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 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Food, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Race, Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Love / Sexuality, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2019
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, Romance
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Sexuality
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, LGBTQ, Relationships, Class, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ, Race / Racism, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality
Tags LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Humor
Written by Andrew Sean Greer and published in 2017, Less is a satirical comedy novel. It portrays the journey of Arthur Less, who after a difficult breakup plots a round-the-world trip to better understand himself. It won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.Plot SummaryApproaching 50, Arthur Less sits in a hotel lobby waiting to be picked up for a literary event. He is a writer and will be interviewing another writer, albeit a sci-fi author... Read Less Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Identity: Masculinity, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Future
Tags LGBTQ, Humor, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1997
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Immigration
Tags Memoir / Autobiography, Historical Nonfiction, History, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Education, Education, History: World, LGBTQ, Classic Fiction, Biography
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Gender
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQ, Romance
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Friendship
Tags LGBTQ, Realistic Fiction, Bullying, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness
Lily and Dunkin by Donna Gephart was originally published in 2016. A coming-of-age novel set in contemporary America, the book tells the stories of two unique and inspiring teenagers who find themselves and each other. Lily and Dunkin was named one of NPR’s Best Kids’ Books of 2016, one of Amazon’s Top 20 Children’s Books of 2016, and one of YALSA’s picks for Best Fiction for Young Adults in 2017. This guide is based on... Read Lily and Dunkin Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Lyric Poem, LGBTQ, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction, Literary Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Philosophy, Gender / Feminism, Politics / Government, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Social Justice, Education, Education, LGBTQ, Philosophy
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Community, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender
Tags Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ, Bullying, Depression / Suicide, Parenting, Love / Sexuality, Social Justice, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Diversity, Relationships, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, LGBTQ, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity
Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Gender / Feminism, History: World, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1971
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Class
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, Arts / Culture, Class, Love / Sexuality, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
Maurice (1971) is a coming-of-age novel and love story by English author E. M. Forster. Like much of Forster’s work, it straddles the realist and modernist eras; stylistically, it resembles the literature of the 19th century, but its themes—in particular, its depiction of unconscious experience—anticipate the work of writers like Virginia Woolf and D. H. Lawrence. Drafted between 1913 and 1914, it was not published until 1971—one year after Forster’s death—because of its subject matter;... Read Maurice Summary