Some of the best lesbian books of 2006 were nonfiction. We've got a graphic biography by a famous lesbian comic artist, some real lesbian erotic stories and some great lesbian history. Here are our picks for the top lesbian non-fiction books of 2006.
1. Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
Thought your childhood was weird? Try being raised by a closeted funeral home proprietor in a gothic revival house, where after-school chores include dusting off the caskets. The author of the long-running cult classic comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For brings her signature humor, plus a greater depth and vulnerability, to this graphic novel and memoir. A bittersweet and addictive read, Fun Home will enchant Bechdel’s longtime fans and bring in some new ones, too.2. Confessions of the Other Mother: Nonbiological Mothers Tell All
ed. Harlyn AizleyHaving been both the biological mother and the “other”, Aizley gives long-overdue attention to a hot topic with this collection of essays, which cover a broad range of issues and perspectives surrounding lesbian motherhood. A particularly memorable one is Hillary Goodridge’s “And You Are?”, which recounts the pain and alienation of being unrecognizable as a family member to outsiders. From humorous to heartbreaking, every story brings its own unique and vulnerable insight
3. The Lesbian Kama Sutra by Kat Harding
If it weren’t for the hot photos and beautiful historic images of girl-on-girl action, I’d recommend this only to newly out and relatively clueless lesbians. Its discussion of topics like coming out and STDs are superficial and out-of-place, and the sexual positions aren’t anything you wouldn’t figure out on your own, given a willing partner and a Sunday afternoon. But back to the pictures: hot. Seriously hot. Don’t even say you like it for the articles this time; the art is what gives this book a well-deserved place on my list.
4. Hello Cruel World:101 Alternatives to Suicide for Teens, Freaks and Other Outlaw
by Kate BornsteinSo this one’s not a “lesbian book” per se, but all well-read queers should make themselves familiar with celebrated transgender activist and author Kate Bornstein, who comforts and inspires with advice for making it through our unkind world. Her 101 ideas range from whimsical (Number 90: Believe in Your Own Laughter), to practical (56. Get Laid Please.), to stark, nonjudgmental assessments of some of our harsher coping mechanisms (81: Starve Yourself). Written for the lonely, the broken-hearted, the uninspired and the non-conformist, Hello Cruel World will quickly reignite your infatuation with life.
5. BITCHfest: Ten Years of Cultural Criticism from the Pages of Bitch Magazine
ed Lisa Jervis and Andi ZeislerBeginning with a foreword by out and proud bisexual Margaret Cho, this collection of feminist essays pays plenty of attention to its queer readers. Addressing issues like television’s representation of LGBT folks, androgynous rockstars, the lesbian coming-of-age novel and our community’s (mis)treatment of “hasbians” (lesbians who “switch teams”), the authors of BITCHfest educate, inspire and occasionally enrage. Though a few essays run on the dry side, this is a great survey of the questions and perspectives ruling third-wave feminism.
6. After Midnight: True Lesbian Erotic Confessions
ed. Chelsea JamesDelicious smut, but this time it’s the raw, supposedly uncensored words of your average, everyday lusty lesbian — a sort of literary version of Girls Gone Wild, only smarter, sexier and way more real.
7. First-Timers: True Stories of Lesbian Awakening
by Rachel Kramer BusselThere’s a first-time for everything, and every story in this steamy collection is some kind of first: first love, first date, first time with a strap-on. Another hot anthology that deliciously captures the thrill of the new and unknown, and brings back your own fond first memories. Ah, if only every time was a first time.
8. Gay L.A.: A History of Sexual Outlaws, Power Politics, and Lipstick Lesbians
by Lillian Faderman and Stuart TimmonsLong before The L Word, L.A. was a queer cultural hub, and its underground gay past spanning two centuries is revealed through interviews, scrapbooks and other first-hand accounts. Everyone knows Hollywood’s about as straight as Broadway, but the depictions of Native American sexuality (before the Spanish came and ruined all the fun) are especially compelling.
9. Different Daughters: A History of the Daughters of Bilitis
Different Daughters: A History of the Daughters of Bilitis and the Rise of the Lesbian Rights Movement by Marcia M. GalloModern-day activists should brush up on their history with this account of the Daughters of Bilitis, considered the first lesbian rights organization. Founded in 1955 in San Francisco, DOB stayed intact and published famed lesbian review The Ladder until the 1970s. Different Daughters is the first comprehensive look at these trailblazers of the feminist and gay rights movements.
10. Baby Steps: How Lesbian Alternative Insemination Is Changing the World
by Amy AgiganConsidering insemination? Read this first. After considering the financial, cultural, medial and legal obstacles some women face — such as obtaining their husband's prior approval — author Amy Agigan provides suggestions for cultural change that will make this increasingly common practice more accessible. Recommended reading for gay mommies-to-be, and anyone sick of being enslaved by the man.
