Looking for a literary adventure that’s as colourful as a pride parade? We’ve found the best LGBT+ books for you to read!
These novels, memoirs, and collections span genres and voices, offering stories that will make you laugh, cry, and maybe even blush a little.
So settle into your comfiest reading nook with a cup of something delicious, and turn the page to discover the stories that are sure to open your mind in 2024. Read on through for our curated list of the best LGBT+ books to read in 2024!
Heralded as one of the best LGBT+ books of all time, since its release in 2015, A Little Life has had a not so small impact on the literary world. This profound novel by Hanya Yanagihara follows the lives of four college friends in New York City, focusing on the harrowing experiences of Jude St. Francis. The novel’s unflinching portrayal of Jude’s struggles with his past, his sexuality, and his search for belonging and love offered readers an intense, emotional journey that captures the complexities of human connection and resilience. Yanagihara’s masterful storytelling and rich character development create a deeply moving narrative that challenges and engages readers.
Image via Angus and Robertson website.A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Image via Booktopia website.
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
In their brief history, graphic novels have been used to tell powerful personal stories, letting you step into someone else’s life halfway around the world. In Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home, the famed comic artist gives you a peak into her own struggles with sexuality growing up in rural Pennsylvania, and her complex relationship with her father. See firsthand how two people understand their identity in very different ways, sometimes with dire consequences. In equal measures funny and heart-breaking, Fun Home is an eye-opening memoir from one of the most important comic book artists in history.
A truly powerful novel that says a lot with so few words, Giovanni’s Room is arguably the towering achievement of writer James Baldwin, which is as high an accolade as any. This classic tale tells the story of an American man living in Paris and grappling with his sexuality and love for an Italian bartender named Giovanni. Courting never ending controversy since its first publication in 1956, those who do read are treated to a complex exploration of social isolation, gender, and questions around masculinity in this classic LGBT book. Just get some tissues prepared for this heart wrenching tale of Giovanni’s Room.
Image via Angus and Robertson website.Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
Image via Booktopia website.
Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
If you’re curious to find the origins of the current Netflix hit, we point you in the direction of Alice Oseman’s graphic novel Heartstopper. Heartstopper tells the beautiful tale of a young boy growing up gay, slowly falling in love with a classmate despite the challenges of high school. First starting life as a weekly comic on Tumblr, this romantic coming-of-age graphic now spans over four volumes so far, with a fifth instalment headed to bookshelves in the coming years. With adorable artwork, there’s no better time to catch up on this gorgeous story of teenage love.
The English novelist Virginia Woolf shook the literary world with her novel Orlando. Celebrated as one of the best LGBT+ books of all time, this groundbreaking novel explores themes of gender fluidity and sexual identity that are still unmatched. Spanning over three centuries, the novel follows the life Orlando, who inexplicably changes sex from male to female, falling in love with many along the way. Woolf’s innovative narrative offers a whimsical yet profound look at gender norms, cementing its status as a pioneering and enduring classic in LGBT literature.
Image via Angus and Robertson website.Orlando by Virginia Woolf
No list of the best LGBT+ books would be complete within a mention of Oscar Wilde and his magnum opus: Picture of Dorian Grey. Telling the twisted story of Dorian Gray, a young man who remains outwardly youthful while his portrait ages and bears the marks of his moral corruption, this classic novel reveals the hidden desires in Victorian society. Wilde’s nuanced portrayal of the homoerotic undertones in the relationships between Dorian, the artist Basil, and the hedonistic Lord Henry gives us a critique of societal hypocrisy and the repression of sexuality in this seminal work for the LGBT+ community.
Image via Angus and Robertson website.Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde
A delightful romantic comedy that blends American politics with British royalty, Red, White & Royal Blue is a titillating LGBT+ romance novel that’ll have you eagerly flipping pages. Written by Casey McQuiston, follow the romance between Alex Claremont-Diaz, the First Son of the United States, and Prince Henry of Wales. With refined characters, sharp and witty humour, and plenty of spicy controversy, it’s easy to see how Red, White & Royal Blue has become a fan favourite romance novel within the LGBT+ community!
Image via Angus and Robertson website.Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
For those wanting to learn a little, grab a coffee and read through Who’s Afraid of Gender. Academic Judith Butler deconstructs traditional ideas around gender, challenging us to think about gender through a new lens by introducing the world to ideas around gender performance and gender roles. Butler’s critique and groundbreaking theory has had a profound impact on both feminist and queer theory, making this an essential non-fiction LGBT+ read.
Image via Angus and Robertson website.Who's Afraid of Gender by Judith Butler
For more queer recommendations, here is our guide to the 10 Best LGBT+ Movies of All Time. And for live entertainment, book a night at the 14 Best Drag Queen Shows and Drag Clubs in Australia.
