NBR: Favourite Books?

Manada

I need something new to read... help me out:

Categories I like:

Queer Fiction, Queer Non-Fiction (memoirs, biographies), Conception/Baby Related memoirs, graphic novels, good fiction or non-fiction (I have a love for memoirs)...

What would you recommend?

2Moms2Babies

Hi, This may or may not fit into your categories, but it is a memoir. Pat Summit's new book "Sum It Up" just came out yesterday. If you're not familiar with her, she is the winningest coach in college basketball (men's or womens). She coached at Tenneessee for 38 years until recently diagnosed with Alzeheimers at 59 years old. She has an extraordinary story and is arguably responsible for women's basketball being where it is today. Although her accomplishments are immense, she will say the greatest of those is her son. She suffered 7 miscarriages before giving birth to him. Although I don't know her personally, I am from Tennessee and have known her biography and stories about her for years. I've also read her other books that are more focused on basketball or leadership. This is different. It's a true memoir. It's written with an openness and vulnerability that I am finding deeply touching. Sometimes when people are faced with such a life altering medical diagnosis it has a way of truly putting things into perspective. Let me know what you think if you decide to read it.

LolaBelle515

You might enjoy "She looks just like you:a memory of lesbian, nonbiological motherhood," I. Read it when we were trying to conceive and found it meaningful and insightful.

only1leia

I'll admit my reading has fallen by the wayside lately (it comes and goes in spurts anyway), but I feel like I have to plug a couple of authors I know personally. 

The first is called "The Breeders" by Matthew J. Beier, a futuristic propaganda fiction book (think 1984) with a predominately gay society, however the main characters are straight and the girl gets pregnant in this carefully monitored world and both of them have to go on the run.  I went to high school with the guy that wrote it.

The second is "Kiss the Morning Star" by Elissa Hoole.  This is a young adult lesbian fiction book, which some people aren't into, but it's a short read about two girls who go on a road trip to find enlightenment.  I used to work with her husband.

Anyway, both are very well-written, and I'm not just promoting them because I know the authors, they re genuinely good books that I would read again.    Maybe if I didn't just wake up I would have more thoughts, but good luck in your book hunting!

Twinkler2011

There are 2 good ones that come to mind to recommend. 

Like Me by Chely Wright "Wright's memoir succeeds. She?s direct about the toll that her secret life exacted on both her and her partners.                   ~The New York Times"

Unbearable Lightness by Portia De Rossi "In this groundbreaking memoir, Portia de Rossi reveals the pain and illness that haunted her for decades, from the time she was a twelve-year-old girl working as a model in Australia, through her early rise to fame as a cast member of the hit television show Ally McBeal . All the while terrified that the truth of her sexuality would be exposed in the tabloids, Portia alternately starved herself and binged, putting her life in danger and concealing from herself and everyone around her the seriousness of her illness." 

 

A 

Manada

Thanks Everyone! 

I've been going to bed super early lately (due to hormones and ttc stress likely) - so I'll add these to my kindle for in-bed reading this week.

 

I read "She looks just like you" and "Unbearable Lightness" last spring -- both were good books - Portia's memoir was actually surprisingly good to me.   If any of you are looking I liked "How to Get a Girl Pregnant" by Karleen Pendleton Jimenez.  I met Karleen at a conference recently and she was totally lovely as well....

Other favourites of mine:

Mean Little Deaf Queer (Queer Memoir)

Solitaire (Queer Sci-Fi Fiction)

Bottle Rocket Hearts (Queer fiction)

And H. and I have been listening to Veronica Roth's "Divergent" books while driving....  they're YA but pretty easy to get into during long road trips.

doodah1013

Oh my gosh! My favorite book off all time is called "Shades of Grey" by Jasper Fforde NOT to be confused with "50 Shades of Grey"!!!. It is amazing... About a futuristic dystopia where everyone is stratified based on their color perception.
It isn't EXPLICITLY gay in theme, but I would say there a ton of implicit Queer tropes.

doodah1013

Manada:

And H. and I have been listening to Veronica Roth's "Divergent" books while driving....nbsp; they're YA but pretty easy to get into during long road trips.

I am currently reading the Divergent series and really loving it... I seem to go back and forth between reading YA books and heavy Feminist/Queer theory.... Haha.