36 Best LGBT Books
We analyzed 5+ expert sources, curated book lists, and recommendations from successful people to find the 36 best lgbt books according to the internet — not just one person's opinion. Each book on this list was mentioned by at least two independent sources, and the ranking is based on how frequently each title appears across all sources studied. This consensus-based approach ensures you get recommendations backed by multiple experts, not a single reviewer's bias.
Goal: Find the best LGBT books according to the internet (not just one person's opinion).
Method:
- Search for "best lgbt books" and study the top 5+ pages.
- Add only the books mentioned 2+ times.
- Rank the results neatly here.
36 Best LGBT Books
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Giovanni's Room
A Little Life
Also recommended by
4 people
Soman Chainani recommended this bookSoman Chainani
"The greatest work of fiction I’ve ever read, with the simplest theme: All of us come with baggage and wounds and pain; all of us." - Soman Chainani
Soman Chainani's recommendation of this book 
Andy Cohen recommended this bookAndy Cohen
"I LOVE this book!" - Andy Cohen
Andy Cohen's recommendation of this book 
Nate Berkus recommended this bookNate Berkus
"I will NEVER give away." - Nate Berkus
Nate Berkus's recommendation of this book 
Jack Edwards recommended this bookJack Edwards
"Probably the saddest piece of literature I have ever encountered." - Jack Edwards
Jack Edwards's recommendation of this book
The Color Purple
Color Purple, Book 1
Also recommended by
4 people
Hillary Clinton recommended this bookHillary Clinton
"A brutally honest assessment of human nature at its best and worst." - Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton's recommendation of this book 
Emma Watson recommended this bookEmma Watson
"I've heard amazing things about this book from a person that I trust." - Emma Watson
Emma Watson's recommendation of this book 
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie recommended this bookChimamanda Ngozi Adichie
"I admired the fierce honesty in the single-mindedly feminist world-view of this book." - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's recommendation of this book 
Shonda Rhimes recommended this bookShonda Rhimes
"Brilliant." - Shonda Rhimes
Shonda Rhimes's recommendation of this book
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit
Also recommended by
1 person- Emma Watson recommended this book
Emma Watson
On the "books read" section of Emma Watson's GoodReads profile.
Emma Watson's recommendation of this book
Detransition, Baby
A Novel
Rubyfruit Jungle
Tomorrow Will Be Different
Love, Loss, and the Fight for Trans Equality
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Also recommended by
4 people
Sam Altman recommended this bookSam Altman
This book was on Sam Altman's bookshelf.
Sam Altman's recommendation of this book 
Jenn Im recommended this bookJenn Im
"I love this book." - Jenn Im
Jenn Im's recommendation of this book 
PewDiePie recommended this bookPewDiePie
"A meaningful story with horror elements to it." - PewDiePie
PewDiePie's recommendation of this book 
Zack D'Aleo recommended this bookZack D'Aleo
"Lo rileggerei ogni settimana, ma forse meglio di no. Questo è un libro che ha plasmato la mia anima." - Zac D'Aleo
Zack D'Aleo's recommendation of this book
A Brief History of Seven Killings
A Novel
Also recommended by
3 people
Anthony Bourdain recommended this bookAnthony Bourdain
"Incredible." - Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Bourdain's recommendation of this book 
Adam Sessler recommended this bookAdam Sessler
Adam Sessler recommended this book on Twitter.
Adam Sessler's recommendation of this book - Geoff Ramsey recommended this book
Geoff Ramsey
"A fantastic, intense, engrossing read." - Geoff Ramsey
Geoff Ramsey's recommendation of this book
Call Me by Your Name
A Novel
Also recommended by
3 people- Sam Altman recommended this book
Sam Altman
This book was on Sam Altman's bookshelf.
Sam Altman's recommendation of this book 
Tavi Gevinson recommended this bookTavi Gevinson
"Makes you feel as lost in the characters as they are in each other." - Tavi Gevinson
Tavi Gevinson's recommendation of this book - Jack Edwards recommended this book
Jack Edwards
"Will fill [you] with love and then break [your] heart into tiny pieces." - Jack Edwards
Jack Edwards's recommendation of this book
Middlesex
A Novel
Also recommended by
1 person
Oprah Winfrey recommended this bookOprah Winfrey
"I promise it will grab you from the first sentence." - Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey's recommendation of this book
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous
A Novel
Also recommended by
1 person- Jack Edwards recommended this book
Jack Edwards
"I think that people who love Taylor Swift's writing would really love the writing of [this author]." - Jack Edwards
Jack Edwards's recommendation of this book
Radical Hope
Letters of Love and Dissent in Dangerous Times
Also recommended by
1 person
Olivia Wilde recommended this bookOlivia Wilde
"This book is like a cool drink of water." - Olivia Wilde
Olivia Wilde's recommendation of this book
The Hours
A Novel
Also recommended by
1 person
Danielle Teller recommended this bookDanielle Teller
"I love [this book]." - Danielle Teller
Danielle Teller's recommendation of this book
With Teeth
A Novel
Also recommended by
1 person
Jennifer Weiner recommended this bookJennifer Weiner
"I loved [this book] so much! Everyone should read it!" - Jennifer Weiner
Jennifer Weiner's recommendation of this book
All My Mother's Lovers
A Novel
Black Girl, Call Home
Boy Erased
A Memoir
City of Night
Death in Venice
Fun Home
A Family Tragicomic
In At The Deep End
Maurice
On Being Different
What It Means to Be a Homosexual
Orlando
A Biography
Sissy
A Coming-of-Gender Story
Sister Outsider
Essays and Speeches
Some Girls Do
Stung with Love
Poems and Fragments
Tales of the City
Tales of the City, Book 1
The Guncle
The Line of Beauty
A Novel
The Price of Salt
Under the Udala Trees
We Are Everywhere
Protest, Power, and Pride in the History of Queer Liberation
We Have Always Been Here
A Queer Muslim Memoir
Sources
- 1
Your essential reading list of the best LGBTQIA+ books - Pan Macmillan
panmacmillan.com
- 2
The 25 Best Classic LGBTQ+ Novels of All Time
advocate.com
- 3
33 LBGTQ Books Everyone Needs On Their Bookshelves In 2022
elle.com
- 4
40 Best LGBTQ Books You Should Read This Month 2022
goodhousekeeping.com
- 5
The Ultimate LGBTQIA+ Pride Book List | Penguin Random House
penguinrandomhouse.com
Edited by
Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.
Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.
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