Best Gay & Lesbian Travel
Exquisitely illustrated with over 100 original pen & ink illustrations by the artist author, the Ultimate Guide is the only book available that presents all of the 250 attractions in the mountains, from tiny historical museums and craft galleries to blockbuster attractions, including Biltmore Estate, the Cherokee Indian Reservation, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the Appalachian Trail and the Blue Ridge Parkway. A highly recommended book for anyone planning a trip to Western North Carolina the The Ultimate Guide by Lee Pantas surpasses in scope all other area guides. The Ultimate Guide has proven over the years to be a valuable resource not only for the many tourists and visitors who flock to our mountains, but also for those folks who are considering Western North Carolina as a place where they might like to live.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Good resource for getting to know Asheville and surrounding towns."
"We've referred back to this book many times in the short time we owned it."
"Informative, well-written, and up to date."
"All the info I hoped for and much more!"
"Had a great vacation."
"I know that the availability of tourism websites has likely cut into the guidebook market, but personally, I appreciate having everything in one place (and a warning: the Western North Carolina mountains will likely make your cell service unreliable - so don't count on having the internet everywhere you travel!)."
"The big attractions such as Biltmore, the Grove Park Inn, Carl Sandburg Home and the Thomas Wolfe House are all here, but it's the off-the-beaten path things only a local could tell you that make this volume worth buying."
"This is wonderful guide book written by Lee James Pantas, local artist who has lived in Fairview NC, right outside Asheville. Having lived in the area for many years, the guidebook is written from a local point of view."
"The Little Black Book of gay travel" -- N.Y. Times. This 51st edition features 13,000+ listings covering North America, South America, Europe & SE Asia. Gina M. Gatta has been the Editor-in-Chief of Damron's LGBT travel guide series since the early '90s, becoming President in 1992.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It's much thinner than years past."
"If you are looking for hotels, restaurants, clubs, spas, resorts and "other FUN places" to visit, this guide is the ticket!!! I love the fact that it gives you all the information in a very compact little book which is arranged in a very neat fashion."
"These books are pretty much up to date when you visit a city or country."
"I keep it in my car soo that I have it with me where ever I go."
"Good Travel Guide for Gay Men!"
"Satisfied with the product."
"If you are looking for an in depth description and pictures of places this is the WRONG book, look for something else."
The international travel guide for gay and bisexual men: the Spartacus International Gay Guide, now in its 46 year, offers tourists not only a worldwide list of bars, hotels, saunas, beaches and self-help groups but also provides an overview of the applicable laws on homosexuality around the world. His publications are well known in the international gay community and include not only the Spartacus International Gay Guide, of which over 9.5 million copies have been produced since 2000!
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This was a gift to a friend of my who retired!"
"From my VERY limited knowledge, it appears accurate, although not as good at identifying "clubs/bars" that are primarily places to pickup rentboys, vs real clubs/bars for my taste (your mileage may vary). You have to find the codes (which are NOT intuitive) at the beginning and then have them available as you read (i.e."
"this book has replaced damrons as the go to guide for the lgbt audience."
"Very helpful."
"It has been and continues to be the best resource for LGBT travelers; I will buy it annually and recommend it with enthusiasm!"
"I've been using this guide since the "80s"."
Best Gay & Lesbian History
"This book will make you cry, think, and then cry some more." "Adam Silvera is a master at capturing the infinite small heartbreaks of love and loss and grief. History Is All You Left Me is a beautiful meditation on what it means to survive devastating loss. In this emotionally charged story, Griffin’s desire to be honest with himself and others leads the reader to a greater understanding of how it feels to have a conflicted heart." "Through Griffin, Silvera presents an eloquent, in-depth examination of 'whatever comes next,' of the ways in which the grieving process both isolates people and draws them together." Even when its hero is screwing up royally, maybe especially then, Silvera's humanity and compassion carve out a space where it's not the falling that's important, it's how you pick yourself back up. —Patrick Ness, New York Times bestselling author of The Rest of Us Just Live Here and A Monster Calls "Sweetly devastating, passionately honest, and breathtakingly human. —Becky Albertalli, National Book Award nominee and award-winning author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda "The YA world has been taken by storm by Adam Silvera." "If you think Silvera’s debut novel More Happy Than Not was good, then you’re about to be blown away when History Is All You Left Me hits shelves . History Is All You Left Me is a tale for today’s youth—one that embraces the essence of time and love." "Silvera packs a powerful emotional punch in this multilayered story told partly in flashbacks by Griffin, who's mourning the sudden death of his best friend and first love . The conversational yet profound tone of the book highlights the author's ear for the musicality of language and his ability to convey deep emotion through attention to its cadence and flow. "Silvera’s splendid sophomore novel is filled with tantalizing questions about lies and honesty, love and loss, and past and present . In those questions, they will find an unsparing honesty that brings closure to the novel and to Griffin’s quest to let go of the past and embrace the future." Griffin’s gradual awareness of Theo’s flaws is the true heart of this standout title." “ History Is All You Left Me is a moving portrayal of two teens grieving over the same lost love. Griffin, Theo, Jackson, and Wade will stay with teen readers for a long time because they are so achingly real. History Is All You Left Me quietly shows how dealing with loss will help Griffin see himself and his world more clearly. "Silvera’s prose is raw and lyrical, a good fit for Griffin’s intensity, and the minutiae of both romance and grief are closely observed and deeply felt . — The Horn Book Magazine "Silvera finds a depth in Griffin’s story that is remarkable . One of the best young authors dealing with issues like sexuality, depression, mental health, and the complex and often confusing relationship rules of Millennials and younger generations. Like The Fault in Our Stars , here is a book that explores grief and vulnerability with honesty, without talking down to the reader. The nuanced, complex characters nearly walk off the page, and the compulsively readable story and artfully chosen details make this a book worth getting lost in!” —Shay McClean, Children’s Buyer at Third Street Books. As Griffin revisits his path with Theo—best friend, ex-boyfriend, and love of his life—he discovers that their history is much more than a neat and tidy linear. line. Once again, Silvera gifts readers with an emotional wrecking ball of a novel, leaving them stronger for the experience.” —Sara Grochowski, Children’s/YA Buyer at Brilliant Books. Praise for More Happy Than Not “Silvera managed to leave me smiling after totally breaking my heart. A mesmerizing, unforgettable tour de force.” —John Corey Whaley, National Book Award finalist and author of Where Things Come Back and Noggin. “The honesty of his words and his ability to tell a story make you realize that we’ve been waiting for him.” —Holly Goldberg Sloan, author of Counting by 7s and I’ll Be There. “Silvera pulls his punches with an energy, daring, and intensity that left me spellbound—and reminded me why I love to read.” —Adele Griffin, author of The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone. “His writing crackles with challenging questions, searing and timely.” —Aaron Hartzler, author of Rapture Practice. The futuristic twist, with its poignant repercussions, drives home a memorable, thoroughly contemporary theme: who you are inside is not something that can or should be erased . Silvera's tale combines the best features of science fiction with social justice in this engaging read, as Aaron finds a place where he belongs." “A gripping read—Silvera skillfully weaves together many divergent young adult themes within an engrossing, intense narrative.” — School Library Journal , Starred Review.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The tragedy that falls upon the characters in the story brings to light the struggle of death and grief between those who were involved in Theo's life. The story gave me a new perspective: of having that comfort that "maybe" talking to those once close in my life again, as a possibility, but for them, this is ripped out from the everyone in Theo's life, especially with Griffin."
"I also lost my first love to an extremely traumatic death, which sent me spiraling out of control... it wasn't until reading this book that I realized what kind of connection my OCD and his death have... it was also a very clear look at what work I still need to do..."
"A generous writer who loves the people he creates, and make us love them too."
"Griffin is dealing with the loss of his bf, while trying to navigate his OCD."
"I won't lie and say it caught me from the start."
"The most amazing part of this book is the character development because I ended up loving characters I thought I hated and hating characters I thought I loved."
"I'm not a reader but I saw this book in a magazine and thought it sounded interesting."
"The story follows a teenage boy named Griffin, who finds out at the beginning of the book that his ex-boyfriend, Theo, died in a horrific drowning accident. I can see how a young adult audience would love the writing style, because as a teenager I would think these metaphors are so deep and thought-provoking. I would be able to look past the metaphors if they occurred here and there throughout the book, but they are a big part of the story, and keep repeating with new themes again and again. As the book begins, readers are told that Griffin and Theo have been friends for years and that they have an incredible end-game love. Moreover, I really appreciate that History Is All You Left Me includes mental illness representation in the form of Griffin's OCD. Silvera has stated that Griffin's OCD closely mirrors his own, so I recognize that this representation is not only grounded in reality, but also very personal to the author. I felt like this mental illness was included to just tick a diversity box in the book, as it is skimmed over and not delved into much at all. Plus, near the end of the story, a friend appears to be curing Griffin's OCD simply by making him stop his compulsions. I thought this format was a great idea, as it connected me with Griffin's state of mind at all points in the story."
Best Gay & Lesbian Nonfiction
I've got clap backs and life hacks and tips on classing up a simple grab-and-run lifting spree to the much more dignified act of larceny. Willam is a model, actress, mattress.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I wrote this and it's good but my Dad says it's riddled with typos worse than a ticks on a deer's butt."
"This was an amazing read."
"I love everything about this book you can actually learn a lot about things you always wanted to know but were afraid to ask."
"Love this!"
"Every page is packed full with the hilarious humor every Willam fan knows and loves."
"The book takes you through all aspects of William's life as a drag queen and YT."
"Before this book I was really underestimating myself, but now I learned how to Suck Less & charge more!"
"This is a really fun coffee table book."
Best Gay & Lesbian Parenting & Families
An indispensable survival manual for guys entering the trenches of fatherhood, Be Prepared is loaded with one-of-a-kind insights, MacGyver-esque tips and tricks, and no-nonsense advice for mastering the first year as a dad. Yes, there's a bit too much emphasis here on broadly drawn manly stuff like changing a diaper at a ballgame, but there's also heaps of useful advice that's cleverly and efficiently presented for pops who, despite their best intentions, really aren't prepared to dig into encyclopedia-sized tomes.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I bought it for my hubby but I wound up reading the entire thing myself."
"Most importantly, its not of the "you're a guy so you must be an idiot stereotypical clueless dad to be" type."
"I wanted something that would help him prepare for our first child, but worried that a normal baby book would bore him (he's not much one for self-help books in general)."
"My husband has very much enjoyed learning the essentials of first time daddyhood from this book."
"I've never wanted children, but I will make lifestyle sacrifices to make my wife’s lifestyle dreams come true."
"There are ideas in the book that every dad should know, especially those becoming a dad for the first time."
"I bought this for my son for the birth of his first baby, kinda sorta as a joke."
"The writing hilariously describes the first year of a baby's life with illustrations that match the absurdity and truth of new parenthood."
Best Gay & Lesbian Literature & Fiction
A New York Times Notable Book of the Year • A Publishers Weekly and The Washington Post Best Book of the Year • A New York Magazine "Future Canon" Selection • A Chicago Tribune and Seattle Times (Michael Upchurch's) Favorite Favorite Book of the Year. "The book is incredible.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Set in 1988 and on the Italian Riviera, which adds to the charm and appeal of the novel, Call Me By Your Name is narrated by and tells the story of a seventeen-year-old American-Italian-Jewish youth, Elio Perlman, and his six-week, summer love affair with Oliver Ulliva, a university professor who is seven years older than Elio and who has been selected to live in Elio’s parents’ home as a guest “resident” while finishing a manuscript for publication as part of the parents’ way of aiding budding writers. Much of the first half of Call Me By Your Name has a “stream of consciousness” feeling to it as Elio, a very precocious and intelligent but shy young man, defies his better intuitions and finds himself more and more attracted to Oliver. By time both Elio and the reader are aware of Oliver’s true feelings toward the younger man, a new sense of urgency, an even greater feeling of sensuality and eroticism, and a more intense atmosphere of anxiety and impending doom enters the story—all of it exquisitely captured by Aciman’s exquisitely accomplished writing."
"Call Me By Your Name is a superlative novel that meticulously and comprehensively looks at the human condition from the folly of youth to the introspective later years. Told almost entirely from the stream of consciousness mind of a seventeen year old Elio, who simultaneously possesses intelligence beyond his years whilst embodying the insouciance of youth and trafficking in the same inane fickleness of the average teen in matters of the heart, and in him Aciman’s crafted a character that is quintessentially relatable. Oliver, the doctoral student who came to stay with him and his parents one summer in Italy, left a watermark on Elio’s soul. At seventeen he can’t possibly understand the rarity of his connection with Oliver, so he tells himself there will be another and there are, that it was never intended to last and maybe it wasn't, that is was a summer fling, but who's to say that makes it any less seminal? I’ve no doubt if I reread it in 5 or 10 yrs I’ll have a different interpretation; a change in perspective and the whole thing looks completely different and I feel like the same can be said of Elio. That place that meant so much from the berm to Mafalda and his parents to the bookstore to playing the guitar to paradise to afternoon naps and lazy days and nights spent f***ing each other’s brains out. The romantic in me wants to wallow in the heartbreak and vilify Aciman for countermanding the rules of romancelandia, but to simplify this novel in such a way, to make it solely about loss is a disservice to the narrative. Maybe I missed the point and it is solely a novel of love and loss with the primary objective being bittersweet heartbreak, but I choose to believe (this time) that Aciman deliberately penned a novel to make every reader take stock and cherish what they have, what they have had and what they will have."