For every reader, queer literature should have a prominent place on the bookshelf.

Throughout the years, gay literature has covered many themes and concepts, working towards a more accepting world that celebrates same-sex attraction, sex and love.

LGBTQ+ individuals often turn to literature for a source of validation and understanding.

Take a look below at our list of recommended queer classics that you NEED to read -

CLASSIC QUEER BOOKS TO READ

1 - The Colour Purple by Alice Walker

This stunning story (now hit musical) was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. Alice Walker's book has been described as an "iconic modern classic" and is a beautiful tale of queer love.

The story follows the lives of sisters Celie and Nettie, who were separated at birth. Walker's writing portrays the lives of African American women in the early twentieth century through a series of letters from the protagonists. This profoundly compassionate novel pursues the trail of lesbian love, from which Celie finds empowerment, self-love and a happy ending.

2 - Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown

This novel was written in 1973 when it was considered "shocking" to be gay in America. Nevertheless, the confident tale is centred around growing up as a lesbian in America and, most importantly, living happily ever after.

The story is a coming-of-age autobiographical account of author Rita Mae Brown's youth. It follows her through her teens until she becomes an author and openly identifies as gay. The funky title "rubyfruit jungle" is a term used in the novel for female genitals.

3 - The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

It's no secret that Oscar Wilde led a lavish yet troubled life. The Picture of Dorian Gray is his only novel but is hailed as a great classic amongst many literary lovers.

In his book The Secret Life of Oscar Wilde, Neil McKenna states that Dorian Gray was "while cautious, implicitly homosexual".

Upon its release, the book shook the literary world as no work of mainstream fiction had spelt out homosexual desire so clearly. In fact, at the Oscar Wilde's trials in 1895, sections of Dorian Gray were read aloud, as the opposing attorneys called it a "sodomitical book."

Though sadly Wilde's story had a lot of backlash at the time, it is now studied in mainstream schools across the UK. Though unbeknown to him, Wilde's tale of the devilishly handsome Dorian Gray and his mischievous antics changed the face of gay literature for the following century.

4 - Orlando: A Biography by Virginia Woolf

Orlando: A Biography is a novel by Virginia Woolf inspired by the life and family of extravagant novelist Vita Sackville-West, Woolf's friend and lover.

This famous novel describes the adventures of a poet who lives for thousands of years, meeting the key figures of English literary history and changing sex from man to woman.

The book is both a queer and feminist classic and is often used in gender and transgender studies.

5 - City of Night by John Rechy

This bold novel by John Rechy burst onto the literary scene in 1963 and became a national bestseller. This remarkable work of gay fiction explores the realities of male prostitution in an urban landscape.

The novel includes experiences from Rechy's own life, most notably the Cooper Do-nuts Riot when the queer community who frequented Cooper Do-nuts fought back against the LAPD who arrested Rechy and two others.

6 - Another Country by James Baldwin

Another Country tells the story of the jazz drummer Rufus Scott. We follow his downfall, as he abuses his lover and commits suicide. The rest of the tale follows his family and friends as they deal with the aftermath of Scott's death.

When first published, Another Country caused a "literary sensation". At the time, the novels "taboo themes" of bisexuality, affairs and interracial couples caused a real stir amongst the literary critics.

7 - Dancer from the Dance by Andrew Holleran

Written in 1978, Dancer from the Dance is a gay novel by Andrew Holleran about gay men in New York City.

This wild tale follows the character Anthony Malone, a young man who leaves behind his straight life as a lawyer and absorbs himself in the gay culture of 1970's New York. Here he meets Andrew Sutherland, a drug addict and drag queen.

The novel is rich with opulent imagery and lavish language, and as the gay fiction novel to depict the gay party scene of New York, Holleran's novel is a notable queer classic.

8 - Passing by Nella Larson

Passing has been described as "a fascinating exploration of race and identity". The story follows Irene Redfield, a Black woman living an affluent lifestyle in Harlem in the 1920s. During the tale, she reconnects with Clare Kendry, a childhood friend of hers, who she discovers has been passing for a white woman, hiding the truth about her background from her friends and husband.

Hidden in the subtext of Nella Larson's story is a hint of homosexual desire between Irene and Clare. Larson removes any romantic connection between the two women and their husbands, as she flirts with the idea of sexual desire between the two female friends.

9 - Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin

American novelist Armistead Maupin wrote this series of nine novels from 1978 to 2014. Tales of the City revolves around protagonist Mary Ann Singleton, an innocent young woman who moves to San Francisco and begins an adventure.

The BBC described tales of the City as "The ultimate queer fantasy" as between the pages of Maupin's novel lives a queer community that is realistic, celebrated and loved. Mary Ann Singleton's friends and lovers are diverse and fantastic, much like Maupin's writing.

10 - Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson

Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit was Jeanette Winterson's first novel and is a semiautobiographical coming-of-age story about a young girl growing up in the Midlands (UK).

The story identifies the obstacles met and frustrations felt by a young girl exploring lesbian sexuality in 1980's England. This magnificent tale was said to have made Winterson "a star overnight".

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