Today I thought I would recommend some brilliant Pride reads that you can really sink your teeth into this June!
I love reading a diverse range of authors and books, and I hope you find your perfect Pride read below 🙂
1. ‘The Price of Salt’ by Patricia Highsmith
I’ve actually not read this one, but a few weeks ago I featured a guest post which recommended this book as a great LGBTQ+ choice, and now I’d really like to give it a read!
This novel focuses on the romance between two women during the 1950s, and it is known for its explicit discussion of female sexuality. I think it sounds like the perfect read to try this June, and I’m definitely going to check it out soon.
2. ‘The Well of Loneliness’
by Radclyffe Hall
I read this book quite a while ago, but it is known as the ultimate discussion of female sexuality. Published in 1928, Hall discusses the life of Stephen Gordon, an upper-class woman who must battle with prejudice and rumour concerning her sexuality, figuring out how to live her life under the scrutiny of a judgemental society.
This book is a now considered revered piece of lesbian fiction, and so I would definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to explore expressions of female sexuality in the past.
3. ‘Tales of the City’ by Armistead Maupin
This is another title that I haven’t read yet- but I’m really excited to try it soon! My mum loves this series, which focuses on a vibrant LGBTQ+ community living in San Francisco during the 1970s and 1980s. Comprising of nine books, the series follows the characters through various storylines, depicting important events such as the AIDS crisis.
I’m really excited to try the first book in this series. As an LGBTQ+ author himself, Maupin encountered a lot of prejudice when his books first came out, and the televised series was eventually cancelled due to the themes discussed. However, you can check out a new mini-series on Netflix which leads on from the original TV series.
4. ‘Rubyfruit Jungle’
by Rita Mae Brown
I’m currently reading this book and I would really recommend it for an honest exploration of female sexuality- and the way in which sexuality cannot always be confined to a single definition. ‘Rubyfruit Jungle’ is also an important lesbian text, written during the 1970s and depicting the story of a young girl who is fearless and “boy-ish”.
I hope there’s some helpful recommendations on this list- I’m super excited to try a couple of the titles that I haven’t read yet, and I really recommend those that I’ve already tried. All of these titles offer a greater understanding of the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community- both in the past, and in society today.
Have you read any of these titles? Would you like to try any of them now? Have you got any LGBTQ+ recommendations?
Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below.
Happy reading x
Picture credits here
Thank you, I hope you enjoy some of these 🙂
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Great post and some amazing fellow authors here. Well done!
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Great post! Thank you for sharing these recommendations!
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Thank you for dropping by, I hope there’s a book you fancy trying 🙂
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Terrific post. Thanks for this. I loved Tales of the City. I will add some of these to my list.
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I’m looking forward to trying it! I hope you enjoy the ones you try 🙂
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Ah thank you, I’m glad you’ve found some to add to your list 🙂
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Thank you for your kind words! That sounds really interesting, I’ll check it out 🙂
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I actually don’t- I love writing so I prefer to keep to written content
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Thanks for the recs! Simon + Baz is one of my favorite OTPs 💕
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They’re great! Thank you 🙂
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Oh, I love that you’ve included some more classic suggestions! I feel they get overlooked these days.
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Yeah I agree, I love classics so it’s great to remember how controversial they were when they were first published
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It sounds like there are a lot of good books out there to read for pride month. Now if only my library would reopen soon.
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Yes that’s true haha, I think all book lovers are waiting on that 🙂 Here in the UK they just made an announcement suggesting they could open next month, so hopefully soon!
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I’ll have to check out Carry On, I’ve read another Rainbow Rowell book before, Eleanor and Park, and really enjoyed it.
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I really liked Eleanor and Park when I read it too, I’m glad there’s some recommendations here for you 🙂
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I haven’t read any sort of book like these. I think it would be good for me to pick one, I might learn something or be able to understand from a different perfective.
Thanks for sharing.
– Sapphire Roses x
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I always think it’s good to read books from different perspectives! Thanks for dropping by 🙂
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Great post! I have read a few of these books and will read the others. A very
Insightful post during these times!
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Thank you! I hope you enjoy them x
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I love Carry On! Definitely planning to read the rest of the series, Rainbow Rowell is a great author. Thanks for the list!
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Thanks for your kind words, I hope you enjoy any others you try 🙂
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The Well of Loneliness is a book that was recommended by my library for pride month and I have never heard of it until then. I hope to read it before the end of the month
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I hope you get round to it! It’s quite a thick one so you might have to finish it in July haha 🙂
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Love this post. I was just looking for LGBT books to read. I’ll definitely check out these ones
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Ooh well these are some great titles to start with- LGBT books should be appreciated whatever the month!
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Thank you so much for sharing this! I need more LGBTQ+ book in my life and I’ve added all of these to my TBR list!
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I’m so glad you enjoyed reading, let me know if you end up picking any up x
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100% I will 🙂 x
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I’ve heard a lot about that one so I’ll have to check it out, thank you!!
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Thank you! She’s great 🙂
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These are some amazing recommendations. Surely giving these a read!
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Thank you Suchita 🙂
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