Lamba Literary Awards
The Lambda Literary Awards, also known as the "Lammys," are awarded annually to recognize excellence in gay and lesbian writing and publishing in the U.S. during the preceding year. The awards are sponsored by the non-profit Lambda Literary Foundation, a national organization dedicated to the recognition and promotion of gay and lesbian literature. The LLF also published the Lambda Book Report, a bimonthly review of lesbian and gay literature.You can find about more book award winners in our Book Awards section.
2002
Lesbian Fiction:
Days of Awe by Achy Obejas (Ballantine)
Gay Men's Fiction:
The Practical Heart by Allan Gurganus (Knopf)
Lesbian Poetry:
Fox by Adrienne Rich (Norton)
Gay Men's Poetry:
The Source by Mark Doty (HarperCollins)
Lesbian Mystery:
Merchant of Venus by Ellen Hart (St. Martin�s Press)
Gay Men's Mystery:
Rag and Bone by Michael Nava (Putnam)
LGBT Biography:
The Scarlet Professor by Barry Werth (Doubleday)
Memoir / Autobiography:
Noonday Demon by Andrew Solomon (Scribner)
Anthologies/Fiction:
Diva Book of Short Stories edited by Helen Sandler (Millivres Books)
Anthologies/Nonfiction:
The Greatest Taboo edited by Delroy Constantine-Simms (Alyson Books)
Humor:
Fraud by David Rakoff (Doubleday)
SF/Fantasy/Horror:
Point of Dreams by Lisa A. Barnett & Melissa Scott (Tor Books)
Spirituality: -- Tie --
Queer Commentary and the Hebrew Bible edited by Ken Stone (The Pilgrim Press)
and
Escaping God�s Closet by Bernard Duncan Mayes (University Press of Virginia)
Photography/Visual Arts:
Dear Friends by David Deitcher (Harry N. Abrams)
Children/Young Adult:
Finding H.F. by Julia Watts (Alyson Books)
LGBT Small Press:
Conversaciones! by Mariana Romo-Carmona (Cleis Press)
Erotica:
See Dick Deconstruct by Ian Philips (AttaGirl Press)
Bisexuality / Transgender:
Omnigender by Virginia Ramey Mollenkott (The Pilgrim Press)
Romance:
Pages for You by Sylvia Brownrigg (Farrar, Straus & Giroux)
LGBT Studies:
Courting Justice: Gay Men and Lesbians v. the Supreme Court by Joyce Murdoch & Deb Price (Basic Books)
Editor's Choice:
Edinburgh by Alexander Chee (Welcome Rain)
2001
Lesbian Fiction:
Valencia by Michelle Tea (Seal Press)
Gay Men's Fiction:
The World of Normal Boys by K.M. Soehnlein (Kensington)
Lesbian Studies:
Lesbian Art in America by Harmony Hammond (Rizzoli)
Gay Men's Studies:
The Isherwood Century by James J. Berg and Chris Freeman (University of Wisconsin)
Lesbian Poetry:
Mercy, Mercy Me by Elena Georgiou (Painted Leaf)
Gay Men's Poetry:
Pastoral by Carl Phillips (Graywolf)
Lesbian Mystery:
Mommy Deadest by Jean Marcy (New Victoria)
Gay Men's Mystery:
The Limits of Justice by John Morgan Wilson (Doubleday)
Lesbian Biography/Autobiography:
Lifesaving by Judith Barrington (Eight Mountain)
Gay Men's Biography/Autobiography:
Bosie by Douglas Murray (Talk Miramax)
Anthologies/Fiction:
Men on Men 2000 edited by David Bergman and Karl Woelz (Plume/Penguin USA)
Anthologies/Nonfiction:
Out of the Ordinary edited by Noelle Howey and Ellen Samuels (Stonewall Inn/St. Martin's)
Humor:
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris (Little Brown)
Photography/Visual Arts:
Faeries by Keri Pickett (Apeture)
Spirituality: -- Tie --
Gay Spirituality by Toby Johnson (Alyson)
and
It's Never About What It's About by Krandall Krauss and Paul Borja (Alyson)
SF/Fantasy/Horror:
Kirith Kirin by Jim Grimsley (Meisha Merlin)
Drama:
Hedwig and the Angry Inch by John Cameron (Overlook)
Children/Young Adult:
Out of the Ordinary edited by Noelle Howey and Ellen Samuels (Stonewall Inn/St. Martin's)
Transgender:
The Danish Girl by David Ebershoff (Viking/Penguin USA)
Small Press: -- Tie --
Kamikaze Lust by Lauren Sanders (Akashic)
Between Dances by Between Dances by Erasmo Guerra (Painted Leaf)
Editor's Choice:
Coming Out of Cancer edited by Victoria A. Brownworth (Seal Press)
2000
Lesbian Fiction:
Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters
Gay Men's Fiction:
Allan Stein by Matthew Stadler
Lesbian Studies:
To Believe in Women: What Lesbians Have Done for America by Lillian Faderman
Gay Men's Studies:
Pictures and Passions: A History of Homosexuality in the Visual Arts by James Saslow
Lesbian Poetry:
Rave by Olga Broumas
Gay Men's Poetry: -- Tie --
The Anchorage by Mark Wunderlich
and
Trappings by Richard Howard
Lesbian Mystery:
Hunting the Witch by Ellen Hart
Gay Men's Mystery:
Justice at Risk by John Morgan Wilson
Lesbian Biography/Autobiography:
The Trials of Radclyffe Hall by Diana Souhami
Gay Men's Biography/Autobiography:
The Velveteen Father by Jesse Green
Anthologies/Nonfiction:
This Is What Lesbian Looks Like, edited by Kris Kleindienst
Anthologies/Fiction:
Vintage Book of International Lesbian Fiction, edited by Naomi Holoch, Joan Nestle, and Nancy Holden
Photography/Visual Arts:
Pictures and Passions: A History of Homosexuality in the Visual Arts by James Saslow
Humor:
That's Mr. Faggot To You by Michael Thomas Ford
Spirituality: -- Tie --
Respecting the Soul by Keith Boykin
and
Gay Spirit Warrior by John Stowe
SF/Fantasy:
Minions of the Moon by Richard Bowe
Drama:
What I Meant Was by Craig Lucas
Children/Young Adult:
Dare Truth or Promise by Paula Boock
Transgender:
Trumpet by Jackie Kay
Small Press:
Massage by Henry Flesh
1999
Lesbian Fiction:
Cavedweller by Dorothy Allison
Gay Men's Fiction:
An Arrow's Flight by Mark Merlis
Lesbian Studies:
A FragileUnion by Joan Nestle
Gay Men's Studies:
The Other Side of Silence by John Loughery
Lesbian Poetry:
Marianne Faithfull's Cigarette by Gerry Gomez Pearlberg
Gay Men's Poetry:
Ten Commandments by J. D. McClatchy
Lesbian Mystery:
The Blue Place by Nicola Griffith
Gay Men's Mystery:
Outburst by R. D. Zimmerman
Lesbian Biography/Autobiography:
The Indelible Alison Bechdel: Confessions, Comix, and Miscellaneous Dykes to Watch Out for by Alison Bechdel
Gay Men's Biography/Autobiography:
Wisecracker by William J. Mann
Anthologies/Fiction:
Columbia Anthology of Gay Literature edited by Byrne R. S. Fone
Anthologies/Nonfiction:
Q & A: Queer in Asian America, edited by David L. Eng
Photography/Visual Arts: -- Tie --
The Male Nude by David Leddick
and
Women in Love by Barbara Seyda with Diana Herrera
Humor:
Alec Baldwin Doesn't Love Me and Other Trials of My Queer Life by Michael Thomas Ford
Spirituality:
Ferocious Romance by Donna Minkowitz
SF/Fantasy:
Bending the Landscape II, edited by Nicola Griffith
Drama:
O Solo Homo, edited by Holly Hughes
Children/Young Adult:
Telling Tales Out of School by Kevin Jennings
Transgender:
The Empress Is a Man by Michael R. Gorman
Small Press:
bull-jean stories by Sharon Bridgforth
Editor's Choice Award
The Boy by Naeem Murr
1998
Lesbian Fiction:
Beyond the Pale by Elana Dykewomon
Gay Men's Fiction:
The Far Euphrates by Aryeh Lev Stollman
Lesbian Studies:
Does Your Mama Know?, edited by Lisa C. Moore
Gay Men's Studies:
Gay Metropolis, edited by Charles Kaiser
Lesbian Poetry: -- Tie --
Cold River by Joan Larkin
and
School of Fish by Eileen Myles
Gay Men's Poetry:
Beautiful Signor by Cyrus Cassells
Lesbian Mystery:
Father Forgive Me by Randye Lordon
Gay Men's Mystery:
The Magician's Tale by David Hunt
Lesbian Biography/Autobiography:
Blue Windows: a Christian Science Childhood by Barbara Wilson
Gay Men's Biography/Autobiography:
The Poetry of Healing by Rafael Campo
Anthologies/Fiction:
His(2), edited by Robert Drake
Anthologies/Nonfiction:
Queers in Space: Communities, Public Places, Sites of Resistance, edited by Gordon Brent Ingram
Photography/Visual Arts: -- Tie --
Naked Men: Pioneering Male Nudes 1935-1955 by David Leddick
and
Particular Voices: Portraits of Gay and Lesbian Writers by Robert Giard
Humor:
Openly Bob by Bob Smith
Spirituality:
Like Bread on the Seder Plate by Rebecca Alpert
SF/Fantasy:
Bending the Landscape, edited by Nicola Griffith and Stephen Pagel
Drama:
Gross Indecency: the Three Trials of Oscar Wilde by Moises Kaufman
Children/Young Adult:
The House You Pass On the Way by Jacqueline Woodson
Transgender:
PoMoSexuals: Challenging Assumptions About Gender and Sexuality, edited by Carol Queen
Small Press:
Does Your Mama Know?, edited by Lisa C. Moore
1997
Lesbian Fiction:
Memory Mambo by Achy Obejas
Gay Men's Fiction:
Funny Boy by Shyam Selvadurai
Lesbian Studies:
Love Between Women by Bernadette J. Brooten
Gay Men's Studies:
Boys Like Us, edited by Patrick Merla
Lesbian Poetry:
All-American Girl by Robin Becker
Gay Men's Poetry:
What the Body Told by Rafael Campo
Lesbian Mystery:
Robber's Wine by Ellen Hart
Gay Men's Mystery:
Death of Friends by Michael Nava
Lesbian Biography/Autobiography:
Life in a Day by Doris Grumbach
Gay Men's Biography/Autobiography:
Geography of the Heart by Fenton Johnson
Anthologies/Fiction:
Women on Women 3, edited by Naomi Holoch
Anthologies/Nonfiction:
Taking Liberties: Gay Men's Essays on Politics, Culture, and Sex , edited by Michael Bronski
Photography/Visual Arts:
Nothing But the Girl by Susie Bright & Jill Posener
Humor:
Homo Handbook by Judy Carter
Spirituality:
The Good Book by Peter Gomes
SF/Fantasy:
Sacrament by Clive Barker
Drama:
Split Britches, edited by Sue-Ellen Case
Children/Young Adult:
Good Moon Rising by Nancy Garden
Transgender:
Body Alchemy: Transsexual Portraits by Loren Cameron
Small Press:
Body Alchemy: Transsexual Portraits by Loren Cameron
1996
Gay Men's Poetry:
Atlantis by Mark Doty
Lesbian Poetry:
Dark Fields of the Republic by Adrienne Rich
Gay Men's Fiction:
Flesh and Blood by Michael Cunningham
Lesbian Fiction:
Autobiography of a Family Photo by Jacqueline Woodson
Lesbian and Gay Anthologies/Fiction:
Tasting Life Twice edited by E.J. Levy
Lesbian and Gay Anthologies/Nonfiction:
Gay and Lesbian Literary Heritage edited by Claude J. Summers
Gay Men's Studies:
De Los Otros by Joseph Carrier
Lesbian Studies:
Dyke Life edited by Karla Jay
Gay Men's Mystery:
Closet by R.D. Zimmerman
Lesbian Mystery:
Intersection of Law and Desire by J.M. Redmann
Lesbian and Gay Science Fiction/Fantasy: -- Tie --
Shadow Man by Melissa Scott Slow River by Nicola Griffith
Lesbian/Gay Small Press Book Award:
The New Fuck You edited by Liz Kotz and Eileen Myles
Gay and Lesbian Humor:
The Butches of Madison County by Ellen Orleans
Children's/ Young Adult:
From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun by Jacqueline Woodson
Photography/Visual Arts
Paris Was a Woman by Andrea Weiss
Lesbian and Gay Drama: --Tie--
Thinking About the Longstanding Problems of Virtue and Happiness by Tony Kushner
Go Fish by Rose Troche
Gay Men's Biography/Autobiography:
Tom: The Unknown Tennessee Williams by Lyle Leverich
Lesbian Biography/Autobiography:
Aimee and Jaguar by Erica Fischer
Lesbian and Gay Spirituality:
Wrestling with the Angel edited by Brian Bouldrey
Editors' Choice: -- Tie --
Forbidden Passages, Intro by Pat Califia and Janine Fuller
Restricted Entry by Janine Fuller and Stuart Blackley
1995
Gay Men's Poetry:
Collected Poems by Thom Gunn
Lesbian Poetry:
Winter Numbers by Marilyn Hacker
Gay Men's Fiction:
Folding Star by Alan Hollinghurst
Lesbian Fiction:
The Gifts of the Body by Rebecca Brown
Lesbian and Gay Anthologies/Fiction:
Chloe Plus Olivia by Lillian Faderman
Lesbian and Gay Anthologies/Nonfiction:
Sister & Brotherby Joan Nestle and John Preston
1994
Gay Men's Poetry: -- Tie --
Collected Poems by James Schuyler
1990 by Michael Klein
Lesbian Poetry:
The Marvelous Arithmetics of Distance by Audre Lorde
Gay Men's Fiction:
Living Upstairs by Joseph Hansen
Lesbian Fiction:
Written on the Body by Jeanette Winterson
Lesbian Biography/Autobiography:
Marguerite Yourcenar by Josyane Savigneau
Gay Men's Biography/Autobiography:
Genet by Edmund White
Lesbian Studies:
Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold by Elizabeth Kennedy and Madeline Davis
Gay Men's Studies:
Conduct Unbecoming by Randy Shilts
Lesbian Mystery:
Divine Victim by Mary Wings
Gay Men's Mystery:
Catilina's Riddle by Steven Saylor
Lesbian and Gay Science Fiction/Fantasy:
The Fifth Sacred Thing by Starhawk
Lesbian and Gay Drama:
Angels in America by Tony Kushner
Lesbian and Gay Humor:
Spawn of Dykes to Watch Out For by Alison Bechdel
Children's/Young Adult Literature:
The Cat Came Back by Hilary Mullins
Lesbian and Gay Small Press Book Award (tie):
Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg Sojourner, B. Michael Hunter, managing editor
Editor's Choice Award:
A Star-Bright Lie by Coleman Dowell
Lesbian and Gay Anthologies:
Lesbian and Gay Studies Reader by Henry Abelove, Michele Aina Barale and David Halperin
1993
Gay Men's Poetry:
Counting Myself Lucky by Edward Field
Lesbian Poetry:
Undersong by Audre Lorde
Gay Men's Fiction:
Let the Dead Bury Their Dead by Randall Kenan
Lesbian Fiction:
Running Fiercely Toward a High Thin Sound by Judith Katz
Lesbian Nonfiction:
Eleanor Roosevelt by Blanche Wiesen Cook
Gay Men's Nonfiction:
Becoming a Man by Paul Monette
Lesbian Mystery: -- Tie --
The Two Bit Tango by Elizabeth Pincus
Crazy for Loving by Jaye Maiman
Gay Men's Mystery:
The Hidden Law by Michael Nava
Lesbian Science Fiction/Fantasy:
Ammonite by Nicola Griffith
Gay Men's Science Fiction/Fantasy:
China Mountain Zhang by Maureen F. McHugh
Lesbian/Gay Small Press Book Award:
Memories That Smell Like Gasoline by David Wojnarowicz
Children's/Young Adult Literature:
When Heroes Die by Penny Raife Durant
Gay and Lesbian Humor:
Dykes to Watch Out For (The Sequel) by Alison Bechdel
Editor's Choice Award:
Gay Ideas by Richard Mohr
Gay Men's Anthologies:
A Member of the Family edited by John Preston
Lesbian Anthologies:
The Persistent Desire edited by Joan Nestle
1992
Gay Men's Poetry:
The Road Before Us: 100 Gay Black Poets by Assoto Saint
Lesbian Poetry: -- Tie --
An Atlas of the Difficult World by Adrienne Rich
What the Dead Remember by Harlan Greene
Lesbian Fiction: -- Tie --
The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez
The Revolution of Little Girls by Blanche Boyd
Lesbian Science Fiction/Fantasy:
The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez
Gay Men's Science Fiction/Fantasy:
The Dark Beyond the Stars by Frank M. Robinson
Lesbian Nonfiction:
Cancer in Two Voices by Sandra Butler and Barbara Rosenblum
Gay Men's Nonfiction:
The Zuni Man-Woman by Will Roscoe
Lesbian Mystery:
Murder by Tradition by Katherine V. Forrest
Gay Men's Mystery:
Country of Old Men: The Last Dave Brandstetter Mystery by Joseph Hansen
Gay and Lesbian Humor:
Putting on the Ritz by Joe Keenan
Children's/Young Adult Literature:
The Duke Who Outlawed Jelly Beans and other Stories by Johnny Valentine
Lesbian/Gay Small Press Book Award:
Gay Roots: Twenty Years of Gay Sunshine edited by Winston Leyland
Editor's Choice Award:
Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers by Lillian Faderman
Gay Men's Anthologies:
Brother to Brother by Essex Hemphill
Lesbian Anthologies:
Chicana Lesbians: The Girls Our Mothers Warned Us About edited by Carla Trujillo
1991
Gay Men's Poetry:
Decade Dance by Michael Lassell
Lesbian Poetry:
Going Back to the River by Marilyn Hacker
Lesbian Science Fiction/Fantasy:
Gossamer Axe by Gael Baudino
Lesbian Mystery: -- Tie --
Gaudi Afternoon by Barbara Wilson
Ninth Life by Lauren Wright Douglas
Lesbian Debut:
Her by Cherry Muhanji
Gay Men's Debut:
Dancing On Tisha B'av by Lev Raphael
Gay Men's Science Fiction/Fantasy: -- Tie --
Magic's Price by Mercedes Lackey
Secret Matter by Toby Johnson
Gay Men's Mystery:
How Town by Michael Nava
AIDS (special category):
The Way We Live Now edited by Elizabeth Osborn
Gay Men's Nonfiction:
Coming Out Under Fire by Allan Berube
Lesbian Nonfiction:
The Safe Sea of Women by Bonnie Zimmerman
Gay and Lesbian Humor:
New Improved! Dykes to Watch Out For by Alison Bechdel
Gay Men's Fiction:
The Body and Its Dangers and Other Stories by Allen Barnett
Lesbian Fiction:
Out of Time by Paula Martinac
Gay Men's Anthologies:
Men on Men 3 edited by George Stambolian
Lesbian Anthologies:
Women on Women by Joan Nestle and Naomi Holoch (editors)
Gay Men's Small Press Book Award:
Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhoite
Lesbian Small Press Book Award: -- Tie --
Different Mothers edited by Louise Rafkin
Making Face/Making Soul by Gloria Anzaldua
Editor's Choice Award:
The Encyclopedia of Homosexuality edited by Wayne Dynes
1990
Gay and Lesbian Poetry:
Poets for Life edited by Michael Klein
Lesbian Science Fiction/Fantasy:
What Did Miss Darrington See? edited by Jessica Amanda Salmonson
Lesbian Mystery:
The Beverly Malibu by Katherine V. Forrest
Gay Men's Mystery:
A Simple Suburban Murder by Mark Zubro
AIDS (A special catagory):
Reports from the Holocaust by Larry Kramer
Gay Men's Nonfiction:
In Search of Gay America by Neil Miller
Gay and Lesbian Humor:
Gay Comics edited by Robert Triptow
Gay Men's Science Fiction/Fantasy:
Somewhere in the Night by Jeffrey N. McMahan
Gay Men's Fiction:
Eighty-Sixed by David B. Feinberg
Lesbian Fiction:
The Bar Stories by Nisa Donnelly
Gay Men's Anthologies:
Hidden from History by Martin Duberman, Martha Vicinus and George Chauncey (editors)
Lesbian Anthologies: -- Tie --
Hidden from History by Martin Duberman, Martha Vicinus and George Chauncey (editors)
Intricate Passions edited by Tee A. Corinne
Out the Other Side edited by Christian McEwen & Sue O'Sullivan
Lesbian Debut:
The Names of the Moons of Mars by Patricia Roth Schwartz
Gay Men's Debut:
The Irreversible Decline of Eddie Socket by John Weir
Lesbian Nonfiction:
Really Reading Gertrude Stein edited by Judy Grahn
Gay and Lesbian Small Press Book Award:
My Life as a Mole by Larry Mitchell
Young Adult/Children's Book Award:
Losing Uncle Tim by Marykate Jordan
Editor's Choice Award:
Lifting Belly edited by Gertrude Stein and Rebecca Mark
1989
Gay and Lesbian Poetry:
Gay and Lesbian Poetry in Our Time edited by Carl Morse and Joan Larkin
Gay Men's Fiction:
The Beautiful Room Is Empty by Edmund White
Lesbian Fiction:
Trash by Dorothy Allison
Gay Men's Mystery/Science Fiction:
Goldenboy by Michael Nava
Lesbian Mystery/Science Fiction:
Skiptrace by Antoinette Azolakov
AIDS (A Special Category):
Borrowed Time by Paul Monette
Gay Men's Nonfiction:
Borrowed Time by Paul Monette
Lesbian First Novel:
Bird-Eyes by Madelyn Arnold
Lesbian Nonfiction:
Lesbian Ethics by Sarah Hoagland
Gay Men's Small Press Book Award: -- Tie --
Goldenboy by Michael Nava
The Delight of Hearts by Almad Al-Tifashi
Lesbian Small Press Book Award:
Trash by Dorothy Allison
Gay Men's First Novel:
The Swimming-Pool Library by Alan Hollinghurst
Editor's Choice Award:
Why Can't Sharon Kowalski Come Home? by Karen Thompson and Julie Andrzejewski
