This Pride Month, explore the rich tapestry of LGBTQIA+ experiences with these new and exciting titles available at Mechanics' Institute Library!
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Local history buffs will be enthralled by The City Aroused: Queer Places and Urban Redevelopment in Postwar San Francisco by Damon Scott. This well-researched book uncovers the connection between San Francisco's once-thriving waterfront gay bars and the city's urban renewal projects. Scott delves into the racial and class diversity of this LGBTQIA+ community, exploring their resilience in the face of displacement. Want to meet the author? Join our Monday Noontime History Series on June 17th to hear a presentation from Damon Scott. Register here.
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For a genre-bending exploration of sexuality and identity, dive into Justin Torres' Blackouts. Winner of the National Book Award for Fiction, this work transcends traditional narratives, weaving together fictional stories with primary source documents like historical photographs and redacted excerpts from a real-life 1941 study on homosexuality. Through this innovative approach, Blackouts challenges traditional viewpoints and asks readers to confront the erasures of queer experiences throughout history.
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Acclaimed author Edmund White delivers the darkly comedic in The Humble Lover. This novel centers on Aldwych West, an aging, wealthy Manhattan socialite captivated by a young, beautiful ballet dancer named August Dupond. Their unconventional relationship blurs the lines of companionship, patronage, and love. Known for his frank and unflinching portrayal of gay desire, White masterfully explores the complexities of this dynamic, weaving in themes of aging, power dynamics, and the ever-shifting nature of love within the LGBTQIA+ community. This witty and thought-provoking novel is a must-read for those seeking a nuanced exploration of gay relationships.
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Celebrated by readers, All This Could Be Different by Sarah Thankam Mathews follows a young Indian woman who takes a corporate job just as the Great Recession hits. Readers remark on the author’s ability to write about the queer immigrant experience beautifully and unapologetically which has made this one of the buzziest books in contemporary lesbian fiction.
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Brontez Purnell's 100 Boyfriends is a provocative work from a local musician, dancer, and writer that brims with raw emotion and vibrant imagery. Purnell's powerful verses explore themes of love, loss, and the Black male experience.
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Get to know Elliot Page, the acclaimed actor who has become a powerful voice for the transgender community, through his memoir Pageboy.
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Immerse yourself in the energetic sounds of San Francisco's gay disco scene with Louis Niebur's Menergy: San Francisco’s gay disco sound. This book traces the history of this influential musical movement and its enduring impact on global dance music.
Happy Pride! Let Mechanics' Institute Library be your guide to a world of stories celebrating LGBTQIA+ voices.
Want more? Visit the 3rd Floor of the Library to discover more Library materials on our Pride Display in June.
