Contributing editor James Lecesne
Available now from Arthur A. Levine Books (Scholastic)
Review copy
Read my review of ABSOLUTE BRIGHTNESS
When I picked up THE LETTER Q: Queer Writers' Notes to Their Younger Selves, I was super excited to have another book to add to my QUILTBAG list. I love sharing books that can change someone's life and THE LETTER Q looked very promising. The list of authors on the front (beautifully designed by Chip Kidd) included big names like Armistead Maupin, Gregory Maguire, and Jacqueline Woodson.
What lay inside lived up to the promise of that off-pink, off-blue cover. Each writer's letter is personal, but contains universal advice. Not just about love and perseverance - but telling their younger self to quit smoking and to not hang out in parks at night and to trust their instincts. THE LETTER Q can get repetitive if you read it all at once, but it's just right when you space the letters out and see just how each of these authors made it out of their childhood. And as for the advice, my favorite bit came from Jewelle Gomez:
Maybe you should think about writing vampire stories, they might come back into fashion someday (133, ARC).I liked that THE LETTER Q showcased a wide range of voices, allowing for a fuller picture of LGBQ life. Sadly, the trans* voice is lost in this collection. But there are black, Hispanic, and Asian voices, struggling with two kinds of marginalization. There are older voices, including people who weren't able to come out until middle age. There are younger voices that grew up in a more tolerant time. There are children's book authors, young adult authors, and literary fiction authors. There are playwrights, comic artists, and memoir writers.
The comics throughout THE LETTER Q cut the repetition of reading letter after letter. This panel, by Michael DiMotta, was one of my favorites. |
I highly recommend reading this Advocate article about THE LETTER Q. This anthology of letters will appeal to teens struggling with their identity as well as people of any age with an interest in the experiences of queer America. It's a powerful, moving work. Even better, half of the royalties will be donated to the Trevor Project, a resource for QUILTBAG youth contemplating suicide.
Amy Bloom | Michael Cunningham |
Julie Anne Peters | Jacqueline Woodson |
Eileen Myles | David Levithan |
Jasika Nicole | Rakesh Satyal |
Doug Wright | Melanie Braverman |
Brian Selznick | Stacey D'Erasmo |
Adam Haslett | Terrence McNally |
Erik Orrantia | Jennifer Camper |
Martin Moran | Armistead Maupin |
Arthur Levine | Malinda Lo |
Maurice Vellekoop | Larry Duplechan |
Ali Liebegott | Paul Rudnick |
Linda Villarosa | J. D. McClatchy |
Anne Bogart | Eric Orner |
Lucy Jane Bledsoe | Tony Valenzuela |
Gregory Maguire | Christopher Rice |
Jewelle Gomez | Bill Clegg |
Erika Moen | Sarah Moon |
LaShonda Katrice Barnett | Howard Cruse |
Michael DiMotta | Diane DiMassa |
Brent Hartinger | Susan Stinson |
Marc Wolf | Lucy Knisley |
Nick Burd | James Lecesne |
Paula Gilovich | Colman Domingo |
Richard McCann | Marion Dane Bauer |
Lucy Thurber | Paige Braddock |
David Leavitt | David Ebershoff |
Benoit Denizet-Lewis | Ray Daniels |
Michael Nava | Carole DeSanti |
A. Carter Sickels | Bill Wright |
Janice Maiman | Mayra Lazara Dole |
Randall Kenan | Bruce Coville |
Awesome review! I really want to get this one. It sounds great, and I'm glad that there are so many perspectives, but bummer the trans voice got lost a bit. It includes so many wonderful authors though, and I'd certainly like to find new authors to check out as well.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
I'm sure you'd enjoy it. I know there's lots of works that I added to my to-read list after finishing.
DeleteI was intrigued by this book because of its cover! It has such a wide range of writers and seems to be an interesting read.
ReplyDeleteI love the cover. Classic Chip Kidd.
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