Held in June to honor the 1969 Stonewall uprising, Pride Month celebrates and affirms the worth and vitality of the LGBTQ community. Titles in this collection include notable fiction and nonfiction works by LGBTQ authors and those writing about LGBTQ topics, including Audre Lorde, Douglas Stuart, and Amy Ellis Nutt.
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2002
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags LGBTQ, Mental Illness, Humor, Psychology, Psychology, Biography
Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs was first published in 2002 as a memoir. After several of the figures it features sued for defamation and dishonesty of its claims, however, it was recategorized as a book. It can also be classified as a bildungsroman since it follows the adolescent growth of its narrator and protagonist. Running with Scissors was adapted into a feature film in 2006.Other works by this author include Dry and A Wolf... Read Running With Scissors Summary
Publication year 1995
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past
Sabbath’s Theater by Philip Roth, published in 1995, is a work of literary fiction that follows the titular character Mickey Sabbath, an aging yet lustful man, as he navigates life after the passing of his long-time mistress, Drenka. As Sabbath runs from his loss and his unhappy marriage, he finds himself in New York City, confronting the pain of his first wife’s disappearance and the death of his older brother, Morty, during World War II... Read Sabbath's Theater Summary
Publication year 1891
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Play: Tragedy, Love / Sexuality, Irish Literature, Victorian Period, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Music, Identity: Gender
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Literary Fiction, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community
Tags Historical Fiction, Food, Romance
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness
Shout: The True Story of A Survivor Who Refused to be Silenced by Laurie Halse Anderson is a memoir written in verse published in 2019. Anderson wrote it as both a personal narrative and a call to action in the wake of the 2017 #MeToo movement, which supported survivors of sexual assault who came forward to share their stories publicly. Shout received widespread critical acclaim and was named Time’s Best Book of the Year 2019.Laurie... Read Shout Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class
Tags Realistic Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse, LGBTQ, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Community, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Identity: Gender, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Romance, LGBTQ, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Music, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1984
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Race, Society: Community
Tags Race / Racism, LGBTQ, Social Justice, Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Classic Fiction, Politics / Government
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2020
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, LGBTQ, Children's Literature
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Parenting, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1609
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Life/Time: Birth, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Life/Time: The Future
Tags Lyric Poem, Education, Education, History: World, Romance, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1609
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Regret
Tags Lyric Poem, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 1891
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Sexuality
Tags Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction, Play: Drama, German Literature
Spring Awakening: A Children’s Tragedy is an 1891 bildungsroman by the German playwright Frank Wedekind. The play chronicles a group of teenagers struggling to navigate puberty in the sexually repressive environment of fin-de-siècle provincial Germany. In its indictment of repressive bourgeois mores, the play addresses topics that prevented it from being performed until 1906, including gay relationships, masturbation, suicide, and rape. This foundational work of Modern theater is notable for the amorality of its teenage... Read Spring Awakening Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1954
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Classic Fiction, French Literature, Romance, Love / Sexuality
The Story of O is a 1954 erotic novel written by French writer Anne Desclos under the pen name Pauline Réage. Explicit and intense in tone, the work centers on the sexual life and fantasies of O, who engages in sadomasochistic play with her lover and several other figures, both men and women. At the time the novel was written, women in Europe faced an atmosphere that was repressive both sexually and professionally, leading many... Read Story of O Summary
Publication year 1958
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Southern Gothic, Play: Drama, American Literature, Southern Literature, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction
Suddenly Last Summer (1958) is a one-act play by American playwright Tennessee Williams. It was originally staged with another Williams drama (Something Unspoken) in a double bill known as Garden District and met with mixed reviews upon its Broadway premiere. This may have been due to the content of the play, which includes pedophilia, cannibalism, and relationships between men (considered scandalous at the time). Indeed, Williams reportedly modeled Suddenly Last Summer and its two-monologue structure... Read Suddenly, Last Summer Summary