Building a home library is a great way to surround yourself with stories that matter. For many readers, finding books that reflect diverse life experiences is the best part of collecting. LGBTQ+ literature has grown a lot over the past few decades, moving from underground stories to major award winners. These books capture the specific struggles and triumphs of queer people throughout history. Picking what to read next can make you feel a little lost at sea because there are so many options. I got you. These are some of the best LGBTQ+ novels that you could read. These are books that have stood the test of time and show us what it means to be who we are.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker (1982)

Alice Walker wrote this famous novel in 1982, and it quickly became a massive hit. It won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. The story is told through letters, which makes it feel very personal. It follows the life of a Black woman named Celie living in the rural South. Celie deals with a lot of scary and difficult things in her life, including abuse. Her life changes forever when she meets a singer named Shug Avery. Their romantic and sexual relationship is the heart of the book. Through her love for Shug, Celie begins to see her own beauty and worth. This novel shows that for Celie, loving another woman was the key to finding her own power and escaping a life of hardship.

This novel is important because it shows how queer love can be a source of healing. It celebrates the bonds between women and the importance of finding your own voice. Because it deals with deep themes like faith and identity, it is a book that people still talk about in schools and book clubs today.

Less by Andrew Sean Greer (2017)

If you want something a bit lighter but still very focused on the gay experience, Less is a perfect choice. Published in 2017, this book won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. The story is about a gay writer named Arthur Less who is turning 50 years old and feeling a little bit lost.

Arthur finds out his ex-boyfriend is getting married. To avoid the wedding and the awkwardness of seeing his former partner move on, he decides to travel the world. The book follows his funny and sometimes embarrassing adventures. The story focuses on the specific "struggle" of being an older gay man and worrying about whether he will ever find a lasting partner or if his best years are behind him. The novel looks at what it feels like to age within a community that often focuses on youth. It is written with a lot of wit and heart. Arthur is a very relatable character because he is clumsy and unsure of himself, but he never gives up on the idea of romance. It is a great reminder that queer life and love continue long into adulthood.

Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt (2012)

This 2012 novel is a beautiful story about family and loss. It won several honors, including being named an ALA Stonewall Honor Book. The story takes place in 1987 and focuses on a 14-year-old girl named June Elbus and her deep bond with her uncle, Finn. Finn is a gay man who passes away from AIDS. During the 1980s, there was a lot of fear and "stigma" surrounding this illness. Stigma is when people look down on others or treat them unfairly because of a specific trait. June’s mother is ashamed of Finn’s life, which makes June feel even more isolated in her grief.

June soon meets a man named Toby, who was Finn’s long-term partner. The family had kept Toby a secret and treated him poorly. The book focuses on the "struggle" of queer partners being ignored or pushed out of family circles. Through Toby, June learns about the beautiful, hidden life Finn lived. It is a touching look at how prejudice hurts families and how compassion can help people heal.

The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith (1952/1990)

While this book was originally written in the 1950s, it became widely available and recognized as a classic in the 1990s. It is often called Carol. This novel is very special because it was one of the first books to show a lesbian relationship that didn't end in a total disaster. The story starts in a busy department store in New York. A young woman named Therese meets an older woman named Carol, and they fall in love. In the 1950s, being gay was often considered a crime or a mental illness. The "struggle" in this book is very real: Carol’s husband uses her relationship with Therese to try and take away her daughter.

Therese and Carol have to be very careful because they could lose everything if people found out about them. The book is full of tension and worry. It shows the bravery it took for queer people to choose each other when the whole world was telling them to stay hidden. It is a landmark story that gave hope to generations of readers.

The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson (2015)

The Argonauts is a bit different because it is a true story about the author's life. It won the National Book Critics Circle Award. Maggie Nelson writes about her relationship with Harry Dodge, an artist who is gender-fluid.

The book explores the "struggle" of building a life outside of traditional gender roles. Nelson writes about her experience being pregnant while her partner, Harry, is going through a gender transition. They have to deal with a world that doesn't always have a place for families like theirs. This book is great for readers who like to think about big ideas. Nelson breaks down what it means to be a woman, a partner, and a parent in a way that feels very personal. It is an honest look at how love can adapt and change as the people within the relationship change. It is a powerful modern classic for any LGBTQ+ collection.