LGBTQ Literature

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a work of Gothic horror by fin-de-siècle Irish writer Oscar Wilde. Originally released as a novella in 1890, it was published in its complete form in 1891 and sparked public outcry for its perceived amorality. The work chronicles the life of Dorian Gray, a fictional 19th-century British aristocrat, in his pursuit of beauty and pleasure—a pursuit he shared with Wilde, who was a leading figure in the aesthetic literary... Read The Picture of Dorian Gray Summary

Elizabeth Acevedo’s award-winning 2018 young adult novel, The Poet X, brings to life the inner world of protagonist Xiomara Batista. Xiomara is 15 years old, and from her bedroom in Harlem, she writes poetry in order to put on the page all the feelings and ideas she cannot seem to be able to say out loud. Xiomara resigns herself to writing in her notebook and sharing her thoughts with only a few trusted individuals until... Read The Poet X Summary

... Read The Power of the Dog Summary

Patricia Highsmith published The Price of Salt in 1952 under a pseudonym, Claire Morgan, because of the lesbian relationship between the two main characters—Therese and Carol. The Price of Salt is a romance, mystery, and coming-of-age tale. Highsmith wrote many short stories and over 20 novels. Like her other works, The Price of Salt contains autobiographical elements; like Therese, Highsmith worked at a department store, became captivated by a woman she met there, and was... Read The Price of Salt Summary

... Read The Prince and the Dressmaker Summary

The Prince of Los Cocuyos: A Miami Childhood is a memoir published in 2014 by Richard Blanco, President Barack Obama’s inaugural poet, whose works include “América” (1998), “The Island Within” (2012), and “One Today” (2013). Blanco describes his childhood living in Miami with parents and grandparents who’d immigrated to America from Cuba. It offers a picture of his family’s nostalgia for Cuba and his simultaneous struggle to relate to a world he’s never seen. His... Read The Prince of Los Cocuyos Summary

... Read The Priory of the Orange Tree Summary

... Read The Pull of the Stars Summary

... Read The Rachel Incident Summary

The Rest of Us Just Live Here, a novel by critically acclaimed young adult (YA) author Patrick Ness, tells the story of Mikey, a high school senior living in a fictional town in the state of Washington. The novel follows Mikey as graduation approaches and he navigates the anxieties and uncertainties of love, friendship, and the fear of leaving behind everything he’s grown up with. Ness, the author of the widely lauded Chaos Walking trilogy... Read The Rest of Us Just Live Here Summary

... Read There Will Be No Miracles Here Summary

... Read The Sand Child Summary

... Read The Secret Lives of Church Ladies Summary

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (2017) is a work of historical fiction by Taylor Jenkins Reid. The novel follows Monique, a journalist struggling to make a name for herself until she receives an offer to interview the mysterious and reclusive 1960s Hollywood starlet, Evelyn Hugo, about fame, scandal, and love. The novel is a study of human nature that explores The Cost of Fame, The Oversexualization and Commodification of Women’s Bodies, and the difficulty... Read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo Summary

... Read The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida Summary

The Song of Achilles, author Madeline Miller’s bestselling novel, retells the events of Homer’s Iliad. Published in 2012, the book reimagines the relationship between ancient Greek Trojan war heroes Achilles and Patroclus. Narrated in the first person by Patroclus, the narrative explores themes central to ancient Greek mythology, notably the immutability of fate and the pursuit of glory.The novel begins with Patroclus narrating his birth and early childhood. Son of King Menoitius, the undersized and... Read The Song of Achilles Summary

Erin Morgenstern, best-selling author of The Night Circus, published The Starless Sea in 2019. This work of magical realism interweaves separate stories with shared plots, themes, and characters. The book addresses ideas such as the concept of story, its meaning, and the nature of beginnings and endings, along with fate, free will, and what it means to become part of a narrative. This guide references the Knopf Doubleday first edition.Plot SummaryZachary Ezra Rawlins, an Emerging... Read The Starless Sea Summary

... Read The Stars Beneath Our Feet Summary

... Read The Sun and the Star Summary

... Read The Sweetness of Water Summary