In this book club we read queer classics and contemporary novels of provocative authors. During our discussions, we will explore theme’s that are important to the queer community: from coming out stories to stories of queer migrants, and from stories about transgender healthcare to stories about the clashes between queer identities and religion.

For our first session we will read…

For our first session, we will read Ocean Vuong’s On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous (2019). In this modern classic, Vuong writes a letter to his mother who came to the United States as a Vietnamese refugee. Vuong tells his story of growing up in a migrant family in which there seemed to be no place for his own budding feelings of homosexuality. While this tension estranges him from his family, he also cannot say goodbye to his mother altogether. As such, the novel thematizes the bind that many queer persons experience: while family is not always a safe haven for them, they often also cannot do without it. 

This Book club will be hosted by Looi van Kessel, assistant professor in literary studies and gender studies at Leiden University, who specializes in LGBTQIA+ literature. The sessions will be held in English.

Do you want to be a part of the Queer Book Club? Click the button below to register for free!

The Queer Book Club is a component of Lezen met de stad a fresh initiative at the Central Library providing communities with a space for gathering.