Recs if you like The Color Purple...

I've seen so many people say they don't read classics as they aren't diverse, and I wanted to give some suggestions that are.

This is a list of classics written by authors who are not Straight, Cis, White, and Men as the title suggests. I am also aiming to include a variety of cultures and regions in this list. If your looking for something more focused (e.g. diverse US classics) check out the lists I posted in the comments.

Suggestions are more than welcome!

in progress

Basically, a huge list of every book I ever heard features sapphic characters.

I have not read all of these, so I cannot be sure of the amount of the time on page of the sapphic characters or of the quality of the books.

Some of these I do not plan to read at all, since they are not my style. If you feel like a book doesn't belong here, let me know.

For my favs / read, check out my other lists & shelves.

Open to suggestions for more titles.

Don't shoot the messenger.

Historical fiction books with queer characters

All the lesbians books I can find. If you have any book you want me to add please comment ❤️

Based on the list/book published in 2006, general editor Peter Boxall.

Stories that traded chapters for showtunes! From literary classics to contemporary novels these books found a second life under the Broadway lights! Please let me know any that I've missed!! (Note on curation: I've been cross checking titles with Internet Broadway Database (IBDB) which is Broadway's official archive)

books featured in the cozy video game “tiny bookshop”

Classic books by U.S. BIPOC/fem/LGBTQIA Authors. Inspired by my post in US classic lit quest, I wanted a place to share all the wonderful recommendations by the PB community from the forum! 'Classic' refers to enduring, high-quality works that have stood the test of time, featuring universal themes, memorable characters, and artistic merit that remain relevant and insightful about the human condition across generations, often studied for their cultural significance and literary excellence.

this is your reminder to read books by Black authors all month, all year, every year— not just during Black History Month. it’s crucially important to be able to diversify your reading and your bookshelves. expand your mind, your perspectives, your knowledge, and your taste. if you don’t know where to start, here are some recommendations!

my personal wlw library so… a lot of classic lesbian lit, basically

If we are going to do Qwordy's the Hardest Reading Challenge You'll Ever Do 3.0 - we should probably get some Pagebound badges along the way! I'm specifically going to be adding books from Quests and readalongs that go past the July start date and match at least one of these title prompts: Periodic Table, Familial Terms, Rainbow of Words (also Joseph's coat), Numerical Titles, Titular Counting 5+, Pun in the Title, and First & Last Name in the Title. Recommendations welcome!

pink, sophisticated & sometimes fatale <3 (added some essential nonfic & poetry!)

a collection of books that were banned in the US simply for being lesbian/sapphic. i thought it would be fun to put them together in one place and share them so more people can find these gems and read them 🙂‍↕️💗 enjoy! note: i will be updating this list as i come across more titles!

❌ online discourse, ✔️ holistic knowledge fiction & non-fiction that will deepen your understanding of sapphism, its language/label evolution, and its intersections with bipoc, gender diversity and bisexuality. (please note “lesbian” terminology was originally an expansive umbrella openly inclusive of fluid sapphics when many books were published, and not all identify as specifically/exclusively wlw!)

Books for those who want to be well-read without the debt (created by someone with said debt)

Note: I will be deleting my PB account within the next two weeks, and I believe this list will be erased. Feel free to screenshot it if you see anything that interests you! ☺️ 3/17/2026

Happy Black History Month! Here's a rec list of our favorite queer books by Black authors. (This list is presented by Duck Prints Press, the indie publisher focused on publishing queer art and stories by queer creators!)

Stories that tell the tale of sapphic life and love throughout time

Books featuring LGBTQ+ characters and/or themes that are considered to be classics in one way or another

Texts that teachers at Texas Tech have been warned not to teach