only openly gay boy at school, documents the AIDS crisis through photography. When Reza and Judy start dating, it launches the teens into a journey of self-acceptance and discovery that will leave readers enthralled and breathless to the very end.

29. Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

Messy, real, and beautiful, Felix Ever After tells the story of Felix Love, a teenage demiboy who has yet to fall in love. He really wants to find someone special, though he is concerned that being Black, queer, and trans is too many marginalizations for anyone to handle. But when an encounter with a troll sends Felix on a quest for revenge, Felix starts feeling things he never expected to for his partners in crime. Full of raw emotions and a complex, changing relationship to his gender identity, this book does not shy away from showing us the whole truth of Felix’s life and his feelings, and we love it (and him) for it.

30. Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

In Every Heart a Doorway , the first of the ongoing Wayward Children series, our world is connected to portal worlds through magic doors. Central to this dark and strange series are the children who’ve travelled through these doors, discovered a place they truly belonged, and then found themselves shut out of it. Not knowing where to turn, many of them go to a boarding school where they wait for an opportunity to return.The first six books in this series are already out, but there’s thankfully still more on the way, so this is your chance to hop onto the fandom wagon while it’s still gaining momentum — you won’t regret it!

Adult Fiction

31. the picture of dorian gray by oscar wilde.

For a novel that was used as evidence of Oscar Wilde’s homosexuality in his trial for gross indecency in 1895, The Picture of Dorian Gray is likely to strike modern readers as remarkably not so homoerotic , after all. This Gothic novel traces the moral decline of Dorian Gray, a young man whose obsession with his own beauty leads him to make some unwise decisions… Asking enduring questions about art and aesthetics, Oscar Wilde’s remarkable novel is a breathtaking tale about the fear of aging, as well as a piece of gay literary history in its own right.

32. Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

Another gay lit classic, Giovanni’s Room is the complex story of David, a young American in 1950s Paris, who is desperately trying to accept what society has taught him is morally correct and appropriate: a heterosexual marriage. But though his fiancée Hella is on his mind, other thoughts whisper in his subconscious, and David soon finds himself unable to deny his desire for Giovanni, a bartender who shows him a different way of life. In the darkness of a room hidden from the rest of the world, David is forced to reckon with his true self.

33. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

The Song of Achilles is an intensely poetic, thrilling novel retelling the Greek myth of the Trojan war, focusing on the friendship and romance between Achilles and Patroclus. Tracing their relationship from young boys to warrior men, Madeline Miller masterfully sketches out their contrasting personalities: Achilles, son of sea goddess Thetis, relishes people’s respect and attention; Patroclus, humble and pensive, prefers to admire Achilles from the quiet of the shadows. When the two find themselves fighting in the Trojan War, their story comes to a devastating halt — but we won’t spoil it for you...

34. Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

Sarah Waters’ debut novel, Tipping the Velvet, is set in 1890s England and tells the story of Nan, a working-class girl of 18 who falls in love with the charming Kitty Butler. Kitty works as a male impersonator, and Nan follows her to London where Kitty pursues her glittering dreams of a career in theater. So begins a tale that pays tribute to the long and winding novels of the Victorian era, nodding with understanding to the London of Dickens while imbuing the book with a fiercely passionate lesbian romance.

35. Lot: Stories by Bryan Washington

Lot is a powerful collection of short stories set in Houston in the period before and after Hurricane Harvey. Many of these stories center around a young man of a Black and Latinx background who is coming to terms with his sexuality. Collectively, the stories paint an affecting portrait of a gentrified, diverse, and working-class urban environment in today’s America, witnessing its community and individuals alike. Raw and tender, Lot is a sensitive, sad, and thoroughly impressive debut collection.

36. What Belongs to You: A Novel by Garth Greenwell

What Belongs to You begins when the novel’s unnamed American narrator walks into a public bathroom in Bulgaria and pays Mitko, a man he meets there, for sex. The two develop a complicated relationship where passion, dependence, and power all hang in the difficult balance between them. The novel unfolds backward and, as it progresses, the reader becomes acquainted with the backstories of the two characters, stumbling into the core question of identity and its many folds. What Belongs to You assumes a truly breathtaking momentum as it chronicles lust, remorse, memory and the making of the self.

37. Nevada by Imogen Binnie

Looking for a trans novel that’s not about transitioning or going through trauma — just an enjoyable novel about someone who’s trans? Imogen Binnie has got you covered with Nevada , a darkly funny novel that satirizes Brooklyn’s hipster culture through the eyes of Maria Griffiths, a woman whose life takes a different turn when she realizes her girlfriend’s lied to her. So begins a refreshing, thought-provoking book with a punk aesthetic that’s sure to become essential reading for the modern age.

38. Small Beauty by Jia Qing Wilson-Yang

At the intersection of racism and transphobia lives Mei, a Chinese-Canadian trans woman who tries to navigate these tensions in search of her own mental peace. In this quiet and touching novel, Mei’s grief for the recent death of her cousin turns into a journey of self-discovery as she uncovers family secrets and confronts her own loneliness and loss. Small Beauty is an introspective and heartbreaking book that will linger in your mind long after you’ve turned the final page.

39. Real Life: A Novel by Brandon Taylor

Real Life (recently longlisted for the Booker Prize) tells the story of Wallace, a biochemistry student at a Midwestern university. The novel begins shortly after Wallace’s father dies, and powerfully narrates his careful navigation of the social tensions he has to face as a graduate student and a black, queer man. Sensitive and sharply intelligent, this campus novel does a fantastic job of highlighting the interconnectedness of social relationships and the intimate divide between the private and the public.

40. Cantoras by Carolina De Robertis

1970s Uruguay, under the reign of a military dictatorship, was not a good time or place to be queer. Heartbreaking and celebratory at the same time, Cantoras is a novel about five women who find dangerous freedom in each other during a week-long trip. Spanning thirty-five years, this expansive work is able to chart the changes and perils they face, while emphasizing the unique nature of the bond they share. Reading Cantoras will remind readers of the freedoms they enjoy in their own lives, and how desperately they ought to treasure them.

Want to read about even more extraordinary individuals? Check out our post on the 30 Best Biographies ! Or read up on the poems of Emily Dickinson , who many speculate may have had a homosexual relationship with her sister-in-law.

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43 must-read books by LGBTQIA+ authors, from stunning memoirs to heartwarming romance novels

Diverse representation matters in every industry, and LGBTQIA+ authors bring a bright and necessary collection of queer and genderqueer characters and stories to our shelves. From authentically portrayed sapphic romances to memoirs that illuminate challenging coming-of-age journeys, LGBTQIA+ authors write stories that can help readers of any identity better understand anything from the trials faced by queer people to the unparalleled height of queer joy. 

We chose these recommendations based on queer authors we — and readers — love, from groundbreaking storytellers from the mid-1900s to emerging voices with stunning debuts. With a variety of genres on this list including memoirs, fantasy novels, and young adult books, you're sure to find an LGBTQIA+ author to cherish this Pride month and beyond.

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Five of the best books about queer relationships

From James Baldwin to Sarah Waters, writers have been telling rich, nuanced LGBTQ+ tales for decades – here are some good titles to try

C inema listings seem to be stacked with films about queer relationships at the moment. From the eerie yet tender romance in All of Us Strangers to the electric sapphic fling in the forthcoming Love Lies Bleeding, these new offerings feel refreshingly nuanced, placing LGBTQ+ characters centre stage without pandering to reductive narratives or heteronormative taste.

If you want to find such stories in your reading, too, why not try some of the following books? Whether you’re looking for accounts of seedy sexual awakenings or reflections on tormented love affairs, here are five of the best.

Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

While many will be familiar with the title from its 2002 BBC adaptation, the original text by Sarah Waters is even more of a treat. Set in the 1890s, the story follows Nan, a young Whitstable oyster girl, as she comes to terms with her sexuality. After becoming infatuated with a “male impersonator” (what we might now call a drag king) at a local music hall, she dumps her boyfriend and plunges into a sequence of queer affairs, with plenty of drama and racy moments along the way. It’s funny, raunchy and extremely camp, but Tipping the Velvet is also a whistle-stop tour through different corners of British lesbian history, building fiction around real-life subcultures.

Paradise Rot by Jenny Hval

Rotting fruit, flies and urine may not be the typical markers of a sexual awakening tale, but somehow Jenny Hval’s strange, feverish world perfectly captures the dizzying feelings associated with unspoken, and unfamiliar, sexual chemistry. After responding to a newspaper ad from another girl at her college, Jo finds herself sharing a dank warehouse flat with no walls and little privacy; tension between the two roommates swells as boundaries break down. Like in her music , which is both uncanny and intimate, Hval’s debut novel is hypersensual and completely immersive.

100 Boyfriends by Brontez Purnell

Purnell is an expert in writing love stories for the dating app age. Despite the title, there are few actual boyfriends in this book, but plenty of casual hookups, illicit public encounters and rebounds with old flames. Over a collection of short diary entries, his unnamed Black, gay protagonists share the highs and lows of their erotic and emotional endeavours in shameless detail. It’s refreshing to read something as lewd and chaotic as a post-night-out debrief text from your friend.

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Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

When Reese, a sharp yet self-sabotaging trans woman, receives an offer to co-parent with her ex-partner and his boss-turned-lover, she is initially sceptical, but the opportunity to finally become a mother is too appealing to decline. As the three lay the foundations for their non-nuclear family unit, they navigate the confines of prescribed gender roles, catty fallouts and unlikely bonding. Though there are traces of romance in Peters’ debut novel, it’s the non-romantic queer relationships that stand out most, such as the friendship of the two mothers-to-be, the enduring affection between exes and the gossip-laden camaraderie among trans peers.

Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin

Despite being written in 1956 – more than half a century before most of the books on this list, when homosexuality was still criminalised – Giovanni’s Room is a story of queer desire, identity and loss that still feels pertinent. Gazing out from his bedroom window one night, the protagonist recounts his short yet fiery fling with an Italian bartender in Paris while his fiancee is out of town. It’s burdened with feelings of shame and the outcome is tragic, but tender moments including bashful bar exchanges and chemistry-charged taxi journeys bring warmth, thanks to Baldwin’s vivid storytelling.

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24 of the Best LGBTQ-Authored Books of 2020

The number and scope of queer lit saw a heartening increase this year.

Every item on this page was chosen by a Shondaland editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

One great thing about 2020: it saw a plethora of fantastic books by LGBTQ+ authors. In the spirit of gratitude, here are 24 of the best ones, from engrossing memoirs to poignant poetry, hilarious essays to lush fiction.

Homie by Danez Smith

Homie: poems.

My Autobiography of Carson McCullers by Jenn Shapland

My autobiography of carson mccullers: a memoir.

This poignant nonfiction/memoir tapestry was shortlisted for the National Book Award, and with good reason. Jenn Shapland probes the archives — broadly defined — of midcentury American novelist Carson McCullers. What she finds in letters, therapy transcripts (!), and the bathtub of Carson’s childhood home drives a beautiful narrative about obsessiveness, queer longing, art, and self-examination. Plus, it’s also really funny.

Real Life by Brandon Taylor

You know who Brandon Taylor is. He’s the coolest nerd on Twitter , and he also wrote one of the best debut novels in recent memory. Real Life follows Wallace, a Black queer PhD student in a midwestern college town where all of his friends and most of his colleagues are white. The book takes place over the course of a single weekend, during which an intimate encounter with one of his friends stirs up a lot of internal and external drama and reckoning for Wallace — and leaves the reader spinning. In a good way.

Fiebre Tropical by Juliana Delgado Lopera

Fiebre tropical.

In this total whirlwind of a novel that echoes in form the chaotic energy of adolescence, Colombian teenager Francisca moves with her mother to an ant-infested house in Miami, where when she’s not clashing with her newly evangelized mom, she’s falling in love with the pastor’s daughter Carmen. This bilingual, fast-paced story will have you laughing, crying and gaining a new favorite fictional character.

Postcolonial Love Poem by Natalie Diaz

Postcolonial love poem.

Natalie Diaz used to be a professional basketball player, and she also edited an anthology of sports writing last year called Bodies Built for Game . In her sophomore poetry collection (after 2012’s When My Brother Was an Aztec ), Diaz writes about the politics, desire, ecstasy, and landscape of bodies literal and metaphorical. This one was also shortlisted for the National Book Award this year, and its stunning, life-giving poems make it obvious why.

dayliGht by Roya Marsh

Daylight: poems.

Speaking of gorgeous, life-giving poems, Roya Marsh’s debut collection flew a little under the radar this year but deserves to be picked up. The introduction establishes Marsh’s framework of love and connection in the importance of representation of Black queer butch women. She goes on to deliver one stunner after another, full of reverence and grief for her community. This one is not to be missed.

Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby

Wow, no thank you..

If you’re looking to pee yourself laughing, Samantha Irby has always been a good bet. This latest essay collection, her third after Meaty and We Are Never Meeting in Real Life , might be her funniest yet. Writing about Instagram wellness gurus, eating out (remember that?) with Crohn’s disease, awkward social situations (remember social situations?), and living in the rural midwest as a Black queer femme with her partner and partner’s kids. Irby’s writing is hilarious, to be sure, but it’s also incisive and smart.

All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson

All boys aren't blue: a memoir-manifesto.

George M. Johnson is an icon, largely because of this intensely beautiful book. It’s classified as a YA memoir, and it is mostly about Johnson’s youth coming of age as a Black queer nonbinary person in New Jersey and Virginia. They write so clearly and affectingly about masculinity, toxic and otherwise, family, gender, and Black joy. This is a perfect read for someone of any age, gender identity, sexuality, or other identity markers who is interested in complex stories of love and resilience.

Vanishing Monuments by John Elizabeth Stintzi

Vanishing monuments.

John Elizabeth Stintzi released two books this year within a month of each other (their poetry collection, Junebat , is also well worth picking up). Both were debuts, which is even more impressive. In this novel, middle-aged nonbinary photographer Alani returns to their childhood home in rural Winnipeg for the first time since leaving with their girlfriend at age 17. Their mother’s dementia is worsening, to the point where she doesn’t speak. This is a powerful story about grief, reckoning, relationships, and what makes us human.

Boys of Alabama by Genevieve Hudson

Boys of alabama.

This is Genevieve Hudson’s debut novel, but their writing is all over the place, including in their 2018 short story collection Pretend We Live Here and lit mags from McSweeney’s to Tin House (RIP). Their fiction has a lush, celestial quality that feels like magic, and Boys of Alabama does in fact contain some magic. Following queer German teen Max after he moves to Alabama for his father’s car manufacturing job, the story unfolds around religion (the Christian kind and the football kind), death, heat, poison, cornfields, sex, and blood. If it sounds like a spell, it kind of is.

The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio

The undocumented americans.

Another shortlister for the National Book Award, this explosion of a masterpiece is required reading for every person, especially every American. Villavicencio pulls no punches with this brilliant work of nonfiction, in which she tells the most human of stories – that is, the messy one. In too many narratives around immigration, the people lumped into labels of “immigrant” or “undocumented” are flattened to the point of erasure. Through interviews and personal story, Villavicencio not only crafts a narrative in opposition to this flattening, but in the process deftly illustrates the lack of humanity in the American empire. There’s also humor here, and her reading of the audiobook is one of the best listening experiences you’ll find.

Fairest by Meredith Talusan

Fairest: a memoir.

Meredith Talusan grew up in the Philippines, where she lived with her grandmother, to whom she was very close. She was also a child star on television. An academic scholarship to Harvard and her albinism facilitated a proximity to whiteness that spurred a reckoning with race, class, gender and sexual identity, and privilege that she explores deeply in this memoir. The book also explores her gender transition and relationships with people and with ideas, including the idea of desirability.

Pizza Girl by Jean Kyoung Frazier

In Kyoung Frazier's short, punchy, atmospheric novel, the unnamed narrator is an 18-year-old young woman who is pregnant, living with her boyfriend in her mother’s house, grieving her recently deceased father, and yes, working as a pizza delivery girl in LA. When a woman calls one night desperate for pickle pizza to feed her young son, the narrator soon becomes obsessed with her, a fixation that crests in a dramatic, strange, totally engrossing way. This book is in a league of its own, funny and deeply moving, and it has one of the coolest covers of any book in recent memory.

A History of My Brief Body by Billy-Ray Belcourt

A history of my brief body.

Billy-Ray Belcourt is a poet and one of the world’s greatest minds, and his first collection of essays is only further proof of this. This book is short but dense; every sentence is so powerful it will stop you in your tracks. Tackling queerness and decolonial imagination, Belcourt brings his unique poetic style to prose here, but these genre labels are pretty useless to describe his writing. Just read it, you’ll see.

The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi

The death of vivek oji.

Another of our greatest living writers, Akwaeke Emezi is back with another adult novel to follow up 2018’s Freshwater and 2019’s YA novel Pet . This one opens with the body of gender-nonconforming teen Vivek Oji lying outside his parents’ home in Nigeria, and proceeds to unfold the story of his, his family’s, and his community’s life that led to this devastating death. This is a story of chosen family, discovery, love, pain, grief, and how colonialism infects individuals and nations.

The Selected Work of Audre Lorde edited by Roxanne Gay

The selected works of audre lorde.

Audre Lorde remains a critical writer, thinker, and activist whose words and ethos continue to influence the writers and activists of today. Here, another crucial figure in literary and social justice spaces, Roxane Gay, collects some of Lorde’s many essays and poems into a new anthology and introduces them as only she can: with reverence, incisiveness, and luminous prose.

Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen

Ace: what asexuality reveals about desire, society, and the meaning of sex.

Finally, a book about asexuality that’s not clinical or purely academic! In this extremely welcome nonfiction/memoir hybrid, Angela Chen brings together her personal experience, extensive interviews, and deep research into the asexual experience to a book that should be read by everyone, no matter their sexuality. She introduces concepts like western society’s compulsory masculinity, the idea of queer platonic relationships, and a primer on the vast possibility of asexuality, which is too often framed as a lack or disorder.

Love After the End edited by Joshua Whitehead

Love after the end: an anthology of two-spirit and indigiqueer speculative fiction.

Joshua Whitehead’s 2018 novel Jonny Appleseed , about a young Two-Spirit Indigiqueer protagonist who navigates family, sex work, and love was one of the best books to come out that year. Whitehead has now edited an anthology of queer, trans, and Two-Spirit Indigenous speculative fiction both utopian and dystopian. It brings together so many fantastic authors and gorgeous pieces of writing.

Bestiary by K-Ming Chang

This debut novel about a young Taiwanese American girl and the inherited violence and resilience of the three generations of women in her family, and also about queer love, is perhaps best describes as “visceral.” Chang is not afraid to go there when it comes to all the beautiful, animalistic, and very gross aspects of the human body, so maybe don’t eat while you’re reading this, but the story will stay in your bones forever.

Plain Bad Heroines by emily m. danforth

Plain bad heroines: a novel.

Almost a decade after her modern queer YA classic novel, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, was published, emily m. danforth is back with a novel for adults (but will also appeal to teens). This is a gothic romp of a gay book. There are multiple parallel storylines in different time periods, a haunted abandoned girls school, a mysterious lesbian book, Hollywood, lots of bees, and secrets abound. Also, almost every character is queer. This is a long one but it moves quickly and is a lot of fun.

Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi

Butter honey pig bread.

This radiant debut novel from multidisciplinary artist Francesca Ekwuyasi follows a mother and her twin daughters from Lagos, Nigeria, to Europe, Canada, and back again, as their stories diverge and converge across time. This book is filled with art, food, hunger and longing, love and resentment, and some of the most compelling characters this reviewer has come across in a long time.

The Thirty Names of Night by Zeyn Joukhadar

The thirty names of night.

Zeyn Joukhadar’s 2018 debut novel, A Map of Salt and Stars , was an epic journey across time and geography. In his sophomore novel, a young unnamed (until the end) narrator, a closeted trans boy, is grieving his mother, who died in a mysterious fire. Living in New York City with his grandmother, he paints murals on condemned buildings at night, and becomes fixated on finding the mysterious (perhaps fictional) species of bird his mother was looking for before she died. Joukhadar’s skill with rendering imagery and atmosphere is unrivaled, and this moving story about family, self-determination, community, art, and love is well worth the read.

The Freezer Door by Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore

The freezer door.

Mattlida Bernstein Sycamore is a prolific master of defying category and genre; in other words, she queers the heck out of everything she does. In this memoir-of-sorts, her first since her 2018 novel Sketchstasy , Sycamore navigates gentrifying cities (in this case mainly Seattle), exploring the ideas of connection, longing, queer dreams, and capitalism. No one writes quite like Sycamore, and this one is not to be missed.

We Want It All: An Anthology of Radical Trans Poetics edited by Andrea Abi-Karam and Kay Gabriel

We want it all: an anthology of radical trans poetics.

Lastly, we have a tome of an anthology of trans poetry. This collection is impressive in scope, style, and time, including intergenerational poets on everything from work to sex to pop culture. This is the kind of book you can pick up and read a few selections from, and be reminded that trans identity, like all identity, is vast and beautiful.

Sarah Neilson is a freelance writer and book critic. They can be found on Twitter @sarahmariewrote .

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The Best New Biographies and Memoirs to Read in 2024

This year sees some riveting and remarkable lives—from artist ai weiwei to singer-songwriter joni mitchell—captured on the page..

A life story can be read for escapist pleasure. But at other times, reading a memoir or biography can be an expansive exercise, opening us up to broader truths about our world. Often, it’s an edifying experience that reminds us of our universal human vulnerability and the common quest for purpose in life.

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Biographies and memoirs charting remarkable lives—whether because of fame, fortune or simply fascination—have the power to inspire us for their depth, curiosity or challenges. This year sees a bumper calendar of personal histories enter bookshops, grappling with enigmatic public figures like singer Joni Mitchell and writer Ian Fleming , to nuanced analysis of how motherhood or sociopathy shape our lives—for better and for worse.

Here we compile some of the most rewarding biographies and memoirs out in 2024. There are stories of trauma and recovery, art as politics and politics as art, and sentences as single life lessons spread across books that will make you rethink much about personal life stories. After all, understanding the triumphs and trials of others can help us see how we can change our own lives to create something different or even better.

Zodiac: A Graphic Memoir by Ai Weiwei and illustrated by Gianluca Costantini

Ai Weiwei , the iconoclastic artist and fierce critic of his homeland China, mixes fairy tales with moral lessons to evocatively retrace the story of his life in graphic form. Illustrations are by Italian artist Gianluca Costantini . “Any artist who isn’t an activist is a dead artist,” Weiwei writes in Zodiac , as he embraces everything from animals found in the Chinese zodiac to mystical folklore tales with anamorphic animals to argue the necessity of art as politics incarnate. The meditative exercise uses pithy anecdotes alongside striking visuals to sketch out a remarkable life story marked by struggle. It’s one weaving political manifesto, philosophy and personal memoir to engage readers on the necessity of art and agitation against authority in a world where we sometimes must resist and fight back.

Alphabetical Diaries by Sheila Heti

Already well-known for her experimental writings, Sheila Heti takes a decade of diary entries and maps sentences against the alphabet, from A to Z. The project is a subversive rethink of our relationship to introspection—which often asks for order and clarity, like in diary writing—that maps new patterns and themes in its disjointed form. Heti plays with both her confessionals and her sometimes formulaic writing style (like knowingly using “Of course” in entries) to retrace the changes made (and unmade) across ten years of her life. Alphabetical Diaries is a sometimes demanding book given the incoherence of its entries, but remains an illuminating project in thinking about efforts at self-documentation.

Splinters: Another Kind of Love Story by Leslie Jamison

Unlike her previous work The Empathy Exams , which examined how we relate to one another and on human suffering, writer Leslie Jamison wrestles today with her own failed marriage and the grief of surviving single parenting. After the birth of her daughter, Jamison divorces her partner “C,” traverses the trials and tribulations of rebound relationships (including with “an ex-philosopher”) and confronts unresolved emotional pains born of her own life living under the divorce of her parents. In her intimate retelling—paired with her superb prose—Jamison charts a personal history that acknowledges the unending divide mothers (and others) face dividing themselves between partners, children and their own lives.

Radiant: The Life and Line of Keith Haring by Brad Gooch

Whether dancing figures or a “radiant baby,” the recognizable cartoonish symbols in Keith Haring ’s art endure today as shorthand signs representing both his playfulness and politicking. Haring (1958-1990) is the subject of writer Brad Gooch ’s deft biography, Radiant , a book that mines new material from the archive along with interviews with contemporaries to reappraise the influential quasi-celebrity artist. From rough beginnings tagging graffiti on New York City walls to cavorting with Andy Warhol and Madonna on art pieces, Haring battled everything from claims of selling out to over-simplicity. But he persisted with work that leveraged catchy quotes and colorful imagery to advance unsavory political messages—from AIDS to crack cocaine. A life tragically cut short at 31 is one powerfully celebrated in this new noble portrait.

The House of Hidden Meanings by RuPaul Charles

In The House of Hidden Meaning , celebrated drag queen, RuPaul , reckons with a murky inner world that has shaped—and hindered—a lifetime of gender-bending theatricality. The figurative house at the center of the story is his “ego,” a plaguing barrier that apparently long inhibited the performer from realizing dreams of greatness. Now as the world’s most recognizable drag queen—having popularized the art form for mainstream audiences with the TV show RuPaul’s Drag Race —RuPaul reflects on the power that drag and self-love have long offered across his difficult, and sometimes tortured, life. Readers expecting dishy stories may be disappointed, but the psychological self-assessment in the pages of this memoir is far more edifying than Hollywood gossip could ever be.

Sociopath: A Memoir by Patric Gagne

Patric Gagne is an unlikely subject for a memoir on sociopaths. Especially since she is a former therapist with a doctorate in clinical psychology. Still, Gagne makes the case that after a troubled childhood of antisocial behavior (like stealing trinkets and cursing teachers) and a difficult adulthood (now stealing credit cards and fighting authority figures), she receives a diagnosis of sociopathy. Her memoir recounts many episodes of bad behavior—deeds often marked by a lack of empathy, guilt or even common decency—where her great antipathy mars any ability for her to connect with others. Sociopath is a rewarding personal exposé that demystifies one vilified psychological condition so often seen as entirely untreatable or irreparable. Only now there’s a familiar face and a real story linked to the prognosis.

Ian Fleming: The Complete Man by Nicholas Shakespeare

Nicholas Shakespeare is an acclaimed novelist and an astute biographer, delivering tales that wield a discerning eye to subjects and embrace a robust attention to detail. Ian Fleming (1908-1964), the legendary creator of James Bond, is the latest to receive Shakespeare’s treatment. With access to new family materials from the Fleming estate, the seemingly contradictory Fleming is seen anew as a totally “different person” from his popular image. Taking cues from Fleming’s life story—from a refined upbringing spent in expensive private schools to working for Reuters as a journalist in the Soviet Union—Shakespeare reveals how these experiences shaped the elusive world of espionage and intrigue created in Fleming’s novels. Other insights include how Bond was likely informed by Fleming’s cavalier father, a major who fought in WWI. A martini (shaken, not stirred) is best enjoyed with this bio.

Knife: Meditations after an Attempted Murder by Salman Rushdie

Salman Rushdie , while giving a rare public lecture in New York in August 2022, was violently stabbed by an assailant brandishing a knife . The attack saw Rushdie lose his left hand and his sight in one eye. Speaking to The New Yorker a year later , he confirmed a memoir was in the works that would confront this harrowing existential experience: “When somebody sticks a knife into you, that’s a first-person story. That’s an ‘I’ story.” Knife: Meditations after an Attempted Murder is promised to be his raw, revelatory and deeply psychological confrontation with the violent incident. Like the sword of Damocles, brutality has long stalked Rushdie ever since the 1989 fatwa issued against the author, following the publication of his controversial novel, The Satanic Verses . The answer to such barbarity, Rushdie is poised to argue, is by finding the strength to stand up again.

The Art of Dying: Writings, 2019–2022 by Peter Schjeldahl (Release: May 14)

Peter Schjeldahl (1942-2022), longstanding art critic of The New Yorker , confronted his mortality when he was diagnosed with incurable lung cancer in 2019. The resulting essay collection he then penned, The Art of Dying , is a masterful meditation on one life preoccupied entirely with aesthetics and criticism. It’s a discursive tactic for a memoir that avoids discussing Schjeldahl’s coming demise while equally confirming its impending visit by avoiding it. Acknowledging that he finds himself “thinking about death less than I used to,” Schjeldahl spends most of the pages revisiting familiar art subjects—from Edward Hopper ’s output to Peter Saul ’s Pop Art—as vehicles to re-examine his own remarkable life. With a life that began in the humble Midwest, Schjeldahl says his birthplace was one that ultimately availed him to write so plainly and cogently on art throughout his career. Such posthumous musings prove illuminating lessons on the potency of American art, with whispered asides on the tragedy of death that will come for all of us.

Traveling: On the Path of Joni Mitchell by Ann Powers (Release: June 11)

Joni Mitchell has enjoyed a remarkable revival recently, even already being one of the most acclaimed and enduring singer/songwriters. After retiring from public appearances for health reasons in the 2010s, Mitchell, 80, has returned to the spotlight with a 2021 Kennedy Centers honor , an appearance accepting the 2023 Gershwin Prize and even a live performance at this year’s Grammy Awards . It’s against this backdrop of public celebration of Mitchell that NPR music critic Ann Powers retraces the life story and musical (re)evolution of the singer, from folk to jazz genres and rock to soul music, across five decades for the American songbook. “What you are about to read is not a standard account of the life and work of Joni Mitchell,” she writes in the introduction. Instead, Powers’ project is one showing how Mitchell’s many journeys—from literal road trips inspiring tracks like “All I Want” to inner probings of Mitchell’s psyche, such as the song “Both Sides Now”—have always inspired Mitchell’s enduring, emotive and palpable output. These travels hold the key, Powers says, to understanding an enigmatic artist.

• SEE ALSO : ‘Under the Bridge’ Review: A Miniseries That Interrogates the True Crime Genre

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The Best and Buzziest LGBTQ Fantasy Books of 2024 (So Far)

Danika Ellis

Danika spends most of her time talking about queer women books at the Lesbrary. Blog: The Lesbrary Twitter: @DanikaEllis

View All posts by Danika Ellis

Faebound by Saara El-Arifi (Sapphic Fantasy)

Saara El-Arifi was already a well-known name in the queer fantasy genre for her the Ending Fire trilogy , so combining that with the current popularity of the fae romantasy genre was a winning formula! Faebound is a national bestseller that comes recommended by Samantha Shannon, author of  The Priory of the Orange Tree .

The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang (M/M Fantasy Romance)

This one just came out at the end of March, but it’s been getting tons of buzz. Romantasy is big right now, and this one is an M/M reincarnation romance that promises “erotic thrills” and “equal parts mess and swoon.” It got a starred review from Publishers Weekly and was named the Best Romance of the Month by Amazon Editors.

Bored Gay Werewolf by Tony Santorella (Gay Fantasy)

Who can resist a title and cover like this? The publishers describe it as “like Scooby Doo with Grindr.” The Sunday Times named it a “book to watch,” and it comes recommended by Emily Austin, author of Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead . The sequel, Shy Trans Banshee, will be coming out in 2025!

Thirst by Marina Yuszczuk (Sapphic Gothic Novel)

This literary, feminist, sapphic vampire novel has been getting rave reviews, including in The New York Times Book Review, The Los Angeles Review of Books, and a starred Booklist review. Also, I can say that this is one the reviewers at my sapphic book blog, the Lesbrary, were clamoring to recommend: I had to space out all the positive reviews it got!

So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole (Lesbian and Demisexual Fantasy)

Fourth Wing has been very popular since it came out last year, but it’s not the only dragon-riding fantasy book getting love! This Jamaican-inspired fantasy has both lesbian and demisexual representation, and The Washington Post called it the “best young-adult novel I’ve read in ages, and one of the best fantasy novels, full stop.” It also got a starred review from Publishers Weekly.

Voyage of the Damned by Frances White (Gay Fantasy Mystery)

This is a book about a magical gay fantasy cruise, which definitely piqued my interest! Voyage of the Damned was a UK release, but after it gained traction on BookTok, it now has a U.S. release date in August for a hardcover complete with decorated endpapers and sprayed edges!

If you’re looking for more of the biggest queer books of the moment, check out the bestselling queer books of the week , last week’s bonus send of the Our Queerest Shelves newsletter!

This list originally appeared on our LGBTQ books newsletter, Our Queerest Shelves . Sign up to get more queer books in your inbox every week!

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Do You Know These Films Based on Great Biographies?

By J. D. Biersdorfer April 22, 2024

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Welcome to Great Adaptations, the Book Review’s regular multiple-choice quiz about literature that has gone on to find new life in the form of movies, television shows, theatrical productions and other formats. This week’s quiz highlights films that were adapted from the biographies or autobiographies of their notable subjects.

Just tap or click your answers to the five questions below. And scroll down after you finish the last question for links to the books and their screen adaptations.

“Oppenheimer,” a film about the man who was instrumental in developing the first nuclear weapons for the United States, won seven Academy Awards earlier this year. The film’s screenplay was adapted from a 2005 biography by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. What was the main title of the book?

“American Prometheus”

“Burning the Sky”

“A Wing and a Prayer”

The 1972 film “Lady Sings the Blues” was loosely based on which singer’s 1956 autobiography?

Ella Fitzgerald

Bessie Smith

Billie Holiday

Mildred Bailey

“Alan Turing: The Enigma” is Andrew Hodges’ 1983 biography of the gay British mathematician who helped the Allies decipher encrypted Nazi messages during World War II, but was later punished for his sexuality. What was the name of the 2014 film based on the book?

“The Turing Test”

“The Code Breaker”

“The Imitation Game”

“Julie & Julia” is a 2009 film about the chef Julia Child and the blogger Julie Powell, who tried to make all the recipes from one of Child’s cookbooks years later. The screenplay was based on two different books, Powell’s 2005 memoir about the project (and source of the movie’s name) and Julia Child’s posthumously published 2006 autobiography. What was that book’s title?

“Blood, Bones and Butter”

“My Life in France”

“Kitchen Confidential”

“A Year in Provence”

After reading Louis Fischer’s 1950 biography of this global figure, the film director Richard Attenborough spent years trying to make a film about that person’s life. The picture was finally released in 1982 and won eight Academy Awards. Who was the subject of the movie?

Harriet Tubman

J. Edgar Hoover

Mahatma Gandhi

Frida Kahlo

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Each week, top authors and critics join the Book Review’s podcast to talk about the latest news in the literary world. Listen here .