Queer Books ASE students read this Pride Month
Pride Month has come to an end, so we decided to commemorate decades of struggle towards LGBTQIA+ visibility and equity with a list of Queer reads from our ASE library display—curated by our Director of Studies (and viking expert), Dr Lucy Marten—and books recommended by some of our Summer 2025 cohort. Feel free to pick these up to read to celebrate Pride Month and beyond.
From ASE’s library display:
Pride: The Story of the LGBTQ Equality Movement, Matthew Todd
Nonfiction
As the title suggests, this book delves into the history of the LGBTQIA+ movement, accounting for events such as the Stonewall Riots of 1969 and the Pride Parade demonstrations that grew from it. Todd documents the challenges and successes of the movement up to our present day. This one is for the historians in the ASE Community.
Trans Britain: Our Journey from the Shadows, Christine Burns
Nonfiction
The latter half of the 2010s was crucial for the trans-visibility movement. In this collection of essays, author and trans-rights activist Christine Burns shares 25 stories from members of the trans community, exploring recent events that have framed socio-political contemporary discourse.
Queer Heroes of Myth and Legend, Dan Jones
Nonfiction
A celebration of queer lives and loves that spans from classical literature to pop culture. If you’re into Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Doctor Who, if you enjoy Madeline Miller’s queer-reading of the relationship between Achilles & Patroclus, or equally if you want to learn all about queerness in Egyptian mythology, Dan Jones has you covered.
300,000 Kisses, Sean Hewitt & Luke Edward Hall
Nonfiction
This rich anthology brings 40 of the most exhilarating queer tales in the classical canon to life, amplifying stories of Greek and Roman love that for centuries have been suppressed. Discover literary traditions that will change the way you see the ancient world, and reflect on how our understanding of LGBTQIA+ history has been shaped by the absence of these narratives.
From Our Summer 2025 Students:
Loveless, Alice Oseman
Fiction
In our student’s words:
“[Oseman] is better known for the Heartstopper series, but Loveless was the first explicitly aromantic book I ever read and it was really nice to see my own experiences with aromanticism and asexuality represented so well. It has a beautiful platonic love story (as well as a very cute lesbian b-plot with the protagonist's best friend and roommate) and all the protagonists' emotions in figuring out who she is ring very true for me.”
Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe
Fiction
In our student’s words:
“This is an autobiographical graphic novel about the author's experience growing up trans and queer. Kobabe illustrates so many hard-hitting aspects of the queer experience that many queer readers may find relatable, but may be scared to talk about. As one of the most banned books in the U.S. South, this book also encapsulates the value of uplifting queer voices, and how reading can be an act of rebellion in the face of hate in the American political sphere.”
The Last True Poets of the Sea, Julia Drake
Fiction
This debut novel takes inspiration from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night to form a distinct and deep exploration of sapphic relationships, experiences with mental illness and complex family histories. A tale of love, hope and finding laughter in a search for understanding and survival.
Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating, Adiba Jaigirdar
Fiction
A heartwarming YA rom-com. This sweet story of fake dating and first loves also tackles important conversations around racism, family issues and biphobia, with great Muslim and South Asian representation throughout.
Sunburn, Chloe Michelle Howarth
Fiction
Set in rural Ireland in the early 90s, this astute recollection of adolescent anxieties and self-discovery follows protagonist Lucy from the ages of 15 to 20 in a series of internal monologues. This highly acclaimed coming-of-age story sees her navigate endearing experiences of forbidden and first loves, teenage devotions and the weight of societal expectations.
The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde
Fiction
A classic exploration of desire, youth, beauty and living lavishly. Wilde’s philosophical and Gothic horror watches as self-indulgent dandy Dorian Gray is taken under the wing of social deviant Lord Henry, and subsequently becomes infatuated with his own portrait. This satire of Victorian British society and the corruption that arises from debauchery and extravagance is a must-read for any lover of literature.
Collective Rage: A Play in Five Betties, Jen Silverman
Fiction
Five women from New York, all named Betty, find their lives colliding in an intersection of anger, sex, and theatre on a journey to reject shame and stereotypes. This outrageous comedy was largely influenced by cabaret and female drag, and it’s packed with feminine rage that will both break your heart and make you want to dance.
Our Share of Night, Mariana Enriquez
Fiction
A fusion of political allegory and gleeful tensions. Motifs of desire, horror, and mental health struggles form an ungovernable story of inheritance, supernatural powers and oppression, set in the decades during and after Argentina’s military dictatorship. This novel was originally published in Spanish and translated into English by Megan McDowell.
