Gay Bar: Why We Went OutGay Bar: Why We Went Out
What it's about
As gay bars close at an alarming rate, a writer looks back to find out what's being lost, in an intimate, stylish celebration of queer history.
Why it's worth reading
It won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Memoir.
You'll love it if you liked
Just Kids
Giovanni's Room
H Is for HawkGood to know
It's part memoir, part history.
By the numbers
- Readers2 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics49 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller6 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz19 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #277 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #442 of the 485 new books we rank
- #2798 of the 3,056 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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National Book Critics Circle Award winnersTop 25 · 69 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
New booksTop 25 · 485 rankedBooks of the 2020sTop 25 · 562 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 504 ranked
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 623 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 325 ranked
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelsTop 25 · 63 rankedQuick answers
Is Gay Bar: Why We Went Out worth reading?
Yes. It won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Memoir. It ranks #2,798 of the 3,056 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 56.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Gay Bar: Why We Went Out about?
As gay bars close at an alarming rate, a writer looks back to find out what's being lost, in an intimate, stylish celebration of queer history.
How long does it take to read Gay Bar: Why We Went Out?
About 7 hours (262 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Gay Bar: Why We Went Out won?
NBCC Award (Memoir) winner (2021).
What should I read after Gay Bar: Why We Went Out?
If you liked it, try Just Kids by Patti Smith, Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin or H Is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald.