3 book ideas for a cosy afternoon

8 April 2020 11:52

Not in the mood for TV? The weather is too bad to go out? How about an afternoon of books? The authors of this world offer many works with which book fans can pass the time. Whether classic or modern, every bookworm will find what they are looking for.

But which books are actually particularly worthwhile? Which protagonists manage to capture the hearts of readers by storm? And in which stories do many gay people find themselves?

The following list is intended to shed some light on the subject. It also shows: The LGBTQ Community played an important role in literary art comparatively early on... even if it was not yet called such.

"De Profundis" by Oscar Wilde

Anyone reading "De Profundis" is reading a letter. Strictly speaking, it is a letter from the writer to his ex-boyfriend. Wilde wrote said letter from prison, where he was imprisoned for his homosexuality in the mid-1890s.

The book sheds a very personal light on the writer. It allows the reader to delve a little into his soul and witness a special kind of self-reflection. Unfortunately (but this is due to the times), Wilde regrets having given in to his passion at many points in the book.

Nevertheless (or perhaps precisely because of this), the work shows that Wilde was by no means as self-assured an artist as is sometimes assumed. Anyone who is also in the mood for some social and moral criticism will get their money's worth with "De Profundis".

"The End of Eddy" by Édouard Louis

This is a comparatively new work. Everything revolves around Édouard Louis, who tells of his childhood and youth in an autobiography. Homophobia and exclusion play an important role here.

But even at home, away from bullying and the like, terrible conditions prevail. The boy is neglected and not taken seriously (especially by his father). At school, insults were part of the author's daily routine.

In his book, he writes unembellished about "being different" and the reactions this phenomenon caused in others. One thing is certain: This book is not for the faint-hearted. Incredibly gripping, detailed and increasingly self-assured, the story of a man who shaped the genre emerges.

"The Thing with Peter" by Max Meier-Jobst

Looking for a coming-out novel? Then "The Thing with Peter" should not be missing from your bookshelf. This is about a boy who, at the age of six, already notices that he is gay is.

At the age of 13, he has his first sexual experience with Peter, a 30-year-old man. The contrast between the "ideal world" and the desire to live out his otherness is particularly interesting here.

Especially during the time of puberty, the book experiences many exciting turning points that inevitably captivate the reader. The big challenge: keeping a relationship secret that is not wanted by the environment, but makes the protagonist very happy... and confused.

A great book for anyone who may be struggling with themselves, unsure, but knows that following yourself is the best thing to do.