Classic gay literature

Discover the best gay and queer books of all time with The Advocate's recommendations. From classics like "Giovanni's Room" to modern hits like "The Little Life," explore LGBTQ+ literature.

“Queer literary classics” is a huge umbrella that encompasses a lot of books. From Greek poet Sappho to Irish playwright Oscar Wilde and English author Virginia Woolf, a whole kaleidoscope of writers have approached the joys and challenges of being LGBTQIA+ with verve and vigour.

But there are some great and important books out there. Here we select some of our favourite queer classics from the nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. For more LGBTQIA+ reads, discover our edit of the best LGBTQ books of all time.

Looking for classic books that bring a queer perspective? Check out my top picks for the best queer classic books, featuring a range of stories that have shaped LGBTQ+ literature – They're all super good!.