Six books every queer Asian American should read
Writer Ryan Quan's personal book recommendations to immerse yourself in queer, Asian stories this Pride Month and beyond
What better way to slow things down and put your existence into perspective than by picking up a book?
Graphic by Ryan Quan
Words and art by Ryan Quan
For some, Pride Month is flamboyant parades, community block parties, and late nights at the club. For others, it’s intimate gatherings with friends and quiet but intentional community building. And some people, unfortunately, aren’t able to celebrate at all.
For many of us, especially those who have unhindered access to the parades, parties, and clubs, it’s easy to take Pride for granted. But as the popularity of the manosphere grows, especially amongst our younger generations, and homophobia and transphobia continue to permeate the current culture, it’s important for us to remember our roots and why we ever needed to celebrate in the first place. And what better way to slow things down and put our existence into perspective than by picking up a book?
Below are my personal book recommendations for anyone looking to immerse themselves in queer Asian stories this Pride Month and beyond. These six modern works run the gamut from young adult novels and autofictional stories to creative nonfiction essays and self-help guides. Some are fiction tales grounded by historical relevance or personal truths. Others are raw, vulnerable accounts of trauma and grief. One’s even a graphic novel. There’s something for everyone. Happy reading, and happy Pride.
Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo (2021)
Last Night at the Telegraph Club is a young adult historical novel following Lily Hu, a Chinese American teenager exploring her sexuality amidst the Red Scare and anti-Communist paranoia in 1950s San Francisco. She meets and falls for her classmate, Kath, who brings her to the titular Telegraph Club, a lesbian bar that acts as a safe haven for the two girls to explore their identities freely.
Written by bestselling author Malinda Lo, the novel is a fictional time capsule of the overlapping experiences of prejudice that Chinese lesbians faced during this time. Not only must Lily and Kath hide behind closed doors since homosexuality is criminalized, but Lily’s family also faces potential deportation during the height of McCarthyism. As lesbian bars across the country continue to shut down, Last Night at the Telegraph Club acts as a reminder of the historical significance of queer spaces.
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong (2019)
No queer reading list (Asian American-focused or otherwise) is complete without Ocean Vuong’s On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous. The poet’s debut novel from 2019 made waves for its lyrical prose and its raw depiction of intergenerational trauma, addiction, masculinity, and abuse.
Told from the perspective of a young Vietnamese American boy named Little Dog, the book is written as a letter to his illiterate mother. It adopts a nonlinear narrative structure, jumping from memories of watching his mother work at a nail salon to his family’s history with the Vietnam War to his romantic entanglement in Hartford, Connecticut, with another boy named Trevor.
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous may just be one of the most beautiful pieces of work you’ll ever read. Though, fair warning: it’s not for the faint of heart. Dealing with some heavy themes, the book can be difficult to get through for those who might not be in the right mindset. But with a film adaptation by A24 in the works, it may be time to finally brace yourself for this heartbreaking story.
Be Not Afraid of Love by Mimi Zhu (2022)
You might be familiar with queer Chinese Australian author and artist Mimi Zhu’s boldly colorful personal introspections and political appeals making the rounds on Instagram. But their work isn’t just online. Their debut non-fiction book from 2022, Be Not Afraid of Love, offers the same thoughtful writing and radical insight of their social media posts in extended form. As a collection of interconnected essays, this book documents Zhu’s journey toward relearning love after a violent romantic relationship and the trauma it caused.
As Zhu guides us through the stages of their healing—from numbness, anger, and distrust to finding belonging and joy again—they invite us to reflect on our own experiences and remind us that rehabilitation can be (and often is) a cyclical process. Equal parts memoir and self-help book, this recommended read is for anyone having trouble making room in their life for love again, but especially for the queers who’ve been conditioned to believe that they aren’t deserving of it.
Gaysians by Mike Curato (2025)
If it has been a while since you were last able to finish a book, or if you need a break from some of the more laborious choices on this list, pick up Mike Curato’s beautifully illustrated adult graphic novel, Gaysians. It follows four queer Asian friends in Seattle learning about resilience, love, belonging, and more. As a graphic novel, the story flies by quickly. And with how compelling the writing is, you can easily get through this inspiring story within a weekend.
The four main characters of Gaysians each have their own histories and problems. AJ, a mixed Filipino who’s new to the city, is a baby gay navigating both LGBTQ+ culture and adult life for the first time. The glamorous Japanese drag queen K is on a tumultuous journey of self-discovery. John, the shy Korean adoptee, must reckon with unrequited feelings and the harshness of gay beauty standards. Even the Vietnamese Steven, a carefree flirt, has his own internal demons he needs to confront. The love and support they offer each other in their lowest moments is a testament to the necessity of having a chosen family.
How to Write an Autobiographical Novel by Alexander Chee (2018)
Contrary to what its title suggests, How to Write an Autobiographical Novel isn’t a step-by-step guide in the traditional sense. Rather, Alexander Chee opens a window to his world through a collection of personal essays that acts as an autobiography in its own right. There are moments in which the Korean American author offers his musings on the writing process, but they are mostly presented through anecdotes of his own career—attending the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, making ends meet cater-waitering for famous power couple Patricia and William F. Buckley, publishing his two novels—rather than specific commands or instructions.
I read How to Write an Autobiographical Novel for the first time in 2019, while I was still in college. Despite reading hundreds of books before then, it was the first time I had seen my own experiences as a queer, Asian man on the pages in front of me. Chee feeling like an imposter, his self-comparisons to the blond boy he was always losing out to, the coping of his experiences with sexual abuse, these stories—whether you relate to the specifics or not—will bring you to the realization that you are not alone in your feelings.
I’m Afraid of Men by Vivek Shraya (2018)
With transgender rights being stripped before our eyes and misogyny on the rise in recent years, I’m Afraid of Men by Indian Canadian musician, visual artist, and author Vivek Shraya is more important today than ever. This succinct read explores how masculinity was imposed on Shraya as a child and the ramifications of this lingering in her experiences as a transgender adult.
Oscillating between moments pre- and post-coming out, the book dissects the ways that the men in her life have continuously validated her fear of them. From the crude Uber drivers who make degrading comments about women to the ex-boyfriend she thought she could trust, these men have hurt Shraya time and time again. And this book is both an acknowledgement and release of that pain.
I’m Afraid of Men is a necessary read for us all. The trans people who relate to Shraya’s experiences. The men—both straight and queer—who should be more wary of how they occupy space and navigate the world. The complacent ones who avert their eyes when faced with the oppression of others. And the people of color who must reckon with the fact that their non-Whiteness is seen, too, as a form of queerness.
Published on June 3, 2026
Words and art by Ryan Quan
Ryan Quan is JoySauce's social media manager, associate editor, and all-around visual eye. This queer, half-Chinese, half-Filipino writer and graphic designer loves everything related to music, creative nonfiction, and art. Based in Brooklyn, he spends most of his time dancing to hyperpop and accidentally falling asleep on the subway. Follow him on Instagram at @ryanquans, and check out his work on his website.