There’s something wonderful about books, especially in a modern world that seems increasingly fraught with environmental concerns, political friction, and ongoing intolerance.
Burying your nose into a good book can transport you to exciting dimensions.
If you're a member of the LGBTQ community, a worthy writer can not only take you on exciting journeys, but they can also affirm your position in society, building confidence, and making you proud of your sexual orientation.
So, it's crucial to celebrate the best gay writers because they can provide such an important and often uplifting service for gay and straight readers.
Perhaps you might benefit from an introduction to some of the top authors publishing gay literature. And why is their work so vital for the gay community?
Books are all about empowerment
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Gays, and the LGBTQ demographic in general, can feel much more comfortable in modern society than ever.
Many older gay men will have experience of being forced to live a lie for fear of persecution.
Thankfully, laws entering the statute in the 1960s paved the way for far more liberal attitudes and the rights of gay individuals are now enshrined in United Nations Human Rights charters.
Western society is nowadays more and more geared towards inclusivity.
Perhaps you’re a single gay who once fretted when you considered this question: where would be the best place to arrange gay hookups near me? Not so long ago, it wasn't even common to ask this question so openly, let alone that there were public places or even services like dating sites for the LGBTQ community.
In the past, socialising opportunities were far more restricted than those available to any of your ‘straight’ friends. As I said, the position, perception and rights of the LGBT community have changed massively in recent decades, partly as a result of the Human Rights Charter, but also due to social developments.
But another aspect of the modern era has been the digital revolution.
Gay relationships are now catered for by an incredible variety of online platforms where these nearby hookups can be arranged without fear of judgment.
All you need is access to a web browser. A dating app can become just as important to your well-being as that eReader you might have downloaded to your phone where you read your favorite gay novels!
Genres of gay literature
Before taking a closer look at five gay writers to recommend, how about whetting your appetite for LGBTQ literature with an overview of the many exciting genres you can dip into?
A lot of individuals love getting hot under the collar by reading gay erotica, so you could always explore online interviews with exponents like Samer Bo.
His work originated in Egypt, where tolerance of same-sex partnerships has historically lagged behind the Western experience.
But he has channelled that adversity into wonderfully captivating fiction. Pulp and speculative fiction are also igniting interest, and this is reflected in many of the hugely popular Netflix features penned by LGBTQ scriptwriters, such as Sense8.
Top gay writers you must read
Creating a subjective shortlist is always difficult, especially when there are so many talented individuals out there currently crafting fabulous stories.
But we’ve whittled down the incredible array of talent to five you simply must prioritize! So, in no particular order, here they are.
Alan Hollinghurst
One of Britain’s foremost exponents of literary fiction, Hollinghurst cut his teeth as a book review with The Times Literary Supplement before deciding to have a go himself.
His debut novel was the intriguingly entitled, The Swimming Pool Library, focusing on the lifestyle of a young, gay Londoner, William Beckwith.
This instantly chimed with his readership, its simple storyline concerning an idle gay guy, seeking casual encounters, suddenly facing unexpected opportunities when he saves the life of a member of the UK’s aristocracy.
The Guardian referred to this as historic for being “The first major novel in Britain to put gay life in its modern place and context.”
Armistead Maupin
A naval officer who served with the American military in Vietnam may seem an unlikely background for an iconic gay writer.
Nevertheless, Maupin, who was inspired to ‘come out’ after moving to tolerant San Francisco in 1974, has now written nine acclaimed novels, including the six-volume ‘Tales of the City’ series.
Some of these characters appeared in his later work, The Night Listener, which was made into a feature film starring Toni Collette, and the late great, Robin Williams.
Edmund White
Winner of the prestigious Lambda Award for Gay Fiction, amongst many other accolades, White is a remarkable talent who has survived HIV and a heart condition.
His 1977 manual, The Joy of a Gay Sex, is widely recognised as a classic of its kind.
Michael Cunningham
Cunningham is another gay literary giant, most famously known for the Purlitzer-winning The Hours, inspired by same-sex icon, Virginia Woolf. His most recent work, The Day, was released earlier this year.
Garth Greenwell
Fortysomething gay novelist, Greenwell, is another writer you must add to your reading list.
Amongst his consistent themes is promiscuity and hookups, and the notion that there’s no need for “an eagerness for mixture, excitement at the new things arrived at through unexpected encounters” to be stigmatized.
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