In this edition of our Fynest Reads series, we were lucky enough to hear from Birmingham-based LGBT+ bookshop, Proud Geek, who aim to be your one-stop-online-shop for everything geeky and queer. Whether you’re a book geek, a comic geek or a film geek, you’ll find something that was created by, and for people just like you. In recognition of LGBTQIA+ History Month, Tom, the Owner of Proud Geek has provided three literary explorations of Queer History, so sit back and enjoy.
Deep Sniff: A History of Pepper and Queer Futures
by Adam Zmith
Cultural Studies & Queer History – Non-fiction
Own Voices
£10.99
What starts as a thoughtful enquiry into poppers becomes a manifesto for pleasure. Deep Sniff is the intriguing story of how poppers wafted out of the lab and into gay bars, corner shops, bedrooms and porn supercuts. Blending historical research with wry observation, Adam Zmith explores the cultural forces and improbable connections behind the power of poppers. What emerges is not just a history of pub raids, viral panics, and pecs the size of dinner plates. It is a collection of fresh and provocative ideas about identity, sex, utopia, capitalism, law, freedom and the bodies that we use to experience the world.
Queer London: A Guide to the City’s LGBTQ+ Past and Present
by Alim Kheraj
Queer History – Non-Fiction
Own Voices
£15.00
A new volume in ACC Art Books’ London series, focusing on the capital’s vibrant LGBTQ+ scene, Queer London is a timely and accessible introduction to the city through a LGBTQ+ lens, and will appeal to anyone with an interest in London’s thriving queer landscape. Celebrating the diversity and innovation of queer individuals in London, both historically and today, Queer London features a range of bars, clubs, shops, Pride events, charities, community organisations, saunas and sex shops that cater to the LGBTQ community.
Along with highlighted features on influential queer Londoners of the moment, this book delves into the cultural history of queerness in the capital, including events, organisations or venues that have sometimes been forgotten or overlooked, but which were of key importance to the community. From the long, illustrious queer history of Soho and the legendary drag balls at Porchester Hall, to the hottest clubs of the moment, Queer London is the go-to guide for anyone looking to engage with rich queer legacy of this nation’s capital.
Sensible Footwear: A Girl’s Guide (A graphic guide to lesbian and queer history)
by Kate Charlesworth
Queer History/Graphic Memoir – Non-Fiction
Own Voices
£17.99
Cartoonist Kate Charlesworth presents a glorious pageant of LGBTQI+ history, as she takes us on a PRIDE march past personal and political milestones from the 1950s to the present day. Peopled by a cast of gay icons such as Dusty Springfield, Billie Jean King, Dirk Bogarde and Alan Turing, and featuring key moments such as Stonewall, Gay Pride and Section 28, Sensible Footwear: A Girl’s Guide, is the first graphic history documenting lesbian life from 1950 to the present. It is a stunning, personal, graphic memoir and a milestone itself in LGBTQI+ history.
