Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Literature: A Genre Guide

by Ellen Bosman, John P. Bradford, Robert Ridinger

Overview

Here is a long-overdue genre guide to a previously ignored body of literature. The book aims to provide the reader and readers' advisor with an introduction to 20th-century gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered literature. All popular genres of literature are examined, including fiction, drama, and life stories (biography, autobiography, and memoirs), with the main emphasis on current fiction. More than 1,100 titles are organized according to genres, subgenres, and formats. Annotations provide brief, engaging plot summaries, information about awards, indication of which populations are addressed (e.g., gay, lesbian), and often suggestions for read-alikes. Subject terms or keywords accompany each entry to enhance access to more read-alikes. A brief history of the literature, comments on the genres, and tips for working with readers make this an essential guide and reference resource.

Here is a long-overdue genre guide to a previously ignored body of literature. The book aims to provide the reader and readers' advisor with an introduction to 20th-century gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered literature. All popular genres of literature are examined, including fiction, drama, and life stories (biography, autobiography, and memoirs), with the main emphasis on current fiction. More than 1,100 titles are organized according to genres, subgenres, and formats. Annotations provide brief, engaging plot summaries, information about awards, indication of which populations are addressed (e.g., gay, lesbian, teen), and often suggestions for read-alikes. Subject terms or keywords accompany each entry to enhance access to more read-alikes. A brief history of the literature, comments on the genres, and tips for working with readers make this an essential guide and reference resource.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781591581949
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	06/30/2008
Series:	Genreflecting Advisory Series
Pages:	440
Product dimensions:	7.10(w) x 10.00(h) x 1.30(d)
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

Ellen Bosman is Associate Professor and Head of Technical Services, New Mexico State University Library, Las Cruces, and is a member of ALA's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Round Table. She is a former chair of the Stonewall Book Awards Committee and Lambda Literary Awards judge

John P. Bradford, Head of Automation & Technical Services at the Villa Park Public Library, has been a member of the GLBT Round Table of the American Library Association since the early 1990's. He served from 1998-2002 as a member of its Stonewall Book Award Committee (Chair 2001-2002). He is editor of the GLBTRT Newsletter, an important continuing source of GLBT book reviews, and volunteers weekends as Librarian at the Leather Archives & Museum.

Robert B. Ridinger (MA, MLS), is Full Professor in the Northern Illinois University Libraries, and has been active for over twenty-five years in working to research and restore the gay and lesbian history of the United States. Among his writings are contributions to Gay and Lesbian Literary Heritage and the Gay and Lesbian Almanac and the compiling of the groundbreaking anthology Speaking For Our Lives: Speeches and Rhetoric of Gay and Lesbian Rights (1892-2000).

Table of Contents

Section I: Introduction to GLBT Readers' Advisory Service
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: History of Gay and Lesbian Literature
Chapter 3: Readers' Advisory Service
Section II: The Literature
Chapter 4: Classics
Chapter 5: General Fiction
Chapter 6: Coming Out
Chapter 7: HIV/AIDS and Other Health Issues
Chapter 8: Historical Fiction
Chapter 9: Romance
Chapter 10: Fantasy
Chapter 11: Science Fiction
Chapter 12: Horror
Chapter 13: Mystery
Chapter 14: Graphic Novels
Chapter 15: Drama
Chapter 16: Life Stories: Biography, Autobiography, and Memoirs
Bibliography
Author/Title Index
Subject Index

Editorial Reviews

…[S]erves as a readers' advisory for adults seeking interesting fiction, biography, and drama with a GLBT theme or written by GLBT authors. Introductory chapters provide a historical overview of gay and lesbian literature, information on GLBT book awards, and an examination of the genre's appeal, myths, and controversies.” —College & Research Libraries News

“This bibliography is a needed resource for librarians wanting information about books available in the field of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered literature… For those libraries wanting to expand their collections of culturally diverse literature this would be a needed and welcomed resource.” —Library Media Connection

“This additional to the Genreflecting Advisory Series fills a gap, focusing on popular literature with gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered characters, themes, or authors…An excellent tool for readers' advisory, as well as an outstanding reference on an important type of literature, this guide is highly recommended for public and academic libraries with GLBT collections.'” —Booklist

“More than 1,000 titles, most of them fiction and most shortlisted for awards, are described. While Alison Bechdel, David Sedaris, and other authors whose works are listed here will be familiar to many, plenty of new discoveries are waiting for anyone who wants to explore the literature.” —Booklist

“Genres of importance to GLBT literature—including 'Coming Out,' 'HIV/AIDS and Other Health Issues,' and 'Life Stories: Biography, Autobiography, and Memoirs'—enhance the volume's importance and contribution to facilitating access to key themes…This easy-to-use volume is a gateway to an important body of literature with growing mainstream interest. The 'Issues for the Readers' Advisor' section at the beginning of each chapter will assist librarians in successfully selecting and referring users to works within these genre categories. The volume will also prove useful in academic libraries for faculty interested in expanding the diversity of their curricula…Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers.” —Choice

“For gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) readers or librarians trying to assist them in finding quality twentieth-century GLBT literature written in (or translated to) English, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Literature: A Genre Guide is the perfect reference. Rigorous scholarship has gone into creating a book that presents an enormous amount of information in eminently user-friendly format and language. This book belongs in every general and academic reference collection.” —ARBAonline

“This volume from the Genreflecting Series can help librarians and readers connect with books that reveal the truths they seek. It fills a major gap in readers' advisory literature by focusing on literature for adults that is 'written by GLBT authors, or with GLBT protagonists or themes'. Public librarians are the most obvious audience for this reference work, but school and academic librarians serving GLBT populations will also find it a valuable resource. . . . On a whole, this book admirably provides one of the first (if not the first) comprehensive readers' advisory reference works focused on adult GLBT literature. I highly recommend this title to librarians and readers interested in understanding and exploring this category of literature.” —Feminist Collections

From the Publisher