The first gay themed book you've ever read > Likes and Comments

Which was the first gay themed book that you have ever read?

Mine was a novel called:
The Boy Who Picked The Bullets Up (Paperback)
by Charles Nelson

I read this when I was in school. Although the violence didn't appeal to me, the adventures of the gay protagonist certainly did.

Another book I read around the same time was:

The Sexual Outlaw: A Documentary
by John Rechy

I loved the explicit descriptions of this one. Hot arousals obviously.

霸王別姬
(Farewell my concubine)

I was 13 and I found the book in some pile of stuff around my house. I didn't know what to expect of it, I just liked the idea of reading something about China. When I realized it was very gay I started to hid it from everyone because I was afraid that somebody thought I was gay.
And actually, Is a pretty good book.

I read two around the same time, both were recommended to me.

The first one was The Velvet Rage by Alan Downs while I understand the significant, it didn’t really speak to me. It’s white centric and I felt left out as I didn’t identify.

The other was Call me by your name, also recommended to me.

It was "The picture of Dorian Gray", by Oscar Wilde. I was about 18 years old.

Mine was "Lover at Last" J.R. Ward. I know it's not contemporary fiction or some heavy book but it was my first gay theme book. Then I discovered more LGBTQ+ books!

I think it was James Baldwin - Giovanni's Room.
If I remember something from earlier on, I will post it here.

To my shame, I haven't read "The picture of Dorian Gray" yet. Should I?

Alex wrote: "I think it was James Baldwin - Giovanni's Room.
If I remember something from earlier on, I will post it here.

To my shame, I haven't read "The picture of Dorian Gray"..."

Well, it's a classic. Personally I am not very fond of classic literature, however, this was a good one.

In elementary school, I discovered the Hardy Boys The Tower Treasure. Although the books were not outright gay, looking back they were probably the launchpad for many fantasies of mine as a young man. I particularly remember being taken with Joe Hardy and his best buddy Biff, who, along with Frank Hardy and his friend Chet, disliked girls and spent all their free time together in caves and closets solving mysteries. Haha

Later on, in middle school in the very early 90s, my friend Lisa gave me the first book in the Weetzie Bat Weetzie Bat series. There were two gay male primary characters in these modern queer fairy tales and they really shaped my early gay identity and encouraged me to believe in magic, fate and happy endings.

Sometime around the same time I found the book Less Than Zero Less than Zero in my friend Brooke’s room. It was actually her older sister, Faun’s book; who Brooke shared a room with. Faun was totally cool so I knew the book would be, too, so I stole it and read it—totally engrossed with all the sex, drugs, partying and super privileged characters—especially Julian, the lost bad boy bisexual. This book is probably to blame for much of my life after that. Lol

I can't remember the first. While I read voraciously as a teenager, I think I came to gay books late, certainly after gay films had made their impact. Maybe The Secret History?

I do remember page 26 of Mario Puzo's The Godfather, which while definitely not a gay book, was the raciest thing available in our school library. I was 13 maybe. I read that page maybe 50 times. The writing in this scene at the wedding is pretty atrocious...

"Her hand closed around an enormous, blood-gorged pole of muscle. It pulsated in her hand like an animal and almost weeping with grateful ecstasy she pointed it into her own wet turgid flesh."

I mean that alone is probably enough to turn anyone gay.

But while Sonny bangs the bridesmaid against the door, Tom Hagen, the family lawyer, is standing on the other side, waiting for him to finish. And THAT, my friends, was enough to set my young mind on fire.

The very first LGBTQ+ themed book that I remember reading was Two Boys Kissing (David Levithan), which spiraled into reading a lot of his work that year.

But, I statistically moved into reading a lot more LGBTQ+ fiction after I read Bear, Otter, and the Kid (T.J. Klune) which opened a wider universe into Queer books especially by OwnVoice authors.

Levi wrote: "I can't remember the first. While I read voraciously as a teenager, I think I came to gay books late, certainly after gay films had made their impact. Maybe The Secret History?

I do remember page ..."

In my teens I used to whack off to Chapter 5 of Scruples (1) by Judith Krantz:

....All the doors in the room had similar arrangements, the “glory holes” varying only in their height from the ground. Sergio stood as close to the door as possible, his back to the room full of men, and unzipped his fly, sticking his hard penis through the hole until his balls pressed closely against the door. The man inside, who had dropped to his knees, took Sergio’s cock in his mouth with a muffled moan of ecstasy. His own half-stiff penis was already out of his tweed trousers, and while he grasped Sergio with one hand and sucked passionately, he used the other hand to rub himself with a hard, merciless stroke. Sergio stood perfectly still, his hands at his side, his eyes closed, lost in the delicious tugging, licking, pulling sensations he felt on the other side of the door....

Dennis wrote: "In elementary school, I discovered the Hardy Boys The Tower Treasure. Although the books were not outright gay, looking back they were probably the launchpad for many fantasies of mine..."

Before my teens, I used to devour every Enid Blyton I could lay my hot hands on. I simply couldn't figure how "the children" never seemed to shit and pee.....so they woke up, rushed out of their tents and ate to their hearts' content..... (wait a minute! shouted my little brain - how about sitting down to shit?) But they never did.

I read an illustrated edition of Tom Sawyer when I was 11 or 12 I think. And the place where the boys were "stripped and striped while sharing a pipe" was illustrated with three naked boys' picture. That page of my copy of the book used to get opened a lot while I rubbed myself whenever I found myself alone.....

I wish I could remember - I really can't. I read a lot of really terrible gay books when I was in high school because that's what they had at the (public) library.

That said, the first book that was really important to me was either Tales of the City or Weetzie Bat (Weetzie features a gay main character, but he was the lead of a later book in the series, Baby Be-Bop, which was really powerful).

If it wasn't one of those it's a book I read that I don't remember the name of but was probably one of those early/mid 90's books about some guy who wants to fall in love but people are homophobic around him, but eventually he ends up happy and in love. They usually had inappropriate names like Hunk House or Sex Toys of the Gods and I would have to hide them from my parents because the covers made it pretty obvious that they were gay gay gay.

First read, Armistead Maupin books. Armistead Maupin
My own books are LGBTQIA+ with love, lust, betrayal, heartache, passion, torture, joy, and pain. Written with just enough humor, and a tinge of sarcasm in the right places, plus inspiration from the heart for anyone who has ever felt different.




Enjoyable books about a unique side of life.

A Boy's Own Story, by Edmund White, and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

The World of Normal Boys

Aside from The dhadowhunters novels that I read several years ago (that starr gay characters) and De profundis by Oscar Wilde which I know it is not considered a gay themed book... My very first one propoery labeled as a gay novel was Boy meets boy by David Levithan but I didn't like it very much. Maybe I'm way too old for high school romance, but I've read other gay novels with teenage protagonists in them that are fantastic.

I believe Michel Tremblay was the first gay author I read where the homosexuality of the characters played a central role in the development of the stories. I devoured these books when I was younger, and can only recommend them (The Animated Views, the Heart Laid Bare or 44 minutes, 44 seconds for instance). Not sure whether English translations are easy to find.

The Armistead Maupin series was also definitely a wonderful discovery back then. I was always afraid of my parents reading the back covers and finding out what the books really were about. I guess that was part of the thrill as well.

Lastly, Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice, and the rest of the Vampire Chronicles really had a strong impact on the very impressionable teenager I was back then.

The first one I can recall was Nightswimmer by Joseph Olshan. The one that got me reading and seeking out more was one called The Far Away Years by L. F. Blake https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...

James Lear’s “The Low Road” was my introduction into M4M Romance/Fiction and boy was that a deliciously steamy way to jump in! I’ve been hooked on the genre ever since ❤️

My first gay book was Am I Blue: Coming out of the Silence, Edited by Marion Dane Bauer. It's a collection of short stories about coming out and the many concerns surrounding that. The books' titular story, Am I blue, revolves around a young man who starts seeing blue outlines and levels of neighbors, friends and classmates, based on their sexuality, proving that everybody's just a little queer. This book was carried in our High School library, which honestly surprised me, given the conservative area I grew up in.

I think it was probably Lost Souls by Poppy Z Brite. I was probably 16 or so when I first read it.

The very first gay themed book I ever read, which helped me come to the realization that there was queer literature would have to be: Hero by Perry Moore.

I borrowed it out from the library when I was 11 or so because I loved superheroes. I nearly shat myself about a chapter in when I realised the main character was gay. I was petrified that my family would find out, but when there was no negative reaction I looked for more and found Goodreads. The rest is history :) I still read Hero once a year for posterity.

It had to be Will Grayson Will Grayson by John Green. A great book! Since then I've moved onto gay themed graphic novels too. Currently reading Heartstopper: Volume Two. After this I'm going to move onto the two "summer" books by Marsh Myers My Summer (with Robots) and My Summer Under A Crescent Moon. So many good LGBTQ books out now!!!

I had to look back at my books on here to know, but it sounds right to me that it was Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg in 2017. I was super intrigued by the premise and completely enthralled with the story (I had never even considered that someone might go back into the closet in the way the main character does).

I had read books before that with LGBTQ+ characters (like in Cassandra Clare's books more than a decade ago), but I had never read one with overarching LGBTQ+ themes or protagonists that I identify with in that way. I'm excluding books by David Sedaris (which I've been reading for over a decade) because even though he is gay and he talks about it in his books, there's always been a bit of disconnect on that front in his books for me and I see them as less about his life as a gay man and more about his life as a whole and his relationships to/with the people in it (if that makes sense).

Arguably, I was 28 before I ever picked up a book within this world (and I came out when I was 22 and I knew I was gay well before that) and it was like realizing there was a massive hole in my reading. Since then, I've read 20-30 books with major LGBTQ+ characters or themes. I think before I picked up Openly Straight, there was a bit of that lingering unconscious programming that this stuff was bad. It's really strange to think about that now.

I'm really happy that we have so many options now and that I'm taking advantage of all the great literature out there made for and by us. We've come such a long way in just the last 5-10 years alone and I'm totally here for it.

I was on a fantasy book kick and I remember stumbling on a trilogy called the Last Herald Mage by Mercedes Lackey. I was immediately taken with Vanyel and was able to relate growing up in a small town with some backward ideas here in Michigan. Well written and engaging, I still find myself journeying back to Valdemar and sharing in the adventures of Vanyel Ashkevron.

One of the worst books I have read as a gay boy. I could feel the disgust the author has for homosexuals:

Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Sex: But Were Afraid to Ask by Reuben, David
One of the worst books a gay individual can read. David is obviously a rabid homophobe.

I remember reading this book, especially the chapter on homosexuality, as a boy and hated how he wrote that all homosexuals seem to be doing was having public sex in toilets and murdering each other.

I think it was “Maurice” by E.M. Foster.

My first gay themed book was 'Call me by your name' and my favourite for now.

Mine was either Rubyfruit Jungle or Dancer from the Dance. The books that blew my mind were Bastard Out of Carolina and Giovanni's Room.

Without Reservations by J.L. Langley. I was...I think 19 when I discovered this book. Before than, I didn't even know gay books existed, so when I discovered it I was completely surprised. It was a romance novel about wolf shifters. I'm a huge fan of wolves (favorite animal, and spirit animal) so I jumped at the chance to read it. When it started talking about dicks and fucking, I was like "DAMN I wasn't expecting it to be THAT graphic, but I'm here for it!"

I still own the same paperback I bought back then, which is now almost 10 years old lol

Imagine a deeply closeted stoner in 1978 scouring the community college library's card catalog and finding only three entries, one of which was The City and the Pillar by Gore Vidal. I remember being enthralled, enlightened and frightened. Thirty-plus years later I revisited this classic.

that will be gayshia...

I think my first gay themed book I read was this year : They both die at the end.

Amazing book btw!

Vincent wrote: "I believe Michel Tremblay was the first gay author I read where the homosexuality of the characters played a central role in the development of the stories. I devoured these books when I was younge..."

Le coeur découvert was translated twice as The Heart Laid Bare (Canada) and Making Room (UK). Anyone interested should also read La duchesse de Langeais, not sure if translated. He opened a lot of doors here.

It was a couple of months ago actually and it was Red, White & Royal Blue. Just because a friend bought it for me. I've read two more since then but maybe I'm not into the romance stuff(or at least the boring and predictable type of romance). I really enjoyed The Darkness Outside Us

I am pretty sure the first gay themed book I ever read was “Boy meets Boy” by David Levathin. It was the year I graduated high school and I was working at a bookstore.
I remember hating the writing (it’s YA) but falling in love with the story regardless.

S. wrote: "One of the worst books I have read as a gay boy. I could feel the disgust the author has for homosexuals:

Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Sex: But Were Afraid to Ask by Reuben, David
O..."

My mom had that book in her dresser and I snuck in and read it as a teen and also got a warped picture of homosexuality!!! Yes, it was horribly homophobic and hateful.

Anyone read The Velveteen Father? Should be better known-non-fiction about a guy who falls for another guy who has already adopted as a single father, when gay or single male adoption was still pretty unheard of. Really great book.

Richard wrote: "S. wrote: "One of the worst books I have read as a gay boy. I could feel the disgust the author has for homosexuals:

Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Sex: But Were Afraid to Ask by Reube..."

As a very horny boy I read and re-read his chapter on homosexuality. And I hated the author from the bottom of my heart. In that era, that was the only gay themed book I could get my hands on.

Richard wrote: "Anyone read The Velveteen Father? Should be better known-non-fiction about a guy who falls for another guy who has already adopted as a single father, when gay or single male adoption was still pre..."

Interesting book to be read to be sure. Thank you Richard.

Do you know of any other books on gay dads adopting?

My first one was Brokeback Mountain, by Annie Proulx

In case A Separate Peace counts, we had to read that in high school. The first explicitly gay-themed book that I read was Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality: Gay People in Western Europe from the Beginning of the Christian Era to the Fourteenth Century.

I do believe mine was Geography Club by Brent Hartinger back in 2015.

I love A Separate Peace! It's so gay

S. wrote: "Richard wrote: "Anyone read The Velveteen Father? Should be better known-non-fiction about a guy who falls for another guy who has already adopted as a single father, when gay or single male adopti..."

The Kid by Dan Savage.

I found a copy of Red Azalea by Anchee Min in my conservative high school library which is memoir about the author surviving the Chinese cultural revolution while exploring her own sexuality. The first time I read the book I was completely blindsided and I related to the feeling the author had towards unrequited same sex attractions.

something like summer by Jay Bell

The Lord Won't Mind
It was so long ago, and I just recall having to read it in the privacy of my bedroom :)