{"id":342,"date":"2012-01-22T16:44:00","date_gmt":"2012-01-22T22:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.glbtrt.ala.org\/overtherainbow\/?p=342"},"modified":"2012-04-01T02:09:48","modified_gmt":"2012-04-01T07:09:48","slug":"over-the-rainbow-list-2012-79-lgbt-books-for-adult-readers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.glbtrt.ala.org\/overtherainbow\/archives\/342","title":{"rendered":"2012 Over the Rainbow List–74 LGBT Books for Adult Readers!"},"content":{"rendered":"

This year\u2019s jury \u00a0identified 263 titles to be considered for the \u00a0list. \u00a0Eligible, books were published between July 1, 2010 and December 31, 2011.\u00a0 Jurors compiled a list of 140 books with at least one juror nomination.\u00a0 Of those books, 103\u00a0 were from small, independent publishers, self-published or from University Presses.\u00a0 Seven of the nominated titles were published in Canada, and two were British publications.<\/p>\n

\u00a0The committee\u2019s mission is to create a bibliography of books that exhibit commendable literary quality and significant authentic lgbt content and are recommended for adults over age 18. It is not meant to be all inclusive, \u00a0but is intended as an annual core list for readers and librarians searching for recommendations of a cross-section of the year\u2019s titles. Although the committee attempts to present titles for a variety of reading tastes and levels, no effort will be made to balance this bibliography according to subject, area of interest, age, or genre.
\n
\n<\/strong>Our Top Ten Favorite \u00a0Titles<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Alenyikow, Michael.\u00a0 \u00a0Ivan and Misha: Stories<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0 2010 (Oct).\u00a0 212p. Triquarterly.\u00a0 $18.96.\u00a0 (978-0810127180).\u00a0 Short Stories.<\/a>
\nWith each story told from a different character’s point of view, in this collection revolving around two brothers and their Russian father living in New York City, Alenyikow poignantly explores the brothers’ attitudes toward their father, each other, and being gay in America.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bronski, Michael.\u00a0 A Queer History of the United States.\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong>Beacon. 2011.\u00a0 312p.\u00a0 $27.95. (978-0807044391).\u00a0 Nonfiction.<\/a>
\nTo \u201c[examine] history though the lens of those groups whose stories have been excluded from the canon\u201d this first book in a series uses primary documents, literature, and culture histories to cover the dynamics of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history from pre-1492 to the present.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Cruse, Howard. \u00a0The Complete Wendel. <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Universe Publishing.\u00a0 2011.\u00a0 288p.\u00a0 (978-0789322166 ).\u00a0 $24.95.\u00a0 Graphic Narrative.<\/a>
\nIncludes every episode of Cruse’s groundbreaking comic strip Wendel<\/em>, which ran in the pages of The Advocate during the 1980s, together for the first time, along with introductions by Cruse and Alison Bechdel and a new “Where Are They Now?” section.<\/span><\/p>\n

Festing, Issy.\u00a0 The Bird Keeper. <\/em><\/strong>Book Guild Limited.\u00a0 2010 (Sept).\u00a0 264p. (978-1846244940). Fiction.<\/a>
\nAfter Satchin Rai refuses to take over his father’s tea successful tea business and chooses instead to become an ornithologist at a bird sanctuary in northwest India, a mysterious British visitor to the sanctuary upsets Satchin’s world by being so free (and western) about his life responsibilities and sexuality. Satchin struggles to decide whether to meet his family’s expectations or enjoy a guilt-free life doing what he loves.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hollinghurst, Alan.\u00a0 The Stranger’s Child. <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Knopf.\u00a0 2011.\u00a0 448p.\u00a0 $27.95.\u00a0 (978-0307272768).\u00a0 Fiction.<\/a>
\nIn 1913, George Sawle brings his schoolmate and secret lover, the poet Cecil Valence, home to meet his family. The poem Cecil writes in George’s sister Daphne’s autograph book as a result of that visit will have an impact on the family that lasts several generations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mehta, Rahul.\u00a0 Quarantine:\u00a0 Stories. <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Harper Perennial.\u00a0 2011.\u00a0 224p.\u00a0 $14.99.\u00a0 (978-0062020451).\u00a0 Short Stories.<\/a>
\nNine stories told from the perspective of second- and third-generation South Asian-American gay men at odds with their families\u2019 culture and expectations, describing their lives filled with humor, disappointment and frustration.<\/span><\/p>\n

Merey, Ilike.\u00a0 a + e 4ever. <\/em><\/strong>Lethe Press. 2011.\u00a0 214p. $18.00.\u00a0 (978-1590213902).\u00a0 Graphic Narrative.<\/a>
\nAsher is the beautifully androgynous new boy in school. Eu is the lonely dyke girl who befriends, and soon finds herself falling for, Ash, in this graphic novel that explores the complexities of love, friendship, sex, gender and sexual identity.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Persistence: All Ways Butch and Femme. <\/em><\/strong> Ed. by Ivan Coyote and Zena Sharman. Arsenal Pulp Press. 2011. 256p. $19.95. (978-1551523972). Essays.<\/a>
\nTwenty years after the publication of Joan Nestle\u2019s The Persistent Desire: A Femme-Butch Reader<\/em>, Coyote and Sharman continue the conversation of lesbian butches and femmes through fiction, nonfiction, and poetry from their favorite lesbian\/transwomen authors.<\/span><\/p>\n

Puenzo, Lucia.\u00a0 The Fish Child (The Americas).<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 Texas Tech Press.\u00a0 2010 (Oct).\u00a0 $26.95.\u00a0 (978-0896727144).\u00a0 Fiction.<\/a>
\nTold from the point of view of the family dog, this novella about the romance between Argentinian Lala and her maid Guayi takes a strange turn when Guayi disappears without a trace. Lala tries to trace her to her native Paraguay, where she learns some shocking secrets about Guayi’s past and the legend of the fish child that lives in the lake.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Yeros, Dimitris. \u00a0 Shades of Love: Photographs Inspired by the Poems of C.P. Cavafy.<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 Poetry by C.P. Cavafy; translated by David Conolly. Insight Editions. 2011. 168p. $75.00 (978-1608870134). \u00a0 Poetry\/Art<\/a>
\nIn 1999, Yeros began a collection of photographs inspired by the works of Greek poet C.P. Cavafy. This gorgeous coffee table book presents Yeros’ photographs together with the poems that inspired them.<\/span>
\nThe jurors for this list were:<\/p>\n

Arla Jones (Chair), Lawrence, KS; \u00a0Danielle Pollock (Chair-Elect), Albuquerque, NM; \u00a0\u00a0Martin Garnar, Denver, CO; \u00a0Robert Graziano, Chicago, IL; \u00a0\u00a0Sarah Kanning, Lawrence, KS; \u00a0\u00a0Paige Mano, Racine, WI; \u00a0Jesse Nachem, Oakland, CA; \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Larry Romans, Nashville, TN; \u00a0\u00a0Michael Santangelo, Brooklyn, NY; \u00a0\u00a0Katy Vance, Greensboro, NC; and \u00a0\u00a0Nel Ward, Newport, OR.<\/p>\n

Downloadable 2012 Over the Rainbow Booklist<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Art<\/strong><\/p>\n

Assume Nothing<\/em><\/strong>. Ed. by Rebecca Swan and Judith Halberstam. Soft Skull Press.\u00a0 2010.\u00a0 112p.\u00a0 (978-1593762872).<\/a>
\nPhotographer Rebecca Swan presents intimate portraits of twenty-five individuals from a variety of cultures who exist outside of traditional gender identities. This collection features Swan’s photographs, as well as excerpts from personal interviews with her subjects.<\/p>\n

Gupta, Sunil.\u00a0 Queer. <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Prestel USA.\u00a0 2011.\u00a0 140p.\u00a0 $49.95.\u00a0 (978-3791350998).<\/a>
\nThis comprehensive book about this important Indian photographer’s major works to date, including contemporary sexuality, gender, and gay life in India and other locales, documents the experiences of the artist and others living with HIV and homophobia.<\/p>\n

Katz, Jonathan D. and Ward, David C.\u00a0 Hide\/Seek:\u00a0 Difference and Desire in American Portraiture. <\/em><\/strong>Smithsonian Books.\u00a0 2010.\u00a0 296p. $45.00.\u00a0 (978-1588342997).<\/a>
\nThis companion volume to an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, follows the impact of gay and lesbian artists on American art from the late 19th<\/sup> century to the present through more than 140 full-color illustrations, drawings, and portraits.<\/p>\n

Pasfield, Scott.\u00a0 Gay in America:\u00a0 Portraits by Scott Pasfield. <\/em><\/strong>Welcome Books.\u00a0 2011.\u00a0 224p.\u00a0 $45.00. (978-1599621043).<\/a>
\nMagnificent images and riveting narratives document the lives of 140 gay men from diverse environments across the United States in a celebration of men-loving-men lives.<\/p>\n

Shiner, Eric C., Simone Fukayuki; photo. Tomoaki Hata. \u00a0The Night Is Still Young.\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Power House Books.\u00a0 2010.\u00a0 104p.\u00a0 $24.95 (978-1576875520).<\/a>
\nPhotographer Tomoaki Hata pulls the drag scene of 1990’s Osaka, Japan out of its secretive underground world for the world to see in all of its campy, glittered, seedy glory.\u00a0 These color photos feature both the wild nature of the performances as well as intimate behind-the-scenes moments.<\/p>\n

Yeros, Dimitris.\u00a0 Shades of Love: Photographs Inspired by the Poems of C.P. Cavafy.<\/em><\/strong> Poetry by C.P. Cavafy; translated by David Conolly. <\/strong>Insight Editions.\u00a0 2011.\u00a0 168p.\u00a0 $75.00 (978-1608870134).<\/a>
\nIn 1999, Yeros began a collection of photographs inspired by the works of Greek poet C.P. Cavafy. This gorgeous coffee table book presents Yeros’ photographs together with the poems that inspired them.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Essays<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Fire in Moonlight: Stories from the Radical Faeries 1975-2010. <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Ed. by Mark Thomson and Richard Neely. The White Crane Books.\u00a0 2011.\u00a0 312p. $25.00 (978-1590213384).<\/a>
\nCollecting over fifty first-person accounts, poems, and stories from members of the Radical Faeries, the spiritual movement founded by gay activist Harry Hay in the 1970s, this collection offers a unique view of the past thirty-five years of Faerie history and culture.<\/p>\n

It Gets Better:\u00a0 Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0 Ed. by Dan Savage and Terry Miller. Dutton Adult.\u00a0 352p.\u00a0 $21.95.\u00a0 (978-0525952336).<\/a>
\nA companion to the popular “It Gets Better” Internet campaign, and featuring a list of resources for teens and adults, this collection of essays and testimonials brings hope to LGBTQ youth facing prejudice, bullying, and other forms of harassment, and serves as a great reminder to all adults of the role we have to plays in creating a world where “It Gets Better” for our youth.<\/p>\n

Persistence:\u00a0 All Ways Butch and Femme. <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Ed. by Ivan Coyote and Zena Sharman. Arsenal Pulp Press.\u00a0 2011.\u00a0 256p.\u00a0 $19.95.\u00a0 (978-1551523972).<\/a>
\nTwenty years after the publication of Joan Nestle\u2019s The Persistent Desire: A Femme-Butch Reader<\/em>, Coyote and Sharman continue the conversation of lesbian butches and femmes through fiction, nonfiction, and poetry from their favorite lesbian\/transwomen authors.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Fiction<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cox, Daniel Allen. \u00a0Krakow Melt. <\/em><\/strong>Arsenal Pulp.\u00a0 2010.\u00a0 176p.\u00a0 $15.95.\u00a0 (978-1551523729).<\/a>
\nWhen Radek, a bisexual artist who creates miniature replicas of infamous urban fires, meets Dorota, a fellow pyromaniac, the two join together to protest homophobia in 2005 Krakow, Poland, with predictably explosive results.<\/p>\n

Currier, Jameson.\u00a0 The Third Buddha. <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Chelsea Station.\u00a0 2011.\u00a0 288p.\u00a0 $20.00.\u00a0 (978-0984470723).<\/a>
\nLives diverge and intersect as the novel follows young Ted Bridges, a law school dropout struggling with his sexual identity and sense of self as he searches for his older brother in the aftermath of 9\/11, and journalists Ari and Jim, discontented lovers traveling in Afghanistan to find the Third Buddha, who are violently separated when a roadside bomb erases Ari\u2019s memory and Jim\u2019s hearing.<\/p>\n

Festing, Issy.\u00a0 The Bird Keeper. <\/em><\/strong>Book Guild Limited.\u00a0 2010 (Sept).\u00a0 264p. (978-1846244940).<\/a>
\nAfter Satchin Rai refuses to take over his father’s tea successful tea business and chooses instead to become an ornithologist at a bird sanctuary in northwest India, a mysterious British visitor to the sanctuary upsets Satchin’s world by being so free (and western) about his life responsibilities and sexuality. Satchin struggles to decide whether to meet his family’s expectations or enjoy a guilt-free life doing what he loves.<\/p>\n

Gallaway, Matthew.\u00a0 The Metropolis Case.\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong>Crown.\u00a0 2010 (Dec).\u00a0 384p.\u00a0 $25.00.\u00a0 (978-0307463425).<\/a>
\nInterwoven with the story of Richard Wagner’s opera, Tristan and Isolde<\/em>, this sweeping novel connects four seemingly unrelated characters over centuries and continents through a shared desire for human connection in this magical twist on a tale of love, music, death, drama, destiny, loyalty and betrayal.<\/p>\n

Hoffman, Wayne.\u00a0 Sweet like Sugar. <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Kensington. 2011.\u00a0 352p. $15.00.\u00a0 (978-0758265623).<\/a>
\nWhen Benji Steiner, a twenty-seven-year-old Jewish gay man, forms an unlikely friendship with elderly Orthodox Rabbi Jacob Zuckerman, the connection results in surprising new revelations and explorations of faith for both.<\/p>\n

Hollinghurst, Alan.\u00a0 The Stranger\u2019s Child. <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Knopf.\u00a0 2011.\u00a0 448p.\u00a0 $27.95.\u00a0 (978-0307272768).<\/a>
\nIn 1913, George Sawle brings his schoolmate and secret lover, the poet Cecil Valence, home to meet his family. The poem Cecil writes in George’s sister Daphne’s autograph book as a result of that visit will have an impact on the family that lasts several generations.<\/p>\n

Jansson, Tove. Fair Play (New York Review Books Classics).\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong>Translated by Thomas Teal.\u00a0 2011.\u00a0 120p.\u00a0 $14.00. (978-1590173787).<\/a>
\nA series of vignettes featuring Mari, a writer, and Jonna, an artist, two women who live at opposite ends of a big apartment building, likely inspired by Jansson’s real-life relationship with the graphic artist Tuulikki Pietil\u00e4.<\/p>\n

Maupin, Armistead.\u00a0 Mary Ann in Autumn:\u00a0 A Tale of the City <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Novel. <\/strong><\/em>\u00a0Doubleday Books.\u00a0 2010.\u00a0 304p.\u00a0 (978-0385619318).<\/a>
\nTwenty years after Mary Ann Singleton left her husband and child in San Francisco to pursue her dream of a television career in New York, she is forced by a pair of personal calamities to return to the safety of her oldest friend, Michael \u201cMouse\u201d Tolliver, a gardener happily ensconced with his much-younger husband.<\/p>\n

Mournian, Tomas.\u00a0 hidden. <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Kensington.\u00a0 2011.\u00a0 304p.\u00a0 $15.00.\u00a0 (978-0758251312).<\/a>
\nWhen Ahmed escapes his parents and an abusive anti-gay treatment center for teens, he finds temporary sanctuary in a so-called safe house in San Francisco, where, even if he and his new roommates can hide from the bounty hunters, fanatics, parents, and pimps looking for them, they cannot escape their pasts and each other.<\/p>\n

Newton, Heather.\u00a0\u00a0 Under the Mercy Trees. <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Harper. 2011.\u00a0 352p.\u00a0 $13.99.\u00a0 (0062001345).<\/a>
\nLeaving an unsuccessful writing career and his friends sickened by AIDS in New York, middle-aged Martin Owenby returns home to a small town in the mountains of North Carolina and back into the closet when his brother Leon mysteriously disappears.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Neill, Tony.\u00a0 Sick City. <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Harper Perennial.\u00a0 2010 (July).\u00a0 384p.\u00a0 $13.99.\u00a0 (978-0061789748).<\/a>
\nJeffrey is an aging rent boy with a serious drug habit; Randal is the meth-using son of the founder of a major movie studio. When the two meet in rehab, it starts a wild caper centering on an extremely valuable secret sex film starring the late actress Sharon Tate.<\/p>\n

Packard, Georgeann.\u00a0 Fall Asleep Forgetting. <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Permanent Press.\u00a0 2010 (July).\u00a0 264p. $28.00. (978-1579622022).<\/a>
\nAn amazing myriad of characters trying to help each other are linked through proximity: Suffering from terminal pancreatic cancer, restaurant-owner Paul prepares for his suicide because of his terminal pancreatic cancer; his wife, Sloan, who starts an affair with a female park ranger; a transgender trailer-park owner, Cherry, whose partner starts an affair with another woman; and a nine-year-old girl who hates going to school.<\/p>\n

Puenzo, Lucia.\u00a0 The Fish Child (The Americas).<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Translated by David William Foster. Texas Tech Press.\u00a0 2010.\u00a0 $26.95.\u00a0 (978-0896727144).<\/a>
\nTold from the point of view of the family dog, this novella about the romance between Argentinian Lala and her maid Guayi takes a strange turn when Guayi disappears without a trace. Lala tries to trace her to her native Paraguay, where she learns some shocking secrets about Guayi’s past and the legend of the fish child that lives in the lake.<\/p>\n

Sassone, Ralph.\u00a0\u00a0The Intimates.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Picador.\u00a0 2011.\u00a0 256p.\u00a0\u00a0 $15.00.\u00a0 (978-0765324702).<\/a>
\nIn this debut novel, Maize and Robbie form a deep and powerful bond in high school and are inseparable friends as adults. Their complicated relationship must be examined if either of them are to move past the hurts of the past.<\/p>\n

Smith, Bob. \u00a0Remembrance of Things I Forgot: A Novel.<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 University\u00a0of Wisconsin. 2011.\u00a0 272p.\u00a0 $26.95. (978-0299283407).<\/a>
\nBob Smith’s comic imagination takes on the 1980s, in this clever science fiction novel that explores what happens when your physicist boyfriend invents a time machine that could stop Dick Cheney, prevent a suicide and deal with dysfunctional family issues before they become tragic.<\/p>\n

Stoddard, Christopher.\u00a0 \u00a0White, Christia<\/em><\/strong>n<\/strong><\/em> \u00a0Triton Books. 2010.\u00a0 208p.\u00a0 $18.00. (978-0982807415).<\/a>
\nTwenty-year-old Christian White moves to San Francisco, then New York, where he indulges in drugs and sex to try to escape a dysfunctional family and tragic past. But his tragic past finally catches up with him in a stunning and brutal way.<\/p>\n

Toibin, Colm. \u00a0The Empty Family.<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 Scribner. 2011.\u00a0 288p.\u00a0 $24.00.\u00a0 (143913832X).<\/a>
\nA woman confesses her darkest secret to novelist Henry James, a gay man attends to his dying aunt, two Pakistani workers find love and violence in Barcelona, and more in these stories of love, loss, and family.<\/p>\n

Tremain, Rose. \u00a0Trespass:\u00a0 A Novel.<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 W. W. Norton & Company. 2010.\u00a0 253p.\u00a0 $24.95.\u00a0 (978-0393079562).<\/a>
\nTwo siblings trespass against each other emotionally and physically in a disagreement over their family’s property in the south of France.\u00a0 Anthony Verey, an unsuspecting London art dealer, is caught in the middle when he approaches them about buying the C\u00e9vennes property to escape his disappointing life in London and to move closer to his sister Veronica and her lover Kitty.<\/p>\n

Van der Merwe, Andre Carl. \u00a0Moffie.<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 Europa Books.\u00a0 2011.\u00a0 336p.\u00a0 $15.00 (978-1609450502).<\/a>
\nGrowing up within a very conservative Dutch Reform Church family in South Africa, Nicholas learns to survive in a world where he faces scorn for being a moffie (sissy in Afrikaans), before he is conscripted into the South African Defense Force and deals with gay oppression within the force and the horrors of the South West African Bush War.<\/p>\n

Weaver, Vicki.\u00a0 Billie Girl<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0 Leapfrog.\u00a0 2010.\u00a0 240p.\u00a0 $14.95.\u00a0 (978-1935248125).<\/a>
\nIn this gender-blending Southern-gothic tale, an infant adopted by two \u201csisters\u201d (actually brothers) grows up and leads a fascinating life, encountering such fascinating people as a lesbian preacher\u2019s wife and a platonic second husband who loved her adoptive father.<\/p>\n

Winter, Kathleen.\u00a0 Annabel<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0 Grove Press, Black Cat.\u00a0 2011.\u00a0 480p.\u00a0 $14.95. (978-0802170828).<\/a>
\nIn 1968, when a baby both male and female is born to a rural Canadian couple, the child’s father makes a decision to raise the baby as a boy named Wayne, and keep the child\u2019s dual gender secret.\u00a0Wayne enters adolescence to confront an identity known as Annabel, and a difficult decision.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Graphic Narrative<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cruse, Howard. The Complete Wendel<\/strong><\/em>. Universe Publishing. 2011. 288p. $24.95. (978-0789322166).<\/a>
\nIncludes every episode of Cruse’s groundbreaking comic strip Wendel<\/em>, which ran in the pages of The Advocate<\/em> during the 1980s, together for the first time, along with introductions by Cruse and Alison Bechdel and a new “Where Are They Now?” section.<\/p>\n

Hernandez, Jaime. Esperanza: A Love and Rockets Book<\/strong><\/em>. Fantagraphics. 2011. 248p. $18.99. (978-1606994498).<\/a>
\nThis volume of the popular Love and Rockets series contains the continuing adventures of Maggie and Hopey as they revisit the past and explore the future together.<\/p>\n

Merey, Ilike. a + e 4ever<\/strong><\/em>. Lethe Press. 2011. 214p. $18.00. (978-1590213902).<\/a>
\nAsher is the beautifully androgynous new boy in school. Eu is the lonely dyke girl who befriends, and soon finds herself falling for, Ash, in this graphic novel that explores the complexities of love, friendship, sex, gender and sexual identity.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Memoir\/Biography<\/strong><\/p>\n

Baim, Tracy and Owen Keehnen. Leatherman: The Legend of Chuck Renslow<\/strong><\/em>. Prairie Avenue Productions. 2011. 414 p. $24.95. (978-1461096023).<\/a>
\nThis biography of Chicago bar owner, leatherman, entrepreneur, and gay rights activist Renslow features over 300 full-color photographs and interviews with family, colleagues, and friends.<\/p>\n

Bond, Justin. Tango: My Childhood, Backwards and in High Heels<\/strong><\/em>. Feminist Press. 2011. 144p. $16.95 (978-1558617476).<\/a>
\nThe celebrated cabaret artist and performer recounts a childhood filled with blurring gender boundaries, sexual exploration, and the harsh reality of bullying.<\/p>\n

Bright, Susie. Big Sex Little Death<\/strong><\/em>. Seal Press. 2011. 328p. $24.95. (1580052649).<\/a>
\nSex-positive educator, activist, and icon Susie Bright takes the reader on a journey through her childhood, teen years shaped by a difficult early involvement with the socialist movement, and an adulthood that included the co-founding of On Our Backs, the first lesbian erotica magazine run by women.<\/p>\n

Creech, Jimmy. Adam\u2019s Gift: A Memoir of a Pastor\u2019s Calling to Defy the Church\u2019s Persecution of Lesbians and Gays<\/strong><\/em>. Duke University Press. 2011. 376p. $29.95. (978-0822348856).<\/a>
\nA former United Methodist minister and human rights activist, Jimmy Creech’s memoir begins when a longtime and respected parishioner comes out to the pastor in 1984, and Creech is forced to re-evaluate his belief that homosexuality is a sin. This life-changing conversation was the catalyst for Creech’s tireless work to end religious bigotry and violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.<\/p>\n

GLBT Oral History Project. Queer Twin Cities<\/strong><\/em>. University of Minnesota Press. 2010. 376p. $25.00. (978-0816653218).<\/a>
\nThis comprehensive collection of essays, drawn from oral histories dating back to the turn of the century, covers a wide variety of aspects of this large LGBT community.<\/p>\n

Harvey, Ken. The Passionate Engagement<\/strong><\/em>. Aequitas Books. 2010. 208p. $18.00. (978-1929355686).<\/a>
\nHarvey tells the story of the battle for same-sex marriage in Massachusetts through the lens of his own relationship, chronicling his transformation from quiet bystander to proud activist.<\/p>\n

It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living<\/strong><\/em>. Ed. by Dan Savage and Terry Miller. Dutton Adult. 352p. $21.95. (978-0525952336).<\/a>
\nA companion to the popular “It Gets Better” Internet campaign, and featuring a list of resources for teens and adults, this collection of essays and testimonials brings hope to LGBTQ youth facing prejudice, bullying, and other forms of harassment, and serves as a great reminder to all adults of the role we have to plays in creating a world where “It Gets Better” for our youth.<\/p>\n

Jacobs, Fay. For Frying Out Loud \u2013 Rehoboth Beach Diaries<\/strong><\/em>. A and M Books. 2010. 248p. $17.00. (978-0615342917).<\/a>
\nIn her third Rehoboth Beach collection, humorist Fay Jacobs joins Twitter, survives the Snowpocalypse, and sort of witnesses the Obama inauguration, among other hilarious adventures.<\/p>\n

McHugh, Erin and Jennifer May. The L Life: Extraordinary Lesbians Making a Difference<\/em><\/strong>. Stewart, Tabori, & Chang. 2011. 160p. $32.50. (978-1584798330).<\/a>
\nThis inspiring coffee-table-style collection of photos and essays covers both beloved lesbian icons and the not-so-famous.<\/p>\n

Michaud, Michael Grett. Sal Mineo<\/em><\/strong>. Crown Archetype. 2010. 432p. $25.99. (978-0307718686).<\/a>
\nMichaud combines extensive research, interviews, and rarely-seen photographs to provide a detailed account of Mineo\u2019s life, from his rise to teen-idol stardom, through his tumultuous relationship with his family, his coming out and struggle to maintain his acting career as an adult, and the aftermath of his untimely death at age 37.<\/p>\n

Myers, Andrea. The Choosing: A Rabbi\u2019s Journey from Silent Nights to High Holy Days<\/strong><\/em>. Rutgers University Press. 2011. 208p. $19.95. (978-0813549576).<\/a>
\nNow a lesbian rabbi, Myers, who grew up Lutheran on Long Island with a Sicilian grandmother, tells about her journey to Judaism and her definition of home, family, and religion.<\/p>\n

Rouse, Wade. It\u2019s All Relative Two Families, Three Dogs, 34 Holidays, and 50 Boxes of Wine (A Memoir)<\/strong><\/em>. Random House. 2011. 304p. $23.99 (978-0307718716).<\/a>
\nWhether it’s celebrating Easter with an engineer father with some very unconventional ideas about hiding eggs, or throwing a birthday party for Barbie, Rouse’s memoir takes us through a calendar year of holiday memories, both traditional and otherwise, celebrated with a wildly funny collection of friends and relatives.<\/p>\n

Schiavi, Michael. Celluloid Activist: The Life and Times of Vito Russo<\/strong><\/em>. University of Wisconsin. 2011. 320p. $29.95 (978-0299282301).<\/a>
\nThis well-researched biography of Vito Russo solidly establishes him as a pioneering journalist and gay activist during the era of gay activism of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.<\/p>\n

Van Meter, Ryan. If You Knew Then What I Know Now<\/strong><\/em>. Sarabande Books. 2011. 176p. $15.95 (978-1932511949).<\/a>
\nIn this bittersweet, often darkly humorous collection of essays, Van Meter recalls growing up gay in suburban Missouri, the formation and break-up of his first long-term relationship, and the life of the world’s longest-lived goldfish.<\/p>\n

Mystery<\/strong><\/p>\n

Currimbhoy, Nayana. Miss Timmins\u2019 School for Girls<\/strong><\/em>. Harper. 2011. 496p. $20.00. (9780061997747).<\/a>
\nWhen twenty-year-old Charulata Apte accepts a teaching position at the British-run Miss Timmins’ School for Girls in Panchgani, she doesn’t anticipate falling in love with fellow teacher Moira Prince. Or that by the end of the term, she will find herself implicated in murder.<\/p>\n

Hart, Ellen. Lost Women of Lost Lake<\/strong><\/em>. Minotaur Books. 2011. 336. $25.95. (978-0312614775 ).<\/a>
\nStill undecided about going full-time as a private investigator, Jane Lawless takes some time off at her family’s lakeside lodge where she and her friend Cordelia get caught up in a mystery that reveals the truth about Cordelia\u2019s activism during the 1960s.<\/p>\n

Ryan, Garry. Malabarista (Detective Lane Mysteries)<\/em><\/strong>. NeWest Press. 2011. 203p. $18.95. (978-1897126899).<\/a>
\nIn the fifth installment of this series, Detective Lane returns to solve the murder of an Eastern European war criminal while also fighting for his career. Piecing together the case becomes even tougher when he is faced with a persistent–and accurate–bomber, and is forced to confront his own personal demons, including the fear of losing his partner.<\/p>\n

Sherman, Scott. Second You Sin (Kevin Connor Mysteries)<\/em><\/strong>. Kensington. 2011. 288p. $15.00 (978-0758266514).<\/a>
\nIn this sequel to First You Fall<\/em>, Kevin Connors turns his sleuthing skills to a string of murders among his fellow male prostitutes. The secrets uncovered involve a beloved TV talk show host, an evangelical presidential candidate, and Kevin’s own “semi-boyfriend” Tony.<\/p>\n

Thomas, Lee. The German<\/em><\/strong>. Lethe Press. 2011. 290p. $18.00 (978-1590213094).<\/a>
\nThree people\u2014Sheriff Tom Rabbit, boy Tim Randall, and ex-Nazi Ernst Lang\u2014tell about the events that took place in Barnard, Texas, during World War II when snuff boxes containing messages written in German were stuffed in the mouths of mysteriously murdered boys.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nonfiction<\/strong><\/p>\n

Baim, Tracy. Obama and the Gays: A Political Marriage<\/em><\/strong>. 2010. CreateSpace. 576p. $24.99. (978-1453801710).<\/a>
\nFollowing Barack Obama from his early career as a young Chicago politician through his first two years as President of the United States, this book provides a comprehensive look at Obama\u2019s policies, opinions, and track record on issues of importance to the GLBT community.<\/p>\n

Bronski, Michael. A Queer History of the United States<\/em><\/strong>. Beacon. 2011. 312p. $27.95. (978-0807044391).<\/a>
\nTo \u201c[examine] history though the lens of those groups whose stories have been excluded from the canon\u201d this first book in a series uses primary documents, literature, and culture histories to cover the dynamics of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history from pre-1492 to the present.<\/p>\n

Corber, Robert J. Cold War Femme: Lesbianism, National Identity, and Hollywood Cinema<\/em><\/strong>. Duke University Press. 2011. 240p. $23.95. (978-0822349471).<\/a>
\nDuring the Cold War, Americans’ ideas about lesbianism changed, and rather than the masculine butch, the “invisible” femme, who could more easily pass as heterosexual, was seen as a greater threat to the nation and traditional family. Corber backs up this argument by analyzing images of lesbianism and butch and femme characters in the Cold War era films of Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Doris Day, and others.<\/p>\n

Ehrensaft, Diane. Gender Born, Gender Made: Raising Healthy Gender-Nonconforming Children<\/strong><\/em>. The Experiment. 2011. 304p. $16.95. (978-1615190607).<\/a>
\nA developmental and clinical psychologist, Ehrensaft draws upon her years of working with gender-nonconforming children to offer an alternate approach to the current pathologicalization of gender identity dysphoria in this guide for parents and others interested in how to nurture and support children who don’t fit into “normal” categories of gender.<\/p>\n

Krieger, Irwin. Helping Your Transgender Teen: A Guide for Parents<\/em><\/strong>. Genderwise Press. 2011. 86p. $12.95. (978-0692012291).<\/a>
\nWritten by a clinical social worker, this accessible and compassionate guide provides concrete and detailed information for parents on how they can understand and support their gender non-conforming children, paying special attention to the tensions that often arise between teens and parents. Includes a glossary of terms and an extensive resource list.<\/p>\n

Mogul, Joey L., Andrea J. Ritchie and Kay Whitlock. Queer (In)justice: The Criminalization of LGBT People in the United States<\/em><\/strong>. Beacon Press. 2011. 216p. $27.95. (978-0807051160).<\/a>
\nThis historical overview makes the case that, despite some legal gains in recent years, LGBTQ people continue to face alarming discrimination and violence when interacting with the criminal justice system.<\/p>\n

Queers in American Popular Culture<\/em><\/strong> [3 volumes] (Praeger Perspectives). Ed. by Jim Elledge. Praeger. 2010. 945p. $184.95. (978-0313354571).<\/a>
\nThis three-volume collection of essays analyzes the unique impact that LGBT people have had on popular culture, dating from 1800s up to the present day. Volumes include Film and TV; Literature, Pop Art and Performance; and Sports, Leisure and Lifestyle.<\/p>\n

Poetry<\/strong><\/p>\n

Botto, Ant\u00f3nio, Songs of\u00a0Ant\u00f3nio Botto<\/em><\/strong>. Ed. by Josiah Blackmore; translated by Fernando Pessoa. University of Minnesota Press.\u00a02010. 168p. $17.95 (978-0816671014). <\/a>
\nThe Portuguese poet Ant\u00f3nio Botto, one of that country\u2019s first openly gay writers, first published his collection Can\u00e7\u00f5es in 1920. This edition features Botto\u2019s poems as they appeared in the 1948 English edition, along with a never-before-published introduction by translator Fernando Pessoa, and new introductory material.<\/p>\n

Simmonds, Kevin, ed. Collective Brightness: LGBTIQ Poets on Faith, Religion and Spirituality<\/em><\/strong>. Sibling Rivalry Press. 2011. 250p. $24.95 (978-0983293194).<\/a>
\nA broad range of voices, experiences and spiritual paths and traditions are represented in this collection of poems from both established and new poets.<\/p>\n

Vuong, Ocean. Burnings<\/em><\/strong>. Sibling Rivalry Press. 2010. 42p. $12.00. (978-0578070599).<\/a>
\nIn this slim but powerful volume of poetry, Ocean Vuong lays bare the wounds of the refugee experience and its effect on today’s generation alongside the modern experience of a gay man living and loving in a world which is not always accepting. Never shying away from the grim realities of both of these identities, Vuong extracts beauty and light from the most painful of moments.<\/p>\n

Yeros, Dimitris. Shades of Love: Photographs Inspired by the Poems of C.P. Cavafy<\/em><\/strong>. Poetry by C.P. Cavafy; translated by David Conolly. Insight Editions. 2011. 168p. $75.00 (978-1608870134).<\/a>
\nIn 1999, Yeros began a collection of photographs inspired by the works of Greek poet C.P. Cavafy. This gorgeous coffee table book presents Yeros’ photographs together with the poems that inspired them.<\/p>\n

Short Stories<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Alenyikow, Michael. Ivan and Misha: Stories<\/em><\/strong>. 2010. 212p. Triquarterly. $18.96. (978-0810127180)<\/a>.
\nWith each story told from a different character’s point of view, in this collection revolving around two brothers and their Russian father living in New York City, Alenyikow poignantly explores the brothers’ attitudes toward their father, each other, and being gay in America.<\/p>\n

Ambientes: New Queer Latino Writing<\/em><\/strong>. Ed. by L\u00e1zaro Lima and Felice Picano. University of Wisconsin Press. 2011. 220p. $22.95. (978-0299282240).<\/a>
\nHighlights both established and emerging Latino authors of short fiction with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender characters from all parts of the United States.<\/p>\n

Hellebore & Rue: Tales of Queer Women and Magic<\/strong><\/em>. Ed. by JoSelle Vanderhooft and Catherine Lundoff. Lethe Press. 2011. 238p. $15.00 (978-1590213773).<\/a>
\nMeet a greenmage reuniting with her former partner for one last mission, a school nurse with a dark secret heritage, a witch with an unconventional familiar, and other intriguing women in this collection of fantasy short stories.<\/p>\n

Jeffers, Alex. The Abode of Bliss: Ten Stories for Adam<\/em><\/strong>. Lethe Press. 2011. 282p. $18.00. (978-1590212462).<\/a>
\nIn these ten stories, Ziya, a Turkish gay man, explains his life history, including a childhood growing up in Istanbul and college years in America, to Adam, the man he now loves.<\/p>\n

Mehta, Rahul. Quarantine: Stories<\/em><\/strong>. Harper Perennial. 2011. 224p. $14.99. (978-0062020451).<\/a>
\nNine stories told from the perspective of second- and third-generation South Asian-American gay men at odds with their families\u2019 culture and expectations, describing their lives filled with humor, disappointment and frustration.<\/p>\n

Ryman, Geoff. Paradise Tales<\/em><\/strong>. Small Beer Press. 2011. 320p. $16.00. (978-1931520645).<\/a>
\nA gay man in the near future has a series of life-changing birthdays, a cell phone salesman meets Pol Pot\u2019s daughter, a film writer discovers that the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs may not be entirely fiction, and more, in these sixteen stories that explore and blur the boundaries of sexuality and speculative fiction.<\/p>\n

Steam-Powered: Lesbian Steampunk Stories<\/strong><\/em>. Ed. by JoSelle Vanderhooft. Torquere Press. 2011. 378p. $13.95. (978-1610401500).<\/a>
\nFifteen Victorian retro-science fiction featuring lesbian heroines as scientists, thieves, privateer airship captains, and more.<\/p>\n

Wilde Stories 2011 \u2013 The Year\u2019s Best Gay Speculative Fiction<\/strong><\/em>. Ed. by Steve Berman. 2011. Lethe Press. 300p. $18.00. (978-1590213032).<\/a>
\nIn this collection, Berman highlights the very best of the year in science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories focusing on gay men.<\/p>\n

Speculative Fiction<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fletcher, Jane. Wolfsbane Winter<\/strong><\/em>. Bold Strokes Books. 2010. 164p. $16.95. (978-1602821583).<\/a>
\nIn a post-apocalyptic world ruled by demon magic, Deryn, a member of the Iron Wolf mercenary group, and Alana, a healer and empath forced into exile by the power of her gift, fall in love following their unlikely meeting in a small, rural town. But soon, powerful ancient magic from the Time of Chaos threatens not only their growing relationship, but everyone’s survival.<\/p>\n

Frey, J.M. Triptych<\/strong><\/em>. Dragon Moon Press. 2011. 286p. $19.95. (978-1897492130).<\/a>
\nIn the near future, when the last of a dying alien race seeks refuge on Earth, Specialists Gwen Pierson and Basil Grey make Kalp, their alien partner, a member of their household. But in Kalp’s culture, romantic relationships take place in threes. What happens next is a story of love, culture shock, betrayal, loss, and time travel.<\/p>\n

Hellebore & Rue: Tales of Queer Women and Magic<\/strong><\/em>. Ed. by JoSelle Vanderhooft and Catherine Lundoff. Lethe Press. 2011. 238p. $15.00 (978-1590213773).<\/a>
\nMeet a greenmage reuniting with her former partner for one last mission, a school nurse with a dark secret heritage, a witch with an unconventional familiar, and other intriguing women in this collection of fantasy short stories.<\/p>\n

Lee, Tanith. Disturbed by Her Song<\/em><\/strong>. Lethe Press. 2010. 204p. $18.00. (978-1590213117).<\/a>
\nWriting with and as Esther Garber, a fictional French Jewish writer, and her brother Judas Garbah, a French-Egyptian writer, both siblings gay and born in the early 20th century, Lee creates a collection of short stories focusing on youth and age, mystery and obsession.<\/p>\n

Monette, Sarah and Elizabeth Bear. The Tempering of Men<\/em><\/strong>. Tor Books. 2011. 304p. $25.99. (978-0765324702).<\/a>
\nThis high fantasy novel, sequel to Companion of Wolves<\/em>, further explores an iron-age world in which northern warriors link minds with their companion wolves to battle trolls. In this follow-up, the northerners must forge alliances with neighbors who distrust their love of their wolves and one another, in order to fend off invaders from the south.<\/p>\n

Pitts, J.A. Honeyed Words<\/em><\/strong>. Tor Books. 2011. 416p. $14.99. (978-0765329073).<\/a>
\nIn this sequel to contemporary fantasy novel Black Blade Blues<\/em>, Sarah Beauxhall, blacksmith, wielder of the reforged magical sword Gram, and dragon-slayer returns with her girlfriend to discover fairies, demons, and other supernatural beings–some of whom mean them deadly harm.<\/p>\n

Ryman, Geoff. Paradise Tales<\/em><\/strong>. Small Beer Press. 2011. 320p. $16.00. (978-1931520645).<\/a>
\nA gay man in the near future has a series of life-changing birthdays, a cell phone salesman meets Pol Pot\u2019s daughter, a film writer discovers that the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs may not be entirely fiction, and more, in these sixteen stories that explore and blur the boundaries of sexuality and speculative fiction.<\/p>\n

Steam-Powered: Lesbian Steampunk Stories<\/em><\/strong>. Ed. by JoSelle Vanderhooft. Torquere Press. 2011. 378p. $13.95. (978-1610401500).<\/a>
\nFifteen Victorian retro-science fiction featuring lesbian heroines as scientists, thieves, privateer airship captains, and more.<\/p>\n

Wilde Stories 2011 \u2013 The Year\u2019s Best Gay Speculative Fiction<\/strong><\/em>. Ed. by Steve Berman. Lethe Press. 2011. 300p. $18.00. (978-1590213032).<\/a>
\nIn this collection, Berman highlights the very best of the year in science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories focusing on gay men.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This year\u2019s jury \u00a0identified 263 titles to be considered for the \u00a0list. \u00a0Eligible, books were published between July 1, 2010 and December 31, 2011.\u00a0 Jurors compiled a list of 140 books with at least one juror nomination.\u00a0 Of those books, 103\u00a0 were from small, independent publishers, self-published or from University Presses.\u00a0 Seven of the nominated […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-342","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-final-bibliographies","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.glbtrt.ala.org\/overtherainbow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/342","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.glbtrt.ala.org\/overtherainbow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.glbtrt.ala.org\/overtherainbow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.glbtrt.ala.org\/overtherainbow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.glbtrt.ala.org\/overtherainbow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=342"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.glbtrt.ala.org\/overtherainbow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/342\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.glbtrt.ala.org\/overtherainbow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=342"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.glbtrt.ala.org\/overtherainbow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=342"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.glbtrt.ala.org\/overtherainbow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=342"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}