October was LGBTQ+ history month, and it's not too late to celebrate by brushing up on your LGBTQ+ history with Stella Caldwell’s Pride: An Inspirational History of the LGBTQ+ Movement? Beginning thousands of years ago with LGBTQ+ figures from Ancient Greece, China, and Japan, Caldwell provides a comprehensive and accessible history of LGBTQ+ people, culture, and struggle for rights from ancient times all the way up to the present.
Interspersed between info about the broader context of LGBTQ+ history are profiles of a diverse array of prominent LGBTQ+ activists and people throughout history, such as Anne Lister, Audre Lorde, and Marsha P. Johnson. Blurbs throughout the book also highlight modern LGBTQ+ figures like Laverne Cox and Queer Eye’s “Fab Five”, and vibrantly colored illustrations paired with photographs help break up the denser parts of the text. A timeline at the back of the book provides a bird’s-eye view of the flow of LGBTQ+ history, and the entire text rings with a message of pride in ourselves and our communities.
Perfect for older elementary readers all the way up to adults, Pride: An Inspirational History of the LGBTQ+ Movement is the perfect choice for those looking for an introduction to LGBTQ+ history, those looking to fill in the gaps in their knowledge or those who need an inspirational boost in these tough times.
--reviewed by Athnie