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 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Identity: Gender
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Indian Literature, LGBTQ
A Burning by Megha Majumdar is a contemporary fiction novel that explores issues of tribalism, community, social media, and how we get ahead in a harsh world. Although the book takes place in India, its reflections on hope, humanity, and society are recognizable to all readers. The novel follows the interconnected narratives of Jivan, Lovely, and PT Sir after a terrorist attack in India. Jivan and Lovely’s chapters are narrated in first person with dialect... Read A Burning Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, LGBTQ, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2014
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Immigration
Tags LGBTQ, Gender / Feminism, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Biography
A Cup of Water Under My Bed is Daisy Hernández’s 2014 coming-of-age story that centers the intersection of race, class, gender, and sexuality. The book received Lambda Literary’s Dr. Betty Berzon Emerging Writer Award in 2015. Hernández was also awarded the IPPY Award (Independent Publisher Book Award) for best coming-of-age memoir, and the book was a finalist for the Publishing Triangle Award. This memoir highlights the complicated dynamics that shape race, class, gender, and sexual... Read A Cup of Water Under My Bed Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Gothic Literature, LGBTQ, Addiction / Substance Abuse
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, LGBTQ, Sports, Relationships, Children's Literature
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Disability
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Drama / Tragedy, Relationships, LGBTQ, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Depression / Suicide, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Aging
Tags Realistic Fiction, Relationships, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery, Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags LGBTQ, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, Biography
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family
Tags Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, Humor
Publication year 2004
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Romance, LGBTQ
Almost, Maine is a play in two acts, and is comprised of a prologue, a four-scene first act, an interlogue, a four-scene second act (one of which has two different versions one can choose from), and finally an Epilogue. The title refers to an imagined town in Northern Maine, named Almost, that the playwright, John Cariani, writes, “doesn’t quite exist” (11). Each scene consists of at least two main characters, and, aside from the Prologue... Read Almost, Maine Summary
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Religion / Spirituality
A Map of Home is a 2008 coming-of-age novel by Randa Jarrar. The novel follows the life of Nidali, a girl of Palestinian, Greek, and Egyptian descent who grows up between Kuwait, Egypt, and the United States. The novel contains three parts, each of which correspond to Nidali’s time in these three different countries. During her childhood, Nidali navigates extreme circumstances, grappling with violence, family conflict, and the backdrop of war, all while exploring her... Read A Map of Home Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, LGBTQ, Edwardian Era
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Identity: Race
Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, LGBTQ, History: World
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: War
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQ, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery
Tags Romance, Holidays & Occasions, LGBTQ
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fame
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQ
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing is a 2018 novel by American video blogger Hank Green. Told in the first and second person, this speculative fiction follows a young woman after her video of what she believes to be a robot art installation goes viral. Her addiction to attention and the revelation that the Carl is an alien examines the consequences of fame and the nature of humanity when faced with the presence of aliens.Plot Summary While walking... Read An Absolutely Remarkable Thing Summary
Publication year 1987
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community
Tags Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Sociology, History: World, LGBTQ, Politics / Government
And The Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic is a work of investigative reporting by Randy Shilts, a reporter with the San Francisco Chronicle. Shilts covered the AIDS epidemic from 1982 for the only newspaper willing to give its full attention to the epidemic. Shilts examines the roots of AIDS beginning in 1976 to two events and focuses on the mysterious illness of a Danish physician working in Africa, Dr. Grethe Rask. Before... Read And The Band Played On Summary
Publication year 1993
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Play: Drama, LGBTQ, History: U.S.
Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes by the American playwright Tony Kushner is an epic story that spans two plays – Millennium Approaches, first produced in 1991, and Perestroika, which debuted in 1992. The entire two-part work premiered on Broadway in 1993. Angels in America is Kushner’s most well-known work and is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most significant American plays of the 20th century. Angels in America... Read Angels in America Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger
Tags Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ
Mark Oshiro’s 2018 debut novel Anger Is a Gift is a work of contemporary fiction for young adults exploring the realities of police brutality and racist oppression people of color experience in America. This study guide uses the 2018 edition published by Tor (ISBN: 978-1-250-16702-6). Oshiro is a queer author of color, and this novel seeks to highlight the racial divide in America. He shows through this book that there is no universal American experience... Read Anger Is a Gift Summary