Queer Bookstore Amsterdam | The Best LGBTQ Books
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Queer Bookstore Amsterdam | The Best LGBTQ Books
Anyone who loves reading is in the right place in Amsterdam. With dozens of bookstores in the capital, it is a city where book lovers can truly indulge themselves. From small independent bookshops to large stores filled with international titles. But anyone looking for queer stories will quickly notice that the selection is often scattered. That is exactly why it is so nice that Amsterdam also has places where queer books really take center stage. In our Queer Market store we have created an LGBTQ bookstore.
Our book team tries to make a monthly selection of books you will not find everywhere. Stories that show queer lives as they really are. Sometimes joyful, sometimes raw, sometimes romantic and sometimes simply incredibly funny. We also appreciate it if you send us tips for good books via info@queermarket.com.
Amsterdam queer writers
Amsterdam has produced a surprising number of queer writers. As an editor I can spend hours daydreaming over books by Marieke Lucas Rijneveld, and at the same time there is also a new generation of queer writers emerging.
Think of names such as Splinter Chabot or Haroon Ali, but also a new generation of authors who are gaining more and more space in bookstores and the media. Their stories are about growing up, identity, love, friendship and finding your place in the world.
What makes it special is that many of these writers are also truly connected to the city. Amsterdam has been a place where queer culture is visible for decades and where stories emerge that later find their way into books.
Besides this, our land also has several queer book clubs such as the Lesbische Leesclub. They focus on women who love women and organize book events both online and offline. You can keep an eye on their activities through their Instagram page.
There is also a gay book club called GayLeesClub. Read a great book? Discuss it together. GayLeesClub has five active reading groups in Utrecht, Amsterdam, Arnhem and The Hague Rotterdam. They regularly share good reading tips and organize book giveaways.
International queer titles
Besides Dutch books you will of course also find international queer classics and new hits. Think of titles such as Heated Rivalry, a popular queer romance that has built a huge fanbase worldwide. Books like this show how broad queer literature has become. From literary novels to spicy romances and from memoirs to graphic novels.
In our selection we always try to create a mix. Well known titles that everyone wants to read, but also books you may not know yet but absolutely need to discover.
International queer titles
Besides Dutch books you will of course also find international queer classics and new hits. Think of titles such as Heated Rivalry, a popular queer romance that has built a huge fanbase worldwide. Books like this show how broad queer literature has become. From literary novels to spicy romances and from memoirs to graphic novels.
In our selection we always try to create a mix. Well known titles that everyone wants to read, but also books you may not know yet but absolutely need to discover.
Book presentations and launches in the store
Besides being a place to buy books, we also want to be a place where new queer stories are created and celebrated. That is why we regularly organize book presentations, signings and small launches in the store. The idea is simple. A place where writers can show their work and where readers can meet the makers behind the stories.
Recently writer Valentijn Hoogenkamp visited the store. Standing between the books and visitors, he said something that perfectly captures what this place is about:
“Queer Market: for the makers and the lovers. Queer Market is a clubhouse for rainbow people.”
That is exactly the idea. Not only a store, but also a place where queer culture and creativity come together.
Are you a writer yourself or have you just published a book and would you like to organize a presentation or launch in the store? Feel free to contact us. We would love to think along about a great evening with readers, friends and new fans.
Do you have a book tip? Yes please!
We get many questions about books at the counter. Do you have a tip for our book list? Let us know. Our editorial team searches for hidden gems every week.