Dare, Truth, or Promise

"Squint your eyes and look closer."

- Ani DiFranco

Hood -Emma Donoghue 

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan - Lisa See

Fun Home - Alison Bechdel:

http://www.dykestowatchoutfor.com/index.php

Already someone mentioned Fun Home, which I second here too.

Here I would like to mention three lesbian speculative novels.

Broken Wings by LJ Baker

Rangers at Roadsend and The Empress and the Acolyte (actually the whole Lyremouth Chronicles) by Jane Fletcher. These also feature some mystery.

PS: I don't think I need to recommend Sarah Waters's Fingersmith or Jeanne Winterson's Written on the Body. Both are quite well known.

Katherine V. Forrest, in particular the 'Daughters' trilogy. It's a little Sci Fi, it's a little Lesbian Utopia, it's a little action. It's a lotta sex. It's a fantastic read!

Compares to the Trilogy, in terms of Lesbian Sci-Fi/Fantasty. Nothing comes close!

Red Azalea

It's the author's memoirs on growing up in Communist China. She came from a fairly well-to-do family but was forced to live in the meaner quarters of Shanghai during the Cultural Revolution. As a teenager, she was sent to work on a commune in order for her to learn how to be a peasant. There, they are forbidden to have contact with the opposite sex, work in backbreaking conditions with very little food. Dealing with loneliness and dehumanizing conditions, she manages to forge a friendship with her squad leader and eventually escapes the farm.

That's the gist of it I suppose... it's a really good story. Although the author's English isn't magnificent but I hardly noticed.

SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT!!!

All I have to say is: Sarah Warn liked it! So there. :)

AfterEllen's review shot the book to the number one spot on Amazon the week of September 15th....good times. Thanks to all AFTERELLEN folks who read it.

---Mari

Mari SanGiovanni

Author of: Greetings From Jamaica, Wish You Were Queer...

www.GreetingsFromJamaica.com

I recommend anything written by Sherman Alexie, but particularly Reservation Blues and The Toughest Indian in the World (collection of 10 short stories - brilliant!).

I myself just started reading A History of Love, and am loving it so far.

As far lesbiana goes, definitely anything by Jeanette Winterson, particularly Sexing the Cherry and Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit (which should really be a pre-requisite for anyone questioning their sexuality, or coming out). Tipping the Velvet is still my favorite Sarah Waters novel ...

And thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges....

I really enjoyed The Last Blue Plate Special by Padgett and several of Griffith's books are good reads.

Padgett is more of a humorist (judging solely by the one novel that I have read) and Griffith's novels are somewhat dark and tragic (in my opinion).

Anything by Sarah Waters, but i recommend Fingersmith by her. Another recommendation is: Pages For You - though i forget the author - sorry. Someone mentioned Miranda July - i love her work she is amazing!

"Why don't we eat pudding for breakfast?"

This is her latest collection of short stories and it took me days to get through it. Not because it is tedious but because it is that good! I savored each word and each story. I had to think about each story as I read it, something that doesn't happen often.

I recommend this book highly!

Violet and Claire by Francesca Lia Block

"Life's too short to be cool" -Shirley Manson-

www.myspace.com/grbgfreak1

Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden!

It's a short novel about two young women who become friends and later lovers. And it was the first GLBT book I read! =P

Fancy something a little different, try Rhona Cameron's AutoBio 1979 or her first novel the Naked Drinking Club ... she is a scottish comedian ... i thought it great! She has a bitter sweet quality to her writing that makes you wanna laugh out loud and cry in the same breath.

 With you there Sarah Waters fans ... Night Watch is probably her best! Thinking of giving this Gerri person a try but it is not that easy getting her books here in the UK, unless someone knows something i dont - hmmm. Would anyone equate her to Karin Slaughter, love her books?

Phyllida and the Brotherhood of Philander

by Ann Herendeen

~~Come With Me If You Want To Live: the forum

http://www.afterellen.com/node/31891