Pride month is officially here and that can only mean one thing: it’s time to fill your reading list with stellar queer stories.
Of course, you should include gay books in your pile of books to read no matter the time of year, but this month, as you celebrate pride, queer books can be the perfect way to explore the breadth and diversity of the community lgbtq.
You are reading: Gay books to read
Fortunately for anyone looking for a great gay read, the world of books is teeming with queer stories of all genres.
Whether you’re looking for a collection of meditative poetry on queer identity and mental health, a deep dive into New York City’s dance hall culture in the ’80s and ’90s, a comic about a group of explorers who are plagued by supernatural things. creatures at camp, or a coming of age story about a shapeshifter navigating through life and dating, there’s a weird book for you.
here are 18 very gay and very good books you should read this pride month.
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less(opens in a new tab)
andrew greer
andrew greer’s 2018 pulitzer prize-winning novel less(opens in a new tab) opens with a character in crisis: our protagonist arthur is a struggling novelist, feeling existential as he approaches his 50th birthday and To make matters worse, she has just received an invitation to her ex-boyfriend’s wedding. Rather than despair, Arthur says “no” and embarks on a random literary world tour. But what sells the book is Greer’s resounding heart and humor, making this tale of romantic misadventure as funny as it is heartfelt.
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under the udala trees(opens in a new tab)
chinelo okparanta
Under the udala trees(opens in a new tab) there is a book about unlucky love. The novel follows the life of Ijeoma, a young woman who, at the beginning of the book, is sent away from her family to stay safe during the Nigerian civil war. while she is away from her, ijeoma meets amina, another girl also estranged from her family. the two begin a brief relationship… only to discover that their love is forbidden. what follows is a beautiful novel about love and hardship as ijeoma is sent home, forced into an unhappy marriage with a man, while she deals with her attraction to women.
madness(opens in a new tab)
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sam sax
Don’t forget to add some poetry to your reading list this Pride month! If you’re looking for a collection to get started, check out Sam Sax’s Collection Madness (Opens in a new tab). The poems in this collection span everything from sexuality to mental health to culture and heritage, but what shines through and connects each of these threads is Sax’s incredibly thoughtful and evocative prose.
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last seen leaving(opens in a new tab)
caleb roehrig
If the babadook has taught us anything, it’s that pride isn’t complete without a bit of noir. To that end, if you’re looking for a darker read this month, be sure to check out Caleb Roehrig’s latest outing (opens in a new tab). The book is a coming-out story masquerading as a mystery thriller about Flynn, the prime suspect in an investigation when Jan’s girlfriend disappears. flynn’s answers about his life with jan don’t quite add up… but maybe that has less to do with jan and more to do with flynn’s secret.
nevada(opens in a new tab)
mogen binnie
nevada(opens in a new tab) follows maria, a young transgender woman living in new york city, trying to navigate the punk scene while working in retail. When Maria’s girlfriend breaks up with her by revealing that he has been cheating on her, Maria’s world is turned upside down. On a quest to escape it all, Melanie embarks on a cross-country road trip where she meets James, a stoner living in Nevada who is just as lost as Maria. As the book jumps between the perspectives of James and Maria, Nevada offers a thoughtful look at trans identity and experience.
lumberjanes(opens in a new tab)
noelle stevenson, shannon watters, grace ellis and brooke a. Allen
If you’re looking for some comics to check out this Pride Month, be sure to check out lumberjanes(opens in a new tab). The series documents the adventures of a group of scouts—Jo, April, Mal, Molly and Ripley—as they spend a summer together. The only thing is that their camp is riddled with supernatural creatures, including yetis, three-eyed wolves, and giant falcons. In addition to featuring stunning art, the book is also incredibly inclusive, as the story delves into each diverse character, making The Lumberjacks the perfect read for Pride Month.
fun house(opens in a new tab)
alison bechdel
fun home(opens in a new tab) is a graphic memoir about coming out and finding love, centered around two people. The book documents Alison Bechdel (who also came up with the Bechdel Test), her experience exploring her attraction to women, and how her father resisted her identity. But, after Alison’s father is run over and killed, she reflects on her past and realizes that he may have had his own struggles with her sexual identity.
how to write an autobiographical novel(opens in a new tab)
alexander chee
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to read alexander chee’s collection of essays on writing an autobiographical novel(opens in a new tab) is to stand in a hall of mirrors, observing how a single person, and all the identities that comprise them, are reflected in all angles The collection of essays is a deep dive into Chee’s past while documenting his experiences as a gay rights and HIV/AIDS activist, rose gardener, writer, and more. but at its core, the book explores how we use writing to shape who we are and how who we are shapes our writing.
both die at the end (opens in a new tab)
adam silvera
As the title probably suggests, they both die at the end (opens in a new tab) not what a “happy” book could be. The novel follows a day in the life of two boys, Mateo and Rufus, who receive morning death-cast calls telling them that today is the day they are going to die. Though initially strangers, Mateo and Rufus soon bonded through the Last Friend app, a social network that connects people on their last day alive. But as Mateo and Rufus embark on a quest to check off items on their bucket list while they still have time, their friendship evolves into something more, ultimately exploring what happens when we fall in love with someone we know. that we will only have a very limited time. with.
you know me well (opens in a new tab)
david levithan and nina lacour
sometimes all you need is a good friend. And that’s where you know me well(opens in a new tab) comes in. The book is about Mark and Kate, two students who remain complete strangers despite sitting next to each other in class for an entire year. When they run into each other unexpectedly in a San Francisco bar, each dealing with a small crisis (Kate has just run away from love while Mark deals with the fact that the boy he loves is interested in someone else), they become fast friends. Documenting Mark and Kate’s adventures with love, relationships, and growing up, You Know Me Well reveals how our friends can become our greatest lifeline.
the argonauts(opens in a new tab)
maggie nelson
the argonauts (opens in a new tab) defies categorization at its best. The book is a poetic memoir about Maggie Nelson’s relationship with Harry, a genderfluid artist with whom Nelson falls in love and raises a family. But in addition to the incredible story, the Argonauts exude impressive observations about being queer and in love, making the memoir feel less like a book and more like the perfect representation of a person’s heart on a page.
don’t call us dead (opens in a new tab)
damage smith
fair warning up front: don’t call us dead(opens in a new tab) is a collection of devastating poetry. but this book is as beautiful as it is painfully raw. Throughout the collection, Smith writes about race, queer identity, and AIDS, with an electrifying amount of passion and care, making this book a must-read for Pride Month.
leah offbeat (opens in a new tab)
becky albertalli
you may know becky albertalli from her novel simon vs. the homo sapiens agenda(opens in a new tab) (which became a fantastic movie love, simon). but now albertalli is back with a new book: leah on the offbeat(opens in a new tab). where sapiens describes simon’s coming out adventures, leah reveals that leah is also struggling with his identity: he is bisexual and is working to work up the courage to come out to his friends. But as Leah progresses through her senior year of high school, he realizes that he may love one of his friends more than anyone could ever hope.
The story was originally published in 2018 and was updated in 2019.
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