The Encyclopedia of Contemporary LGBTQ Literature of the United States is a two‐volume reference source covering an impressive selection of authors. Entries consist of biographical profiles of individual authors as well as several additional entries covering the history of LGBTQ literature, various genres and forms within this tradition, and articles on queer pedagogy. The primary organization is alphabetical by author or entry name. This arrangement works well since the vast majority of the entries are about individual authors and I suspect that most users will be looking for author profiles when they use this source.
In practice, the focus on contemporary sources means that only authors published since about 1980 are included. The editor has made two exceptions to this rule: James Baldwin and Tennessee Williams receive entries for their foundational influence on the queer literatures of today. Over 120 scholars contributed to these volumes; altogether there are around 300 entries. The encyclopedia contains several useful access points. These include an alphabetical list of entries, which makes it possible to see at a glance whether a certain author is included, and a guide to related topics, which lists entries under broad topics such as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender literatures as well as general topics. Individual entries are signed by the author and include further reading references, generally consisting of two to five titles. A thorough index and selected bibliography are also included at the end of the second volume along with brief profiles of all the contributors.
Although other sources exist forbiographical information on some of the more well‐known authors, this encyclopedia is unique in its focus on connecting these authors to the queer literature tradition and in providing insight into how their personal lives affect and influence their work. This reference also includes entries on a large number of less well‐known authors, giving the overall source a unified perspective and defining LGBTQ literature as a whole in a new and useful light. The entries are thoughtful and well researched. They are written from a variety of perspectives, but nevertheless form a coherent whole when taken as part of the overall resource.
This encyclopedia is an invaluable resource for researchers and scholars in contemporary literature in all its forms. Additionally, this resource provides insights into popular culture and social issues of the last thirty years through its examination of a thoughtful sampling of LGBTQ authors and literatures from that time period. I highly recommend this source for all libraries.
