Is there anyone in your life to whom you wish to convey the “it gets better” feeling? Look no further than David Sedaris’s sometimes strange, sometimes hypnotizing journal entries that span decades of his life. From humble beginnings picking crops to musings on his spider collection to success in the book publishing industry, Sedaris paints a very real and entertaining climb to the top. For anyone who has felt nervous to let their freak flag fly, let David Sedaris show you the way.

When their youngest son, Claude, expresses his love for dresses and ultimate desire to be a girl, Rosie and Penn aren’t sure how to handle the situation. As Claude grows and becomes Poppy, they encourage her to stay true to herself, while grappling with this ever-growing secret and a multitude of hard decisions. Inspired by Laurie Frankel’s own transgender child, this is a beautiful and often heartbreaking story of raising a child who doesn’t fit into gender norms.

It is always very considerate of an author to make you laugh your head off while they are simultaneously breaking your heart. In SPOILER ALERT, TVLine Editor-in-Chief Michael Ausiello gives us a glimpse into his 14-year relationship with his husband. You’ll quickly turn the pages as you bear witness to the love, laughter, tears, and joy of what is ultimately a modern-day tragic love story.

Hilary Zaid has written a novel about hidden stories, intergenerational silence, and the redemptive love between women. Set in 1990s San Francisco, the story follows Ellen Margolis and her girlfriend as they set out on a path toward marriage equality. Ellen searches for buried history while collecting stories from the last survivors of the Holocaust.

This paper doll collection will have you saying “Sashay you stay” to the stars of RuPaul’s hit VH1 reality show. Cut out and decorate your favorite winners from RuPaul’s Drag Race in this book fit for a kween. These are fun reminders of the sickening fashion moments and fishy designs. Decorate your home or office with the Kitty Girls or give them to your favorite youngster to imagine their own drag world and slay the house down!

The nonfiction account of two women, and lovers, who influenced one of the most turbulent times in American history. Upon becoming First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt—deeply unhappy in her own marriage—met Lorena Hickok, a reporter for the Associated Press. Over the next 13 years, the women would share an unmatched relationship as lovers, confidantes, professional advisors, and friends, with Lorena even taking up a room in the White House—right next to the First Lady’s. You may also want to check out WHITE HOUSES, Amy Bloom’s fantastic new novel about Eleanor and Lorena’s relationship.

Janet Mock has become one of the most recognizable faces in the trans community. In her newest memoir, Mock writes of her transition from male to female in a candid and inspiring way. She takes us on the journey of self-discovery and how a young first-generation college student uses her sometimes rough and gritty life lessons to become a force in the LGBTQ community.

Born the son of a Baptist pastor in small-town Arkansas, Garrard Conley was deeply conflicted by his sexuality. At 19, he was given the option to either lose his family forever or attend a church-supported therapy program. Following the 12-step program, he was meant to emerge heterosexual and cleansed of impure urges. Instead, through this brutal journey, Conley managed to find the strength and understanding to eventually break away and embrace his true self.

Julia Kaye is an artist and illustrator who used to her popular webcomic, Up and Out, to chronicle her transition from male to female. Kaye’s unique sense of humor coupled with her sometimes challenging and bewildering new experiences will give readers a better understanding of how our transgender brothers and sisters cope with their new bodies, new names, and resilient spirits.

In this insightful memoir, Betty DeGeneres (Ellen DeGeneres’s mother) shares the ultimate story of friendship and understanding between mother and daughter, starting with a walk on a Mississippi beach where her daughter first came out to her. Over the next 20 years, Betty faced a complicated path to acceptance, eventually becoming the first nongay spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign’s National Coming Out Project.

This gripping memoir is a stark reminder of the discrimination still faced by the LGBTQ community around the world. Cuban writer Reinaldo Arenas describes his life from his poverty-stricken childhood in rural Cuba to his suppression as a writer and imprisonment as a homosexual before finally fleeing to New York. This is an in-depth account of life in a country where homosexuality is a crime, written from the author’s deathbed.