Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx

This is not the kind of book people typically expect me to read, although that may be because the world is under some sort of delusion that since I am a cute and small 20-something that means I must be this innocent virginal character that is perfectly vanilla and suburban. But I digress.

The book is, in case you didn't know, actually a short story, though with enough charge and content to reasonably make a good movie out of (actually, it's easier to fit a whole short story into a movie than a novel nowadays). I did not see the movie, however, though I am an admirer of the director, Ang Lee. I have this weak stomach thing and rarely see R-rated movies, but I'm just a big pacifist, so back to the book.

The book is pretty bare-bones, but beautifully descriptive of the area. It is about two cowboys who end up beginning an affair on "Brokeback Mountain" when they are herding livestock there together. The book manages to explore themes of love and social expectations which have relevance beyond just LGBT fans. It was a very moving piece of fiction, and even if (or perhaps especially if) you don't want to watch the movie, I recommend the book; it will give you a greater understanding of a great piece of literature and culture. I cannot recommend highly enough immersing yourself in understanding the LGBT culture especially if, like me, you identify as straight.