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The Queer Bookshelf

A Reader’s Guide
Brief Description
We are in the middle of a vibrant renaissance of queer writing. But LGBTQ+ writers, characters and readers have been here since the beginning—quietly, defiantly, and persistently telling their stories—if you know where to look. The Queer Bookshelf is your guide to this essential queer history,... Read More
Format: Hardback
$4800
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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

We are in the middle of a vibrant renaissance of queer writing. But LGBTQ+ writers, characters and readers have been here since the beginning—quietly, defiantly, and persistently telling their stories—if you know where to look.

The Queer Bookshelf is your guide to this essential queer history, and to its contemporary flourishing. Drawing on the author's own journey as a queer reader and book club host, and packed with recommendations from authors, booksellers, and book lovers around the world, The Queer Bookshelf is a celebration of the books that have helped generations of LGBTQ+ people find themselves on the page.

From literary fiction to memoir, to crime, fantasy, and young adult, and even cowboy romance, The Queer Bookshelf is a warm, entertaining companion for anyone beginning or deepening their own queer reading adventure.

The Queer Bookshelf is a joyful compendium of our literary heritage, and I'm honoured my own books are featured. It's a fun way to fill the holes in my intellectual armour about the many courageous writers who wrote about the love that dared not speak its name long before me. My one caveat—my reading list is now a doozy!
—Vincent Virga, author of A Comfortable Corner and The Gaywick Quartet

If you're looking for a friendly guide to welcoming you into the diverse world of queer literature, look no further than The Queer Bookshelf.
—Dean Atta

Whatever the law might say, our stories matter—on and off the page. This guide is a hopeful starting point for any reader curious about LGBTQ+ stories. It will have you building another shelf, in your imagination if not in your home.
—Damian Barr, author of The Two Roberts

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781917189071

Publisher: Scribe Publications

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 04 June 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Scribe Publications

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 135.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 336

About the Author

When Layla McCay isn't reading a novel or running queer book clubs in the UK, US, and Japan, she frequently appears on the BBC, hosts The Moth storytelling shows, and features in The Mortified Guide Netflix miniseries about growing up gay. She was recognised on the Outstanding Executive Role Models and Attitude 101 lists for her impact on LGBTQ+ culture and inclusion, and her book Breaking the Rainbow Ceiling- How LGBTQ+ People Can Thrive and Succeed at Work won an Axiom Book Award. Layla is a leader in health policy by day and lives with her wife in London.

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