2SLGBTQIA+
Glitter and Concrete
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Hardcover
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*The Millions Most Anticipated List of 2023*
*A Vogue Best LGBTQ+ Book of 2023*
From journalist and drag historian Elyssa Maxx Goodman, an intimate, evocative history of drag in New York City exploring its dynamic role, from the Jazz Age to Drag Race, in queer liberation and urban life
From the lush feather boas that adorned early female impersonators to the sequined lip syncs of barroom queens to the drag kings that have us laughing in stitches, drag has played a vital role in the creative life of New York City. But the evolution of drag in the city--as an art form, a community and a mode of liberation--has never before been fully chronicled.
Now, for the first time, Elyssa Goodman unearths the dramatic, provocative untold story of drag in New York City in all its glistening glory. Glitter and Concrete ducks beneath the velvet ropes of Harlem Renaissance balls, examines drag's crucial role in the Stonewall Uprising, traces drag's influence on disco and punk rock as well as its unifying power during the AIDS crisis and 9/11, and culminates with the modern-day drag queen in the era of RuPaul's Drag Race.
Including original interviews with high-profile performers, as well as glamorous color photos from exclusive sources and the author herself, Glitter and Concrete is a significant contribution to queer history and an essential read for anyone curious about the story that echoes beneath the heels.
"Deeply researched and featuring a cast of characters who can truly be described as fabulous, Glitter and Concrete is urban history on fire." --Thomas Dyja, author of New York, New York, New York
Talking to My Angels
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Hardcover
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Twenty years after the success of her first memoir, the New York Times bestseller The Truth Is . . ., the Grammy and Oscar award-winning rocker and trailblazing LGBTQAI icon takes stock of the intervening years, recounting the euphoric triumphs and the life-altering tragedies of her life.
The audiobook is an exclusive musical experience, read and performed by Melissa. It features live, stripped-down performances of many of Melissa's songs, including the one that inspired the book title, Talking to My Angel; never-before performed songs including Here Comes the Pain; and original interstitial and credit music.
Live with spirit.
Find peace in the chaos.
Lean into the joy.
Over the past twenty years, Melissa Etheridge has been blessed with success, love, joy, contentment, freedom, and release. She became a mother again, recorded eleven albums, toured the world, performed at the Grammy Awards, won an Oscar, discovered her one true love, and underwent a profound spiritual awakening. She also experienced illness, incomparable loss, heartache, guilt, shame, and devastating grief. She was diagnosed with breast cancer, endured two contentious and public break ups, and witnessed the devastating disintegration and death of her son, Beckett, to opioid addiction. Yet through it all, Melissa found the strength and courage to carry on.
Talking to My Angels is a profoundly honest look into her inner life as a woman, an artist, a mother, and a survivor. With characteristic wit and courage, Melissa delves into how numerous tragedies served as a catalyst for growth, and what the past two decades have taught her about the value of music, love, family, and life in the face of death. It is her story: as raw, vulnerable, and electrifying as her acclaimed songs. Melissa shares hard truths about surviving and thriving--a journey through darkness and uncertainty that leads to forgiveness and love. A remarkable storyteller, she digs deep into the well of her life, sharing memories that, woven together, create a rich portrait of success and survival--an intimate, emotional and ultimately inspiring story of healing.
A memoir a lifetime in the making, Talking to My Angels is Melissa's engrossing--and at times harrowing--story as she lived it. It is a testament to the power of art, a touchstone for anyone seeking a path out of darkness, and a powerful love letter to the family and fans who've been integral to her journey.
Safe and Sound
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Hardcover
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#1 New York Times Bestseller
Don't panic--Mercury Stardust, AKA The Trans Handy Ma'am is here to help!
For too many people, the simple act of contacting a plumber or repair person can feel like a game of chance. As a transwoman and a professional maintenance technician, Mercury Stardust has discovered (the hard way) that we live in a world with much to fear. If you've ever felt panicked about opening your home to strangers in order to fix a maintenance issue, this book is for you.
Renting a home can be a complex process--from finding a safe and affordable space, to hiring help for moving in and out, and of course, managing any repairs that come up during your stay.
You deserve to feel empowered to take matters into your own hands--and it's not as hard as you might think. In this book, Mercury will show you how to tackle the projects that need improvement in your home--from how to properly fix a clog in your bathroom sink and safely hang things on your walls to patching small and medium drywall holes.
Safe and Sound includes:
Guidance for over 50 simple home maintenance projects, such as replacing your showerhead and troubleshooting a faulty garbage disposal.Chapters covering basic and handy repairs for your plumbing, electrical, carpentry, and safety needs. Advice tailored to renters to minimize permanent changes.Helpful illustrations and QR code links to videos to help you on your journey.
Remember--a little bit of knowledge can go a long way toward making you feel more safe and in control of your own life.
Spinning
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Young adult softcover
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Tillie Walden's Eisner Award winning graphic memoir Spinning captures what it's like to come of age, come out, and come to terms with leaving behind everything you used to know.
It was the same every morning. Wake up, grab the ice skates, and head to the rink while the world was still dark.
Weekends were spent in glitter and tights at competitions. Perform. Smile. And do it again.
She was good. She won. And she hated it.
For ten years, figure skating was Tillie Walden's life. She woke before dawn for morning lessons, went straight to group practice after school, and spent weekends competing at ice rinks across the state. Skating was a central piece of her identity, her safe haven from the stress of school, bullies, and family. But as she switched schools, got into art, and fell in love with her first girlfriend, she began to question how the close-minded world of figure skating fit in with the rest of her life, and whether all the work was worth it given the reality: that she, and her friends on the team, were nowhere close to Olympic hopefuls. The more Tillie thought about it, the more Tillie realized she'd outgrown her passion--and she finally needed to find her own voice.
This title has Common Core connections.
A New York City Public Library Notable Best Book for Teens
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2017
A 2018 YALSA Great Graphic Novel
A 2017 Booklist Youth Editors' Choice
Ace
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Trade paperback
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An engaging exploration of what it means to be asexual in a world that's obsessed with sexual attraction, and what the ace perspective can teach all of us about desire and identity.
What exactly is sexual attraction and what is it like to go through life not experiencing it? What does asexuality reveal about gender roles, about romance and consent, and the pressures of society? This accessible examination of asexuality shows that the issues that aces face--confusion around sexual activity, the intersection of sexuality and identity, navigating different needs in relationships--are the same conflicts that nearly all of us will experience. Through a blend of reporting, cultural criticism, and memoir, Ace addresses the misconceptions around the "A" of LGBTQIA and invites everyone to rethink pleasure and intimacy.
Journalist Angela Chen creates her path to understanding her own asexuality with the perspectives of a diverse group of asexual people. Vulnerable and honest, these stories include a woman who had blood tests done because she was convinced that "not wanting sex" was a sign of serious illness, and a man who grew up in a religious household and did everything "right," only to realize after marriage that his experience of sexuality had never been the same as that of others. Disabled aces, aces of color, gender-nonconforming aces, and aces who both do and don't want romantic relationships all share their experiences navigating a society in which a lack of sexual attraction is considered abnormal. Chen's careful cultural analysis explores how societal norms limit understanding of sex and relationships and celebrates the breadth of sexuality and queerness.
The Kingdom of Sand
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Trade paperback
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A NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITORS' CHOICE AND PAPERBACK ROW
"[Holleran's] new novel is all the more affecting and engaging because the images of isolation and old age here are haunted . . . In 1978 Holleran wrote the quintessential novel about gay abandon, the sheer, careless pleasure of it: Dancer from the Dance. Now, at almost eighty years of age, he has produced a novel remarkable for its integrity, for its readiness to embrace difficult truths and for its complex way of paying homage to the passing of time." --Colm TóibÃn, The New York Times Book Review
"It's rare to find fiction that takes this kind of dying of the light as its subject and doesn't make its heroes feel either pathetic or polished with a gleam of false dignity . . . This sad, beautiful book captures the sensations Holleran's characters are chasing--as well as the darkness that inevitably comes for them, and us." --Mark Athitakis, Los Angeles Times
One of the great appeals of Florida has always been the sense that the minute you get here you have permission to collapse.
The Kingdom of Sand is a poignant tale of desire and dread--Andrew Holleran's first new book in sixteen years. The nameless narrator is a gay man who moved to Florida to look after his aging parents--during the height of the AIDS epidemic--and has found himself unable to leave after their deaths. With gallows humor, he chronicles the indignities of growing old in a small town.
At the heart of the novel is the story of his friendship with Earl, whom he met cruising at the local boat ramp. For the last twenty years, he has been visiting Earl to watch classic films together and critique the neighbors. Earl is the only person in town with whom he can truly be himself. Now Earl's health is failing, and our increasingly misanthropic narrator must contend with the fact that once Earl dies, he will be completely alone. He distracts himself with sexual encounters at the video porn store and visits to Walgreens. All the while, he shares reflections on illness and death that are at once funny and heartbreaking.
Holleran's first novel, Dancer from the Dance, is widely regarded as a classic work of gay literature. Reviewers have described his subsequent books as beautiful, exhilarating, seductive, haunting, and bold. The Kingdom of Sand displays all of Holleran's considerable gifts; it's an elegy to sex and a stunningly honest exploration of loneliness and the endless need for human connection, especially as we count down our days.
How Do We Relationship?, Vol. 1
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Trade paperback
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A romance of convenience between two college women soon becomes the real thing.
Shy Miwa has always dreamed of finding love, but living in small-town Japan made finding the right match difficult--especially since she likes girls! Even going away to college didn't seem to help, until one day her outgoing classmate Saeko suggests they might as well start dating each other since it's not like either of them has other options.
At first it seems like things won't work out as their personalities clash and misunderstandings abound. But when their casual friendship starts to become something more, Miwa begins to wonder--can a pragmatic proposal lead to true love?
Why I Adopted My Husband
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Trade paperback
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As a gay couple living in Japan (where gay marriage is not yet legal), Yuta and Kyota have found a unique loophole in order for the government to recognize their union: Kyota adopted Yuta.
This nonfiction manga depicts how the two men met and fell in love, their life together for the last twenty years, their struggle to communicate their relationship to their families, their anxieties about the future, and their determination to live happily and carefree as any other married couple, while they strive for independence and equal rights in a changing cultural landscape.
"There are tips on how a gay couple can go the adoption route, like information on contracts. It even includes a section showing how to fill out the paperwork. This part doesn't pertain to American readers, but the manga is still worth reading because of its well-told story, its look into the realities of gay couples in Japan, and how the characters are relatable -- because even if someone isn't in Yuta and Kyoto's shoes, the parts about feeling left out would be something everyone can relate to on some level. The fact that both men are otaku (and there are plenty of references to otaku culture) makes telling the story in manga format all the better." -- Katie Kimura, Otaku USA
At 30, I Realized I Had No Gender
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Trade paperback
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At age 30, Shou Arai came to a realization; he had no gender. Now he was faced with a question he'd never really considered: how to age in a society where everything is so strongly segregated between two genders? This autobiographical manga explores Japanese culture surrounding gender, transgender issues, and the day to day obstacles faced by gender minorities and members of the LGBTQIA+ community with a lighthearted, comedic attitude.
My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness
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Trade paperback
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HARVEY AWARD WINNER
The heart-rending autobiographical manga that's taken the internet by storm!
My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness is an honest and heartfelt look at one young woman's exploration of her sexuality, mental well-being, and growing up in our modern age. Told using expressive artwork that invokes both laughter and tears, this moving and highly entertaining single volume depicts not only the artist's burgeoning sexuality, but many other personal aspects of her life that will resonate with readers.
Until I Meet My Husband (Manga)
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The memoir of gay activist Ryousuke Nanasaki and the first religiously recognized same-sex marriage in Japan. (Original novel of essays also available from Seven Seas.)
From school crushes to awkward dating sites to finding a community, this collection of stories recounts the author's "firsts" as a young gay man searching for love. Dating is never ever easy, but that goes doubly so for Ryousuke, whose journey is full of unrequited loves and many speed bumps. But perseverance and time heals all wounds, even those of the heart.
This moving memoir by gay activist Ryousuke Nanasaki, following his historic life story, was originally released in Japan as a novel of collected essays. They are compiled here beautifully in a manga format.
I Think Our Son Is Gay 01
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A doting mother and her two beloved sons, one of whom she thinks is probably gay, go about their daily lives in this hilarious and heartwarming LGBTQIA+-friendly family comedy!
Despite belonging to a family of four, the Aoyama residence is typically home to three, with Dad away for work. Mom Tomoko and her two darling sons, Hiroki and Yuri, go about their everyday lives with little to disturb their gentle routines.
But as Hiroki begins his first year of high school, Tomoko can't help but wonder if her eldest has fallen for another boy. Though Tomoko is content to cheer on her son from the sidelines and let him work things out for himself, Hiroki's slips of the tongue are hard to ignore! With little talent for keeping his "secret," Hiroki might just die of embarrassment before all is said and done!
Is Love the Answer?
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A poignant coming-of-age story about a young woman coming into her own as she discovers her identity as aromantic asexual. A complete story in a single volume, from the creator of "Mine-kun is Asexual."
When it comes to love, high schooler Chika wonders if she might be an alien. She's never fallen for or even had a crush on anyone, and she has no desire for physical intimacy. Her friends tell her that she just "hasn't met the one yet," but Chika has doubts... It's only when Chika enters college and meets peers like herself that she realizes there's a word for what she feels inside--asexual--and she's not the only one. After years of wondering if love was the answer, Chika realizes that the answer she long sought may not exist at all--and that that's perfectly normal.
Livingsky
- Anthony Bidulka 
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Going home is not always the best answer. Forced to leave behind her big city dreams, Merry Bell returns to Livingsky Saskatchewan to start over. Living with plenty of secrets, but no money, friends, or place to live during a prairie winter-all while trying to start her own PI business-proves to be more challenging than she imagined. With a first case that quickly turns more dangerous than it first appeared, Merry must deal with a dodgy client, the murder of the surgeon who performed her gender affirming surgery, and more than one mysterious stranger.
For the first time since his award-winning Russell Quant novels, Bidulka begins a new mystery series, continuing in his tradition of presenting under-represented characters and settings that immediately feel familiar and beloved, while tugging at heart strings and tickling your funny bone. Livingsky easily matches the beauty and tenderness of Going to Beautiful while delivering a page-turning mystery.
Young Mungo
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Trade paperback
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#1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE GLOBE AND MAIL o NPR o KIRKUS REVIEWS o TIME o AMAZON o THE WASHINGTON POST o THE TIMES (UK) o DAILY HIVE o THE TELEGRAPH o FINANCIAL TIMES o THE GUARDIAN o LITERARY HUB o THE HERALD (UK) o READER'S DIGEST o VANITY FAIR o LOS ANGELES REVIEW OF BOOKS
"Young Mungo seals it: Douglas Stuart is a genius." --The Washington Post
From the Booker Prize-winning author of Shuggie Bain, Young Mungo is both a vivid portrayal of working-class life and the deeply moving story of the dangerous first love of two young men.
Born under different stars, Protestant Mungo and Catholic James live in a hyper-masculine world. They are caught between two of Glasgow's housing estates where young working-class men divide themselves along sectarian lines, and fight territorial battles for the sake of reputation. They should be sworn enemies if they're to be seen as men at all, and yet they become best friends as they find a sanctuary in the dovecote that James has built for his prize racing pigeons. As they begin to fall in love, they dream of escaping the grey city, and Mungo must work hard to hide his true self from all those around him, especially from his elder brother Hamish, a local gang leader with a brutal reputation to uphold.
But the threat of discovery is constant and the punishment unspeakable. When Mungo's mother sends him on a fishing trip to a loch in Western Scotland, with two strange men behind whose drunken banter lie murky pasts, he needs to summon all his inner strength and courage to get back to a place of safety, a place where he and James might still have a future.
Imbuing the everyday world of its characters with rich lyricism, Douglas Stuart's Young Mungo is a gripping and revealing story about the meaning of masculinity, the push and pull of family, the violence faced by so many queer people, and the dangers of loving someone too much.
This is a selection of our current 2SLGBTQIA+ titles. To find other titles or authors, or just to browse, please use the search box.
