#helena whitbread

[queereads-bracket]

Queer Nonfiction Books Bracket: Round 2

Choose a book:

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister, edited by Helena Whitbread

Voting ended onJun 13

Book summaries and submitted endorsements below:

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

A national bestseller when it first appeared in 1963, The Fire Next Time galvanized the nation and gave passionate voice to the emerging civil rights movement. At once a powerful evocation of James Baldwin’s early life in Harlem and a disturbing examination of the consequences of racial injustice, the book is an intensely personal and provocative document. It consists of two “letters,” written on the occasion of the centennial of the Emancipation Proclamation, that exhort Americans, both black and white, to attack the terrible legacy of racism. Described by The New York Times Book Review as “sermon, ultimatum, confession, deposition, testament, and chronicle…all presented in searing, brilliant prose,” The Fire Next Time stands as a classic of our literature.

Nonfiction, essays, 1960s

The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister, edited by Helena Whitbread

Endorsement from submitter: "inspiration for the show 'gentleman jack', the real diaries of a 19th century lesbian who lived her life radically!"

Anne Lister defied the role of womanhood seen in the novels of Jane Austen: she was bold, fiercely independent, a landowner, industrialist, traveler, and a lesbian. She kept extensive diaries of her life and loves, written partly in code. Made up of Greek letters mingled with other symbols of her own devising, Anne referred to the code as her "crypthand," and the use of it allowed her the freedom to describe her intimate life in great detail. Her diaries have been edited by Helena Whitbread, who spent years decoding and transcribing them.

Nonfiction, diary, memoir

[gjack1832]

[biandlesbianliterature]

Helena Whitbread: “I liberated Anne Lister from the archives.”

It’s 37 years since Helena Whitbread walked into the building that houses Calderdale’s archives armed with little more than the notion of finding someone interesting to write about.

[employee645-gay]

Every time (Sur)Anne Lister breaks the fourth wall a lesbian is born.

[bagga-coal]

Happy Birthday to such an inspirational woman! Her resilience and bravery will be remembered thanks to the magnificent storytelling of so many women involved with all aspects of her life: Helena Whitbread, Sally Wainwright, Anne Choma, Suranne Jones just to name a few. I believe with all that is happening in the world right now, she will bounce right back from any setback like this. Hey ho! Let’s go!

[acquiredalias]

Like so many of us, are you completely obsessed with Gentleman Jack and anxiously wondering how you are going to survive the hiatus between seasons 1 and 2!? Coming soon: hiatus therapy with Very Gay, Very Ladylike the Podcast! Follow us on Instagram (@VGVLpodcast), Twitter (@VGVLpodcast), and Facebook (Very Gay Very Ladylike the Podcast). Look for more information soon! 🎩🌈 

[annelistersthermometer]

I've certainly got some reading to do and honestly? I can't wait. 💖

[sophielouise1994]

😊😊😊😊