January is always the time for New Year’s resolutions, and we know – we know – that you surely have “read more books” on your list. It’s admirable, really, which is why we’ve decided to help. Here is a selection of wonderful queer books you can pick from to reach your 2024 reading goals.
Pride Poets: an LGBTQ+ poetry anthology
The first title you should absolutely check out is the brand-new anthology produced by Dublin Pride. It contains the works of the amazing poets who take part in Dublin Pride’s LGBTQ+ poetry and spoken word nights, which happen on the last Tuesday of every month in Street 66. The anthology is available at the Dublin Pride Hub for only €15.
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Bisexual Married Men by Robert Brooks Cohen
Authored by the host of the podcast Two Bi Guys, this book is a collection of interviews with bi+ men who share their stories in an effort to normalise sexual fluidity and create more compassion. It explores important themes such as coming out, monogamy, intersectionality, porn, marriage, parenting, and finding community. Grab your copy here.
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From Mohair Suits to Kinky Boots by Geoff Deane
A uniquely refreshing celeb memoir, this one follows the life of author Geoff Deane, who went from touring the world as the lead singer of Modern Romance, to writing a hugely popular gay anthem for drag queen Divine and becoming the screenwriter of Kinky Boots. Find the book here.
The launch of From Mohair Suits to Kinky Boots by Geoff Deane last night! 🎤🎬📚
‘A very funny book packed with very funny stories, written by a very funny and often peculiar man’ – Jonathan Ross@MuswellPress @deane_geoff @Dauntbooks pic.twitter.com/zKxEQ0hmlS
— PGUK (@PGUK_Books) October 25, 2023
300,000 Kisses: Tales of Queer Love from the Ancient World by Seán Hewitt and Luke Edward Hall
With its beautiful poetry and stunning stories of queer love from Ancient Greece and Rome, this anthology recreates a world of desire, lust and seduction. The stories are coupled with stunning watercolour illustrations that will take your breath away. Check out the book here.
We are so excited to welcome 300,000 Kisses on our shelves! @seanehewitt‘s words and @lukeedwardhall‘s gorgeous illustrations give new life to forty queer love stories from the ancient world – finally lifting the silence that for centuries has been imposed on queer history. pic.twitter.com/TEi03q5nFU
— The Feminist Bookshop (@Feminist_Books_) November 26, 2023
Rapture’s Road by Seán Hewitt
Coming from the same author of the previous collection is also Rapture’s Road, which follows a journey haunted by love, loss and estrangement. The collection explores the reciprocal relationship between queer sexuality and the natural world in glorious moving prose. Find the book here.
Launch Reminder:
“Rapture’s Road” by @seanehewitt is launching this Thursday the 11th @ 6pm on our first floor.
All welcome! pic.twitter.com/O9IxeTXSQD— Hodges Figgis (@Hodges_Figgis) January 9, 2024
Gay Aliens and Queer Folk: How Russell T Davies Shaped British TV by Emily Garside
Exploring Russell T Davies’ career from its inception to the screenwriter’s latest return to Doctor Who, Emily Garside reveals how Davies broke down barriers in his portrayal of queer characters on the screen. Buy the book here.
Found in local books (for local people) in WHSmith pic.twitter.com/2XjXOMjocu
— Dr Emily Garside (@EmiGarside) January 6, 2024
We Two Together by James Lomax
Set in the 1960s, this novel tells the moving story of two boys who fall in love at a single-sex Catholic boarding school. It is a beautiful exploration of queer joy as the two young characters discover new truths about themselves and form a strong bond and dream of a life together. Find the book here.
Only When I’m Dancing Can I Feel This Free by Wayne Power
This poetry collection encapsulates the joy and freedom that the author has found in poetry and spoken word. With a nod to the Queen of Pop whose lyrics inspired the title of the book, the collection shows the power of poetry and how it can change lives. Grab your copy here.
Only When I’m Dancing Can I Feel This Free is Wayne Power’s third collection of poetry, recently published under the imprint of The Manuscript Publisher. It is available to buy online, along with other books Wayne Power – https://t.co/KDYMkcUGTM
— Manuscript Publisher (@Publishing4All) November 27, 2023
The I’m Grand Mamual by Kevin and PJ
If we’re talking about queer books, we can’t help but mention the hilarious I’m Grand Mamual by our favourite Cork duo. The two hosts of the popular Irish podcast created the book as an ode to their mammies and in it, they share wild experiences of coming out, holidays, dating and more. Check it out here.
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Fayne by Ann-Marie MacDonald
In this timeless and atmospheric novel, author Ann-Marie MacDonald creates a world where mystical and scientific mix skilfully. The book recounts the story of Charlotte Bell, as she grows up in Fayne, a lonely estate on the border between England and Scotland. Find this novel here.
Fayne by Ann-Marie MacDonald (Yes, that Ann-Marie MacDonald: Oprah Bookclub bestselling legend!) has arrived. We’ll have a launch in Hodges Figgis on the 17th August at 6pm. Everyone is welcome! Get ready for an epic historical novel that will knock your socks off. #Fayne pic.twitter.com/SVv087JxeD
— Tramp Press (@TrampPress) August 3, 2023
The Memoirs of Miss Chief Eagle Testickle: Vol. 1 and 2 by Kent Monkman and Gisèle Gordon
Authored by renowned queer and Indigenous artist Kent Monkman and his long-time collaborator Gisèle Gordon, these two volumes blend history, fiction and memoir to tell the imagined story of a legendary figure named Miss Chief Eagle Testickle. Find out more about the books here.
THE MEMOIRS OF MISS CHIEF EAGLE TESTICKLE, Volume 1 by Kent Monkman & @giselegordon is now available! Sexy, funny, gloriously queer, and deeply Cree, this is not the history you were taught in high school. Now available — get your copy today! 👠 pic.twitter.com/30CTW40wsx
— McClelland & Stewart (@McClellandBooks) November 8, 2023
A Trans Man Walks Into a Gay Bar by Harry Nicholas
In this groundbreaking book, author Harry Nicholas navigates what it’s like to be a trans man dating men. The narrative delves into sex, gay culture, femininity and telling trans stories at a time when anti-trans rhetoric is on the rise. Buy this book here.
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Neuroqueer: Love, Sex, and Everything in Between by CJ Debarra
With a background as an ADHD journalist and drawing on academic research, Irish author CJ Debarra fearlessly dives into the realities of heartbreak, love, and sexuality, and the complexities of desire and intimacy. This book also sheds light on the low diagnosis rates for women, trans and non-binary individuals urging readers to advocate and demand better healthcare. Get this queer book here.
I’m so proud of my book. It’s not been an easy time of it but it’s here and a unapologetically queer – and adhd🏳️🌈
You can finally order Neuroqueer: A Neurodivergent Guide to Love, Sex, and Everything in Between through bookshops and Amazon or me 🏳️⚧️✊🏻https://t.co/az8wcQpTmP pic.twitter.com/9TAGMvuRYx
— CJ Debarra 💀👻🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (@CJDeBarra) July 16, 2023
Believable: Traveling with My Ancestors by Lola Flash
If you’re more interested in pictures than the written word, then you should check out this one, which is part of The New Press’s worldwide LGBTQ+ photobook series. Drawing on the stunning body of work by artist Lola Flash, the book showcases amazing photography that uses the framework of Afrofuturism to examine the intersection of Black culture and technoculture and science fiction. Check out the photobook here.
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Solace: Portraits of Queer Chinese Youth by Sarah Mei Herman
As part of the same series, this book by Sarah Mei Herman portrays Chinese-born queer people whom the artist started photographing during an artist residency in Xiamen on China’s southeastern coast. Buy it here.
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Dublin’s Graftonia: A Very Literary Neighbourhood by Brendan Lynch
In this book dedicated to and endorsed by David Norris, author Brendan Lynch pays tribute to the immense literary history of Dublin’s Grafton Street and its surroundings. In this area, world-famous writers and poets such as Jonathan Swift, Bram Stoker, Oscar Wilde, James Joyce and Samuel Beckett took major steps in their careers. Find out more about this history here.
Delighted to add Dublin’s Graftonia to my ever growing collection of works by @WritersUnion_ie stalwart Brendan Lynch pic.twitter.com/FkdRDFwL8c
— Lissa Oliver (@OliverLissa) October 4, 2023
Thank You Covid by Barry Williams
Thank You Covid: Gratitude, Resilience, and Growth in Crisis: Learning from Heartbreak in the Pandemic chronicles the author’s personal journey in overcoming challenges during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. The book is a must-read guide for navigating tough times and discovering your inner strength. Grab yours here.
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We’ve now reached the end of our list of queer books, and we hope you’ve found some good titles for that reading goal of yours. We believe in you!
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