Are you passionate about literature that celebrates and explores the LGBTQ+ community? Are you looking for a safe and welcoming space to discuss thought-provoking books while connecting with like-minded individuals? Look no further! We are thrilled to announce the launch of our LGBTQ+ Book Group at York Theatre Royal.

When and where will the LGBTQ+ Book Group take place?

The LGBTQ+ Book Group will meet monthly at the York Theatre Royal 7pm -8.30pm on the second Tuesday of each month. The theatre will provide an inviting atmosphere for open discussions and a cosy setting to delve into the captivating world of LGBTQ+ literature. We’ll meet by the downstairs bar to grab a drink, before heading next door for the discussion.

What types of books will we read?

Our book selections will be diverse, reflecting the wide spectrum of LGBTQ+ experiences. We believe in exploring contemporary fiction, queer classics, memoirs, and young adult novels. All of our selections will be written by Queer authors. By blending different genres, we aim to create a well-rounded reading experience that will engage, inspire, and challenge our members. See the upcoming books at the bottom of this page.

Is there a prerequisite for joining?

Absolutely not! We welcome all over 18s who shares an interest in LGBTQ+ literature, regardless of their background or previous knowledge. Whether you are an avid reader or new to LGBTQ+ books, our group is an inclusive space where everyone’s perspectives are valued and celebrated.

What can you expect from the LGBTQ+ Book Group?

Beyond reading and discussing exceptional books, our book group offers a unique opportunity to engage with the rich tapestry of the queer literary canon. You’ll have the chance to explore ground-breaking works, discover new authors, and expand your understanding of LGBTQ+ literature. Additionally, this group fosters a sense of community by providing a platform to form meaningful connections, create new friendships, and build relationships within York’s LGBTQ+ community.

How can you get involved?

Joining the LGBTQ+ Book Group is easy, just book for each session you plan to attend! We encourage early booking to secure your spot, as spaces may be limited. Once you’ve booked, you’ll receive updates on upcoming book selections, meeting dates, and any additional events or guest speakers we may have. It’s also completely free! You just need to read the book (you can purchase this from our local LGBTQ+ bookshop Portal, or borrow a copy from York Library)

Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to explore captivating LGBTQ+ literature and connect with like-minded individuals. Join us at York Theatre Royal’s LGBTQ+ Book Group and embark on a literary journey that celebrates the beauty and diversity of the LGBTQ+ community. We can’t wait to meet you!

NOVEMBER – A Single Man by Christoper Isherwood

Isherwood’s short, poignant novel is a tender and wistful love story Celebrated as a masterpiece from its first publication, A Single Man is the story of George, an English professor in suburban California left heartbroken after the death of his lover, Jim. With devastating clarity and humour, Isherwood shows George’s determination to carry on, evoking the unexpected pleasures of life as well as the soul’s ability to triumph over loneliness and alienation.

DECEMBER – Paul Takes The Form Of A Mortal Girl by Andrea Lawlor

It’s 1993 and Paul Polydoris tends bar at the only gay club in a university town thrumming with politics and partying. He studies queer theory, has a lesbian best friend, makes zines, and is a flâneur with a rich dating life. But Paul’s also got a secret: he’s a shapeshifter. Oscillating wildly from Riot Grrrl to leather cub, Women’s Studies major to trade, Paul transforms his body at will in a series of adventures that take him from Iowa City to Boystown to Provincetown and finally to San Francisco – a journey through the deep queer archives of struggle and pleasure.

Andrea Lawlor’s debut novel offers a speculative history of early 90s identity politics during the heyday of ACT UP and Queer Nation. Paul Takes the Form of A Mortal Girl is a riotous, razor-sharp bildungsroman whose hero/ine wends his way through a world gutted by loss, pulsing with music, and opening into an array of intimacy and connections.

JANUARY – A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

Set in an alternative Edwardian England, this is a comedy of manners, manor houses, and hedge mazes: including a magic-infused murder mystery and a delightful queer romance.

Young baronet Robin Blyth thought he was taking up a minor governmental post. However, he’s actually been appointed parliamentary liaison to a secret magical society. If it weren’t for this administrative error, he’d never have discovered the incredible magic underlying his world.

Cursed by mysterious attackers and plagued by visions, Robin becomes determined to drag answers from his missing predecessor – but he’ll need the help of Edwin Courcey, his hostile magical-society counterpart. Unwillingly thrown together, Robin and Edwin will discover a plot that threatens every magician in the British Isles.

FEBRUARY – Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi

Ada has always been unusual. Her parents prayed her into existence, but something must have gone awry. Their troubled child begins to develop separate selves and is prone to fits of anger and grief. When Ada grows up and heads to college in America, a traumatic event crystallises the selves into something more powerful. As Ada fades into the background of her own mind, these ‘alters’ – now protective, now hedonistic – take control, shifting her life in a dangerous direction.

MARCH – The Celebrants by Stephen Rowley

A Big Chill for our times, celebrating decades-long friendships and promises–especially to ourselves–by the bestselling and beloved author of The Guncle.

It’s been a minute–or five years–since Jordan Vargas last saw his college friends, and twenty-eight years since their graduation when their adult lives officially began. Now Jordan, Jordy, Naomi, Craig, and Marielle find themselves at the brink of a new decade, with all the responsibilities of adulthood, yet no closer to having their lives figured out. Though not for a lack of trying. Over the years they’ve reunited in Big Sur to honor a decades-old pact to throw each other living “funerals,” celebrations to remind themselves that life is worth living–that their lives mean something, to one another if not to themselves.

APRIL – Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield

Our Wives Under The Sea is the haunting novel from Julia Armfield, the critically acclaimed author of Salt Slow. It’s a story of falling in love, loss, grief, and what life there is in the deep, deep sea.

Miri thinks she has got her wife back, when Leah finally returns after a deep sea mission that ended in catastrophe. But it soon becomes clear that Leah may have come back wrong. Whatever happened in that vessel, whatever it was they were supposed to be studying before they were stranded on the ocean floor, Leah has carried part of it with her, onto dry land and into their home.

MAY – The House In The Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

A cosy, enchanting story about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place. The House in the Cerulean Sea is an uplifting, heart-warming queer fantasy from TJ Klune, a Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author.

Linus Baker leads a quiet life. At forty, he has a tiny house with a devious cat and his beloved records for company. And at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, he’s spent many dull years monitoring their orphanages. Then, one day, everything changes.