Pride Month Reads

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 1898

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Gender

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Love / Sexuality, Gothic Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1996

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Play: Drama, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Historical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Psychology, British Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

Maggie O’Farrell’s novel The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, published in 2006, is the author’s fourth novel and tackles the grim history of forced incarcerations of women and the devastating effects of family secrets. O’Farrell’s work often focuses on women trapped physically, emotionally, and psychologically by forces over which they have no control, and this novel is no exception. Through a twisted entanglement of three different perspectives, O’Farrell tells the story of not only Esme... Read The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox Summary


Publication year 1993

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Depression / Suicide, Climate Change, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, Classic Fiction

The Virgin Suicides is a realistic fiction novel written by Jeffrey Eugenides and originally published in 1993. Using death by suicide as its central motif, the novel examines the themes of The Objectification of Women, Romanticizing the Past, and The Effects of Loss. A statement of youth disillusionment, death by suicide becomes The Death of the Future, another of the novel’s themes. The novel was adapted into a critically acclaimed film directed by Sofia Coppola... Read The Virgin Suicides Summary


Publication year 1986

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: Community, Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags LGBTQ, Health / Medicine, American Literature, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1990

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Gothic Literature


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Marriage

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1887

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Sexuality

Tags Classic Fiction, Romance, Class, Love / Sexuality, Victorian Period, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Victorian Literature / Period


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, LGBTQ, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

Tags Biography, Arts / Culture


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Community, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Immigration / Refugee, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Bullying, Love / Sexuality, Grief / Death, History: Asian, Natural Disaster, Parenting, Military / War, Race / Racism, Religion / Spirituality, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World


Publication year 2014

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Education

Tags LGBTQ, Humor, Self Help, Love / Sexuality


Publication year 2021

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Race / Racism, Black Lives Matter, Social Justice, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, African American Literature, American Literature, History: World, Politics / Government, Biography


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Mythology, LGBTQ


Publication year 1905

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth

Tags Psychology, Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Love / Sexuality, Philosophy

Sigmund Freud’s Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality was first published in 1905. Freud expanded it several times in later editions, and it reached its final form in 1924. The book occupies a major place in Freud’s body of work, but it was controversial when it first appeared. Freud pointedly blurs the line between perversions and normal sexual behaviors, and he develops a radically new and surprising theory of human sexuality—in particular, of childhood... Read Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Masculinity

Tags Love / Sexuality, Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction, Biography


Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery

Tags History: World, Victorian Literature / Period, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Romance, LGBTQ, Victorian Period


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Sexuality

Tags LGBTQ, Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor


Publication year 1996

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery, Society: Class

Tags Gender / Feminism, History: World, LGBTQ, Politics / Government


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Disability, Identity: Language, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, LGBTQ, Fantasy