The remarkable tale of how queer bookshops built communities, nourished minds, redefined literature – and changed the world

Independent bookshops are the unsung heroes of queer liberation, providing friendship, solidarity and sanctuary through the ages.

'A terrific read!' Jane Cholmeley, author of A Bookshop of One's Own

Travelling from Shakespeare and Company in Paris to Gay’s the Word in London to the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop in New York, A.J. West has written the first history of these remarkable spaces. Tracing their evolution from under-the-counter operations to beloved out-and-proud institutions, West reveals how they stood at the vanguard of LGBTQ+ rights, offering support through the AIDS crisis and bringing the fight to Section 28.

How Queer Bookshops Changed the World celebrates cherished shops past and present, the ground-breaking books they championed when others wouldn’t, and the booksellers who demonstrated courage and community through it all.

'I have savoured every chapter, practically every sentence.' James Cahill, author of Tiepolo Blue

'Perfectly captured and inspirational.' Robin Ince, co-host of BBC Radio 4's The Infinite Monkey Cage

'A crucial history of love, struggle, solidarity and liberation.' Jake Arnott, author of The Long Firm