Filed under: challenges | Tags: gay fiction, lambda literary award, lesbian fiction, reading challenge
A few weeks ago I posted the article “Separate and Unequal” from Publisher’s Weekly relating to the lack of gay and lesbian literature available from mainstream presses in the USA. I confess to my own scanty experience with literature featuring homosexual protagonists that I haven’t fallen upon by accident. Resulting from this, I am launching my own reading challenge: The Lambda Challenge. (I know, such an original title.)
The Lambda Literary Foundation gives awards yearly to “celebrate LGBT literature and provide resources for writers, readers, booksellers, publishers, and librarians – the whole literary community.” These awards encompass men’s and women’s fiction, poetry, fantasy, young adult literature, anthologies, nonfiction, drama, etc.
For the challenge, select as many category awards or books that interest you and read the books. There’s a nice list of the past winners available from Wikipedia too. Once you decide to participate, comment below with a link to your blog. If you need any ideas, here’s a link to my personal challenge: Lambda’s Best Fiction. This is an ongoing challenge so please feel free to join at anytime.
Current, Future and Past Participants:
Bookchronicle at Adventures in Reading
Callista at SMS Book Reviews
David at sfdavide’s blog
Nymeth at things mean a lot
Vasilly
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I will really enjoy this challenge. I am looking forward to it
Comment by David August 18, 2008 @ 11:42 amI haven’t read much from that list, but I really enjoyed David Levithan’s Boy Meets Boy – a really sweet high school love story. Dan Savage’s Skipping Towards Gomorrah is also fun, if you like his columns/podcasts.
Comment by fyreflybooks August 18, 2008 @ 12:40 pmI love this idea. I’m a bit overwhelmed with challenges at the moment, but since there’s no time limit I think I’ll do this one next year. The list of winners looks really good. I love how so many genres are included.
Comment by Nymeth August 18, 2008 @ 3:51 pmI’ve read Swimming in the Monsoon Sea, did it as a review book and didn’t know it had won this award. It was a good book, you can see my review by searching my blog. I’ll be doing this challenge for sure, just need to work out my list.
Comment by Callista August 24, 2008 @ 7:03 pmI’m in! Now I just have to put together a list.
Comment by Vasilly August 25, 2008 @ 11:29 pm[...] lambda challenge, north carolina, novellas, practical heart, reviews, southern literature For the Lambda Challenge: Allan Gurganus’ The Practical Heart is a collection of four novellas that won a Lambda Award for [...]
Pingback by Lambda Challenge: The Practical Heart by Allan Gurganus « Adventures in Reading October 2, 2008 @ 12:53 pm[...] For the original Lambda Challenge page, please visit here. [...]
Pingback by Lambda Challenge: Best Fiction « Adventures in Reading November 24, 2008 @ 5:12 pmI forgot to give you a link to my list: http://1330v.blogspot.com/2008/12/lambda-challenge.html
Comment by Vasilly December 27, 2008 @ 11:24 pmJust wanted to ask – do all the books selected have to be Lambda winners/nominated – or any books with GLBT themes/protagonists are okay? The Lambda award seems to specify the books HAVE to be published and distributed in the US – which might exclude some interesting titles.
Comment by dark orpheus December 28, 2008 @ 1:53 pmI moved my challenge post here: http://smsbookchallenges.wordpress.com/current-challenges/lambda-challenge/ although the reviews will still (eventually) be posted on the blog you have me listed under so no changes needed.
Comment by callista83 January 4, 2009 @ 3:23 pm