Winter Edition 2018/2019 • Vol. 29, No. 1

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ListBOOKS! AUTHORS! MOVIES! Hundreds of recommendations curated by Quatrefoil Qsupporters quatrefolio

Meet the Desk Volunteers • Scholarship Fund Momentum Your Old Books & Quatrefoil • New at Q: Merch Table Free Events at the Library • Dates to Remember 10 Best Lesbian Books/Series 5 Best Gay Best Friends (fi lm) 5 Great Lesbian Romances You May Not Have Read Stephen Caff rey in “Annie on My Mind” by Nancy Garden (1982) Girl meets girl in New York’s Micky Knight series by J.M. Redmann “Longtime Companion” (1989) Metropolitan Museum. Still a heartwarming classic in 2018. The person everyone can depend upon, The Celaeno or the Lyremouth series “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café” by Fannie Flagg (1987) The and he does the “Dreamgirls” dance by Jane Fletcher word lesbian does not appear once in this book, but child, it is the sweetest Southern fl awlessly. lesbian romance ever written. Isis series by Jean Stewart Rupert Everett in “After Mrs. Hamilton” by Clare Ashton (2012) A lesbian escort fi nds love. Ashton “Chronicles of Alsea” “My Best Friend’s Wedding” (1997) gives us Yanks the UK’s best lady… in print. by Fletcher DeLancey Everyone who has played this role since “Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel” by Sara Farizan (2015) Iranian- Cain Casey series by Ali Vali is doing a pale imitation of this witty American Leila falls in love with the new girl at her boarding school. One of the few “The Always Anonymous Beast” performance. LGBTQ young adult novels with a Muslim heroine. Sweet and nerdy. by Lauren Wright Douglas T. Wendy McMillan “The Air You Breathe” by Frances de Pontes Peebles (2018) It isn’t every day that Stoner McTavish series in “Go Fish” (1994) two girls from the Brazilian sugar plantation run to the big city to become samba by Sarah Dreher A best friend who will not rest until her musicians. buddy fi nds love. Lauren Laurano series Rachel Wexelbaum, St. Cloud librarian by Sandra Scoppettone Sarah Paulson in “Carol” (2015) “Thin Fire” by Nanci Little She does what her titular friend/ex-lover needs her to do, even if she thinks it’s the Books with Funny Families 5 Desert Island Gay Novels Echo Series by Linda Kay Silva wrong thing. “The Kid” by Dan Savage “Death in Venice” by Thomas Mann Lisa Vecoli Stanley Tucci in Former director of Tretter Collection at U of M Death coupled with desire, what could “The Devil Wears Prada” (2006) “My Brother’s Husband” Vol. 1 by Gengoroh Tagame be better? Maybe a bit sketchy nowadays, Not just loyal, he also has as it’s an old man doing the lusting after Favorite Books by “Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic” impeccable taste. a boy, but it’s philosophical and there is by Alison Bechdel Christopher Isherwood Chris Hewitt, Star Tribune staff writer never any contact between them. “No One Can Pronounce My Name” “A Single Man” (1964) A stellar short “Maurice” by E.M. Forster by Rakesh Satyal novel about a day in the life of George, a Forster’s posthumous early novel of gay grieving English professor in southern “A Queer and Present Danger” love; it’s groundbreaking; so very English, California. The 2009 movie (directed by by Kate Bornstein yet sexy! Tom Ford) is a gorgeous tearjerker. Anitra Budd, Q board member “The Counterfeiters” by Andre Gide “Christopher and His Kind” (1976) The greatest novel you may never Isherwood sheds the closet and recounts have heard of. Nobel winner Gide his early life, his fi ction, famous friends Cooking/Entertaining Books being postmodern before modern was and passionate loves. “Cooking in Heels: post; exciting Parisian intrigue full of “Berlin Stories” (1939) Set during A Memoir Cookbook” desire and counterfeit money and desire. Hitler’s rise to power, this book Includes by Ceyenne Doroshow “Giovanni’s Room” by James Baldwin “The Last of Mr. Norris” and “Goodbye “A Girl Called Jack” by Jack Monroe You’ll never read fi ner prose or such a To Berlin,” in which Isherwood launched “Big Gay Ice Cream: Saucy Stories and vivid portrayal of longing. the “Cabaret” characters into the world. Frozen Treats” by Brian Petroff and “The Swimming-Pool Library” “My Guru and His Disciple” (1980) Doug Quint by Alan Hollinghurst A frank and fascinating memoir of the “Flavour: Eat What You Love” This book changed the landscape of gay worldly writer’s 30-year relationship by Ruby Tandoh fi ction when it came out in 1988; if wit with the Hindu monk Swami can be breathtaking, this is it. Prabhavananda “Feed the Resistance: Recipes + Ideas for Getting Involved” by Julia Turshen Greg Hewett, poet and Q board member Claude Peck, Q board member Anitra Budd, Q board member

Sarah Paulson in ‘Carol’

2 3 2 Good Books about Books 10 Essential Gay Male Poets Books For Someone “Eminent Outlaws: The Gay William Shakespeare Just Coming Out Writers Who Changed America” by The Sonnets, of course! The fact that the ”It Gets Better” edited by Dan Savage Christopher Bram (2012) This smart, Bard was “gay” still irks a lot of folk. and Terry Miller (2011). Created in passionate survey makes you want to go Walt Whitman response to a series of tragic suicides back and read infl uential writers ranging All of “Leaves of Grass,” but especially by LGBT young people, It Gets Better from James Baldwin and Truman the Calamus poems, are full of masculine features a collection of essays and stories Capote to Larry Kramer and Tony love and are sensuous as anything. by celebrities and political leaders, Kushner. Arthur Rimbaud from Ellen DeGeneres to President “The Unpunished Vice” by Edmund The mad boy-genius will knock you Barack Obama, for teens struggling with White (2018), Subtitled “A Life in out with the brilliance of his bullying. ‘Essential’ gay poet Reading,” White’s chatty memoir hallucinatory verse. “The Miseducation of Cameron Post” careens widely among writers (gay Frank O’Hara C.P. Cavafy by Emily M. Danforth (2012). Set in and straight) he has found infl uential His fi n-de-siecle cafe scenes in rural Montana in the 1990s, this novel and unforgettable in his long life in cosmopolitan Alexandria are so sexy and follows a young girl who is discovering literature.. sad; the scenes from ancient times are her sexuality and is subsequently sent Claude Peck, Q board member also powerful. to a gay conversion camp, where she is introduced to a welcoming community

Hart Crane of queer teens. Tragic life, triumphant poetry; in a sense, Strong (and Queer) Women 12 Great Trans /Nonbinary Reads his writing is a gay language. “Boy Meets Boy” by David Levithan (2003). This classic queer romance in Science Fiction and Fantasy “I Am J” by Cris Beam W. H. Auden novel follows Paul as he meets, loses, “Solitaire” by Kelley Eskridge This Anglo-American poet is the “Beauty Queens” by Libba Bray and attempts to win back Noah. It’s also touchstone for the modern gay “Santa Olivia” by Jacqueline Carey “Brooklyn, Burning” by Steve Brezenoff notable for including the cross-dressing sensibility as it was forming. “Daughter of Mystery” by Heather “Jess, Chunk, and the Road Trip to quarterback Infi nite Darlene and a small Rose Jones Infi nity” by Kristin Elizabeth Clark Allen Ginsberg town where LGBTQ teenagers are All hairy and loud and amazing! In-your- “Fire Logic” by Laurie Marks “Beautiful Music for Ugly Children” widely accepted. face queer before anyone! “The Northern Girl” by Elizabeth Lynn by Kristin Cronn-Mills “Trans Teens Survival Guide” by Fox Frank O’Hara “Silver Moon” by Catherine Lundoff “Dreadnought” by April Daniels Fisher and Owl Fisher (2018). Written by Urbane yet accessible; read his elegy to a trans non-binary couple, this guide for “Ash” by Malinda Lo “Sovereign” by April Daniels Billie Holiday, “The Day Lady Died,” and trans and gender non-conforming teens “Ascension” by Jacqueline Koyanagi “Being Emily” by Rachel Gold I dare you not to weep. features hilarious true stories and advice “Smoketown” by Tenea D. Johnson “Just Girls” by Rachel Gold Frank Bidart on coming out, pronouns, hormone “Lady Knight” by L-J Baker “If I Was Your Girl” by Meredith Russo Such a genius and so accessible, so therapy, and more. “Gossamer Axe” by Gael Baudino “Lizard Radio” by Pat Schmatz dramatic; his collections “Golden State” “The Perks of Being a Wallfl ower” by and “The Book of the Body” should be Catherine Lundoff , writer “The Art of Being Normal” Stephen Chbosky (1999). A coming-of- by Lisa Williamson required gay reading. age tale about an introverted high school Rachel Gold, writer Mark Doty freshman and his experiences with death, The chief American gay poet of the last romance, abuse, LSD, and “The Rocky 2 Terrifi c Recent Memoirs few decades; he knows his gay stuff ! Horror Picture Show.” The 2012 movie “Logical Family” by Armistead Maupin 3 Best AIDS Memoirs Greg Hewett, poet and Q board member adaptation co-stars queer actor The famed “Tales of the City” writer “Borrowed Time” by Paul Monette Ezra Miller. takes his own life to center stage. “Eighty-Sixed” by David Feinberg Ryan Lulofs, school counselor “When We Rise” by Cleve Jones Merges (although his “Queer and Loathing,” politics, autobiography and sex in one which he was writing right up to his highly readable volume. death, is pretty compelling, too) Claude Peck, Q board member “Smash Cut” by Brad Gooch Rick Nelson, Star Tribune staff writer 4 5 Favorite Movies with Lesbian Themes or Characters “Imagine Me and You” I watched this because I love Matthew Goode in At the anything. “When Night is Falling” A dog in a refrigerator? “The Gymnast” Desk Meet some of the volunteers “Carol” Great cast. Bruce Williams Travis Clemens “The Secrets” who keep the library going. Occupation: Occupation: Community Health “Blue is the Warmest Color” Guthrie Theater staff usher Advocate at JustUs Health “Fried Green Tomatoes” (implied) Your regular shift at Q: Your regular shift: Second Mondays Any movie based on a Sarah Waters second Wednesdays, third Saturdays, Volunteer since: 2018 fifth Thursdays book (“Fingersmith,” “Tripping the Why you volunteer: Because I Velvet,” “Affinity”) Volunteer since: Summer 2018 love books and I love giving back Nanette Stearns, Q board president Why you volunteer: To contribute, to my community. to be a more involved part of the Favorite LGBTQ book: Favorite Edmund White Books LGBTQ community, to hang out with Anything by David Sedaris all the books. “A Boy’s Own Story” An essential for Favorite LGBTQ movie: Favorite LGBTQ book: “Goodbye to me in more ways than I can count. Just Charles Tamble “To Wong Foo, Thanks for Berlin” by Christopher Isherwood writing that makes me want to go back Occupation: Everything! Julie Newmar” and re-read it (again). (not naked) civil servant Favorite LGBTQ movie: “Meet Me In St. Louis” “The Farewell Symphony” A really Your regular shift at Q: important book for me. Not always an second Mondays easy read, but beautifully crafted. Volunteer since: 1991 “Skinned Alive” It’s easy to forget that Why you volunteer: There have White is a really fine short story writer been numerous times over the and I don’t know how well known this years when someone stepped into collection is, but I really loved it. Quatrefoil for the very first time when I was the volunteer. Welcoming Gary Eldon Peter, author of “Oranges” them with a warm smile, providing Emma Dimassis a non-threatening environment Occupation: Auditor at My 5 favorite and encouraging them to explore Dana Edstrom Deloitte & Touche Timothy Findley books more what it means to be a part of Volunteer since: 4 months ago Volunteer since: 2 months ago. the GLBT community have been Findley (1930-2002) was a gay Canadian What shift do you work? What shift do you work? wonderful experiences. It’s a way to Sunday afternoons First Sundays, afternoon. writer, and very beloved in Canada. He’s be involved and give back. less recognized in the U.S. Why I volunteer at Q: It’s a valuable Why I volunteer at Q: Favorite LGBTQ book: “Not Wanted on the Voyage” community resource and social hub. Because all people deserve a “The Celluloid Closet” welcoming community with “Famous Last Words” by Vito Russo Favorite LGBTQ book/author: Strictly for old times’ sake, I would say friendly faces. “The Telling of Lies” Favorite LGBTQ movie: anything by Joseph Hansen. Favorite LGBTQ book: “Headhunter” “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” Favorite LGBTQ movie: “Maurice” by E.M. Forster “Dust to Dust: Stories” “Beautiful Thing” Favorite LGBTQ movie: William Reichard, poet “The Way He Looks”

6 7 Q Volunteer Awards Old Books, New Money By Brian Dahlvig, Q board member

Thanks to donations from library number of items we have listed, the supporters, Quatrefoil is able to raise less expensive books add up over each hundreds of dollars in books sales each month. When you don’t buy books from month. When we receive books that we us online or in person, we recommend already have on our shelves, we sell you buy at Moon Palace Books in them to help fund operations, rent Minneapolis. Quatrefoil orders many of and programming. its new books there at a Along with our in-library and Pride discount, so our acquisition budget book sales (the next one coming in goes further. March), we sell things on Amazon. You Please drop off your extra LGBTQ can find our listings at www.amazon. books and DVDs at the library during com/shops/QuatrefoilLibrary regular hours. We are at E. Lake St. and And the awards go to... visibility from the street. We can still Donated art and photography 13th Ave. South, and there is free parking Volunteers keep Quatrefoil open day serve our traditional role as steward books are especially welcome, as behind the building. If you have a lot of after day and keep the library going year of the vast collection begun by Dick they sometimes bring in larger dollar books and need help, let us know and we after year. This year’s Dale Johnson and David and greatly expanded over amounts. But that is not necessarily can arrange to pick them up. Award for longstanding service to the the years due to the generosity of our always the case. Thanks to the sheer library goes to Dave Violett (above, members while adapting to the style and left). After 22 years working at the usage methods of a new generation of desk on the first Sunday of each month, members as well as the community Dave is retiring from the library. He has as a whole.” served as both board president (2003- The Volunteer of the Year Award Key Dates in 2019 04) and vice president (2001-02). He goes to Brian Dahlvig, a current board has donated money as well as his time, member who has served Quatrefoil in March 2 and organized fundraisers, including various ways. As chair of the acquisitions Spring Book Sale at the library securing a donation of $11,000 from his committee, Brian researches and buys employer, Wells Fargo, to offset the cost new books for the collection. Brian April 1-June 10 of moving the library to Minneapolis adds records for almost all new books Writing the AIDS Generation, free 10-week class (7-9 p.m. Mondays) from St. Paul in 2013. He served so long to the online catalog, and by now the for gay men who lived through the first decade of the pandemic “because Quatrefoil is such a great number he has added must total in the and those interested in writing about the era. Led by novelist Brian community resource,” Violett said. thousands. Recently, he has taken on the Malloy. For registration: malloywriter.com/contact.htm Over the years, the library “has become task of selling duplicate books and DVDs a better representative of the diverse online, which brings a steady source of June 22-23 June 22-23 makeup of our community, although revenue to the library. Brian has served Pride Book Sale at Loring Park Pride Book Sale there’s still a way to go,” he said. “The as a representative of the library to at Loring Park move to Minneapolis has contributed Community Shares of Minnesota, October 5 greatly to this shift by providing a which provides funds to the library Fall used-book sale at the library warm, welcoming, accessible space with and other nonprofits. room for community events and better Thanks, Dave and Brian! 8 9 The library wants to be a place where people and ideas come together, so it Scholarship fund update has increased the range and number of special events it hosts. Donations from In our Pride issue, we announced Quatrefoil recently applied for a grant members and donors enable Quatrefoil the creation of the Quatrefoil Library to help reach its goal of awarding the People to off er all events at no charge. Thanks to Scholarship Fund. Since then, we’ve inaugural scholarship in fall 2019. Let us of the (last) all who spoke (and sang!) at the library in raised more than $6,000, about nearly know if your unique talents can be help 2018, and to those who showed up to meet 25 percent of our goal of making this a us support queer students pursue their newsmakers, hear new fi ction and poetry $25,000 endowed fund. Thanks to all college dreams. We need people to serve and explore LGBTQ history. who’ve contributed. on the selection committee, do outreach The scholarships will be granted in the to GSA groups in area schools and, of Year form of tuition assistance to LGBTQ high course, to help fund this exciting new school seniors or undergraduate college program. To make an online donation to students pursuing liberal arts degrees the scholarship endowment, go to www. and enrolled at or planning to attend qlibrary.org. a Minnesota school. It is hoped that Paul Kaefer winners will use the library’s resources as part of their research or study.

Q: What do First Avenue and Lisa Vecoli spoke about the Writer and Minneapolis City “Fellow Travelers” stars Andres history of lesbian pulp novels Council member Andrea Jenkins Acosta and Hadleigh Adams Quatrefoil have in common? A: They both have merch tables.

If you love Q, you gotta have the T-shirt. Our growing merch table now has new shirts in two colors, plus magnetized buttons and coloring books drawn from the covers of gay and lesbian pulp novels. Check it out the next time An Evening with Rick Nelson An evening with Saloon owner Ellen Lansky, author of you stop by the library. All proceeds (left) and Chris Hewitt John Moore (center) “Suburban Heathens” support the library, natch. OTHER EVENTS Women Who Write Open House with Food Truck lunch Karin Kallmaker reading Gary Eldon Peter book launch of “Oranges” YA panel with Rachel Gold and Christine Jenkins William Reichard poetry reading Dianna Hunter, author of Hunter with Q board president 10 “Wild Mares” Nanette Stearns (far right) 11 Finding Himself By Eric Marcus Warren’s 1974 love story about a star When I interviewed lesbians who grew athlete and his coach. It was the summer up in the 1940s and ‘50s, the one book of 1976. I was 17. And I sobbed. that each of them said had helped them When I fi rst began researching our come to an understanding of themselves history when I was a freshman in college, was a 1928 novel about a lesbian by my eyes were opened wide by Kay Tobin British author Radclyff e Hall:“The Lahusen’s 1972 “The Gay Crusaders.” Well of Loneliness.” I later interviewed Kay and her longtime The fi rst book I read (in a “Reader’s partner, Barbara Gittings, for my own Digest” condensed version in my book about thehistory of the LGBTQ dentist’s offi ce!) as a teenager where movement, which was fi rst published in I recognized myself was a 1975 novel 1992 under the title “Making History,” about a mother coming to terms with her and in a 2002 edition under the title gay son called “Consenting Adult.” The “Making Gay History.” author was Laura Z. Hobson, who was I recommend two other books about our most famous for writing “Gentleman’s history that are must-reads in advance Agreement,” a 1947 novel about anti- of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall semitism that was made into a movie uprising. The fi rst is David Carter’s 2004 starring Gregory Peck that won an Oscar defi nitive account of the riots, which is for Best Picture. called, appropriately, “Stonewall.” The The second gay book in which I really second is Lillian Faderman’s recently recognized myself was John Reid’s 1973 published “The Gay Revolution.” (And “The Best Little Boy in the World.” if you haven’t read her 1992 “Odd Girls Or The BLBITW, as it was commonly and Twilight Lovers,” I recommend known among gay men who found the that one as well.) main character to be all too familiar. John Reid was the pen name of Eric Marcus is the author of a dozen books, Andrew Tobias. including “Making Gay History,” which is also the name of his award-winning podcast. The fi rst gay novel that broke my heart www.makinggayhistory.com was “The Front Runner,” Patricia Nell

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12 Design and illustration by Chris Larson