These five books represent some of the best gay literature and nonfiction. From E.M. Forster’s early 20th century classic Maurice to Alex Sanchez’s modern coming-of-age trilogy, this list has something for everyone.
Maurice
Set in England in the early 20th century, E.M. Forster’s posthumous novel about a young man coming to terms with his sexuality is groundbreaking in many ways. Homosexuality was illegal in Britain when it was first written in 1914, and Forster chose to give his autobiographical novel a happy ending. Although Forster was a major author during his life, the book was published posthumously due to early 20th century homophobia.
The God in Flight
One of my all-time favorites, Laura Argiri’s 1994 novel about a 19th century Yale scholar’s fated romantic relationship with his mysterious art professor has all the passion of a gay Wuthering Heights. Argiri spins a rich, well-plotted love story, and it’s a crying shame that she never wrote another novel.
Rainbow Boys
The first in Alex Sanchez’s trilogy (the other two are Rainbow High and Rainbow Road) about the lives of a close knit trio of bi and gay teen boys won an American Library Association award. This is the 2001 book that introduced Kyle, Jason, and Nelson, and opened the closet door for a modern generation of readers.
And the Band Played On
Randy Shilts’s 1987 nonfiction masterpiece about the AIDS epidemic is an international bestseller. And the Band Played On bravely outlines the social and political issues that dangerously surrounded the beginnings of the AIDS virus. Even after two decades, this fantastic groundbreaking work reads like a heartbreaking mystery story.
The Front Runner
This classic by Patricia Nell Warren broke new ground when it was published in 1974. Her simple story about a gay Olypmic athlete’s love affair with his ex-Marine, conservative coach was an instant and pioneering classic. To date, it’s sold over ten million copies in nine languages and is considered one of the greatest sports novels of all time. (Warren also penned two sequels: Harlan’s Race and Billy’s Boy.) When it was released, Marlene Dietrich famously hopped out of her limo to snag a copy from L.A.’s A Different Light bookstore.
