As Pride 2024 is upon us, it’s a great time to dive into some of the best books that celebrate, explore, and honour the breadth and diversity of the LGBTQ+ experience.

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From groundbreaking novels and powerful memoirs to insightful non-fiction, this list includes recent releases and timeless stories that resonate with both the joys and challenges of being queer.

New books for Pride 2024

• Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K Reilly. Valdin, a year post-breakup, has a stable life in Auckland but faces unresolved feelings when a work trip leads him to his ex in Buenos Aires. Meanwhile, his sister Greta navigates her own romantic and familial chaos.
• Bad Seed by Gabriel Carle. “Bad Seed” is a debut collection of short stories exploring the disenchantment of young, queer life in working-class Puerto Rico, blending vivid, imaginative narratives with gritty urban settings.
• Indian Winter by Kazim Ali. “Indian Winter” follows a queer writer’s reflective journey through India, grappling with past regrets and a deteriorating present relationship. As he seeks new connections, he confronts unresolved grief and familial rejection.
• Jack and Eve: Two Women in Love and at War by Wendy Moore. Vera Holme and Evelina Haverfield, pivotal figures in the suffragette movement, fell in love and championed women’s roles in WWI as ambulance drivers and hospital managers in Serbia. Their story highlights women’s contributions to war efforts and the evolution of lesbian identity.
• Revolutionary Acts: Love and Brotherhood in Black Gay Britain by Jason Okundaye. Okundaye’s oral history explores the experiences of seven Black queer men in South London from the 70s to the 90s, capturing their activism, community, and personal struggles with racism and homophobia.
• Some Strange Music Draws Me In by Griffin Hansbury. In 1984 Massachusetts, Melanie meets Sylvia, a bold trans woman, igniting conflict in her community and personal life. Decades later, Max, formerly Melanie, faces repercussions from past choices while navigating a fractured family.
• These Letters End in Tears by Musih Tedji Xaviere. Bessem falls for Fatima on a soccer field in Cameroon, where their relationship is illegal and dangerous. After a violent incident and Fatima’s disappearance, Bessem, years later as a professor, seeks her lost love.

These books are more than just entertainment; they are a celebration of queer life and love. They challenge us to think, feel, and perhaps see the world through a slightly different lens. As we celebrate Pride 2024, these readings offer a chance to reflect on how far the LGBTQ+ community has come and the journey ahead. Happy reading, and Happy Pride!

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