If you enjoy reading books by David Ebershoff then you might also like the following authors:
Sarah Waters writes captivating historical novels that often highlight hidden or overlooked LGBTQ+ stories. She recreates detailed historical settings, from Victorian to post-war periods, exploring themes of identity, desire, and societal expectations.
If you enjoyed David Ebershoff's sensitive portrayal of complex characters, you might appreciate Waters's novel Fingersmith, which follows two young women whose lives intertwine through deceit and desire in Victorian-era England.
Colm Tóibín's novels focus on emotional depth, exploring quiet, personal struggles and complicated family dynamics. He writes with great care and empathy, often highlighting characters coming to terms with their identities and feelings of displacement.
Fans of David Ebershoff may like Tóibín's The Blackwater Lightship, a intimate novel that examines family tensions and reconciliation as relatives gather to support a young man suffering from AIDS.
Michael Cunningham offers reflective, emotionally nuanced stories that weave together the lives of characters grappling with identity, relationships, and yearning. His novels often contain layered narratives, rich with introspection and subtle connections.
Readers who enjoyed David Ebershoff's character-driven storytelling and exploration of identity might find Cunningham's The Hours especially resonant. The novel beautifully connects three generations of characters inspired by Virginia Woolf's own life and work.
Alan Hollinghurst crafts carefully observed stories involving characters immersed in worlds defined by class, sexuality, and evolving social norms. His precise and vivid prose explores themes of desire, power, and memory.
Readers who enjoyed the sophisticated, thoughtful nature of Ebershoff's storytelling may appreciate Hollinghurst's The Line of Beauty, which follows a young gay protagonist navigating London's elite society during the 1980s.
Edmund White is an influential voice in LGBTQ+ literature, writing frankly and openly about sexuality, relationships, and self-discovery.
His writing style is clear-eyed and observant, providing readers with genuine insights into lives influenced by societal expectations and personal desires.
Fans of David Ebershoff might enjoy White's A Boy's Own Story, a classic coming-of-age novel that examines the protagonist's journey towards understanding his identity in mid-century America.
André Aciman writes elegantly about desire, longing, and memory. His stories explore emotional relationships in gentle and powerful ways.
In his novel Call Me by Your Name, he captures the intensity of first love between two young men during a summer in Italy, creating a story that's beautiful and unforgettable.
Armistead Maupin uses humor, empathy, and warmth to tell stories about diverse communities. His characters are lively and authentic, making readers feel deeply connected to their lives.
A perfect example is Tales of the City, where he lovingly portrays an eclectic set of personalities and friendships in 1970s San Francisco.
Andrew Sean Greer combines humor and sincerity in stories focusing on self-discovery and identity. He creates characters who are charmingly flawed and deeply relatable.
In the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Less, he tells the story of Arthur Less, a middle-aged author traveling the world to escape personal embarrassments, leading readers into funny, heartfelt experiences that resonate strongly with everyday struggles.
Emma Donoghue crafts emotional tales with thoughtful storytelling and authentic characters. Her work frequently explores complicated relationships and inner conflicts, making her stories powerfully human.
Her novel Room is an intense, moving story narrated uniquely through the eyes of a young boy confined to a small space with his mother, offering readers an unforgettable perspective on resilience and maternal love.
Peter Cameron writes with clarity and sensitivity, creating stories centered on characters navigating difficult emotions and life-changing moments. His style is quiet, precise, and deeply human.
In Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You, he portrays a teenager unsure of his place in the world, capturing the feeling of uncertainty and isolation many people feel when coming of age.
Hanya Yanagihara explores complex emotional landscapes and deeply human struggles, often centering on friendship, trauma, and identity. Her style is introspective and emotionally honest, inviting readers into intensely personal narratives.
Her novel A Little Life portrays powerful bonds among friends who grapple with the lasting impacts of trauma and personal history.
Garth Greenwell writes thoughtful novels that unravel the hidden emotional lives of his characters. He examines desire, shame, and identity through a clear but poetic style, making each sentence count.
His novel What Belongs to You follows an American teacher in Bulgaria whose encounter with a local man leads him to confront complex feelings of longing and vulnerability.
Ocean Vuong's writing blends poetic imagery and honest storytelling. He often explores themes such as immigration, sexuality, family history, and intergenerational trauma, presented through intimate and often lyrical narration.
His novel On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, structured as a letter from a son to his mother, skillfully portrays the difficulties, silences, and deep love within their complicated relationship.
E.M. Forster writes novels about human relationships, social expectations, and personal freedom. His clear writing style reveals subtle social contrasts and tensions, especially reflecting on class boundaries, sexuality, and cultural differences.
In Maurice, Forster courageously explores love between two men in a restrictive society, creating a sincere portrayal of self-discovery and struggle against social conformity.
James Baldwin brings powerful insight and emotional honesty to stories about race, sexuality, and personal identity. His novels combine precise, powerful prose with deep explorations of social injustice and human vulnerability.
Giovanni's Room offers a sensitive and honest account of an American in Paris confronting his homosexuality and societal taboos, painting a vivid portrait of self-denial, love, and loss.