Good novels with lesbian protagonists?

[cmwilson]

Originally Posted by Ea

Does look like I was right to assume there wouldn't be many beyond genre type books (which I'd say most of these recommendations are). Not that it's a problem, just not quite what I was looking for

I would like to mention that although my book, When Women Were Warriors, looks like genre, it most emphatically isn't, although it looks like romance to romance fans, fantasy to fantasy fans, and sword & sorcery to S&S fans, and has been tagged by them in those categories.

Someone on Kindleboards called it "an interesting hard-to-define historical fiction book."
http://www.kindleboards.com/index.ph...,262.2075.html

Check out the Rainbow Review:
http://rainbow-reviews.com/?p=1192

Here's a snippet:
"Catherine M. Wilson skillfully weaves interlocking subplots and unfolds the meanings of her characters' lives, layer by layer by layer. Although set in a type of prehistoric society, in an unfamiliar matriarchal culture, the story is vastly appealing and its readership is not confined to fans of a particular genre. The lesbian content is subtle, not erotic but sensual, and occurs at integral plot points, growing out of the context of the story and of the emotional relationships and friendships of the characters. I highly recommend When Women Were Warriors: The Warrior's Path, which is Book One of the When Women Were Warriors trilogy."

Catherine M. Wilson

http://www.whenwomenwerewarriors.com/
http://www.catherine-m-wilson.com/

[HappyMartin]

Originally Posted by BenG

For Science Fiction you might like Ammonite by Nicola Griffith.

I bought this book after reading this recommendation and loved the book. Stayed up well after midnight last night to finish it. Wish there was a sequel.

[Ea]

Originally Posted by Jadon

Is it that most books with lesbian leads are genre books, or that most people (either on this site or in general) read genres? I'd tend to guess that people who read mysteries or science fiction or whatever outnumber people who read "literature" or "mainstream"[1] works.

[1] This has always struck me as a misnomer. I think of it as more "leftovers," as the mundane stuff that didn't fit any real category.

I was wondering that, too. I can add that I have spent some time searching for books with lesbian themes in the library, but there were very little, which was why I tried asking. On the other hand, there's limits to how much is published here and I thought the possibilities might be greater with an English reading audience.

I wouldn't call 'literary' fiction 'leftovers' or mundane stuff. Saying so posits that genre is the primary/basis from which you must define literature (sorry, I can't describe this better in English, I hope it makes sense). BTW, I don't think literary fiction = general fiction.

[coolshades]

try emma donoghue. i find her as good a writer as sarah waters and her novels also have lesbian protagonists

[IceHand]

If you don't mind venturing into the Young Adult category, I have some recommendations such as:
Nancy Garden: Annie on My Mind
Julie Anne Peters: Keeping You a Secret

Both are coming-out stories.

[Polyglot27]

Ea, there is a book of cover art called "Strange Sisters : The Art of Lesbian Pulp Fiction 1949-1969" by Jaye Zimet. It has beautiful reproductions of American paperback covers from that period. For a list of publications it is ideal as the title and author of each book is quite legible from the pictures. The only problem is that most of the titles are probably out of print by now.

[Ea]

Originally Posted by coolshades

try emma donoghue. i find her as good a writer as sarah waters and her novels also have lesbian protagonists

Do you know if any of her books are published as ebooks? I haven't been able to find any...

[GeoffC]

Can't recall where I got this link from but ..... jasminejade (haven't noticed a mention elsewhere in the thread)
Note, both paper- and e-books....


also....
jadeblackmore

Jade

[toomanybooks]

I enjoyed reading Patience & Sarah by Isabel Miller. I would classify it as good general fiction like Sarah Waters. I would also recommend Dorothy Allison, especially her essays and short pieces.

[toomanybooks]

If you are also interested in bi and poly women, you might try Marge Piercy novels. Several have bisexual female characters. They are fairly well-written, but they are definitely feminist-political novels.

[astra]

Just stumbled upon http://www.lambdasf.org/lsf/books/lammys.html
Maybe you can find something useful there.

[Ea]

Originally Posted by toomanybooks

I enjoyed reading Patience & Sarah by Isabel Miller. I would classify it as good general fiction like Sarah Waters. I would also recommend Dorothy Allison, especially her essays and short pieces.

"Patience and Sarah" looks good. I think tah should go on my to-be-read list.

Marge Piercy is good, but I think I've read want to read of hers, at least for some time yet

[ChipnDale]

*Takes notes* I had no idea Rita M Brown was a lesbian...and now I'm happy

[toomanybooks]

Rita Mae Brown got kicked out of NOW in the 70's because she was a lesbian. She, Ti-Grace Atkinson and others formed the Lavendar Menace group in protest. I forget the title, but there's a great book about the Lavendar Menace with some good gossip about Rita Mae. She also wrote an entertaing autobiography.

[puddette]

rotary spokes by fiona cooper is a lovely fun young lesbian book. val mcdermids kate brannigan novels are good crime novels.
stephanie theobald books are great easy funny reads.