I had initially conceived of this list as a Pride reading wishlist that I knew I’d never finish, but then I looked up and June was almost over. This is still a queer reading list, but it’s one to last the whole year. I read books by queer authors all year anyway, but I wanted to honour Pride month by putting them front and centre. After all, why should we limit such incredible books to just a single month?
Top 7 Books to Add to Your Queer Reading List
1. Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
After reading Another Country, I decided that I needed to read everything James Baldwin had ever written. Giovanni’s Room is one of his most well known and belongs in the canon of classic queer literature. It follows a young man living in Paris and his relationship with an Italian bartender, Giovanni. It sounds simple on the surface, but Baldwin’s evocative writing always delivers stunning depth of character and a gripping close examination of the lives of ordinary people.
2. Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead
Jonny Appleseed has won all the awards, including Canada Reads in 2021 and the Lambda Literary Award, honouring outstanding contributions to LGBTQ literature. The story follows the titular character, an Indigenous Two-Spirit youth, over seven days as he prepares to return home to life on “the rez” for his step-father’s funeral after living in the big city as a cybersex worker. This one promises to be strange and dazzling and I can’t wait to read it.
3. Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo
I mentioned Summer Sons on last year’s roundup of fall new releases, but I’m adding it again as a reminder to finally read it. I mean, queer southern gothic meets dark academia with ghosts and fast cars? Entirely my vibe. And I can’t resist some summer spooky vibes because they are way too few and far between. I have this one waiting for me on my kobo and I plan to pair it with a cold beer by the pool.
4. Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield
The title alone is enough to convince me to read Our Wives Under the Sea. Julia Armfield’s debut novel is shot through with threads of horror — when Miri’s wife Leah returns from a catastrophic deep sea mission, it quickly becomes clear that she’s come back wrong. The gap between the two women widens as they attempt to return to their familiar lives, and Miri has to grapple with everything she stands to lose if Leah doesn’t fully come back to her. The premise has echoes of Annihilation, while also bringing to mind old selkie folk stories, and I can’t wait to dive into this contemporary gothic tale.
5. Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
Carmen Maria Machado’s memoir, In the Dream House, is one of my favourite memoirs. Much like Baldwin’s Another Country, it made me want to read everything she’s ever written. Next on the list is her short story collection, Her Body and Other Parties, which promises to be weird and wonderful. These stories cross all genres from horror and sci-fi to comedy and fantasy. Given Machado’s deft handling of style and form in Dream House, I’m excited to see what she does with short stories. I’m imagining something along the lines of Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century by Kim Fu, and if that’s the case, then it’s going to solidify my love for bizarre and creepy short stories.
6. How to Write An Autobiographical Novel by Alexander Chee
Sometimes I put off reading a book because I suspect it’s going to consume me and I want to give it the attention it deserves. How to Write An Autobiographical Novel is one such book. I’ve had it on my reading list pretty much since it came out back in 2018. Chee is one of those writers whose work is considered required reading by other writers, and I’m a sucker for writing about the craft of writing (hence, my last blog post). In his essay collection he grapples with politics, childhood trauma, and his experience as a gay man of colour through the lens of life as a writer. If you want to read along, this is going to be our next book club book because I just know it’s going to generate some incredible discussion.
7. Rainbow Rainbow by Lydia Conklin
I didn’t used to gravitate much towards short stories, but I’m starting to think I’ve just been reading the wrong ones, so I’m on a mission to find the ones that I love. To that end, Lydia Conklin’s debut collection, Rainbow Rainbow, is high on my list. These stories centre queer, trans, and gender non-conforming characters in the full breadth of the human experience. Conklin has been called, “A fearless new voice for their generation.” It’s hard to get a better endorsement than that.
Bonus: I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston
I continue to be unable to help myself when making lists, so you get one more because I think you deserve one that I’ve actually read. I Kissed Shara Wheeler is everything you could want from queer YA fiction. It’s like if you took your favourite teen romcom of the early aughts and made everyone gay. You’ve got found family, queer friend groups, a scavenger hunt to find a missing classmate, rivals to lovers, and coming of age all rolled into one joyful ball of celebration in defiance of the conservative sensibilities of a southern small town. It’s a delight from start to finish.
Celebrating Pride Beyond June
In our Pride episode, we realized that we’ve read a lot of books by queer authors entirely by accident simply because queer writers are producing quality work. We aim to make our podcast a safe space where people feel welcomed and accepted and celebrated, so we plan to keep our queer content going as long as we’re making episodes. As always, we love recommendations, especially from lesser known authors and smaller publishers. So please tell us, what and who are your favourite queer books and authors?
