Coffee table books are always great conversation starters and are usually fun to look through.
If you're trying to add some queer literature into the mix (which you should!) here are 13 visually stunning LGBT coffee table books that are sure to get a conversation started.
It's always important to know the events that led to how things are in the current day. Queerstory showcases the remarkable stories and events of the global LGBTQ+ movement with an inspirational and empowering infographic guide that tells a visual story through its graphically represented statistics and key events. You can buy it on Amazon.
Andy Warhol is a staple in Pop Art, and he created and exhibited seductive drawings that celebrated the male body. This book features more than 300 drawings portraying young men rendered primarily in ink on paper. You can buy it on Amazon.
A pivotal moment in LGBTQ+ history (which is also highlighted in Queerstory) is the 1969 Stonewall Riots, starting after the gay bar Stonewall Inn was raided by police to break up homosexual activity. Instead of going silently as normal, the patrons rioted for five days and forever changed the face of gay and lesbian life. Historian and activist Martin Duberman weaves riveting narrative skill to retell the events that are still talked about 50 years later.
What coffee table would be complete without the iconic art of Tom of Finland? This 666 page volume contains over 1,000 images covering six decades of the artist’s career, and features paintings, drawings, and sketches in sequential order that have never previously been reproduced. From erotic portraits, to tributes of young men who died of AIDS, this important collection is the perfect way to start a conversation about gay history. The book also features essays by Camille Paglia, John Waters, Edward Lucie-Smith, and more. You can buy the book from TASCHEN.
The Invisibles features photos collected from flea markets and garage sales of same-sex couples from 1900 to 1960. While many of the couples likely remained closeted in day-to-day life, it’s awesome to see such happy moments captured on film. It’s also the perfect anniversary or wedding gift. Buy it from Rizzoli Bookstore.
This newly released collection of Mapplethorpe’s photography was issued for the Robert Mapplethorpe: The Perfect Medium exhibition at the Getty Museum and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Buy it from The Getty Store.
Scott Pasfield traveled 54,000 miles to all 50 states to document the lives of 140 gay men across America. The single shared trait all his subjects have is their sexual orientation. Buy the book from Amazon.
Renowned photographer Kike Arnal uses personal profiles and portraits of transgender individuals in Mexico City to push back against transphobic caricatures that perpetuate discrimination and hate crimes. You can buy the book from The New Press.
Photojournalist Kit Kittle’s book started as a Kickstarter project, and this stunning collection of photos from 1980s New York’s West Village drag queens definitely deserved the funding. You can buy the book on Amazon.
This portrait book by Kanithea Powell explores what it means to be butch through vivid fashion forward pictures of subjects who push the boundaries of gender expression. Buy the book from Qwest Films.
This awesome book celebrates fantastic and bizarre lesbian pulp fiction art from 1949 to 1969. The book provides a good laugh, and a look at lesbian literary history. Buy it from Amazon.
Gaskin’s beautiful black-and-white photographs will take you back to the house balls and underground events of the New York, Philadelphia, Richmond, and D.C. ball scenes. You can buy the book from Amazon.
Mariette Pathy Allen has been documenting transgender culture for over 30 years. TransCuba focuses on the growing visibility and acceptance of transgender Cubans as their government transitions into a more relaxed model of communism. Buy the book from Daylight.
