Expectation: A novel that subverts the typical motherhood story with a focus on trans and found families.
Reality: More theory than fiction, Torrey Peters presents interesting ideas, but with an air of pretentiousness that can test patience.
All in Hybrid Read/Listen
Go Tell It On the Mountain – James Baldwin
Expectation: A semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story.
Reality: A religious-soaked, multi-layered family drama.
It Came from the Closet: Queer Reflections on Horror – Joe Vallese
Various queer writers dissect and debate the overt and obvious subtexts of both mainstream and art house fare with a mixture of analysis and theory. Many of the essays veer into the personal, showing how important the horror genre is to out and proud queers of a certain age.
Wow, No Thank You – Samantha Irby
While there were a few laugh out loud moments within each of the 18 essays, “Wow” didn’t fully capture my attention.
Like a Love Story – Abdi Nazemian
Expectation: A sweet but slight coming of age tale set amidst the backdrop of the HIV/AIDS crisis in New York City in the late-1980s.
Reality: While there’s a lot of melodrama and the plot is stale, it’s a great introduction to this era in queer history, and the importance of having a gay Iranian lead character cannot be understated.
All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis – Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katherine K. Wilkinson
While it may be too in-depth for those seeking general information – honestly, it sometimes felt like reading a textbook – the editors, Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katherine K. Wilkinson have compiled a primer on the vernacular, key issues and political lightning rods.
Florida – Lauren Groff
Expectation: A collection of Americana centered around one of the most popular and maligned states.
Reality: Groff starts the reader in a chokehold but slowly loosens her grip as the collection progresses.
Letters to My White Male Friends – Dax-Devlon Ross
Told in three parts — harm, heal and act — Ross uses personal experiences paired with historical context to explain how and why racial progress stalls, and why white men have such a difficult time accepting the fact we have privileges the Black community doesn’t.
Two Boys Kissing – David Levithan
Expectation: A heartwarming coming of age story about overcoming adversity and supporting one another.
Reality: Darker and more poignant than expected, but a tad uneven and overstuffed even for its slim length. However, when the story soars, it’s transformative.
Demon Copperhead – Barbara Kingsolver
Expectation: An epic journey through the horrors of Appalachia.
Reality: Funny, poignant and utterly engrossing, it’s a blockbuster book that delivers - even if the last third feels a tad trite.
The 2000s Made Me Gay: Essays on Pop Culture – Grace Perry
While Perry provides commentary on the benefits and detriments of the subjects in the context of shaping public perception of LGBTQIA+ people during the aughts - and her own queerness - most of the essays felt like a Vulture-esque recap of plots and characters.
Edinburgh – Alexander Chee
Expectation: High-brow gay fiction with tear-inducing scenarios and redemption.
Reality: Well-written and engaging, but the last act will make or break this story for readers. I’m still on the fence about it.
Parkland: Birth of a Movement – Dave Cullen
Acting as an embedded journalist, Cullen spent countless hours trailing and interviewing several of the MFOL teenagers. From the first meetings in a parents’ living room to political debates and a tour across the country, he was there for every early highlight, misstep and break down.
Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual – Luvvie Ajayi Jones
I’m going to challenge my fellow white men to read this book, over the next “it” topic by Malcom Gladwell, Simon Sinek or Mark Manson, because you will learn something here that will truly make you a better colleague. In the age of the Great Resignation, that’s more important than the bottom line.
Father of Lions: One Man's Remarkable Quest to Save the Mosul Zoo – Louise Callaghan
While a fascinating microhistory of humans and animals surviving through the ISIS occupation of Mosul through much of the mid-2010s, Callaghan never quite found the right balance between history, politics and humanity.