Publishing Triangle's '100 Best Lesbian and Gay Nonfiction Books'

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The Publishing Triangle has created a list of the "100 Best Lesbian and Gay Nonfiction Books" and made the list available to booksellers, librarians, and the public on its Web site at www.publishingtriangle.org/. The association, which works to create support for lesbian and gay people in the publishing industry, compiled the list to broaden the audience for lesbian and gay literature and to promote discussion among all readers, no matter what their orientation. The list complements The 100 Best Lesbian and Gay Novels also available on the Publishing Triangle Web site.

The original nonfiction ballot included 722 titles, ranging from works of history, psychology, political science, memoir, art history, biography, philosophy, and more.

The list was selected by a panel of 13 judges including Betty Berzon, a psychotherapist and author; John D'Emilio, a professor of history and of gender and women's studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago; and Claude J. Summers, who has published more than 100 books and articles.

Publishing Triangle chair Charles Flowers said the idea to create a list of 100 titles arose when Random House's Modern Library came out with the best 100 novels of the 20th century.

"The goal is to get people talking about literature," said Flowers of the 100 titles series, even if people debate what should or shouldn't make the cut. "By critiquing the list, you can't help but discuss literature and that's exactly what you're supposed to do. It's good to talk and argue about authors and books -- it's lively and healthy."

In the future, Flowers told BTW, the Publishing Triangle hopes to publish smaller, category specific lists, including memoir, spirituality, and psychology lists. The organization would also like to include booksellers and librarians in the selection process, something that Publishing Triangle plans to address at next year's BookExpo America in New York City. Flowers also said that the association would host a party at BEA to "recognize all the librarians and booksellers who've helped support gay and lesbian literature."

For more information about the 100 Best Nonfiction List, or if a bookseller would like to contribute ideas for future lists, contact Charles Flowers at [email protected] or (646) 239-9790.