About Book Marks
Recent Reviews
Sarah Schulman
Positive Booklist Schulman presents ACT UP not as a heroic, sanitized institution made up of exclusively white gay men, but as what it actually was: an organization that managed to improve the lives of people living with HIV and AIDS despite its own racism and sexism. By doing this, Schulman creates a much more nuanced—and accurate—portrait of the AIDS crisis, highlighting the ways the disease impacted women and people of color.
Elon Green
Positive Booklist more than just a standard true crime exploration of these killings. Using meticulous research and engaging prose, The Last Call tells the complete stories of the men who died in these killings, giving them dignity after death and shining a light on the issues queer people faced several decades ago that still ring true today. Green creates a detailed, sometimes sobering picture of both queer New York in the time period of the killings and the places throughout the country where the men lived before, highlighting the lengths they went to gain acceptance and, often, the sad consequences of never receiving it. Green uses the same detailed approach in his retelling of the crimes, which may prove too gory for some squeamish readers; however, the book never veers into the purely salacious, and every detail feels necessary. This captivating and thought-provoking read is a humanity-filled twist on the true crime genre.
Zak Salih
Positive Bookpage This poignant and poetic debut novel brings together Sebastian and Oscar, two long-lost friends who have a chance meeting at a wedding, as they sort out their conflicting views on relationships, settling down, and, ultimately, what it means to be queer ... Though Sebastian and Oscar’s perspectives sometimes lack nuance and are at points hard to empathize with, in their juxtaposition readers will find a compelling exploration of the experiences of queer people from different generations as two modern-day gay men figure out whether they want to conform to traditional views of relationships and marriage or break free entirely.
Leslie Brody
Rave Booklist Throughout her life, Fitzhugh was often forced to cover up details about herself from the public at large, including the fact that she was openly gay ... In this compelling telling, Brody follows Fitzhugh’s life from the brief and tumultuous relationship between her parents to her exploration of her own sexuality, her colorful life in New York City, and her personal struggles.
Jennifer Givhan
Rave Booklist This thought-provoking novel opens on Bianca, a young woman bleeding and in pain, driving through the night ... with everything she owns and a baby named Jubilee ... [Givhan] expertly plays her cast of characters against one another, using small, personal moments to create seismic emotional shifts all while slowly unraveling the truth about Bianca’s past and Jubilee’s place in her life.