LGBTQ Literature

From Christopher Isherwood's enduring 20th-century classic Goodbye to Berlin to contemporary titles like Janet Mock's Redefining Realness, the titles in this study guide collection explore a range of ideas, issues, genres, and forms that speak to the LGBTQ community.

Publication year 1967

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Western, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Addiction / Substance Abuse, History: U.S., American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1952

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Sexuality

Tags LGBTQ, Romance, Historical Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction

Patricia Highsmith published The Price of Salt in 1952 under a pseudonym, Claire Morgan, because of the lesbian relationship between the two main characters—Therese and Carol. The Price of Salt is a romance, mystery, and coming-of-age tale. Highsmith wrote many short stories and over 20 novels. Like her other works, The Price of Salt contains autobiographical elements; like Therese, Highsmith worked at a department store, became captivated by a woman she met there, and was... Read The Price of Salt Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags LGBTQ, Romance, Historical Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Children's Literature, History: World


Publication year 2014

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth

Tags LGBTQ, Education, Education, Biography

The Prince of Los Cocuyos: A Miami Childhood is a memoir published in 2014 by Richard Blanco, President Barack Obama’s inaugural poet, whose works include “América” (1998), “The Island Within” (2012), and “One Today” (2013). Blanco describes his childhood living in Miami with parents and grandparents who’d immigrated to America from Cuba. It offers a picture of his family’s nostalgia for Cuba and his simultaneous struggle to relate to a world he’s never seen. His... Read The Prince of Los Cocuyos Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger

Tags Fantasy, LGBTQ, Romance


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Historical Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, History: World, Grief / Death, Health / Medicine, Relationships, WWI / World War I, LGBTQ, Irish Literature


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery

Tags Irish Literature, LGBTQ, Romance


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family

Tags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Mental Illness, Religion / Spirituality

The Rest of Us Just Live Here, a novel by critically acclaimed young adult (YA) author Patrick Ness, tells the story of Mikey, a high school senior living in a fictional town in the state of Washington. The novel follows Mikey as graduation approaches and he navigates the anxieties and uncertainties of love, friendship, and the fear of leaving behind everything he’s grown up with. Ness, the author of the widely lauded Chaos Walking trilogy... Read The Rest of Us Just Live Here Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: Community, Society: Class

Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, Class, Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), LGBTQ, Biography


Publication year 1985

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Magical Realism, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Gender / Feminism, African Literature, African American Literature, French Literature, LGBTQ, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2020

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, Race / Racism, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fame

Tags Historical Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, LGBTQ

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (2017) is a work of historical fiction by Taylor Jenkins Reid. The novel follows Monique, a journalist struggling to make a name for herself until she receives an offer to interview the mysterious and reclusive 1960s Hollywood starlet, Evelyn Hugo, about fame, scandal, and love. The novel is a study of human nature that explores The Cost of Fame, The Oversexualization and Commodification of Women’s Bodies, and the difficulty... Read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Satire, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism, LGBTQ, Journalism, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate

Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, History: European, Mythology, History: World, Fantasy, Romance

The Song of Achilles, author Madeline Miller’s bestselling novel, retells the events of Homer’s Iliad. Published in 2012, the book reimagines the relationship between ancient Greek Trojan war heroes Achilles and Patroclus. Narrated in the first person by Patroclus, the narrative explores themes central to ancient Greek mythology, notably the immutability of fate and the pursuit of glory.The novel begins with Patroclus narrating his birth and early childhood. Son of King Menoitius, the undersized and... Read The Song of Achilles Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate

Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Romance, LGBTQ

Erin Morgenstern, best-selling author of The Night Circus, published The Starless Sea in 2019. This work of magical realism interweaves separate stories with shared plots, themes, and characters. The book addresses ideas such as the concept of story, its meaning, and the nature of beginnings and endings, along with fate, free will, and what it means to become part of a narrative. This guide references the Knopf Doubleday first edition.Plot SummaryZachary Ezra Rawlins, an Emerging... Read The Starless Sea Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Art, Identity: Disability, Society: Community, Identity: Sexuality

Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Grief / Death, Class, African American Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Race / Racism


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Flora/plants, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Romance, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, LGBTQ, Depression / Suicide, Mental Illness, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Psychology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Natural World: Flora/plants

Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Race / Racism, American Civil War, African American Literature, Grief / Death, History: U.S., Love / Sexuality, Post-War Era, Military / War, History: World


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Identity: Femininity, Natural World: Environment

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, LGBTQ, Gender / Feminism, Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Chinese Literature, Fantasy

The Tiger Flu by Larissa Lai is a work of dystopian speculative fiction first published in 2018 by Arsenal Pulp Press, an independent publisher based in Vancouver, Canada. With its focus on futuristic technologies that merge and manipulate human biology, The Tiger Flu can be subclassified as a cyber/biopunk thriller. The book won the 2019 Lambda Literary Award, which recognizes and celebrates the best LGBTQ books of the year. A Chinese Canadian, lesbian writer, Larissa... Read The Tiger Flu Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Fate

Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mythology, LGBTQ