This Queer Book Saved My Life

Welcome to our new LGBT podcast short 7 Minutes in Book Heaven - a partner podcast to This Queer Book Saved My Life! We spend 7 minutes in our virtual studio interviewing LGBTQ authors about their new and upcoming books for us to love and cuddle up with. On our premiere episode, we meet Taleen Voskuni. Her new book is Sorry, Bro . What's it about? An Armenian-American woman rediscovers her ro...

Being gay together is an act of resistance. Welcome to our LGBT podcast This Queer Book Saved My Life! This episode is the recording of our first-ever live event at Lush Lounge and Theater. We talk with James Darville (he/him) about the LGBT book The Evening Crowd at Kirmser's by Ricardo J. Brown. This memoir invites us into Kirmser's, which was the first and only queer gay bar in St. Pa...

It’s an LGBT podcast crossover event with the delightful Queer Lit podcast! We enter a unicorn union with guest host Lena Mattheis and discuss the Queer Armenian Library and the books that saved each of our lives. We laugh, we sigh… an unmissable double feature that will turn you gay on the spot. Listen to new episodes of Queer Lit at: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/queer-lit/id1562201493 F...

To be happy on my own terms.  Welcome to the Season 2 premiere of our LGBT podcast This Queer Book Saved My Life! In this episode, we talk with Joe Perazzo (he/him) about the LGBT memoir Breaking the Surface by Greg Louganis (he/him), with special guest: 4-time gold medalist Greg Louganis! Breaking the Surface is Greg's memoir and it shares his journey not only in becoming the greatest diver...

Telling stories that are unabashed and unapologetic. Welcome to our LGBT podcast! In this episode, I talk with Michael Barakiva and April Daniels! Writer and Director Michael Barakiva (he/him) shares the LGBT book that saved his life: Dreadnought by April Daniels. Dreadnought is a groundbreaking YA novel about a trans teen superhero. Michael tells us, “The honesty of her anger and the challenges t...

Bringing empathy to all aspects of our lives. In this episode, we talk with award-winning children’s author David LaRochelle (he/him) about the LGBT book Conundrum by Jan Morris.  David shares with us, "So, on the one hand this book taught me a lot, but the bigger impact that this book had on me was the feeling that just because I don't experience something doesn't mean that it&apos...

You can tell your story and live. Welcome to our LGBT podcast! In this episode, I talk with Lara Lillibridge and Alison Bechdel! Writer and teacher Lara Lillibridge (she/zher) shares the LGBT book that saved her life: Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel. Lara tells us, "There's two things about Fun Home that were huge for me. The first was just representation. I had never see...

What it really means to have a bi community. Welcome to our LGBT podcast! In today's episode I talk with Neil Aasve and William Burleson! Fundraiser and philanthropist Neil Aasve (he/him) shares the LGBT book that saved his life: Bi America: Myths Truths and Struggles of an Invisible Community by William Burleson. Neil recalls the first time he read Bi America, "I remember my heart pound...

This was exactly what I needed to pivot towards my gender transition. Welcome to our LGBT podcast! In this episode we talk with ellie krug and Jennifer Finney Boylan! Idealist, legal advocate, and author ellie krug (she/her) shares how the LGBT book She's Not There by Jennifer Finney Boylan saved her life. ellie told us, "I will say that the book caused me to pivot. It did. There’s no qu...

There is strength in knowing about the struggles and triumphs. In this episode, we talk with Zaylore Stout (he/him) about the book Don't Sweat the Small Stuff by Richard Carlson. Zaylore told us, "I was digging through the archives of the library, trying to see if there was anybody like me...and it’s like you have to piece these things together, on your own."  Our discussion spring...

I'm part of a community that has always existed and will always exist. In this episode, we talk with Paul Kaefer (he/him) about the LGBT book Quatrefoil: A Modern Novel by James Barr. We discuss how Quatrefoil: A Modern Novel helped Paul learn that he has the power to decide when and how to share his LGBTQ story. We also learn about Paul's plan to read a book from every country in the wo...

This is who we are and there is no stopping. In this episode, we talk with Suyane Oliveira (she/they) about the LGBT book Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg. Suyane told us, "Books don't really make me cry and this book made me cry so many times. It just pulled something out of me. I've never cried so much while reading a book." We discuss how Stone Butch Blues opened up a wh...

I'm not willing to lead a double life. In this episode, we talk with Gary Nygaard (he/him) about the LGBT book Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin. This novel is a classic of LGBTQ literature. For Gary, he read it as a cautionary tale of how destructive it can be to pretend to be straight and how damaging it can be for yourself not to live an authentic life. We discuss how Giovanni's R...

Queer people need warning stories too. Welcome to our LGBT podcast! In this episode, we talk with Nancy Agabian and Carmen Maria Machado! Writer and literary organizer Nancy Agabian (she/her) shares the LGBT book that saved her life: In The Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado. It is a memoir about an abusive queer relationship Carmen had with an ex-girlfriend. Then we meet Carmen (she/her) to disc...