Task 4: Read an LGBTQ+ history book

[Book Riot]

Use this space to discuss books you're reading or that might fit the 4th Read Harder task.

[Maryam]

A great read will be The Stonewall Reader

[Jessica]

I am going to read Pride by Matthew Todd

[Kelsey]

Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches would be a good one for this. High School by Tegan and Sara is technically a memoir but that would be a fun one, especially if you're into their music or the '90s in general.

[Nupur]

And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic would be a good book for this task. This Day in June is a really cute picture book that also fits the task.

[Bonnie G.]

I have meant to read Stonewall for ages, so I think I will do that now. Also, And the Band Played On is fantastic.

[Karen]

No Modernism Without Lesbians by Diana Souhami - Art and Lesbians in Paris. I believe it has a May, 2021 release date in the US.

[Britt]

I'm reading A History of Bisexuality for this one!

[Lauren]

I've spotted this one at the library and I've been dying to read it. Now I've got a good reason to finally pick it up.

[Miles]

Karen wrote: "No Modernism Without Lesbians by Diana Souhami - Art and Lesbians in Paris. I believe it has a May, 2021 release date in the US."

This looks really, really good.

[Jessica]

I am thinking that I will read Transgender History by Susan Stryker

[Tanu]

Does anyone have a book about the history of asexuality/aromanticism for this one? I know they’re relatively new identities, so I doubt I’ll have much luck.

[Ryan]

Tanvi wrote: "Does anyone have a book about the history of asexuality/aromanticism for this one? I know they’re relatively new identities, so I doubt I’ll have much luck."

While not exclusively historical texts, these may be of interest for this prompt:

The Invisible Orientation: An Introduction to Asexuality

Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex

[Tanu]

Thanks Ryan, I might read one of those for this prompt!

[Kathryn]

I bought And the Band Played On but haven't read it yet.

[The Bookish Austin]

Would a memoir by an LGBTQ+ author count for this? Like Shaun David Hutchinson's Brave Face?

[Leslie (updates on SG)]

The Lavender Scare: The Cold War Persecution of Gays and Lesbians in the Federal Government

[Victoria]

Stretching the definition of history here I'm thinking of reading Chris Kraus's biography of Kathy Acker, it's also supposed to be a pseudo academic look at Acker's work and artistic legacy so I feel a bit better about reading it for the prompt

[Elizabeth]

I'm leaning towards Queer Pulp: Perverted Passions from the Golden Age of the Paperback by Susan Stryker at this point. There are a few others I'm interested in as well though, so it may depend on what I get my hands on first.

[Jamie]

the men with the pink triangle by heinz heger

[Elizabeth]

I'm excited about this prompt. Some of my ideas:

And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic

Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers: A History of Lesbian Life in Twentieth-Century America

Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation

The Deviant's War: The Homosexual vs. the United States of America

[Mariah]

I’m reading Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex. It’s not 100% historical but I think it fits the spirit of the prompt.

[Ilana]

I read How to Survive a Plague a few years ago and it’s excellent

[Ilana]

I’m thinking of going with Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments by Saidiya Hartman. Has anyone read it?

[Katie]

This one sounded interesting so this is my choice! A Queer History of the United States

[Emma]

Guess who just got her copy of The Stonewall Reader just in time for this task? (it me. :D)

[Nat]

I'm going to be reading Transgender History: The Roots of Today's Revolution

[Book Riot]

Hi everyone! Our rec post for this task is up now: https://bookriot.com/read-harder-2021...

[Hector]

Two I'd like to reccomend:

Covering: The Hidden Assault on Our Civil Rights by Kenji Yoshino and Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the Making of the Gay Male World 1890-1940 by George Chauncey.

Gay New York thouroughly explains where the term 'coming out' comes from, and as a gay man, kind of wish we still did that.

[Bonnie G.]

Thanks Hector. Gay New York sounds great and my library has it on Overdrive.

[Hector]

Elizabeth wrote: "I'm excited about this prompt. Some of my ideas:

And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic
Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers: A History of Lesbian Life in Tw..."</i>

[book:The Deviant's War: The Homosexual vs. the United States of America is available right now as an epub for $2.99 at most places.

[Alicia]

I'm thinking either The Gay Agenda or Trans Britain maybe as I already own those, though I'm definitely looking up some of these other suggestions!

[Jennifer]

A few I'm thinking about that haven't been suggested yet:
Surpassing the Love of Men: Romantic Friendship and Love Between Women from the Renaissance to the Present
Charity and Sylvia: A Same-Sex Marriage in Early America
Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity

[Rebecca]

I'm reading The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk.

[Katrisa]

Lauren wrote: " I've spotted this one at the library and I've been dying to read it. Now I've got a good reason to finally pick it up."

I own this one - this will be my pick!

[Bobby]

I’ve been wanting to read February House: The Story of W. H. Auden, Carson McCullers, Jane and Paul Bowles, Benjamin Britten, and Gypsy Rose Lee, Under One Roof in Brooklyn by Sherill Tippins for a long time, and I think it would be perfect for this challenge.

[The Bookish Austin]

I think I've seen it asked a few times but no comments - what are thoughts about using a memoir or biography for this prompt? I was contemplating Brave Face by Shaun David Hutchinson.

[Ady]

This is an area that I think I need some additional education in. I feel like a good starter might be Queer: A Graphic History

[Blake]

Does anyone have recommendations for a book about HIV/AIDS written by an LGBTQ author?

[Blake]

The Bookish Austin wrote: "I think I've seen it asked a few times but no comments - what are thoughts about using a memoir or biography for this prompt? I was contemplating Brave Face by Shaun David Hutchinson."

Bookriot recommended a memoir in their post, so i'm guessing it's appropriate for this prompt.

[Bobby]

Anna wrote: "Does anyone have recommendations for a book about HIV/AIDS written by an LGBTQ author?"

I haven’t read it, but And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic by Randy Shilts is a classic.

[Sarah]

If any others were looking for some books about the queer experience outside of the US (I was specifically looking for Canada), The Pink Line: Journeys Across the World's Queer Frontiers and Out North: An Archive of Queer Activism and Kinship in Canada both look interesting! I'm probably going to go with the latter.

[Audra]

Elizabeth wrote: "I'm excited about this prompt. Some of my ideas:

And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic
[book: Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers: A History of Lesbian Life in Tw..."

Thanks for your list. I'm going with Odd Girls. Sounds like an interesting read.

[Anna]

Another good one is Female Husbands: A Trans History for anyone who wants to delve into transgender history beyond just the 20th century.

[AJ]

I'm wondering if Pride: The LGBTQ+ Rights Movement: A Photographic Journey would count for this as there are extensive essays along with the photographs

[Tammy]

I discovered a local (to me) book that would work for this: Solidarity Through Pride. It's "the first of its kind to outline a history of a Pride Movement that took place in a small city continuously for 40 years." Might be hard to find outside of NM, but thought I'd mention it!

[Jennifer]

I have had The Queer Encyclopedia of Film and Television on my TBR for a couple years so this seems like the perfect topic to get it read.

[Tammy]

Amanda wrote: "I'm wondering if Pride: The LGBTQ+ Rights Movement: A Photographic Journey would count for this as there are extensive essays along with the photographs"

I would count it even if there were not any essays. A picture is worth a thousand words, as they say!

[Tammy]

In Book Riot's article for this task there is a link to a list of related historical fiction: https://bookriot.com/queer-historical...

Some others that might work are Trumpet, by Jackie Kay (about a transgender musician & his family, & inspired by a real life person) and White Houses, by Amy Bloom (a fictionalized story of Eleanor Roosevelt & "first friend" Lorena Hickok).

[Rachel S]

Does anyone know of a good book covering the significant queer dimension of Ireland’s revolutionary history? I just came across this history in Emma Donoghue’s recent pandemic-related book, The Pull of the Stars, and having studied Irish Literature for a whole year in undergrad, am still digesting the general absence of this history in the academic and literary consciousness, and floored at how little recognition it’s gained in recent years still. (Many of the women involved in the Easter Rising of 1916 and related activity leading up to Ireland’s independence were very likely lesbians, living with their close female friends for decades, etc.)