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New website under construction and forthcoming

e-mail us: sales@gaystheword.co.uk

call us: 0207 278 7654

'Gay's the Word, to my mind, is the fountainhead of queer literature in Britain. I am deeply grateful that these pioneers fought so hard for our right to tell -- and read -- our own stories.' - - Armistead Maupin

'Truly a fine example of how an independent bookshop should be.' - - Time Out London

Gay's The Word is the UK's pioneering first (and is today the last surviving) lesbian and gay bookshop. Established in 1979 and located in the historic Bloomsbury district of London, we stock an enormous range of books; from the profound to the frivolous, from the liberating to the indulgent. Our fiction ranges from prize-winning literary works through to crime, romance and erotic fiction. Our non-fiction covers a wide range of issues from cutting-edge queer theory through to how to tell your mother you are gay. Our range of queer philosophical, political, historical and other scholarly works is unequalled in the UK. When we recommend a title, it's because we've read it and particularly enjoyed it. We are proudly independent and very much see ourselves as the friendly and non-judgemental safe-space of the gay scene. We are a straight-friendly gay-family business! We have books on gay subject-matter across all genres and also host an exciting range of book readings and author signings.

Book Events

A Little Gay History
- Desire and Diversity across the World
Thursday, June 27th, 7pm

Gay’s the Word Bookshop presents:
A Little Gay History - Desire and Diversity across the World with Richard B. Parkinson.

In association with London Pride Arts Program 2013 and The British Museum Press. Event Entry Charge £2 - Just turn up and pay on the door! Complimentary refreshments provided at reading.

How old is the oldest chat-up line between men? Who was the first ‘lesbian’? Were ancient Greek men who had sex together necessarily ‘gay’? And what did Shakespeare think about cross-dressing?

A Little Gay History draws on objects ranging from ancient Egyptian papyri and the erotic scenes on the Roman Warren Cup to images by modern artists including David Hockney and Bhupen Khakhar to consider questions such as these. The book explores the issues behind forty artefacts from ancient times to the present, and from cultures across the world, to ask a question that concerns us all: how easily can we recognize love in history?

Concise and beautifully illustrated, A Little Gay History provides an intriguing and valuable insight into the range, diversity and complexity of same-sex experiences within their cultural and historical contexts.

A Little Gay History springs from the groundbreaking British Museum web trail ‘Same-sex desire and gender identity’ in collaboration with Untold London, launched as part of LGBT History Month 2010. This thematic look at objects in the collection will be expanded and updated, and a new online trail focusing on objects on display will be launched with the book, so that visitors can use it to explore the Museum.

R. B. Parkinson is internationally known as a specialist in Ancient Egyptian poetry. He is a curator of ancient Egyptian culture at the British Museum, and his books for the British Museum Press include Voices from Ancient Egypt, The Tomb-Chapel of Nebamun and (for children) The Pocket Guide to Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs.

Further enquiries and signed copy reservations for those who can't make the event: 0207 278 7654 / sales@gaystheword.co.uk

How to Get Queer!

Gay's The Word is located at 66, Marchmont Street in Bloomsbury, London - just a two minute walk from Russell Square Tube Station. Click on the Transport for London link below to plan your journey.

or bell a bookseller on 0207 278 7654

News & Information

In addition to the weekly Lesbian Discussion Group and monthly Trans Discussion Group, Gay's the Word also hosts a monthly LGBT bookgroup!

The Gay's the Word LGBT monthly book group has a new e-mail address for enquiries about joining: for enquiries contact Scott: lgbtbkgrp@hotmail.co.uk and for details of forthcoming books and meetings see the event page on Gay's the Word's Facebook profile or search 'London LGBT Bookgroup' on Facebook.

Please will you be our friend? Join the Gay's the Word Facebook group! Click this link to view:

GTW FACEBOOK

The Gay's The Word Documentary is available to view on-line both on YouTube (keyword search 'Gays the Word Documentary) Click on this link to view:

Gay's The Word Documentary

Gay's the Word is now thirty-two years old!!! Happy Birthday to us! GTW continues to be as dedicated to the well-being and spread of ideas in the queer community as it was in 1979 when our doors first opened. We are genuinely proud of our part in promoting access to what we believe is some of the most facinating and insightful literature ever produced by some of our most creative and daring minds.

Gay’s the Word has hosted some truly wonderful book events, including Justin Torres reading from We the Animals, Jonathan Kemp reading from Twentysix, Alan Hollinghurst reading from The Stranger's Child - Stella Duffy reading from Theodora - Armistead Maupin reading from Mary Ann in Autumn – Green Carnation prize-winner Christopher Fowler reading from Paperboy – Rupert Smith reading from Man’s World – Jonathan Kemp reading from London Triptych – Christopher Stevens reading from the new authorized Kenneth Williams biography Born Brilliant – Bob Cant, Susan Hemmings, Elizabeth Wilson, Lisa Power and Jeffrey Weeks reading from Radical Records – Jackie Kay reading from Tove Jansson’s The True Deceiver – Neel Mukherjee reading from A Life Apart – Diana Souhami talking about the history of lesbian love and many, many more...Thank you to everyone who came to read and all those who attended. We love our author events and are so glad you do to. In addition, the long-running and tremendously enjoyable Lesbian Discussion Group that meets every Wednesday at 8pm continues to provide a relaxed and welcoming woman-only space. See the [Notice Board - Lesbian Discussion Group] page for a list of weekly discussion topics.

If you are interested in accessing details of our stock that deals with Queer Youth, Lesbian and Gay Parenting or Children's books that promote diversity please either e-mail us at sales@gaystheword.co.uk, putting your topic of interest plus the word 'Review' in the subject header or, alternatively, give us a ring. We also now have Children's books listed up on this site on the [Children's Books] page.

[Home Page]
[New Titles] [Gay Fiction] [Lesbian Fiction] [Non Fiction] [Coming Out, Sex & Relationships] [Gay & Lesbian History]
[Transgender] [Gay Erotic Fiction] [Children's Books] [Notice Board - Lesbian Discussion Group]
[Staff Picks] [Where to find us] [Links]