The Literary Others: An LGBT Reading Event (Sign-Ups)

Posted on September 7, 2012 by

95 Comments

 Welcome to the sign-up post for:

The Literary Others: An LGBT Reading Event!

October is LGBT History Month, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to host my second full-blown reading event, following the success of Austen in August.

I know my blog readers are an eclectic bunch.  We have lovers of literature and the classics and lovers of Young Adult fiction.  We have lovers of fantasy, science-fiction, poetry, and drama.  We have non-fiction readers, audiobook listeners, and those wacky dystopian fans!

Well, did you know that, across all these genres and media types, there exists a wide-range of very powerful, very entertaining LGBT material?  For many, this event could be an opportunity to read your very first gay classic; for others, it might be a time to re-read or re-visit favorite authors and share why you love them and their works so much. 

So, for this event, the goal is to read as many pieces of gay literature as you want/are able to, during the month of October.  Biographies, audiobooks, and re-reads count.

What is LGBT?  LGBT stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender.  For the purposes of this event, “LGBT” works will refer to those which are written by a gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender author, or to those works whose major themes/characters are LGBT-centric (Books with a gay protagonist, books dealing with homophobia, poetry by a lesbian, stories where a character is dealing with gender identity issues or changes, etc.). 

I will post throughout the month on different subjects related to the study of LGBT literature and theory, as well as my own reviews of the LGBT books I finish.  I will also be offering giveaways, and I am hopeful that some participants will be interested in writing guest posts or hosting giveaways of their own, to make this more interactive.

If you are going to participate, then simply plan to read books by gay writers, or books whose primary themes/characters are gay/lesbian, etc.  Below are a few representations of LGBT works within the many possible genres.  This list is by no means comprehensive, it is simply a starting point.

Literature & Classics

  • Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
  • Nightwood by Djuna Barnes
  • The Garden of Eden by Ernest Hemingway
  • The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall
  • Maurice by E.M. Forster
  • Orlando by Virginia Woolf
  • The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
  • A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood
  • At Swim, Two Boys by Jamie O’Neill

Contemporary Fiction

  • Oranges are not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson
  • Annabel by Kathleen Winter
  • In One Person by John Irving
  • Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs
  • Rain God by Arturo Islas
  • Memory Mambo by Achy Obejas
  • Under the Poppy by Kathe Koja
  • A Son Called Gabriel by Damian McNicholl
  • The Swimming Pool Library by Alan Hollinghurst

Young Adult

Science-Fiction/Fantasy

  • Vintage: A Ghost Story by Steve Berman
  • Jumping off the Planet by David Gerrold
  • Shadow Man by Melissa Scott
  • Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Carey
  • Huntress by Malinda Lo
  • The Last Herald Mage series by Mercedes Lackey
  • Counterpoint (Songs of the Fallen series) by Rachel Haimowitz

Poetry & Drama

  • Tender Buttons by Gertrude Stein
  • Angels in America by Tony Kushner
  • Howl by Allen Ginsberg
  • The Complete Poems by Sappho
  • The Complete Poems by Emily Dickinson
  • Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
  • The Satyricon by Petronius

Non-Fiction/Memoir

  • Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel (graphic novel)
  • Zami: A New Spelling of My Name by Audre Lorde
  • A Boy’s Own Story by Edmund White (semi-autobiographical)
  • Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs
  • The History of Sexuality by Michel Foucault
  • Borderlands/La Frontera by Gloria E. Anzaldua
  • Mississippi Sissy by Kevin Sessums
  • The Persian Boy by Mary Renault (historical fiction)

Explicit/Erotica (Literary)

In the meantime, if you would like to host a giveaway or provide a guest post, please: CLICK HERE. 

And if you want to sign-up to participate in The Literary Others Reading Event, simply leave a comment on this post saying YOU’RE IN! Maybe include some of the books you hope to read, too.  I plan to read Shine by Lauren Myracle, Howl by Allen Ginsberg, and Vintage: A Ghost Story by Steve Berman.   

Please also post the button somewhere on your blog (in an announcement post or in your blog’s side-bar) so that we can spread the word, gather excitement, and encourage participation.  It goes without saying that this is meant to be a positive, fun, and educational event, so bigotry of any kind will not be tolerated.

Sign-ups are open from now through October 10th.  If you sign-up after October 10th, you can still absolutely participate, but you may not be eligible for some of the early giveaway prizes. 

To Share/Discuss on Twitter, Use Hashatag #OthersLitLGBT

Category: 2012 Challenges, Events, LGBT, Literary Others Event, Read-Alongs, Reading Challenges

95 Comments on “The Literary Others: An LGBT Reading Event (Sign-Ups)”

    • Boy Meets Boy is SO good. I read it a few years ago and remember thinking that I wish it would be required reading in junior high/high school classes.

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  2. Love this idea!
    But dog gone it – we will be traveling during this time or else I would host something for the event.
    Perhaps I will read a LGBT book, but the review will have to be posted late.
    Next year!

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    • Better late than never! We can still count that as participation, since you’ll be reading the book during October. 🙂

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  3. I really want to do this! The Well of Loneliness is on my classics club list, and I also have Oranges are not the Only Fruit on my shelf (where it’s been for absolutely ages!). I’m not sure that I can commit to it though, as my baby is due on October 7th… :-/ My mum is convinced he will be two weeks early though, so she can go to Israel with her church the week that he’s actually due, so I can see what happens! Otherwise, all I can say is great event and I’ll do my best to participate!

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  4. Great way to celebrate LGBT Awareness Month. I minored in gender and sexuality studies and the courses I took studying Queer Theory were some of the most wonderful discussions I’ve ever had. We read works by Foucault, and Lorde, Ginsberg, and many others. I look forward to your posts!

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    • That’s awesome – I hope you’ll be able to stop by and provide some thoughts/input from time to time? I’m actually working on my Ph.D. right now, American Lit with an emphasis in Gay fiction/poetry. I’m also pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Gay Studies. 😀

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  5. I’m in! I will definitely be reading Giovanni’s Room and the book you recommended I read after At Swim, Two Boys. I will probably be checking in with you for other recommendations before October, if you don’t mind. Thank you for hosting this.

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    • Glad you’re on board!! Giovanni’s Room was SO good, and I highly recommend Maurice as well… but those are both literary works (At Swim, Two Boys is, as well. It’s an interesting piece of literature based on young characters, though, similar to I’ll Get There, It Better Be Worth the Trip and to The Catcher in the Rye. They are pre-“YA” genre, really, where a book could be of literary value AND about young adults, without being “childish”).

      The book I recommended was A Son Called Gabriel, right? I think we were talking about Irish + Gay works, which is why I recommended that one. I should have put At Swim and Gabriel on the list here, too… but I really had to limit myself or it would have been miles long!

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      • Yes, Gabriel was the one you recommended to me a few weeks ago.

        Oh! I’ll be reading Annabel, too–it has been on my TBR pile for over a year and I hadn’t gotten to it, yet. I will now!

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    • Oh exciting! I’ll be reading Annabel too for this. I got it earlier in they ear on remainder and hadn’t planned on reading it, but this gives me a great excuse to move it up my list.

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      • I think Annabel looks fantastically interesting! I haven’t had a chance to read it, myself, but it’s definitely one I hope to get to, soon. It will probably end up being a Thanksgiving-vacation read.

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  6. Oooh, I may need to sign up! I’m already doing a readalong in October, so I may only be able to read one or two books for this event. I have Giovanni’s Room on my Classics Club list, and I have Fingersmith by Sarah Waters on my TBR… Hm…

    Okay, I’m In!

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  7. I just tried to leave a comment but I don’t think it went through… So if this shows up twice, sorry!

    I’m in! I have Giovanni’s Room on my Classics Club list and Sarah Waters’s Fingersmith on my TBR. I’m doing a readalong in October, too, so I don’t think I’ll be able to read more than two books for this event.

    Thanks for hosting this!

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  8. I’m in! Thanks, Heather for tweeting this. I plan to read Oranges are not the Only Fruit and Shine. I will also read In One Person but probably won’t finish it till after Oct. SO many good suggestions.

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      • Now, I read your review of Under the Poppy and I want to read that, too! So many good books listed here. I won’t get to (this makes 4) all these in one month, but I’m definitely going to continue to read these after Oct is over. Too many books…

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      • Hah! I always end up with the same problem… good luck! I hope you enjoy the ones that you do decide to read this month (and after!). 🙂

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    • Angels in America is incredible! It’s in two parts, which are sometimes sold separately, so be sure to get the whole thing! 🙂

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  10. I’m tempted to re-read two of my favorites “The Geography Club” and “Call Me By Your Name” (great summer read as well), but I should venture out for something new. Either way, I’m in!

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    • Oh, great! I wasn’t a fan of The Geography Club, but I can see why people would enjoy it and Hartinger’s other works. Hope you get to try some new stuff, too!

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  11. Oh I’m SO in! I hope I’m not biting off more than I can chew..I seem to be joining a lot of stuff lately! But this is such a GREAT idea, love it!

    Running With Scissors is one of the best/funniest things I’ve ever read. I have Dorian Gray on my Classic Club list but I’ve read that before as well. Hmmm, I should probably step out and read something new (to me) I’ll think on it.

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    • Great!! Let me know if you want/need any suggestions (other than what I already listed, obviously).

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  13. I’ll be joining in! I think I will have to give more thought as to which book(s) I’ll read — I felt disappointed with the last few LGBT books I read, all YA lit (with the exception of Dorian Gray, which I very much enjoyed). I have seen positive comments on Myracle’s Shine, however, or might go with Running with Scissors — it’s been on my to-read list for ages! Now might be a good time to finally read it.

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    • Running With Scissors is hilarious. If you want more specific recommendations, you can click on the highlighted titles from my selected titles… those are ones I’ve actually read and reviewed. Glad you’re with us!

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  14. hi Adam! congrats on the success of Austen in August. your October event is something to look forward to again.
    The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is part of my Classics Club list so i’ll go for that together with David Blaize by E.F. Benson.

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  15. I’m in! I’ve got quite a few lgbt books on my tbr pile so I’m excited to get started! I plan to read a few lgbt fantasy novels (The Song of Achilles, Huntress, etc), something by Christopher Isherwood, maybe another book by Sarah Waters, and I want to try something from the classics you listed (Giovanni’s Room probably?). Can’t wait!
    (I can’t post the button right now but will do so asap)

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    • Hah! I’m STILL working on Mansfield Park. Eesh. Glad you’re joining us again!

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  17. Pingback: Reading Challenges: R.I.P. VII & The Literary Others | midnight coffee monster

  18. So it’s true! You are hosting another event so soon after Austen in August 🙂 I think it is important for us all to read more LGBT lit, so I will be reading at least one work that is unknown to me.

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  20. Woot woot! I’d like to sign up for this. I actually have The Swimming Pool Library on my September reading bucket, but hey, I can move it back (again). I also think any Hollinghurst book counts?

    I have read A Single Man, but I haven’t written anything about it yet, so I’ll just schedule that on October. It’s my first time to participate in an event (hurray!), so I feel like a lost llama. I’ll just check out your posts regarding this to keep myself updated. 🙂

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    • Awesome! I’m honored that your first event will be with us! Yes, Hollinghurst as a gay writer = any of his works will qualify. 🙂

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  21. I’M IN! And I think you’re going to enjoy VINTAGE. I did.

    By the, for those interested: Lethe Press, run by Steve Berman, is an LGBTQ small press publisher. Mostly genre fiction, but they also put out poetry, memoir, literary fiction … a really great mix of stuff. And they publish the quarterly ICARUS magazine of gay speculative fiction.

    http://lethepressbooks.com/

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  22. Dang. I want to read Boy meets Boy so bad, but I guess I will stick with good ole Dorian. 😉

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    • Lol. You could do both! They’re both rather short. Boy Meets Boy is delightful, for sure! But Dorian is a “must read” Classic, in my opinion.

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  26. Count me in! I’ve been meaning to read Shine by Lauren Myracle for quite a long time now – Becoming Nancy is also on my list.

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    • Boy Meets Boy is such a good book! Adorable but important, too. It’s Levithan at his best (but, then again, when is he not at his best?)

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  30. I definitely want to be part of this! I see many titles on your list I’ve read and many I want to read. I’ll work on a tentative reading list tomorrow.

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  32. Thanks for hosting this event – I’m in! I’m planning to read The Miseducation of Cameron Post and Boy Meets Boy.

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    • Great! I haven’t heard of The Miseducation of Cameron Post, but Boy Meets Boy is fantastic!

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  33. I’m definitely in. I’ll be posting about the event (and the books I plan to read) next week. 🙂

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  35. Pingback: Today I am…joining a LGBT reading event!

    • The Picture of Dorian Gray is one of my favorite books of all-time… hope you enjoy it! I’m going to be reading Shine, too (with a few others, it souns like). Should be fun to compare notes with everyone!

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  37. This is awesome! I will read The Picture of Dorian Gray and Wild Boys. The former has been on my list for quite a while, so this is a perfect opportunity to read it. It’s free for Kindle on Amazon, FYI. 🙂

    As an LGBT author, I’d be honored if you’d consider reading my novel Here Lies Death (deets on my page).

    Thank you for hosting this!

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    • Wild Boys is one of my favorite Burroughs works, after Naked Lunch and Queer. Hope you enjoy it! And The Picture of Dorian Gray is just brilliant… one of the greatest pieces of literature of all-time, in my opinion!

      Thanks for dropping by – I’ll be visiting your page soon. 🙂

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  38. I’m in! I’ll be working through much of Frank O’Hara’s work in October (Collected Works, with extra time spent on Lunch Poems) and plan on picking up my Mrs. Dalloway for a reread. Using Foucault and Eve Sedgwick’s Epistemology of the Closet in my Fiction seminar, so those are in as well.

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  44. I’m in! I love this idea, Adam, and kudos to you for hosting it. Can’t wait to see what everyone will be reading.

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  45. I’ve finally come up with my list of books: Maurice by E.M. Forster, The House of the Vampire by G.S. Viereck, By nightfall by M. Cunningham and The Liar by S. Fry (if I have time, I’ll get more…). Thanks for hosting!

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    • Awesome! Maurice is excellent – I haven’t heard of the others, so I look forward to reading your thoughts/reviews!

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  46. I have already signed up. Just adding my reading choice. I will read and review something by Australian lesbian Finola Moorhead, probably a reread of her Remember the Tarentella which is wonderful but too much to absorb in one reading.

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  50. I’m in! I read tons of M/M erotica, and I’m also doing my own GLBT YA Festival since September, but I’m behind on the “classics”.
    I’m planning to read The Picture of Dorian Gray and Vintage, and going to reread Boy Meets Boy. I just loved that book!

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  51. Pingback: The Literary Others: A LGBT Reading Event | Too Fond

  52. I’m in and will write a blog post later this week about the event. I’m planning on reading The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith and the Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas by Gertrude Stein, both of which are on my Classic Club list.

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    • Oh, great! The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas is pretty interesting (and funny, if you’re a fan of Stein’s rather self-indulgent sense of humor). Glad you’re joining us!

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  56. I’m in! I’m definitely going to cover ASK THE PASSENGERS by A.S. King (coming out this month) and maybe a few others!

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    • Awesome! Haven’t heard of that – I’ll be looking forward to your review. 🙂

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  58. This idea is awesome! I’ve already started since I have a bit if a vacation here end of November. So far I’ve read “oranges aren’t the only fruit”, “the miseducation of Cameron post” & I plan on reading “the education of Queenie McBride” & “why be happy when you can be normal?”

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