Documenting LGBTQ History

As a history major with a lifelong interest in documenting the past--especially, but not only, the experiences of LGBTQ folks--I found this Atlas Obscura piece fascinating: "The Precious, Precarious Work of Queer Archiving in the Pacific Northwest." Here in the DMV, the Rainbow History Project pursues the same noble mission. If you aren't familiar with their work, I invite you to check out the link and consider supporting them.

Three out of 10 ain't bad!

On the first Wednesday of each month, the Washington Post Style section presents a roundup of new books. It just so happens that of the 10 titles encompassed in the June edition, three are LGBTQ-oriented: Kristen Arnett's With Teeth: A Novel; The Engagement: America's Quarter-Century Struggle over Same-Sex Marriage, by Sasha Issenberg; and Brandon Taylor's Filthy Animals: Stories. Possible fodder for our next reading list?

"A Skillful First Novel"

In preparing for last night's discussion of David Leavitt's first novel, The Lost Language of Cranes, I was curious about what book reviewers said about it 35 years ago. Christopher Lehmann-Haupt's review in the Sept. 11, 1986, New York Times is insightful in some ways and maddeningly obtuse in others. Here's his final paragraph: "The cumulative effect of [its] flaws finally keeps this novel from taking flight. But it's not its subject that limits it, as far as I can see. And this in itself is a small revelation, and suggests that Mr. Leavitt's future may be one worth watching." That, at least, Mr. Lehmann-Haupt got right. 

Seven Books for Pride Month

The Lily, a Washington Post offshoot geared to women, has put together "Seven Books by Trans and Nonbinary Authors to Read This Pride Month." I must confess that I've never heard of any of these authors, but a couple of the selections intrigue me: Meet Cute Diary, a Young Adult novel by Noah Ramirez, and The Subtweet, a novel by Vivek Shraya. 

The Walt Whitman Archive

When we discussed Walt Whitman's Live Oak, with Moss back on May 5, I promised to share a couple of online resources that I've found particularly illuminating regarding the poet, his works and his life. Chief among them is the Walt Whitman Archive, which offers one-stop shopping for scholarly discussion. But I also want to draw your attention to Whitman scholar Karen Karbiener--who, you'll recall, furnished the afterword in the illustrated edition of Live Oak we used. (Apologies for my tardiness in posting this.)

Queer Poets of Color

Today's selection from Poem-a-Day (a resource I've touted here before), Luther Hughes' "When Struck by Night," is powerful in its own right. It also triggered my (not always reliable) gaydar, and sure enough, it led me to Frontier Poetry and "Luther Hughes' 10 Poems by QPOC that Popped me in the Mouth and Told me to Watch What I ****ing Say in 2019." Check it out!

"After Francesco"

Back in 2004, our group discussed Brian Malloy's novel, The Year of Ice. He will be doing a virtual launch of his latest book, After Francesco, this Thursday, May 27, at 8 p.m. EDT. The writers appearing with him will include Christopher Bram, author of Gods and Monsters and Eminent Outlaws: The Gay Writers Who Changed America (both of which our group has also discussed), among many other works. The Zoom event, sponsored by Quatrefoil Library and Moon Palace Books, is free but requires advance registration.