June 2026: Gaytheist: Coming Out of My Orthodox Childhood Graphic Novel By Lonnie Mann
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📚 Featured Book:
Gaytheist: Coming Out of My Orthodox Childhood graphic novel By Lonnie Mann
📌 Synopsis: 📘
A coming-of-age graphic novel memoir about a young man who, growing up in an Orthodox Jewish community, realizes he's gay and struggles to reconcile his faith with who he is.
Lonnie's Orthodox Jewish community has always been clear: it's not okay to be gay. Growing up in a devout family and going to school at a yeshiva, he's told by his parents, his teachers, and his friends that being gay is a sin and an abomination. But as he gets older, he realizes that he likes boys, and wonders what kind of life he will be able to live. As Lonnie expands his world beyond the yeshiva to theater camp, college classes, and movie nights, he sees that the life he wants isn't compatible with the life of his parents — and his whole religious community.
This emotional graphic novel explores the fissures between identity and religion and charts Lonnie's journey from a kid who loved the rules of the Orthodox Jewish tradition to becoming increasingly independent and defiant, embracing his gay identity and developing his own chosen family.
💞 Giving Back:
At the end of the event, to give back to the Books Inc. community, we will be collecting donations ($5 minimum; from anyone financially able to contribute) to buy as many copies of next month’s book as possible. These copies will then be raffled out to whoever participates. Any surplus funds will roll over and be added to the following month’s donations. Donating is not mandatory, joining the book raffle is optional, and anyone can enter the book raffle regardless of whether they donate.